For the last nine years, David Ellis has logged thousands of miles and spent thousands of dollars in a quest to bag a turkey in each of the 49 states that have the birds.
On May 25, thanks to the kindness of a landowner near Bath, the 33-year-old from Conyers, Georgia, added his 48th state to his life list. Only Hawaii remains before he completes a feat known as the “U.S. Super Slam,” successfully harvesting a wild turkey in all 49 states where hunting is allowed. Alaska is the state where there is no turkey hunting.
Ellis said he had help from Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife biologist Keel Kemper and actually was on the phone with Kemper, planning his next move, when he saw a bird in a field.
“I drive down there, and there’s this guy on a John Deere tractor with his 2-year-old grandson,” Ellis said. “I start talking to him, telling him what I’m about and what I’m trying to do.”
Initially, the man was reluctant to allow Ellis access to the land. After a pleasant 30-minute conversation, he changed his mind.
“He says, ‘You know what? You’re a good old boy. I think it’s awesome what you’re doing, so I’m going to get my son to drive you around the back side and he’ll show you where to go,’” Ellis said.
The gesture was unexpected but appreciated, Ellis said.
“These guys opened up their place to me like I was one of their own,” he said. “I got a little emotional about it, because for me that’s what it’s all about: You meet good people, you get to see some beautiful country and you get to do what you love.”
Ellis shot two turkeys that day and, as is his custom, he gave away the meat.
“I’d eat if if I could, but being in a hotel and not having the proper cooking utensils makes it difficult,” he explained.
Ellis said he tries to avoid hunting with guides, choosing instead to consult with biologists. He does much of his own scouting and prefers to hunt public land, though that presents a challenge in the Northeast, where much of the land is privately owned.
Ellis said his love affair with the sport of turkey hunting began when he was just 6 and was tagging along with his grandfather on a hunt. His grandfather didn’t have a modern turkey call but made due with a piece of aluminum he utilized to imitate a wild turkey’s yelps.
“When I heard that first bird gobble [in return], it was like a light switch came on,” Ellis said. “That’s when I became this lifelong, obsessed turkey hunter. … The people that I grew up with, they liked to play video games. For me, I liked to be outdoors, to fish. And turkey hunting was something I lived for, every single spring.”
According to the National Wild Turkey Federation, just four hunters have achieved a U.S. Super Slam. Ellis said if he matches their feat, he’ll be the youngest to do so by nearly 30 years.
Ellis said he first became interested in pursuing the quest when he was stationed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
Out of his element and looking for others who shared his interest in turkey hunting, he turned to the NWTF, which referred him to a chapter in southeastern Ohio. Ellis had been a competitive turkey caller and found that the chapter was looking for people like him.
“They were looking to find some guides, some callers who could call for kids,” Ellis said. “And I’ve loved doing that. I’d rather see someone else get a turkey than get one myself.”
Through that chapter of the NWTF, he met several accomplished hunters who had begun chasing various “grand slams.”
In 2006, he began his own quest.
“That first year, I hit every state surrounding Ohio,” he explained. “My dad was working as a physician in Missouri, so I went out and hunted around my dad’s place in all of those states.”
That year, he harvested 14 birds in 14 states, and the quest was on.
This year, in wrapping up the continental U.S. states, he hunted in Arizona, Washington and Montana and before that Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska.
Ellis said he has no idea how many miles he has logged during his adventures and often is asked how much money he has spent on hunting licenses in various states. He’s not sure, but the total surely is in the thousands of dollars.
“Licenses range [in price]. In New York, it’s $60 [or] $70. But if you’re a non-resident in Alabama, it’s going to cost you close to 300 bucks,” he said. “In some places, turkey is [considered] small game, and in some places it’s big game.”
In Maine, turkey is a big game animal, and a non-resident license costs $114, plus a $20 turkey fee.
Ellis said he’s happy he has tagged turkeys in 48 states and is preparing paperwork for the NWTF, which certifies hunters who have achieved U.S. Super Slams.
But first, he’s got one more state to conquer.
“I’m leaving Feb. 29 for Hawaii,” he said. “I’ll be there for six days on the Big Island.”
And after that?
“I’ll be done. But my next quest will probably [involve] my little man, who is 2 years old” Ellis said. “Once he gets to the age where he’s interested in going to go out and chase turkeys, I’ll try to get him involved.”
