# How many years have you been turkey hunting?



## M Sharpe (May 23, 2013)

Thought this would be interesting. Seems like the number of hunters has exploded the last few years.

I've been chasing them 29 years and have enjoyed every minute of it.


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## birddog52 (May 23, 2013)

26 to be exact 67 toms to may kill credit a few called in for friends


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## Burney Mac (May 23, 2013)

Killed my first bird when I was 8 yrs. old. If you start from there I've been chasing turkeys for 19 years. However, I didn't start killing them on a consistent basis until I was 18.


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## Curtis-UGA (May 23, 2013)

16 years


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## 01Foreman400 (May 23, 2013)

Since 2005.


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## Arrow3 (May 23, 2013)

I killed my first one 23 years ago....I can still see every detail of the hunt in my head. That Paul Butski box call brought him right to me.


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## Kevin Farr (May 23, 2013)

I love turkey hunting so much that I figure I started at least 5 years before I was born.    Pretty sure that I've got a problem/addiction....... yep, I'm certain.


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## ADDICTED2HUNTIN (May 23, 2013)

I have been chasing them suckers for 12 years or so.


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## sman (May 23, 2013)

Since 88. Didn't score till 90 or 91.  I only went when daf would take me those first few years. I hunted by myself though, cause turkeys were dad's only sport he still had to himself back then.  So if I went, I had to do it on my own.

Didn't get serious about it till 95. Didn't get consistent at killing em till 97 or 98.

So 25.


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## MKW (May 23, 2013)

19 years.

Mike


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## GLS (May 23, 2013)

37 seasons.


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## TurkeyH90 (May 23, 2013)

12 years. My wifes' first hunt she was about 8 weeks pregnant with my son. We heard about 200 gobbles that morning and I was 10 yds away from closing the deal on 2 strutters and had a jake nearly step on me twice. Wonderful morning in the mountains and supposedly the location of the last gobbler Mr. Neil Cost killed before he succumbed to cancer.


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## PappyHoel (May 23, 2013)

16 years but not die hard, maybe go 6 or 7 times during the season.  I haven't shot a single gobbler yet.  I can get them to gobble and come in , just not all the way.


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## Tommy Walton (May 23, 2013)

I started hunting Turkeys in one of the first three counties that was open in Ga,Taliaferro. 1997 33 years ago. We had the birds and 3400 acres outside of Crawfordville Ga. I had a neighbor that help me get started Mr. Charlie Elloitt,he was the only one around me that had ever turkey hunted. When I killed my first bird I called him and he said Tom don't tell me on the phone son come to the house. I Loved that man ! He established the same passion in me he had about Turkey Hunting ! Love That Turkey Hunting and Heavey's BBQ and his sweet potato pie.


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## wild1 (May 23, 2013)

I've been after them 20 years and have enjoyed every minute!


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## ryanwhit (May 23, 2013)

Started in 04.  Became serious in 07.  Since then my condition has worsened.


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## sea trout (May 23, 2013)

20ish years!!!!!!!

my neighbor as a kid was in his early 20's and i in my teens.
he'd take me huntin all over with him.

i loved deer hunting but i didn't care for the turkey huntin.
i'd go a couple/few times a year but couldn't get into it.

then finnaly in my early 20's the stars alighned and i got my first bird!!!!!!

now i was hooked after that forever!!!!!!!

here i am 37 yrs old and i still feel like a kid when turkey season is starting! and i act like a spoiled brat when it over!!!!


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## David Parker (May 23, 2013)

I went twice this year.  Saw zero birds, heard one.  I am part of the "new wave".  Yeah me!!


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## labsnducks (May 23, 2013)

Since 94


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## SwampMoss (May 23, 2013)

29 years for me.


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## DSGB (May 23, 2013)

01Foreman400 said:


> Since 2005.



Same here. Don't get to go but a handful of times each year, though.


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## humdandy (May 23, 2013)

20 years.


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## fredw (May 23, 2013)

*It's all Jody Hawk's doing......*

Jody took me on my first turkey in 2006.

This is from my journal:



> April 5, 2006
> 
> Jody Hawk took me on my first turkey hunt.
> 
> We set up (with a blind) in a bottom along the river and Jody began calling.  Things got exciting when we had a gobbler answer.  He gobbled eight times as he moved toward us.  When he got within a hundred yards, a hen yelped…..and he forgot all about us. We did some walking and calling as we worked back toward the truck but didn’t hear anything else.


  Note.....location not mentioned


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## critterslayer (May 23, 2013)

Started when I was 12, and been at it for almost 3 years.


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## Gut_Pile (May 23, 2013)

My dad always took me as a kid once or twice a year due to baseball getting in the way. I killed my first bird in 2004 at age 14. 

Got serious in 08 but I have been obsessed my whole life.


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## ccleroy (May 23, 2013)

17 years


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## Jim Thompson (May 23, 2013)

23 years and I am just as bad at it today as I was back then


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## rex upshaw (May 23, 2013)

about 17 years, but most of those first few were filled with hungover hunts, which often led to serious woodsy naps.


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## pnome (May 23, 2013)

7 and looking towards many many more!


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## Offroadtek (May 23, 2013)

Just finished my third season.  0 first year, 2 second year and tagged out this year. A friend got me hunting them. I've always hunted so it's not like I started completely green.


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## jeremybuckhunter (May 23, 2013)

Hunted 4 years killed 12 toms


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## TAG (May 23, 2013)

32 years for me, scored my first two in 1984.


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## mike1225 (May 23, 2013)

jeremybuckhunter said:


> Hunted 4 years killed 12 toms



You must be really good or you have a great spot!    I started in 1976 or 77. I'll have to look in my scrapbook at home. So that's 36 or 37 years. I hunted with friends in Wilcox County Al b4 we had a season here at home.


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## Pneumothorax (May 23, 2013)

My first turkey hunt was in 97.  Killed three that year.  Killed one the next year.  Then didn't turkey hunt again till this year.  Tagged out.  So it's either 16 years or 3 years depending on how you look at it.


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## woods-n-water (May 23, 2013)

I've been diseased for 19 yrs now. Killed my 1st at the age of 14, in 1994. Only regret I have is not keeping up with the total # of birds I was blessed to harvest. I can only hope for another 19 yrs.


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## wellwood (May 23, 2013)

3 years and still haven't killed a bird. Thinkin about givin up.


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## Brad (May 23, 2013)

I went for the first time in 99 but I wasn't really turkey hunting,I was just there because something was in season. Did the same thing for a couple of years. That all changed when a suicidal two year old changed my hunting life in 02. I've been worthless ever since.


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## Nicodemus (May 23, 2013)

Started 53 years ago.


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## swalker1517 (May 23, 2013)

I went for the first time back in 98. Killed my first in 2003. Spent many springs being educated. Still being educated now.


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## six (May 23, 2013)

46 or 47 years.  If I don't soon kill one I think I'm going to quit.


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## ccleroy (May 23, 2013)

six said:


> 46 or 47 years.  If I don't soon kill one I think I'm going to quit.




Yea, you need to get the ball rolling.........I'm beginning to believe you are a lost cause!


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## M Sharpe (May 23, 2013)

six said:


> 46 or 47 years.  If I don't soon kill one I think I'm going to quit.



No No:

Just wait a couple of weeks and I'll have ya something to use on those wiley ol' henned up call shy educated hard to kill gobblers!!


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## buckeroo (May 23, 2013)

I have put it this way multiple times. I have watched these goofy birds peck around in the woods while deer hunting for over 22 years or so and finally decided this year to chase them. 

Let's say after killing two myself and putting a buddy on one this year, I am hooked and will no longer call them goofy little birds.


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## ccleroy (May 23, 2013)

M Sharpe said:


> No No:
> 
> Just wait a couple of weeks and I'll have ya something to use on those wiley ol' henned up call shy educated hard to kill gobblers!!



He'll sit on it and break it Mark..........just send it to me......


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## M Sharpe (May 23, 2013)




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## bunnyhunter (May 23, 2013)

2 years with 3 kills. One of which I called in myself along with a pot call I made myself! 2 sided cherry pot with aluminum and slate.


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## goblr77 (May 23, 2013)

18 for me.


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## stringmusic (May 23, 2013)

Only been huntin'em hard for about 3 years.


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## Millcreekfarms (May 23, 2013)

20 years but took a few seasons off here and there due to work and those dang ole strippers but dont think ill ever miss another one good lord willing


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## six (May 23, 2013)

ccleroy said:


> He'll sit on it and break it Mark..........just send it to me......


The truth hurts.


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## Pneumothorax (May 23, 2013)

Millcreekfarms said:


> 20 years but took a few seasons off here and there due to work and *those dang ole strippers* but dont think ill ever miss another one good lord willing



Yeah, they tend to make me want to stay inside too.


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## Paint Brush (May 23, 2013)

I am suprised some have only been hunting them a few years. This season was my 40th of losing a crop on account of these things. And when it ended I had ask myself are you ever gona learn to do this right? LOL I didnt get to hunt as much as I would have liked as usual buts what,s new I never do. I still had a pretty good year heard some good gobbling. If I didnt miss count I called up 16 and got to see 7 flopping and 3 or 4 get the bejezus scared out of them when a load of shot tried to take em out.LOL
  I hope to some day to get to hunt until im tired of it but as long as I dont win the lottery I dont see that happening any time soon.


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## ky55 (May 23, 2013)

It seems like I been hunting them for 50 years, but it's really only been 34. 

I didn't kill one this year, but I got to watch a buddy that had drove 8 hours to hunt with me mash one's noggin and that was better than killing a dozen myself.


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## gobbleandgrunt (May 23, 2013)

Started when I was 10 on my own on our farm behind the house. Went with may daddy when I was 8 for the first time. So I'm gone say 23 years on my own. Wow. Time sure does go by fast.


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## bubbafowler (May 23, 2013)

18 years.   Killed two my first season on some great property, but it was all luck.  After that I watched many die, but it never seemed to be my time behind the gun.  I've hunted every season, but some only a couple of times when I was going to college.  I got back into it hard the last five years, but I have no clue how many I've killed or seen die.  Wish I did...


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## rhbama3 (May 23, 2013)

I'd have to give it a total of 19 years, but i quit for a decade after 6 years in bama without getting a bird. When a water mocassin struck my boot, i decided to switch to crappie fishing full time in the spring. When i moved to Georgia in 2000, i started chasing them  again and haven't quit yet.


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## tkyklr1 (May 23, 2013)

I've been after them for 21 yrs. I've always kept a journal and wrote down all the info of very turkey and deer I taken in my hunting career.


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## Fuller (May 23, 2013)

Killed my first bird in 1992 at age 13 and have killed at least one every season since. That makes 21 years. Hunted about 3 or 4 years before that without killing anything.


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## rem 300 (May 23, 2013)

This spring made my 20th season


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## dtala (May 23, 2013)

Killed my first 45 years ago....killed another 150 since then, plus another 100 I called up that the person sitting beside me killed. I'd as soon see someone else pull the trigger as me, esp a kid or new turkey hunter.


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## RUNnGUN (May 24, 2013)

Started when I was 11 and I'm 20 now, so this past season was my 9th season and I've taken 20 birds. Killed 3 different birds in 3 different states this year, TX GA & FL, and missed one in SD. I am very blessed to have a dad that loves it just as much as me and we are very blessed to be able to travel and kill birds all over the country.


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## gobble79 (May 24, 2013)

41 Years.


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## buckmaster56 (May 24, 2013)

I'm 57 been hunting them since I was 25-32 years.It's addictive for sure !


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## Huntinfool (May 24, 2013)

I don't honestly know.  I'm always amazed at folks who know the exact number of birds they've killed.  It just never occured to me to keep up with the number.

I think I started chasing turkeys maybe 12 or 13 years ago?  I can't recall exactly.  But I know I was married when I started and this will be our 14th anniversary.  

I guess I had such an inauspicious beginning, I didn't even know I was addicted until I was.


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## jeremy1217 (May 24, 2013)

21 years for me, and its never gotten old


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## Lane Morrell (May 24, 2013)

Five years with 4 kills.


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## Hawken2222 (May 24, 2013)

27 springs for me.  Started in 1987


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## Toddmann (May 24, 2013)

28.


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## turk2di (May 24, 2013)

Arrow3 said:


> I killed my first one 23 years ago....I can still see every detail of the hunt in my head. That Paul Butski box call brought him right to me.


