Son's WI youth hunt

[lohaus]

My son is 11 y/o and I've dragged him with me on many hunts whether it is deer, turkey, among others.  Well, today was the first day for the youth turkey hunt.  Wisconsin now has the mentor/mentee hunt.  We (more so I) was looking forward to this hunt for some time.  I picked up the boy after school and we took his Mossberg 20 ga to sight in at my club.  Three shots later and I felt comfortable out to 35 yards.

The evening then progressed to scouting.  We must have road around for 1 1/2 hours keeping our eyes on birds.  One property we have permission to hunt had about 20 to 30 birds with at least 5 strutters.  Needless to say, we put them to bed.  I was so excited that I couldn't sleep well and actually woke up at 330am.  My son was so excited he actually went to bed early without being told.  That is when I knew he meant business.

Well, we loaded up the blind, a pair of chairs, and a few decoys.  We picked a spot where I knew they liked to flydown and strut.  We popped up the blind, got two chairs set up, and I placed the decoys about 15 yards out.  

After we got settled in, the gobbling started.  I heard at least 5 different gobbles from various Toms and a few jakes chiming in.  They were to the left of us, to the right of us, behind us, and further into the woods.  I could tell my son was getting excited.  It was his first time manning the gun.  Well, I heard about 2 to 3 real loud hens and I could tell that the Toms had flew down into the woods toward them.

I decided to peak around the blind and to our left about 200 yards was a lone Tom.  I let out some calls using my Lights Out aluminum pot and my Hooks diaphragm call.  He started to gobble and I could see he was headed our way.  Last year my son and I got busted by peaking out the blind too much.  That wasn't going to happen this time.  I told my son not to look.  I whispered he is heading this way.  200 yards, 150 yards, 100 yards, he's strutting all the way in.  80 yards, control your breathing.  60 yards, let him come in.  Then, my boy spotted the Tom coming in at full strut with his blueish white head.  It was a sight to see his eyes get all big.  Let him come in.  He come right over to jake mobile with the jake fan I placed.  He jumped up and attacked that thing 6 times at least.  I didn't want to say shoot.  I wanted him to figure it out.

Boom, the bird started flopping around.  I bust out of the blind to get it.  I look back and he is still sitting there.  I go and get him and as we head back over the Tom stands up.  It didn't look like he was going anywhere.  Put another one on him.  Boom, he drops stone dead.  My son's first bird, I wasn't going to chance it running off.

Final stats, 22 lbs, 8 1/2 inch beard, 7/8 in spurs, one ecstatic Dad, and one pumped up grinning boy and a time we will never forget.

[Ol'Mossy]

Nice bird, congrats to you both 

[stinkpickle]

Indeed!  Congrats to you both!!!   

That birds kinda looks like a Rio, doesn't it?

[TRKYHTR]

Thats awesome.

TRKYHTR

[JVA54]

     

[cannonball]

Nice one!

[tnturkeyman28]

Awesome!!!

[WyoHunter]

Congrats to your son on his nice gobbler and congrats to you for taking him! Good writeup and pics.

[hookedspur]

 

[hobbes]

Congrats!

[njdevilsb]

Awesome.  I love seeing those kids with their first birds.  Congrats to you both.

[Hognutz]

Way to go you guys. Looks ike a dandy..Well done..Mike

[Gold Spur]

Congrats!!!

[trkycaller]

Congrats!!

[Trip]

Congratulations to you both!!!!