Dave Harbour's last!

[3bailey3]

Man I just read about Dave's last bird, I had never heard this story before, sad but what a way to go out!!

[joey46]

When I got into the turkey game I obtained an autographed copy of his 1975 book Hunting the American Wild Turkey.  His story about bumping into Harold Knight during one of the first Land Between the Lakes KY hunts is classic.  Back when he passed there was no Internet so didn't hear how he died until reading about it in Sports Afield several months later. 
I believe he died of a heart attack while walking out of the woods with a long beard.  Bet it was a good one.  He was one of the first turkey gurus.  I just pulled the book off the shelf.  Will read it again.  Good memories.

[Tom007]

Amen, one of the pioneers for sure!

[PalmettoRon]

I'm sure Dave Harbour would have preferred a few more years and more gobblers before exiting, but I bet he wouldn't have scripted his death any other way.

Bing Crosby, an avid golfer, had a similar awesome exit. He had just finished 18 holes and was headed to the clubhouse when he had a heart attack and fell dead.

Both men went out doing what they enjoyed and skipped the nursing home end that I too hope to avoid.

[tal]

 Knight&Hale gave Dave credit for giving them an early boost. Dave was hunting the LBL and ran into David Hale using one of their tube calls. He looked it over and decided he would write about it in an upcoming article. He told them to be sure and have them stocked up when the article came out.

[Brs2427]

I read the article in nwtf as well. It was very well written and left me speechless at the end. Amazing story no one is ready to die but that was quite the way to go out.

[GobbleNut]

Col. Dave was the driving force for me becoming an obsessed turkey hunter way back in the 1960's.  His articles in Sports Afield every year before our spring season, and later on his book, were the inspiration for keeping me determined to overcome the initial failures I endured.  He was ahead of his time in terms of promoting tactics and hunting methods that have held the test of time for me over the decades. 

I met him one time at the NWTF convention held in Dallas way back in the 1980's.  He was quite old and frail even then as I recall.  I had forgotten about the details of his passing. 

After all these years, I'm not sure how many of our younger turkey hunters are aware that he was the originator of the scoring system for wild turkeys that is still in use today under the umbrella of the NWTF. 

[quavers59]

  Pretty sure Dave was written about in Jim Casadas' Book about Old Time Turkey Masters. I have that Book put away as,I am moving.
    I remember  reading that he just killed a Gobbler who rolled down a embankment and after walking up and putting the Tag on the Gobbler- told his partner- I think,I am going to Black Out . And collapsed alongside the Gobbler. Someone here can pull that Book out to verify.

[Tnandy]

I just read the story myself, what an interesting read. Worth the short time to take to read it