Turkey Hunting Tips for Kids

[2BHNTN]

Suggestions for Taking a Kid Turkey Hunting

1. Always teach safe and ethical hunting habits to children.

2. Hunt the best area you have to hunt. Success and action breeds interest.

3. For younger children take them without a weapon. It is important that children learn an appreciation for the outdoors before they begin to harvest from it.

4. Use a gun and load that is appropriate to their size.

5. Always keep children within arms reach.

6. If they are learning to call let them get some practice calling underneath the primary caller.

7. Hunt during good weather conditions.

8. Always keep it fun, when it isn't anymore go home.

[Two Tall the Neanderthal]

Beat them silly if they don't sit still as a churchmouse... And I mean a lashing they won't forget.

Or get a small blind to conceal thier movements.

Go on warmer days when it's more comfortable. This makes them more apt to go on bad days later on.

Make sure they know just seeing and hearing birds is a huge accomplishment. For them it's not always about the kill

[buckeye]

Exposing youngsters to a fired up gobbler is one great experience. My kid will never forget the first time I left him sitting alone by a tree, backed away and called one in screaming, and looking for a hen. He just kept telling me how loud it was, saying " Dad that was scary!" He was probably 12 or so and had heard many birds but that was his first close encounter.

[lonepine]

that's great buckeye,keep up the good work. my children are all grown but got to take a young one out from school for the youth deer hunt. called in a 6pt with the horns. he made a good shot. going to take his brother out for the turkey hunt.

[DoniphanRedneck]

"Beat them silly if they don't sit still as a churchmouse... And I mean a lashing they won't forget."---Now Two Tall that aint good advise man... THat will make the kid hate hunting more then like it, makes it more like a have to think instead of a fun learoning thing..

Tell the child to stay still and let him slide alittle when he doesn't, I mean comeon after all they are kids that have energy to spare... Don't beat the kid for moving... Jsut let them know that it doesn't help any..(with words not force)...
Dang I fell sorry for your kids if you beat them for moving around..

DoniphanRedneck

[FowlWeather Friend]

Uhhhhhhhh Doniphan - I believe TwoTall's comment was meant to be tongue in cheek!!!!!

In simpler terms - it was a joke man! Lighten up Francis!!!

[DoniphanRedneck]

I know.. Jsut had to let people ( like thoughs that do'nt know it a joke) know that it isn't recommended..

DoniphanRedneck


Did mean for it to sound that seriouse..after I read it again it really sounds bad..sorry about that

[Robin@AimLow]

When my daughter was nine, we practiced her shooting in the yard. Her between my legs. I would whisper in her ear "there he is, 10 o'clock" or similar. Then I would say, "when his head goes behind that tree, get the gun up" and then "now" and she would raise it. Then I would ask "got it on his head?" If she nodded, I would say shoot. And...she would at a target already placed.

This really helped when one came in gobbling his head off her second morning out and got too close with no big trees to allow her to get her gun up. We sat there with him 8 feet away, facing us, gobbling and strutting. He walked away two times and I called him back both times. (I'll never know how he didn't see us, she was near hyperventillating the whole time.) Finally, the third time he turned to leave he hooked around a big tree and she brought the gun up like a pro. I putted to stop him and before the "sh" of "shoot" was out of my mouth he was toast.

That was the best turkey hunt of my life.

[DoniphanRedneck]

Robin that sounds like a wonderful hunt there.. Bet she loved geting that turkey after all that teasing it did to ya..

DoniphanRedneck

[FowlWeather Friend]

Great story Robin - and kudos to your daughter for being able to hold out and still make the shot. I'm not sure I would have been able to do that by your description!

[2BHNTN]

That was a great story Robin.



As long as we are telling youth hunt stories. Here is my boy's story from when he was 11, he turns 14 this year. Best hunt of my life... no question.



I took my son Robbie on his first Turkey hunt this last Youth Spring Turkey. It was my best hunt ever !



Headed out Saturday morning before dawn. The Gobbler's were making pretty good noise this morning.



We worked around on a couple birds but there was a bunch of hen's with them and could not get any reaction. So we moved on and came across another bird gobbling. We worked up to within about 175 yards or so and I set Robbie up about 15 yards ahead of me and I started calling. At first he would not respond but he had a hen with him that was getting real fired up at me and yelped louder and harder each time I called. That made the Tom Gobble. So I switched to another slate call which is a lot raspier sound. This got

the Tom to start gobbling back at my yelp's and fired the hen up even more. After about a half hour of working the big bird he started moving to us. He came into about 70 yards off. He was strutting and puffing up and gobbling all the way in. He got within thirty yards of Robbie and I made a couple cluck's. The old Tom stuck his head up and I whisper yelled to Robbie, Shoot him, Shoot him, SHOOT HIM. About that time kerpow went his 20 gauge. The bird did a little flopping and it was all over. Robbie says " Dad, I was getting so excited. My heart was beating so hard I thought the bird would hear me. When you would call and he would

gobble and then I saw him and came in strutting and gobbling it really got me going and I was not sure I could do it.



Then he add's " Dad, does that feeling ever go away after you get a few more bird's or deer ?

I assured him that it was absolutely just like that every single time. This kid is hooked.



Man what a hunt. The bird weighed in at 23 lbs. 10 inch beard, and 1inch spurs. Nice bird for sure. I'm having it mounted for him.

[buckeye]

Those are great stories guys, its hard to explain how great it feels when your son or daughter has success like that. Keep up the good work!