2008 Youth Hunt

[Otsdawa_Ridge_Runner]

How did everyone make out this morning?  did anyone take a youngster to the woods? 

[allaboutshooting]

Hey Dennis,

I had the honor of going hunting this Spring with a Dad and his 13 year old daughter on the first day of the Illinois Youth turkey season. I have to say, after many years of hunts, this was as enjoyable as any that I've had and it actually had little to do with the hunt itself.

I was able to be with a fine man who obviously has the love and respect of his daughter. We too often hear about the bad things that go on with families today but I can tell you, there are some fine things as well. I was able to see a Dad who has spent time with his daughter and shows her that he cares for her and everything that she does. He was truly a guide and mentor to her in every respect. I could also see the admiration in her eyes for this man who was taking his time to spend with her.

We heard and saw a nice gobbler that came very close to us but Dad and daughter chose not to take the shot. It might have been a kill but they wisely decided to let him walk rather than take a risky shot. There were several lessons learned in the woods that day and one was of respect for the game.

I don't think that either Dad or his daughter will forget the sound of the woods awakening and of the gobbler coming to the call. They'll probably never forget the big black bird that came in to their blind in his search for that noisy hen. I'm just as sure that they will never forget the lesson that it's the hunt and not the kill that's important. They decided to let that bird walk rather than try to satisfy an urge to shoot.

I saw a lot in the woods that morning and hope I'll never forget seeing Dad and daughter walk out of the woods as happy as I've ever seen 2 hunters, just for being together and spending time in the great turkey woods.

Thanks,
Clark

[Otsdawa_Ridge_Runner]

Clark,
 
   I have also had the pleasure on a few occasions to take kids hunting.  My son has been going for 4 years now and he is 10.  My daughter used to go with me but she is now 15 and it's "not cool" to go hunting anymore.  She's too worried about clothes, cell phones and all that other stuff! LOL!!!
   I talked to my older brother this morning (Faceshooter is his handle on here) and he took his nephew out yesterday and he got a jake.  This morning he took another boy out who shot his second longbeard since we started taking him hunting.  Faceshooter may be getting in touch with you because that of that great choke you sold him. His mossberg 20 gauge is crushing them at 30+ yards and he feels confident to shoot past that as well!  Didn't want to steal his thunder and I'm suprised he hasn't posted yet but he is very appreciative of your business and the choke he purchased.  I'm headed out tomorrow morning for opening day here in MA and then I'm off to Upstate NY to hunt opening day there.
 
take care,
Mack

[OptimO]

My father, my uncle, my friend and myself took my sister out on the opening day of the New York youth hunting weekend and we had a riot.  The action was fast and it didn't last very long but thats the way I like it.  My sister was using an Ithica Turkey Slayer 20 gauge with a triple extra full choke and at a distance of ten yards, it was more than enough gun for the job.  To top it all of, we caught it all on video tape...
 
    VIDEO CLIP 1-->  http://www.youtube.com/v/kgOL7XYn8zY&hl=en
 
    VIDEO CLIP 2-->  http://www.youtube.com/v/BhQw92C8L_k&hl=en

[Otsdawa_Ridge_Runner]

Way to go!! That just put a huge smile on my face!

[OptimO]

Hey thanks a lot Ridge Runner, I'm still smilin' too [:D].  The bird had a 9 inch beard, 15/16 spurs and wieghed 20 pounds right on the dot  and it ended up with a score of 56.75.

[Juggaloclownz187]

Wow, congrats guys!! I had plans to go out with my nephew, but i got stuck at a family bbQ instead... Bummer. Thats ok though, i got to ride my motorcycle one more day before i spend the next month in the woods LOL

[stormshooter4]

I had the fortune of taking a teenager out myself for the youth hunt. We had  a great time. Sat. was a bust for us, nothing but a hen came in for him. Sunday the story was different. We reset up in the same area but in a different place. Went in a half hour before daylight so the dekes can be set up and get settled in to do battle. About 15 min. after daylight a tom sounded off behind us about 250-300 yards away. Hit him w/ the box call and he started coming our way. Took him about 15 minutes to show up. The tom turned out to be 4 jakes. But that was ok, it was action. What we liked the most was everytime I'd work the box call while they were milling around the dekes, they would all gobble at the same time. We did that about 6 times and then I said if he wanted to take one, it's his call. He did take one.
  Last spring he was out with his uncle and took the biggest bird for the youth hunting contest which won him a gun.