Porter Claims Eastern Gobbler on Hunt No. 2

by
posted on April 9, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
porter2015_fs.jpg (9)

As soon as his Florida Osceola hit the ground March 15, the call of the wild had NRA Porter with his VersamaxPresident Jim Porter jetting straight to Alabama for subspecies No. 2: the Eastern gobbler. As the largest of the four making up the grand slam, this bird would provide for quite the Thanksgiving in March if one strutted in range of Porter’s Remington Versamax. With NRA Publications photographer Forrest MacCormack at his side, Porter anticipated a slammin’ success until early spring’s unpredictable weather temporarily rolled into town. Hunting rainy-day gobblers is one thing. Hunting in high winds and downpours is another.

For Porter, the next best thing to hunting was to be in a hunting camp as he and MacCormack holed up at Palamar, the 2,500-acre “hunting club” home of Porter’s good friends and fellow conservationists Riley and Tammy Smith. A former commissioner of the Alabama Porter Takes AimDepartment of Conservation and Natural Resources, Smith now serves on the NRA Board’s Hunting, Wildlife and Conservation Committee. The group kept the fireplace stoked, shared hunting stories and waited out the rain.

Palamar is recognized as part of the state’s TREASURE (Timber, Recreation, Environment, Aesthetics, for a Sustained Usable Resource) Forest program, a voluntary Alabama Natural Resources Council program that encourages landowners to promote sustainable, multiple-use forest management. The TREASURE Forest Award is presented to private landowners who 

Porter and Chubby load the gobbler.demonstrate their land-management commitment with TREASURE Forest certification awarded to the Smiths in October 2002. These TREASURE Forest landowners are also treasured supporters of our NRA.

Of course, a treasured hunting story isn’t much of a story without the star of the show. On March 18, the weather finally broke and Porter’s guide, Albert “Chubby” Parnell, guided him to a, well, his treasured Eastern gobbler! The 4-year-old, 18-pound turkey sported 1.25-inch spurs and a 9-inch beard.

Latest

Bear Walking By River
Bear Walking By River

A Brown Bear Hunt On Baranof

A spring hunt for brown bear on Alaska’s Baranof Island is a bucket-list experience, and, on the author’s hunt, included buckets of rain. 

Smith & Wesson Adds .30-30 Win. to Model 1854 Line

Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. has announced the release of its Model 1854 chambered in .30-30 Winchester.

Hardware Review: Savage Axis 2 Pro

This year Savage has upped the budget bolt-action ante with the introduction of the Axis 2 Pro. You don’t get something for nothing, and upgraded features do bump up the price a bit, but also the overall value.

First Look: Barnett’s Hyper Raptor T-Rex Crossbow

New for 2025, Barnett has introduced its Hyper Raptor T-Rex, transforming the hunting experience with an Integrated Planetary De-Cocking System.

Treestand Site Prep 101: Attract Bigger Bucks

We examine multiple ways to make the bucks you want get close to your stand.

New for 2025: Charter Arms Pathfinder II .22 LR Revolver

Charter Arms, manufacturers of 100-percent American-made revolvers for more than 60 years, has announced the introduction of the new Pathfinder II .22 double-action/single-action (DA/SA) revolver, chambered in .22 Long Rifle.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.