What Not to Teach Them

[Sir-diealot]

So it looks like I am going to be teaching a friends daughter to hunt turkey, I am trying to think of any bad habits a person can have that can make us all look bad and to avoid?

I told the mother straight out that I think I am starting her out at a handicap since I can't sit on the ground and I hunt out of a blind, I miss ground hunting and hate the idea that I am going to be taking her away from that, the best experiences and sights I have had hunting have been while on the ground. (Other than taking my first turkey which was from a blind after my car accident which y'all helped immensely with)

I know I want to impart respect for the bird both while hunting and after the hunt whether she gets one or not, though I think she has that ethic anyway.

I am going to loan her some CD's from Mr. Williams to help her get cadence with her call her mother got her (Pot call) and I have a box call that my hands won't let me use so I would like to see somebody get some use out of and I plan to give that to her as well. With both of these I know I need to teach her not to call loud with both of them all the time or even most of the time.

We have a place to sight guns in, she has some form of a Benelli though when talking to the mother she said they had every choke made then said up to full thinking that is the one they would need and I know that is not what she needs so when I find out more I will come here and ask for help with choke and ammo choice.

Any thoughts on what kids (To me she is in her 20's) seem to preconceive about turkey hunting that just isn't true?

She is a deer hunter and a good one but that does not maker her one of "The Legion"

I figure by the time I teach her everything I know three and a half minutes will have gone by.

[soILstrutter]

Though some may argue this, I believe most individuals new to turkey hunting are so focused on "getting a turkey" that they fail to realize all of the awesome things about the "pursuit of the turkey". Focus on the little things. The noises, the smells, the spring sights, the actual conversation with the turkey. Make it more than just killing. There are so many amazing things about the spring woods that most overlook when they have tunnel vision on killing a bird.

Also, when taking a beginner, I try to laugh and have as much fun as possible. Let them know it is OK when a turkey wins, and make light of the mistakes that are bound to be made. Don't forget to share stories about some of your own screw ups, to make them feel more comfortable. We all make them.

Finally, make sure they understand that when we lose, we go home with more experience and a good story. When the turkey loses, his life is ended.

[Sir-diealot]

Though some may argue this, I believe most individuals new to turkey hunting are so focused on "getting a turkey" that they fail to realize all of the awesome things about the "pursuit of the turkey". Focus on the little things. The noises, the smells, the spring sights, the actual conversation with the turkey. Make it more than just killing. There are so many amazing things about the spring woods that most overlook when they have tunnel vision on killing a bird.

Also, when taking a beginner, I try to laugh and have as much fun as possible. Let them know it is OK when a turkey wins, and make light of the mistakes that are bound to be made. Don't forget to share stories about some of your own screw ups, to make them feel more comfortable. We all make them.

Finally, make sure they understand that when we lose, we go home with more experience and a good story. When the turkey loses, his life is ended.

Thank you much, all good points. One thing I intend to tell her is to try when I am not there but go and sit against a tree, to me you see and experience so much more sitting against a tree than while in a blind, it is the one thing I truly hate about hunting out of a blind.

[Ranman]

I think it is great you are teaching a youngster to hunt. Looks like you already have a good start on your plan. Something I would add, is to wait on the shot until you watch the show.. the first time I took my son, we watched 3 jakes strut around the decoy for 30 min.. was a fantastic experience.
Randy

[dan]

several turkey hunts with my daughter have ended up picking flowers, climbing on trees , and playing with calls. None of those will end up with a turkey but she enjoyed it. I've always felt too much pressure on hunting takes the fun out of it and they will hate the experience.

Honestly I feel that about any new hunter.

Don't push too hard, go eat breakfast if is slow. Bring snacks


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[Sir-diealot]

I think it is great you are teaching a youngster to hunt. Looks like you already have a good start on your plan. Something I would add, is to wait on the shot until you watch the show.. the first time I took my son, we watched 3 jakes strut around the decoy for 30 min.. was a fantastic experience.
Randy

Thank you. When my GF Jane was in the hospital with her brain aneurysm bleed she as well as her mother came down to take care of our dog for us, apparently she saw all my turkey calls I have displayed and has been wanting to ask me. I guess I will be teaching both her and her mother how to turkey hunt. Waiting is a good point, mine did not even try to strut though they both came in on a beeline and I took the one with the longer beard.

several turkey hunts with my daughter have ended up picking flowers, climbing on trees , and playing with calls. None of those will end up with a turkey but she enjoyed it. I've always felt too much pressure on hunting takes the fun out of it and they will hate the experience.

Honestly I feel that about any new hunter.

