Youth hunter kills two turkeys with one shot

Hunter killed the gobblers in Darlington County

I don’t remember the first fish I ever caught. That’s probably true for many of us, especially those who did it when we were very young. One bluegill turns into a dozen, and before you know it, your memory is blurred. It’s not the same with big game though, partly because they don’t happen in the same numbers as fish. If you catch one fish in a day, that’s probably not a great day. But if you kill one big game animal in a week, that’s success!

And I do remember my first turkey. I suspect most of you do too.

Seth Pittington, a 14-year-old hunter from Partrick, SC, had a day last week he’ll likely remember for the rest of his life. He killed two turkeys on the morning of March 17 while hunting with his dad, Ryan Pittington and family friend Drew McElveen.

It was opening day of South Carolina’s youth turkey hunting season, and with his dad taking care of the calling duties, young Seth connected on his first turkey. And on his second turkey. With the same shot. A double!

The youth hunter killed his two gobblers with a Franchi 912 Variomax 12-gauge in Darlington County.

I know a lot of good turkey hunters. Some of them have never failed to fill all their tags each year for decades. A few in multiple states. And I can’t think of a single one of them that have ever killed two turkeys with one shot. It’s not unheard of. We’ve written a story or two about hunters doing it over the years. But it’s not at all a commonplace happening, even among hunters who have killed scores of the big birds.

And for a hunter to do it on his first successful turkey hunt is a rare feat indeed.

Welcome to the madness of turkey hunting, Seth!