Country Bumpkin
Well-Known Member
Let's see them!! Who's found success this spring?
my Son is 8, and fortunately for him, Idaho added Turkeys to the list of critters that he can hunt on the "Passport" program. He worked hard for this bird. We had an amazing season. we got this bird on his 10th day afield. More than half of those hunts his little legs churned up a 1,200' ascent in the dark to hunt these thunder chickens. I figure that we averaged 3 miles per hunt, which isn't a lot for adult legs, but then again I don't know many adults that would persist for such a small prize beyond 3-4 days, or 30 miles.
We had a few close calls with 3 jakes and a giant Tom that came in to about 20 yards. My Son, remembering the rules of gun safety (always identify your target), questioned my directive to shoot the bird at that critical moment when he knew something wasn't quite right but wasn't ready to leave. We had a full conversation along the lines of...
Me: Buddy, shoot that turkey
Him: Dad, that's a girl turkey
Me: No it's not, kill him
Him: Daddy, it's got a blue head, it's a blue bird
Me: Buddy, I'm telling you that it's a boy, shoot it!!
Him: okay... (fidget with safety, get settled..... bird gets nervous and bugs out)
no shots fired.... biggest turkey I've ever seen, called in from other side of a steep draw, up a long ridge and 800' of vertical (I looked at OnX later and it says that bird was almost a mile away when I first struck him up). Would have been epic, but as it is, it was a great lesson about turkeys being able to change the color of their head and neck. The whole way in, the bird had a bright red head, but after he got done strutting, spitting, drumming and gobbling.... he snuck in with a nervous blue head. Lesson learned, and what a heart pounding experience. My little buddy got his first dose of buck fever.
We went out a few times as an entire family, with my son (8), daughter (6) and wife (I know better). It was quite the escapade, with my little daughter hiking about half way up those 1,200', me carrying her through the steeper parts. We weren't exactly quiet, and there were a lot of rocks rolled, sticks broke and trees beaten, but we all got outside and enjoyed our public lands together.
last weekend I could tell that my little guy was growing discouraged. I didn't want to "wear out his enthusiasm" for hunting, so we committed to only a short hunt Saturday morning (just the two of us). We heard two birds on opposing ridges from us, both across steep canyons and hanging out on private. We exchanged calls for 20 minutes or so before the rocks started rolling. I elected to stop calling and let my son burn off some energy. 10 minutes later I knew that he was ready to go do something else (maybe ride dirt bikes). We stood up and I told him we should call one more time since it had been 5 minutes since the last gobble we'd heard (he'd already learned that this sometimes means that the bird might be "on the move"). Sure enough, a gobble sounded from behind us and he was only 150 yds away. Our location was ideal for hearing birds far off (we were on top of an exposed knob) but horrible for maneuvering or setting up. We sat down trying to get a view of the saddle behind us but the sage prohibited a long line of site. I knew the bird was going to be on top of us if we were going to get a shot.
As expected, he snuck right past us, strutting, spitting and drumming on the top of the knob not 20 yards from us. We couldn't see him, but were treated to a chorus of sounds for a full 10 minutes of intense, bone rattling, excitement. We were both shaking.
When I thought that the bird was strutting away from us I helped my buddy reposition and got him settled (as quietly as we could). I whispered some final instruction, "Buddy, this is a boy turkey, as soon as you see his neck, shoot him", and let out 3 soft yelps. A full two minutes, and innumerable gobbles and drums later, I see my little buddy slight shift his barrel and BOOOOM!!
He knocked him flat at 10 yards!! The look of wonder and accomplishment on his face was priceless. I'll never forget it, I've never been more proud. For him to have kept his composure under those intense circumstances and to stay still, and then execute a shot like that.... I know a lot of adults that would have come unglued.... still can't believe it.
the whole hike back to the truck he was singing, asking questions, making comments, answering his own questions.... I just smiled in silence the whole time. He was so pumped to show his mom and sister.
so, let's see your photos and hear your Slring stories! I'm headed out for bear next weekend.
