Young Hunters Questions

[lvetgas]

At what age did you start taking your children turkey hunting? 

Any tips and strategies to make it more enjoyable, safe and successful?

I have two sons, 3 and 5 years of age. They love the outdoors and I hate leaving them home when I turkey hunt. 

Thanks,
Thomas

[dirt road ninja]

I started taking my son deer hunting @ 5 as the shooter and this year for turkey season he was 8.

For the turkeys we hunted out of blinds with decoys. This was my first time sitting in blinds for turkeys and I hated it, but my son wouldn't be able to sit still enough to be successful without them. I also got him a few calls to keep and use. It was frustrating for me hearing birds, but not being able to go after them.

We hunt private ground so I was able to put out 6 or so blinds in well scouted areas. Some of the blinds were only a couple hundred yards apart, so if he got bored or the birds were moving toward them we could switch spots.

As far as keeping them interested, I've found action to be the best solution, but when it's slow it help that he could call with his calls. He also brought is Ipad to play in the blind (we use it all the time durning deer season). When he killed his bird this year it was on a very slow morning and we were having a dirt fight when I struck a gobble, 5 min. later the bird was dead. I guess goofing off with them helps as well. There are lots of guys here that hunt with kids that have way more success than I, but if you need any help pm me and I'll send you my number to try and help y'all out.

[dirt road ninja]

Also, with a 3 & 5 year olds don't plan on staying out for to long. When my son was 5 we could only sit about 2 hours at a time, but we still killed a few (deer) every year.

[TRKYHTR]

I started taking my boy at the age of 5 on scouting trips. He had turkey calls prior to that but that was when I took him to the woods with me. He didn't start turkey hunting until he passed his hunters safety at the age of 10 but he did go on a few turkey hunts prior to that. I loved taking him scouting to show him the different tracks and sign and the different bird sounds. Hope this helps.

TRKYHTR

[guesswho]

All kids and parents are different.  My Dad started taking me when I was four, started carrying a real "unloaded" gun at six.   Once we got to where we were going to sit then I was allowed to chamber a round, even killed a turkey at six some 46 years ago.  He kept it fun an interesting by making little games out of everything, like the first one to spot a squirrel won a coke, or first to find blackberries,  or my favorite was the last to find a deer track had to eat deer poop, I'll explain that one.  I didn't know it at the time but he used to carry chocolate covered raisins with him.  I'd always find the deer track first then we'd find a place and sit down and he would slip them on the ground beside him without me knowing it and tell me it was deer poop, and then eat it. That just tickled me to death.  I don't know how old I was before he found the first track, but I remember thinking oooh this is bad.  Another thing that made it fun was we usually camped out.   I guess my point is make the hunting secondary and cutting up and having fun first.  They will let you know when it's time to hunt, and when it's time to just go through the hunting motions.

[Hooksfan]

As has already been said, every kid is different.

My kids have been around hunting and fishing their entire lives.  I let them decide when they wanted to start hunting.  My daughter killed her first turkey when she was 10 and my son killed his first when he was 9.  
RULE NUMBER ONE  is to set kids up for success, not failure.  Several years ago, before I stopped watching nearly all TV hunting shows, I remember a bowhunting personality taking his 7 year old son on a BOWHUNT.  After the kid had missed three or five, the dad asked the kid what was wrong--I remember yelling at the TV and saying "Your kid is seven years old and his dad is setting him up for failure to boost his own ego."  That kid should have been allowed to blast those birds with a scattergun.  He would have been just as proud if his dad hadn't already conditioned him to believe he had to shoot it with a bow.  I still remember the look of disappointment on the kids face.  He didn't kill a bird on that hunt, but finally connected later in the season with a poorly hit bird that flew off and had to be tracked over 200 yards--Tracking is for deer, not turkeys and bowhunting turkeys is for experienced hunters.
So.....my first suggestion is that it should always be about the kids and for the kids.
As far as actual hunting tips, here's a few to think about:
As much as I hate hunting out of them, buy a good groundblind. (See rule #1)
I would suggest a 20 gauge minimum.(The one my kids shoot is a killer that I would put up against most 12 gauges).
Buy a red dot scope.  (Refer to rule #1)
Use a tripod for younger shooters.  A friend taught me a trick that the Primos trigger sticks rests are compatible with just about any standard camera tripod. (Rule #1)
Scout, and then scout some more. (Rule #1)
This past year I put over 400 miles on my truck the weekend before youth season.
Focus on more aspects of nature than just the turkeys.
If you have more than one kid, try to include them all.  My daughter filmed the hunt when I called in the first bird for my son.

Feel free to pm me if you have other questions.  Prepare yourself for a very rewarding experience if your kids decide they want to hunt.  I am a single dad that shares joint custody, so I enjoy these times even more so.  This past Spring, my two kids combined for a total of five birds in the limited time I had them.  (Some pics are posted in the youth section) We hunted in Missouri and Kansas.

Good luck--Sorry so long, but getting kids involved in hunting is something I am fairly passionate about.

[gophert]

I have 2 daughters so my advice comes from hunting with young females only, but most of the info can be used with boys.  My advise is to not force it with young kids.  I have to agree with the others, if it's not fun they won't do it for long.  My oldest daughter has been hunting for 3 years.  The first year at age 9, all she did was tag along and sit by the tree.  We got lucky and killed a bird the first time she ever went so that helped.  My youngest daughter does not like to hunt and that's ok. Her first trip out last year we had birds right in front of us at 10 yards and she was not impressed.  Oh well.  My advice is to get a good portable blind.  We use a pop out "A" fold blind that is AWESOME.  It is not too bulky and easy to move on birds if you need to, but is plenty big to conceal all our movements. The other thing is to get them a turkey call and let them participate.  ESPECIALLY if the bird is gobbling.  They think they called it up and many times they may have.  Good Luck!

Our Blind:

[El Pavo Grande]

My boys are 7 & 4, both soon to turn 8 & 5.  I started my oldest scouting at 5, then we have two years of hunting.  He hasn't shown just a ton of interest yet, so he hasn't logged many hours yet of actual hunting.  He has shot a 20 gauge for two years and can handle it well.  We have had close calls, but haven't been able to connect.  He can't sit still, so I am thinking about using a blind next spring.  We had a gobbler coming on a string this past spring, open woods at 40 steps, and he was uncomfortable and just couldn't hold out any longer.  When he moved it was game over.  It is a lot of fun and takes patience with kids.  He will walk a lot, but when he gets bored we call it a day.  It's yet to be seen with my youngest.  I am looking forward to hopefully many great years to come hunting with them.