Just completed my 24th Kentucky season, also bagged my first bird with a Paul Butski "ole reliable" box call!


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## grayfox (May 24, 2013)

Finished up my 9th season this year.


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## cr00241 (May 24, 2013)

This was my first year. Figured I would try it out seriously this year when I saw the same 4 Tom's almost every time I was in the deer stand.


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## MCNASTY (May 25, 2013)

18th season.  Been an experience, I am taught something new every spring.  Killed my first with my dad back in  96'.  I'm thankful to have a father who had the patience to take me.  He sacrificed a lot those first few years trying to get me and my brother on a bird along with my grandpa .  But the favor is being repaid   now  he can't move like he use to and my gound work has to help get
 him in position.  But that's ok his legs may be going but his aim is still sharp.


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## jrmcc (May 25, 2013)

I've hunted them for 8 years and am hooked for life. First 2 years I killed nothing, but coyotes. Since then I've carried a good number of birds back to the truck from both nc and ga and enjoyed every minute of it.


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## Brad C. (May 26, 2013)

33yrs I believe now.  But my better turkey hunting days are way behind me now.


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## Hookspur (May 26, 2013)

This was my 31st spring season. Still making the same stupid mistakes.


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## Arrow3 (May 26, 2013)

turk2di said:


> Just completed my 24th Kentucky season, also bagged my first bird with a Paul Butski "ole reliable" box call!





Ive still got mine....You?


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## M Sharpe (May 26, 2013)

Arrow3 said:


> Ive still got mine....You?



I don't have mine. I gave mine to one of my nephews years ago....


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## XIronheadX (May 26, 2013)

I've hunted them for 24 years. The only thing I've ever had patience for in my life. Patience being the key word.


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## Gaswamp (May 26, 2013)

Since 1989.  I need a few more years to think like a turkey


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## Buck Roar (May 26, 2013)

Started when I was 6 with my dad. I am 13 now.  I am addicted.


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## General1942 (May 26, 2013)

51 years and still love it more than any other type of hunting.


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## alansentell (May 26, 2013)

This was my 43rd season chaising longbeards and have no way of knowing how many I have killed but I kinda feel like I have been a part of 1000s being killed with the calls I have made. At all the shows I did I gave a lot of calls to young hunters that you could see the glint in their eyes when I taught them to play calls and you wouldent believe all the little notes and cards thanking me for giving them the calls and pictures with their first birds, they mean more to me than all the ribons and trophys I won over the years and maybe I helped in some way to keep them in the woods and off the streets alive and out of prison.   Thanks alan


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## Dan DeBord (May 26, 2013)

Started 1982


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## keith ingram (May 26, 2013)

Killed my first 32 yrs. ago, and still get as thrilled today as I did then.


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## Gut_Pile (May 26, 2013)

alansentell said:


> This was my 43rd season chaising longbeards and have no way of knowing how many I have killed but I kinda feel like I have been a part of 1000s being killed with the calls I have made. At all the shows I did I gave a lot of calls to young hunters that you could see the glint in their eyes when I taught them to play calls and you wouldent believe all the little notes and cards thanking me for giving them the calls and pictures with their first birds, they mean more to me than all the ribons and trophys I won over the years and maybe I helped in some way to keep them in the woods and off the streets alive and out of prison.   Thanks alan



Awesome!


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## Melvin4730 (May 26, 2013)

23 years


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## Gadget (May 27, 2013)

Huntinfool said:


> I don't honestly know.  I'm always amazed at folks who know the exact number of birds they've killed.  It just never occured to me to keep up with the number.




Same here, don't know the numbers, and don't care, I'm in it for the enjoyment and memories.

Reminds me of a hunt in Nebraska, 4 of us hunting on public land, this guy rolls up to us as we're standing outside the vehicles, has stickers all over the truck. His opening statement was the usual "any luck?", from then on it was 10 minutes of nothing but how many he's killed, how many records he has, how many Grand Slams he has.....etc, etc. when he left we all just broke out laughing, that guy was the butt of our jokes the rest of the trip.....