Don't push too hard, go eat breakfast if is slow. Bring snacks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I put more pressure on myself than others did, I had one guy hunting the property that when he found out I had not gotten one wanted to stay every day and help me. It was nice of him but I am glad I was on my own when i got it. I just wish I had not made the call I made in the van. I will not make it high pressure, growing up with severe ADD/ADHD I know what it is like to have people try to pressure you into learning things, it just ruins it. I had a math teacher that would walk up behind me and smack me in the back of the head and yell "Learn it stupid!" No wonder I have problems with numbers til this day. No nice and call, enjoy it, look at the other critters around you, listen to the sounds, look at the morning dew on the grass glistening in the light, those are some of the things I want to impart as well. Raindrops on the morning grass.

[Kylongspur88]

When I take new hunters regardless of age we spend time pre-season leading the importance of scouting and learning turkey sign and food sources. It gets them interested and provides a basis of knowledge they may not get while actively hunting. It's amazing to me how many "turkey hunters" can't identify and read basic turkey sign.

[Zobo]

 Number one most important thing right off the bat is gun safety and specifically turkey hunting safety. I don't care how much deer hunting she's done, you have to go over the specifics of what can make turkey hunting dangerous. And make sure she's familiar with her firearm and its safety features, she may have never hunted with it before.

[Sir-diealot]

When I take new hunters regardless of age we spend time pre-season leading the importance of scouting and learning turkey sign and food sources. It gets them interested and provides a basis of knowledge they may not get while actively hunting. It's amazing to me how many "turkey hunters" can't identify and read basic turkey sign.

I hate to admit it but I am not good at reading turkey sign at all, I lost all those years that I could have been learning because of my last car accident and now where I hunt I am not allowed to scout so I have never learned how. I know that the fecal matter from a male will be J shaped and a females spiral shaped but beyond that I am useless. I can see tracks on some ground but with my eye problems it is hard for me, I find wet leafy areas the best to see trails for both turkey and deer and of course I can see tracks in loose soil and can see a place they have dusted themselves but beyond that I truly lack. I have been trying to learn much more the last few years not only about turkey but song birds, plant life and trees. I wish I had more money this year, I would like to buy her a kit to build a pot call, it has given me much more appreciation for what goes into them and those that make them.

Number one most important thing right off the bat is gun safety and specifically turkey hunting safety. I don't care how much deer hunting she's done, you have to go over the specifics of what can make turkey hunting dangerous. And make sure she's familiar with her firearm and its safety features, she may have never hunted with it before.

I agree completely, it is a world of difference. I have let them know I will have nothing to do with long distance shots or reaping.

[Marc]

My daughter hunts with me still at 13 years old...  Enjoys duck hunting...  Not so much turkey hunting.

But...  Her first year, it took 5 trips before she got a shot (and a bird).  After her second time out with me, she said "Dad, I am going to go until I get one, and then that is it for me."

She admits she had fun...  And made fun of herself.  One time while trying to side hill on a hung-up bird, she crawled right through a nice fresh pile of cow crap...  It was on her hands, gun and vest.  Somewhere I have a picture of her exaggerating her disgust and anguish at the situation.

But...  She learned to use binoculars to enjoy other wildlife, and to pay attention to other wildlife as to cues that might help us get a turkey.  She learned to sit quietly and listen...  And to enjoy the company of another human in silence.  She learned what turkey footprints, scratching, and poop looks like.  She learned that falling asleep at the wrong time can mean missing that ONE opportunity.  She learned that drumming is NOT small frogs croaking.

Being young...  And a girl... She wants some success when she goes.  Her worst day duck hunting was killing one duck.  I generally take her when I think the hunting will be good enough to provide some action.  She has some interest in hunting, but the lack of action is unappealing for her.  And apparently waking up early is a horrific experience that could be in the classification of child abuse. 

This past season, I took her and met with my father to go dove hunting on opening weekend; on the way out it started pouring rain (atypical for us), and my father called to have us meet at a gas station.  He asked if I wanted to call the hunt due to rain (and generally poor dove hunting in the rain), and I said, "I do not think Kierra will enjoy hunting in the rain..."  Kierra immediately piped up and said "the worst thing about this hunting gig is waking up early...  I am up, LET'S GO!"  (Shot her first limit of dove).

What she did enjoy (about turkey hunting), was watching nature and learning to read the forest and what that meant as to our hunt.  She loved hearing that gobble, and a bird coming towards (not so happy when they would break away to a live hen though).  She also enjoyed learning to read turkey and animal sign in general...  She enjoyed the humming bird literally inspecting her eye, while she tried to hold still to an incoming bird...  And she specifically enjoyed the morning she killed a bird, with no roosted birds on the property, but after a half hour into the hunt, birds coming gobbling at us from all directions...  (Probably the most unexpected crazy hunt I have been on).

Me...  I included her in the hunt.  I made sure she had a good pair of binoculars...  That I could make her generally comfortable...  Took her to an area that I knew had birds...  Made sure I let her call (while instructing her on when to call and not to call)...  When we made a move, I asked her where and why we should go there...  And of course stopping for pancakes on the way home.