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Tommy Bourne from Prentiss was the best owl hooter I've ever heard. He won the national champion owl hooter several times. One of the best turkey hunters I've ever seen too....

His life was cut short several years ago.. 93, 94.. time surely flies. I read this topic and immediately thought of him. If you can remember back, he and another deputy sheriff from jeff davis county were transporting an inmate to Jackson. There was a struggle in the patrol car, the inmate took a pistol and shot Tommy and the other officer in the head. This happened in Mendenhall. The convict's name was Eric Snow.

We are paying for him for the rest of our lives while he's on deathrow in Parchman... crying shame.

Deadeye

Just making sure I wasn't going to be the only person there! I'm going up on Friday night to run lines early Sat. morning in Chotard/MS river, see yall at the hoot!

P.S. The afterparty will be at the Cottonmouth & the Rusty Hook!!!!!!!!!

Deadeye,.... Funny you mention Tommy B.

Years ago,.... I met him in the (turkey huntin) woods.

I was in a "life and death", competition with a couple of hens, tryin to make an Ol Tom, ease over to me. I won !
While pickin the bird up,... I became aware, that I was surrounded by other hunters,..... This "HUGE" man walked up to me and said SON,...THAT WAS SOME OF THE FINEST TURKEY CALLIN, I'VE EVER SEEN ! YOU HAD THAT SON-OF -A-GUN, ON A STRING !

Turned out to be T.B., with a T.V., crew in tow ! 5 of them in all ! Also turned to be that, "they" were the hens,... I was in the battle with !

Don't know who he was affiliated with at that time,.... but he gave me a garbage bag full of goodies,......ie, Mouth calls, Crow calls, Owl hooters,

Big fella knew, he had made my day !

I'll never forget that Big Ol smile !

Hell of a man, and Ambassador, to the sport !

Rip Em !

Thanks for stirrin the memory !

tommy bourne was the FINEST turkey hunter i have EVER known....

there still stands a cross at the place were he was murdered, and every year, folks from all over place there "fans" on that cross....

i went w/ him a few times, once was w/ preston pittman, on my dad's place....b/t the two of em, it was an EXPERIENCE to behold....

rip, i'd be willing to bet that he was w/ preston trying to make the company work when you ran across him....epecially if it was in the late 80's, early 90's time frame....

he did do some filming for others too, i think i remember mossy oak using some of his stuff - but, that was a long time ago, and i could be mistaken....

anyway, he was the BEST turkey hunter i've ever seen/heard and a good man to boot....learned alot from him...he NEVER turned a youngster down, or a friend that needed help...

it's a frickin shame the way it all came down, TB had NO business transporting that killer - he'd killed at least one other...

personally, i hope the lil oxygen thief is taken up the booty by levirtis johnson and his "merry" men on a DAILY basis, and when the button is FINALLY PUSHED, may he burn.....gator

I do recall,... that it was Pittman call's that he and the other guy, gave me !

Heck,..... They were more excited about my "getting the bird",... than I wuz !

The other fella was slightly built, and spoke with a hint of a lisp !

I have used Pittman calls for years, but don't remember ever being properly introduced to him.

Bourne had such a strong personality, it musta washed out all others !

I also know, I have been to the Extravaganza in Jackson, when Preston was Gobblin his head off !,... I just can't remember his face !

Perhaps it was Pittman !

You must show me this cross sometimes,..... I owe it a "fan" or 2 myself !

Thanks !

BTW,.... Did you and Webfoot get to hunt this morning ?

Do Tell !

Rip Em !

naw man, i trained all day yesterday, and when i finally got home, i wasn't feeling too good.....had a "light-headed" feeling.....don't think webfoot was feeling to well either, cause when i spoke to him he had slept for 5 hours....

we just "rain checked" it.....you need to pm me your number again to brohammy.....

pittman looks like a "jake", no kidding.....goatee and all....he's a slim fella w/ dark hair, and he does have a slight "lisp"....he's a good dude to talk turkey w/ too.....him and tommy were running buddies way before pittman game calls. dunno who taught who what, but they could pretty much get it done...

in the turkey world, he's a bad man....gator

Rip.. the cross that Gator is speaking of is about 1 mile south of Mendenhall on Hwy 13. That's actual place that the heinous, unneccessary crime took place. If you are coming south thru Mendenhall, it will be on the left hand side of 13.

Wiley Coulter had a gunsmith store in Prentiss for years when I was in high school and I'd go by there about every afternoon to listen to Tommy call and hoot. He became a good friend. Tommy's mother runs the Country Kitchen resturant in the old Jeffersonian hotel on the south end of Prentiss. If you are ever in Prentiss, stop and eat with her... great food. Tell her you met Tommy and she'll love you for life.

He was a big man, larger than life. Still missed to this day.
Deadeye

I HAD THE PLEASURE IF HUNTING AND GUIDEING WITH TOMMY B MANY TIMES AT CEDAR RIDGE GREAT GUY GOOD FRIEND ANY YOU GUYS COMEING TO HOOT OWL LOOK ME UP AT CHOTARD LANDING WEE WILL HAVE A DRINK FOR TOMMY