This was my first youth weekend, and it was sure a good time!
We hunted from daylight till he finally threw the towel in about 6 yesterday evening. Got close yesterday morning and got to hear some awesome gobbling. Sat a food plot yesterday afternoon and saw a couple of hens.
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Threw a pop-up on a chufa patch yesterday evening before we left for the day. Got there this morning and heard zilch. About 7:45, he was already getting antsy when I told him that we need to start keeping our eyes peeled since the sun was starting to hit the plot pretty good. About 10 minutes later, I heard something that sounded awfully like a spit. Peeked out the window to see the top of a fan at 30 yards and closing. Threw his ear muffs on and got his gun on the tripod. Bird strutted right to the decoys at about 14 yards. When Gunnar first saw him he started giggling like a little girl, and I knew he was hooked. I was telling him to aim low down next his beard(his little gun shoots ridiculously high) and to settle down when he jumped the gun(pun intended) and pulled the trigger. Longbeard flew off un-harmed. Since it was still only 8:05, I decided we'd just sit the plot a little longer. He got pretty bummed for about 5 minutes, then I talked him off the ledge and he remembered how awesome it was watching that bird strut in. He started getting giddy again and I was giving him the talk about how missing happens whether it's baseball, deer hunting or turkey hunting, but we just have to keep at it. It wasn't but maybe 25 minutes later that I looked up during our talk to see two white heads almost in the plot. We got his muffs on again and got his gun back up. Two jakes came up and started giving the decoys the circle of death and putting on a show. They finally separated and Gunnar was calm enough to try again. He shot, and missed again. I only brought two tss with us and now they were both sacrificed to the turkey gods. As luck would have it, there was a 2 1/2" #8 left in his shell holder on his stock from dove season. The jakes were still standing there and I figured inside of 15 yards it would work. Loaded him back up, and he sent the third shell of the morning. That one resulted in a very dead turkey and a very happy father and son. I've gotten to do some really amazing things in my life, but this one will forever rank near the top. God bless generous friends, jakes, and chufa patches!
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Congrats to both of you. Good job. You made him happy and fond memories for the both of you. Thank you for sharing.
Those memories and pictures are solid gold and will never grow old! Thanks for taking us right in the blind with y'all and the play by play. Can't wait for my Grandbabies to be able to experience the same passion!
Congratulations young man!!! Be proud dad - rightly so!!!!
Congrats! Know that'll be hard to top this year!
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Congratulations to both of you!
Awesome, Congrats..
Awesome
Wow, congrats. The smiles said it all......
Great job Dad and young hunter! Love the pics. A day you will both always remember.
Look at that smile! Congratulations on a great bird!
I dose my hart good to see dads taking their kid in the woods hunting keep them in the woods you want be worried where there at when they are older my boys and granddaughters love going with me got shooting in archery in school they absolutely love it congratulations keep up the good work memories you'll have to the rest of your live I all time set and think of the first time had them out just make me all warm in side
Oh yeah, I see a lot of dead turkeys in this young mans future. Congrats, and well done by all. Kids hunt for the right reasons, because it's fun and exciting.
That's great. I'm getting my 9 year old out this spring.
This is awesome and what it's all about... making memories .... congratulations
Congratulations. Well done young man! You too Dad!
Congrats to the young hunter! Thanks for sharing pictures of a truly memorable day for you both!
Quote from: guesswho on March 19, 2023, 05:51:49 PM
Oh yeah, I see a lot of dead turkeys in this young mans future. Congrats, and well done by all. Kids hunt for the right reasons, because it's fun and exciting.
I tell you what...seeing him giggling and grinning ear to ear as that longbeard strutted in was one of the best things I've ever witnessed. That honestly might have been better than him killing this jake.
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that's awesome congratulations
Some great lessons taught and special memories made, congratulations nice job!
Well done
That's great congratulations!!!!
good daddy. Good times.
Absolutely awesome. Congratulations to you both
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Fantastic. Way to stick with it!
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When I first saw the thread name before clicking on it I thought to myself "ugh another deer hunter turkey convert" clicked on, and nope! Congrats little man glad he had a great hunt!
Awesome! Congrats to making you and this little fella a memory of a lifetime.
Excellent! Congratulations young man
Doing this sort of thing with your son will hopefully have him not on the electronics so much when he is older. My teen son is probably the only kid in his friend group that even owns a pair of hunting boots..
Awesome pics! Great memories.
What a story! Congrats to both of you!
Great story and pictures, Jamie! You've got lots of year ahead of you with that little guy. :icon_thumright: :)
Great Story!
Killed my first one with my dad and was with my son when he killed his first. Great memories and still two of my favorite hunts!
Fantastic! Congratulations!! What a great story.
Great story, congratulations to they youngster. I like all the pictures but the photographer in me loves the one with the flowers, wonderfully done.
Doesn't get any better. Congrats to both of you!
Thanks for all the kind words guys. I decided after the shooting fiasco, that he needs something I can put a red dot on the for time being. Since his birthday is this coming weekend, a trip to the local gun store was in order, and he's now got a Mossberg mini in the safe. I've got a sight and a Sumtoy mount on the way, so hopefully it'll be dressed up and ready to go for him by his birthday!
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You got yourself a junior mountain man there! I was just going to suggest trying a red dot, worked wonderful for my kids as far as shooting.
Congrats young man. Sounds like a great morning. I just set a blind up yesterday for my oldest sons 1st hunt . Our youth opener here in NC is next week.
OMG, What a great story and pictures. Brought joy to my heart!!!
Congrats to Gunner and Dad. Some great memories right there....thanks for sharing.
Congrats :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: