No Better Way To Bag First Turkey Than With First Gun

Editor’s Note: The following story was sent to me by a lifelong friend. The story is of her brother’s first wild turkey hunting success.

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Take a minute for yourself!

After 65 hours of work last week, at 04:30 this morning I started out on my first wild turkey hunt. As I pondered which one of just a few shotguns I should take to the forest, I had a strange feeling come over me; it was like one of these guns was reaching out to me. “Take the old Stevens single-shot 12-gauge”, I could sense.

Well, that one comes with just a little history. Just after W.W. II my father gave this shotgun to then his farther ( Robert Gilbert) for his birthday. My Dad had once told me that the last time he saw his father alive he was carrying that gun into his house after an October grouse hunt. The hunt had been good and my grandfather said, “Shirley, you keep the game tonight.” Dad had told me several times that was the last words spoken with his father.

Upon the death of my grandfather, my grandmother passed this gun to Arthur Gilbert, my uncle. Many years passed until the time came that would be my first deer hunt with my own gun. Not having a gun that was suitable or one my father felt safe having me carry, he suggested that I go across the street and ask uncle Arthur if I may use the old single shot 12-gauge. The answer was yes. Leaving his house with shotgun and ammo in hand, I was as big as a tree.

Well, on the last day of November (1968) the snow had come early. With snowshoes and guns in hand, Father, Bob and I headed for Mains’ (Pine) Mountain looking for fresh deer tracks. By late morning we located a track coming up from the valley below. Dad sent Bob off on this tract as you would release a hound from a box.

After Bob had tracked this deer for nearly an hour, he started the deer on the run. Yes, you guessed it. He ran back to Dad and I in Bob’s snowshoe tracks.

Seeing the deer, I raised the old 12-gauge and fired, nearly scaring Dad to death. With only one shot, Dad had to help with the finish. I had my first BUCK.!!

After a few more days of looking at the old gun, I returned it with some fresh venison and a thank you.

Several years ago while helping uncle Arthur with a few chores around his house, the story of my first buck and the shotgun came up. He told me that he would not be using the gun again because of his health and went into the back room. A few minutes passed, as if someone was saying a goodbye to an old friend, when Uncle Arthur returned. He passed me the gun and said, “It belongs to you now.”

During this morning as the daylight was coming over the fields, birds singing, and turkeys gobbling, I somehow felt 41 years younger again with the old single shot 12-gauge in my hands.

Well back to reality, back to work, and fresh wild turkey for dinner tonight.

Reg Gilbert

Posted by Tom Remington