Another successful youth hunt with out a kill.

[born2hunt]

Well our 2016 Fl youth weekend came and went with no shots fired but success was definitely achieved. Saturday was a little slow, heard a few gobble but they faded away with hens pretty quick. I said don't worry we'll try it again in the morning. We're skipping church she asked? I told her that turkey hunting was one of the only things Ill purposely skip church for. So this morning we tightened it up a bit and set up about 150 yards from the roost. It got pretty vocal once the owls fired up and that had my daughter ready. They flew down and started our way. Four jakes and one gobbler came strutting towards us and she was white knuckled on that 20 ga shaking like a leaf. I just knew in my heart it was about to happen. They were coming slow but steady till they hit the 50 yard mark where they hung up and give us the full show for several minutes. I bout choked on my diaphragm laughing when she whispered to me," Daddy I dont want those scrawny jakes, I want that big gobbler" this coming from a little girl that has yet to kill a bird (Not for lack of close calls though). Well the half a dozen hens that were with them wasted no time drawing them away. I was really surprised that the jakes didn't commit the few more needed yards but they followed those hen's every step. Once I thought I had a hen mad enough to come in but she settled back down and kept going. We sat and watched them from a distance as they faded away on the adjoining property. All she could say is how bad she wanted that gobbler and we hunted till almost 3:00 hoping he would break from the hens but had no more action. At that point she had had all she could take and painfully threw in the towel. I promised her I'd take her back next Sat when the reg season opens to try him again. She was on cloud 9 all evening telling everyone about that FAT old gobbler that got away, and I was a HAPPY daddy just listening. I'm a blessed man to have 3 kids that are interested in my passions and I thank the Lord for that.   

[Muzzy61]

Quality time with the kids = Success. 

[chadly]

Sounds like a perfect weekend to me. 

[LI Outdoorsman]

Any hunt with family is a good hunt...

[bmhern]

Those are the times they will never forget. I spent the weekend with my 12 year old granddaughter, got to hear one but could not do anything with him. I was a little bummed out but she is still pumped up just getting to hear him. On the way out we were tracking the road, found where several hens and gobblers were walking the roads, rounder a big curve and there they were,  4 hens and 2 Jake's. That made her day. We got home all she could talk about was our morning.  We saw a few mallards ,a gator ,and the turkeys. I was disappointed because I wanted her to get to kill the gobbler we heard, but to her it was a great morning. So when u get a chance, take a kid hunting they will never forget the time you spend with them.

[870supermagnum]

That was a great story and a completely successful hunt.  I enjoyed the same kind of experience with my grandson. Lots of gobbling, but no turkey.

[OldSchool]

Congrats on a successful hunt and quality time spent with your daughter. Glad you both had an encounter with some birds. That's what It's all about in my humble opinion, boom or no boom. 

Bob

[tomstopper]

Congrats on a successful hunt and quality time spent with your daughter. Glad you both had an encounter with some birds. That's what It's all about in my humble opinion, boom or no boom. 

Bob

Totally agree. For the last two years I have been taking my young nephew out and he has seen them strutting and heard them gobbling, seen hens communicating & he has still not gotten one (did take a shot at one last year and missed) but he still talks about his uncle taking him out and the fun that we have had (from skunks spraying all over our set up to getting eaten by skeeters, he has taken it all in and memories have been made that will last a life time). To me this is how I measure success. Actually harvesting one of God's magnificent animals is just a bonus.

[Haypatch]

Sounds like a very successful couple mornings! Congrats and hope she seals the deal!

[wscrst]

I love your attitude, my friend.  My daughter wants to come with me but she doesn't want to shoot.  We are going to head out with every call I own and a camera for my daughter.  It is still hunting and will be a wonderful time.  Long live the turkey.

[Mike Honcho]

Great hunt and it will make the time when she does harvest a gobbler all that much more rewarding!

Honcho

[born2hunt]

Thanks fellas,  I'm just enjoying it while it lasts.  Her little sister drew her first quota on a fine WMA so we'll be heading there in 2 weeks. That's gonna be a trip right there. Hopefully I can get my oldest a bird next weekend cause it'll be rough if little sister was to score first. 

[mgm1955]

Any hunt with family is a good hunt...

Couldn't agree more!

[MK M GOBL]

Sounds like you're living the dream! Congrats on the hunt.

MK M GOBL

[lmbhngr]

I'd give up the kill just to watch the show. My son still talks about some of the shows we've seen when he was little and I'd take him out with me.