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## mike1225 (May 27, 2013)

Gadget said:


> Same here, don't know the numbers, and don't care, I'm in it for the enjoyment and memories.
> 
> Reminds me of a hunt in Nebraska, 4 of us hunting on public land, this guy rolls up to us as we're standing outside the vehicles, has stickers all over the truck. His opening statement was the usual "any luck?", from then on it was 10 minutes of nothing but how many he's killed, how many records he has, how many Grand Slams he has.....etc, etc. when he left we all just broke out laughing, that guy was the butt of our jokes the rest of the trip.....


.         That's funny! I see the same type guys every year in Nebraska!


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## Huntinfool (May 28, 2013)

Gadget said:


> Same here, don't know the numbers, and don't care, I'm in it for the enjoyment and memories.
> 
> Reminds me of a hunt in Nebraska, 4 of us hunting on public land, this guy rolls up to us as we're standing outside the vehicles, has stickers all over the truck. His opening statement was the usual "any luck?", from then on it was 10 minutes of nothing but how many he's killed, how many records he has, how many Grand Slams he has.....etc, etc. when he left we all just broke out laughing, that guy was the butt of our jokes the rest of the trip.....



Don't get me wrong.  I wish I had kept up at least with the numbers just for my own knowledge.  I just have to be good with knowing I've killed my share over the years.

In any case, I have a feeling that starting next spring my numbers will reset and I'll start keeping count of how many I've called in for my son and how many he's killed.

I'm about convinced that I've held him off for as long as I can.  He'll be 5 in December and I know good and well he can handle a 410.  If I can get him shooting a 20 well enough by spring, he'll likely be tagging along as much as he can next year.


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## southernboy2147 (May 28, 2013)

hard to say.. bc there was a year of two of just going with my dad, then the few years I thought i was turkey hunting but really i was just out there educating them.


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## MKW (May 28, 2013)

It's very interesting to see how long everybody has been hunting turkeys. However, the number of years one has hunted is not a good indicator of turkey hunting experience cause some guys get more "woods time" in one season than other guys might get in 5 seasons.
This thread certainly seems to show that, once you start turkey hunting, you generally don't give it up. 

Mike


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## jbbmanchester (May 28, 2013)

The best 34 years of my life.


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## Mr. Longbeard (May 28, 2013)

Tommy Walton said:


> I started hunting Turkeys in one of the first three counties that was open in Ga,Taliaferro. 1997 33 years ago. We had the birds and 3400 acres outside of Crawfordville Ga. I had a neighbor that help me get started Mr. Charlie Elloitt,he was the only one around me that had ever turkey hunted. When I killed my first bird I called him and he said Tom don't tell me on the phone son come to the house. I Loved that man ! He established the same passion in me he had about Turkey Hunting ! Love That Turkey Hunting and Heavey's BBQ and his sweet potato pie.




Call me crazy... 1997-2013???  Ain't that 16 years 

Been at it for 20 years... Don't think I've ever had one come in waving a white flag yet!!!


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## swalker1517 (May 28, 2013)

MKW said:


> It's very interesting to see how long everybody has been hunting turkeys. However, the number of years one has hunted is not a good indicator of turkey hunting experience cause some guys get more "woods time" in one season than other guys might get in 5 seasons.
> This thread certainly seems to show that, once you start turkey hunting, you generally don't give it up.
> 
> Mike



Hardest addiction to ever give up! Hope I never have to give it up.


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## Huntinfool (May 28, 2013)

MKW said:


> It's very interesting to see how long everybody has been hunting turkeys. However, the number of years one has hunted is not a good indicator of turkey hunting experience cause some guys get more "woods time" in one season than other guys might get in 5 seasons.
> 
> Mike



That's definitely the truth.  I know there are a bunch of guys in here who spend more time in one year chasing them than I'm able to in 5 (and I hate them deeply...in a loving kind of way).

I'd hate to know how many I could have killed had I been able to squeeze even a few more trips out each year over the past 5 or 6 since we've had kids.

I'd like to spend more time.  But I'm pretty happy with the results I've had over the last few years balancing family and hunting.  I get to chase a gobbling turkey almost every time out and my kills/hunt ratio is about as high as it's ever been in my life.  My one big wish would be to be able to hunt a few other states as well some day.


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## Ricochet (May 30, 2013)

ryanwhit said:


> Started in 04.  Became serious in 07.  Since then my condition has worsened.


