First Kentucky Hunt  Preparations for my daughter Hayley's first turkey hunt started about a month before the Kentucky youth season. We spent a lot of time patterning her 20 gauage and scouting. She also wanted to try and call her own bird in and since I work for BackCountry game calls she had plenty of calls to practice. Opening morning we were in the woods at first light, when I blew my owl calla gobbler sounded off about 200 yards away. Hayley was ready to go to it,but I held off waiting for one closer.Not getting another turkey to shock gobble and the woods still pretty open I didn't want to take a chance on the gobbler seeing us so I found a tree to sat up at and got Hayley ready for hopefully a shot at her first turkey. After setting up I called and he cut me off.Hayley wanted to call to him so I reached for my box call to give her but before I could get my call out of my Ol'Tom box call pouch I saw him coming.He was on the ridge across from us strutting. Hayley remained calm especially for someone turkey hunting for the first time and having a gobbler strutting about 70 yards in front of her. After a few minutes the big tom started down the ridge right to us.There was a deep creek about 25 yards away and I whispered to Hayley that he wouldn't cross the creek,so when he got to it she would have to pick her shot. When he reached it he broke into strutting and gobbling again.after what seemed like an hour he started down into the creek and then up to our side.So much for him not crossing the creek I thought.  The gobbler was about 15 yards from us in full strut and gobbling as hard as I have ever heard,when something went wrong.The gobbler started putting and walking away.I told Hayley to shoot but she said she couldn't get a bead on his head.
I was getting nervous because I was seeing my daughter's first turkey walk away when the gun went off.At 20 yards the turkey goes down and starts flopping.I don't know whose yell was louder but we were both excited.When we got to the bird I looked at my watch and saw that the whole hunt took less than 20 minutes.I told her not to expect every hunt to be over that quick.I wasn't surprised when she said,"yeah ,and you also said that turkey wouldn't cross the creek". Walking out with her bird over my shoulder which weighted 24 pounds had a 10 in beard and 1in spurs,and seeing her smile I couldn't help but think that I get to go through this excitement again.I have another daughter that wants to turkey hunt for the first time this year. If you really want to experience a hunt of a life time take a kid on their first hunting trip,it will be one you will always remember. |