View attachment 192963
my Son is 8, and fortunately for him, Idaho added Turkeys to the list of critters that he can hunt on the "Passport" program. He worked hard for this bird. We had an amazing season. we got this bird on his 10th day afield. More than half of those hunts his little legs churned up a 1,200' ascent in the dark to hunt these thunder chickens. I figure that we averaged 3 miles per hunt, which isn't a lot for adult legs, but then again I don't know many adults that would persist for such a small prize beyond 3-4 days, or 30 miles.
We had a few close calls with 3 jakes and a giant Tom that came in to about 20 yards. My Son, remembering the rules of gun safety (always identify your target), questioned my directive to shoot the bird at that critical moment when he knew something wasn't quite right but wasn't ready to leave. We had a full conversation along the lines of...
Me: Buddy, shoot that turkey
Him: Dad, that's a girl turkey
Me: No it's not, kill him
Him: Daddy, it's got a blue head, it's a blue bird
Me: Buddy, I'm telling you that it's a boy, shoot it!!
Him: okay... (fidget with safety, get settled..... bird gets nervous and bugs out)
no shots fired.... biggest turkey I've ever seen, called in from other side of a steep draw, up a long ridge and 800' of vertical (I looked at OnX later and it says that bird was almost a mile away when I first struck him up). Would have been epic, but as it is, it was a great lesson about turkeys being able to change the color of their head and neck. The whole way in, the bird had a bright red head, but after he got done strutting, spitting, drumming and gobbling.... he snuck in with a nervous blue head. Lesson learned, and what a heart pounding experience. My little buddy got his first dose of buck fever.
We went out a few times as an entire family, with my son (8), daughter (6) and wife (I know better). It was quite the escapade, with my little daughter hiking about half way up those 1,200', me carrying her through the steeper parts. We weren't exactly quiet, and there were a lot of rocks rolled, sticks broke and trees beaten, but we all got outside and enjoyed our public lands together.
last weekend I could tell that my little guy was growing discouraged. I didn't want to "wear out his enthusiasm" for hunting, so we committed to only a short hunt Saturday morning (just the two of us). We heard two birds on opposing ridges from us, both across steep canyons and hanging out on private. We exchanged calls for 20 minutes or so before the rocks started rolling. I elected to stop calling and let my son burn off some energy. 10 minutes later I knew that he was ready to go do something else (maybe ride dirt bikes). We stood up and I told him we should call one more time since it had been 5 minutes since the last gobble we'd heard (he'd already learned that this sometimes means that the bird might be "on the move"). Sure enough, a gobble sounded from behind us and he was only 150 yds away. Our location was ideal for hearing birds far off (we were on top of an exposed knob) but horrible for maneuvering or setting up. We sat down trying to get a view of the saddle behind us but the sage prohibited a long line of site. I knew the bird was going to be on top of us if we were going to get a shot.
As expected, he snuck right past us, strutting, spitting and drumming on the top of the knob not 20 yards from us. We couldn't see him, but were treated to a chorus of sounds for a full 10 minutes of intense, bone rattling, excitement. We were both shaking.
When I thought that the bird was strutting away from us I helped my buddy reposition and got him settled (as quietly as we could). I whispered some final instruction, "Buddy, this is a boy turkey, as soon as you see his neck, shoot him", and let out 3 soft yelps. A full two minutes, and innumerable gobbles and drums later, I see my little buddy slight shift his barrel and BOOOOM!!
He knocked him flat at 10 yards!! The look of wonder and accomplishment on his face was priceless. I'll never forget it, I've never been more proud. For him to have kept his composure under those intense circumstances and to stay still, and then execute a shot like that.... I know a lot of adults that would have come unglued.... still can't believe it.
the whole hike back to the truck he was singing, asking questions, making comments, answering his own questions.... I just smiled in silence the whole time. He was so pumped to show his mom and sister.
so, let's see your photos and hear your Slring stories! I'm headed out for bear next weekend.
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