LOL I have the same problem and I started off knowing almost nothing about turkey hunting in 2006 and I got serious about it in 2007 as well.  So, that's 8 years total with 18 birds tagged - I keep a kill journal for myself and to help spark the memories when I'm old and grey.  Not to mention, I try to video all of my hunts and share/save them via YouTube.  Last year was my break out year and when I finally felt like I finally knew what I was doing in the turkey woods (most of the time).  I'm looking forward to turkey hunting for many more years!


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## Mudfeather (Jun 2, 2013)

since 2001 and not long enough....Lord Willing!!!


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## j hook max (Aug 7, 2013)

I started back in 1969. This past season was 45 years.


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## J. L. Erb (Aug 7, 2013)

Killed my First Osceola in 1984, Have not missed a Spring or Early Fall bow season for them yet. It's a very Personal kind of hunt, un-like any other Animal or Bird I have hunted.


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## blong (Aug 7, 2013)

Started in 1982 when I was ten. It was the spring of 85 before I bagged one  though. No decoys, no tents, just me in tiger stripe camo , a lynch box and a single shot 12 with a 2 3/4" #6.  I will never forget it either, was sitting in 2" of flooded timber and he came in thru the palmettos drumming and I didn't know what the sound was! Found a small crawfish in his crop while cleaning him. I have encounterd and been schooled by more than I have killed since, but he still stands out in my memory the clearest.


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## Tomboy Boots (Aug 8, 2013)

I killed my first gobbler in March 2009, so 5 years... I can tell I have a lot of catching up to do


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## Old Timer53 (Aug 8, 2013)

Been hunting turkeys 35 yrs .


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## strutnrut (Aug 8, 2013)

Hunted some in the 70's but not many turkeys around. Got serious in 89. Started fall hunting in 91 after missing that spring cause of deployment. Been after them ever since. Love taking soldiers hunting and helping them enjoy themselves for a change.


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## HGC1 (Aug 9, 2013)

Was lucky enough to have a dad that never told me no I couldn't go.. I started hunting turkey at age 6 and now I am 36 nothing like watching my dad shoot a turkey when I was little never will forget it!!!!!


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## Wlrountree (Aug 10, 2013)

Hunted all my life but as far as turkey goes I'm one of the new guys. Had been a couple times before this past spring but caught the bug the first time I finally heard one gobble back to me. Never made it a priority just talked about it a lot. That will never happen again.


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## Mr. Longbeard (Aug 13, 2013)

birddog52 said:


> 26 to be exact 67 toms to may kill credit a few called in for friends





I'll never see numbers like that in my life time


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## MKW (Aug 13, 2013)

Mr. Longbeard said:


> I'll never see numbers like that in my life time



Why not??  Killing turkeys is not that hard.


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## Gadget (Aug 13, 2013)

MKW said:


> Why not??  Killing turkeys is not that hard.




Only public land turkeys are hard, once they step over the property line onto private land they become EASY.........


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## M Sharpe (Aug 14, 2013)

Mr. Longbeard said:


> I'll never see numbers like that in my life time




Henry Davis wrote of a fella in his hunting memoirs book of a guy that had over 1200 turkeys under his belt, in a 50 year span !!! I believe his name was S. M. McClary. On average, that's 24 birds a year!! But back in those days, baiting was legal. They would take corn and string it between two post running parallel to each other. He states the most he had heard of killed in one shot was....7.....with #8 shot.

He also stated that he was not a fan of turkey dogging. Said that would run the turkeys out of a range quicker than anything else.


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## Mark K (Aug 14, 2013)

With the generous limits in Ga and the surrounding states, 5-10 birds a year is very realistic.


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## the_great_white (Aug 14, 2013)

17 years.......


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## Brad (Aug 14, 2013)

With only a two bird limit in Florida and not really being able to travel to hunt I doubt I will be able to reach really high numbers. That being said numbers don't really concern me much I just hunt every chance I get and have fun doing it. I just wish I had started earlier in my hunting life.


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## Gut_Pile (Aug 14, 2013)

Mr. Longbeard said:


> I'll never see numbers like that in my life time



Sucks to suck doesn't it?


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## Turkeydoghunter (Aug 14, 2013)

Some people are just natural bOrn killers


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## strutnrut (Aug 14, 2013)

M Sharpe said:


> Henry Davis wrote of a fella in his hunting memoirs book of a guy that had over 1200 turkeys under his belt, in a 50 year span !!! I believe his name was S. M. McClary. On average, that's 24 birds a year!! But back in those days, baiting was legal. They would take corn and string it between two post running parallel to each other. He states the most he had heard of killed in one shot was....7.....with #8 shot.
> 
> He also stated that he was not a fan of turkey dogging. Said that would run the turkeys out of a range quicker than anything else.



I take it that would be an either sex numbers. I would have to agree it's not or shouldn't be about how many you can or do kill but the manner in which you take them.  I have never set an figured out how many I can kill up here in one single year but it's quite a few some where around 120 +  not counting state or quota hunts.


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## Gut_Pile (Aug 14, 2013)

strutnrut said:


> I take it that would be an either sex numbers. I would have to agree it's not or shouldn't be about how many you can or do kill but the manner in which you take them.  I have never set an figured out how many I can kill up here in one single year but it's quite a few some where around 120 +  not counting state or quota hunts.



One reason I'll hopefully be moving to Tennessee in the next few years


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## M Sharpe (Aug 14, 2013)

Richard, from what the book indicates, they would use this to keep numbers in check. What I have trouble figuring is this, they were all worried about the decline in numbers. But yet, they still slaughtered the fool out of them. Obviously they didn't start worrying 'til they 'bout had them wiped out. None of the guys traveled to 4 or 5 states to account for their numbers. All these fellas in Davis' book lived and hunted in S.C.

 Another interesting thing I found was this. Davis' trumpet that sold for $55,000 didn't have a 257 Roberts casing(that everybody uses). It was a 22 Hornet casing.


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## strutnrut (Aug 14, 2013)

TN fall season is by which county you are hunting in. 
Mark, alot of people think it is all about the numbers until they don't have any. 
As for the fall and winter hunting it is about or should be about management of the flock. Sadly some don't see it that way and just shoot whatever comes in. I know some that will shoot a jake knowing it is a jake during the winter season just because you can't see the beard. If the beard happens to be too long "A pocket knife and lighter works wonders".  I am not talking about rookie hunters either. Yes it is legal to kill beardless birds during the winter hunt but they know what they are killing. Just because something is legal doesn't mean you have to be a turkey killer. 
Some of the areas only have one good size fall flock but if you rape that flock year after year you will begin to see a difference in what is available in a few years. It's hard to get those in charge to see that. Even though the entire post has an abundance of turkeys. Some areas mostly the ones that are always open do not.


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## J. L. Erb (Aug 14, 2013)

Davis Mentions using and preferred a .257 Roberts casing or .30 Krag on page 171 of his book. 
A .22 hornet has a dimpled crease line on the top crimp, didn't notice that in the pictures of the 55,000.00 call, but, wasn't really looking for one either. A .22 is pretty small to fit a bone in, Did you read that somewhere Mark ?


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## M Sharpe (Aug 14, 2013)

In the book The hunting Memoirs of Henry Edward Davis.


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## J. L. Erb (Aug 15, 2013)

I am sure he used a few different shell casing's being a gunsmith, he would have them laying around. In his book The American Wild Turkey, on pg 171, Mr. Davis says he preferred a .257 - or .30 Krag for his Calls.

 There are only Two of us making this Style of call today that I know of, Myself and Mr. Permar. 
We both use the .257 Roberts Brass.

In his book he describes his Favorite Turkey Rifle as being a Win. Model 70, Chambered, in .22 hornet.


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## M Sharpe (Aug 15, 2013)

That's what I had always assumed also, that the 257 Roberts was used. What surprised me was the pic with the caption saying it was a 22 Hornet casing. I guess it would take the owner of that $55,000 call to clue us in. That may have been the only one ever built with that particular casing. I got that pic you sent and read the story where he gave detailed instructions on making the call. Makes a person wonder, just how many of different caliber casings are out there....stuck in a drawer somewhere and the owner has no clue as to what they own.


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## Chestnut (Aug 15, 2013)

*How long*

first season  in Ga,  believe it was 1977  or 78 
  Greene co  off hwy 44   ,  hunting the edge  of  what would be lake Oconee   , could see the river and the wood piles were ready to be burned 
 still have and use  the old Lynch 101 box call


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## blt152 (Aug 15, 2013)

1989 was my first spring season. Killed my first gobbler on gameland 101 in PA. that year. Have hunted turkeys in the following states; OH, PA, NY, WV, OK, NEB and AL. This coming spring will be my first season in GA. I have harvested 50 birds to date. Since moving south from Ohio to Alabama I have had plenty of birds worked but have not harvested a southern bird yet. I have high hopes for Georgia next spring as the lease I am in has plenty of birds on it.


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## Timber1 (Aug 19, 2013)

This guy has been hunting turkeys since Ga. opened spring season.  Back of this picture says number 21, killed on Bates Ridge. Picture is from early to mid 1960's. He limited out with 2 Public Mountain Birds and one big, mature 23 lb. field bird last season. He is well over the 200 mark.


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## antnye (Aug 19, 2013)

Timber1 said:


> This guy has been hunting turkeys since Ga. opened spring season. Back of this picture says number 21, killed on Bates Ridge. Picture is from early to mid 1960's. He limited out with 2 Public Mountain Birds and one big, mature 23 lb. field bird last season. He is well over the 200 mark.


 
Great picture Carter! Looks like he's been at it a long time.

Is that what your gonna look like when you grow up


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## Gadget (Aug 19, 2013)

Timber1 said:


> This guy has been hunting turkeys since Ga. opened spring season.  Back of this picture says number 21, killed on Bates Ridge. Picture is from early to mid 1960's. He limited out with 2 Public Mountain Birds and one big, mature 23 lb. field bird last season. He is well over the 200 mark.




He killed 200 on Cohutta alone didn't he.......


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## ChattNFHunter (Aug 19, 2013)

2 seasons and 1 bird.  love it anyways!


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## Timber1 (Aug 23, 2013)

Gadget said:


> He killed 200 on Cohutta alone didn't he.......



Yeah we bout killed em out up there and had to start hunting those easy birds down at West Point an Big Lazer.


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## Timber1 (Aug 23, 2013)

Few more.


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## J. L. Erb (Aug 23, 2013)

Nice Picture's and I'm sure Memory's Timber1.


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## Middle Georgia Sportsman (Aug 28, 2013)

This will be my first season...


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## Gut_Pile (Aug 28, 2013)

Great pictures Timber1


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## turk2di (Sep 15, 2013)

Next season will b my 25th!


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## Gadget (Sep 16, 2013)

How does this guy kill these Cohutta mountain Gobblers every year at 80+yrs old, he must have special caller......


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## TurkeyManiac (Sep 16, 2013)

20 years.  Killed my first bird when I was 16 in 1993


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## DMP (Sep 18, 2013)

18......


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## icdedturkes (Sep 18, 2013)

MKW said:


> It's very interesting to see how long everybody has been hunting turkeys. However, the number of years one has hunted is not a good indicator of turkey hunting experience cause some guys get more "woods time" in one season than other guys might get in 5 seasons.
> This thread certainly seems to show that, once you start turkey hunting, you generally don't give it up.
> 
> Mike



Yup just 19 seasons for me, but must agree... We have a wealth of knowledge some bad some good available to us now via video, book, internet etc, but if I guy can sort through it and apply it to what he observes in a high number of woods hours he can run up the learning curve much faster than the long time weekend warrior.... You can learn alot in alot of years but watching it unfold day to day over a couple a years will teach you just as much if not more if you are observant..


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## six (Sep 19, 2013)

I know a couple two people that have been killing a couple turkeys a year now for about 15 years, and still haven't turkey hunted.   They have corn, decoy and blind placement down to a science though.


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## icdedturkes (Sep 19, 2013)

six said:


> I know a couple two people that have been killing a couple turkeys a year now for about 15 years, and still haven't turkey hunted.   They have corn, decoy and blind placement down to a science though.



Even taking out the illegal aspect execpt KS and TX.. The internet, TV and Movie has expedited the learning curve with blinds and decoys. But your right these people have never learned to turkey hunt.


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