bowman
Super Moderator
Following a fall of shooting Squirrels with his .22, Trenton was begging to shoot the 20 guage and hunt turkeys. I was very hesitant since he is only 5 years old but he shot very well and had more desire to hunt than most adults I know. I simply couldn't think of any reason not to.
He could hardly contain his excitment as the youth season approached. We shot almost daily. We hunted hard Saturday and Sunday with little success but had a great time laughing and spending time together. We headed out Sunday afternoon with high hopes. After a few hours I heard a spit / drum behind the blind and looked out to see a long beard at 40 yards in full strut. After a mess of moving chairs and situating 3 people and gear, we closed the front and slowly opened the rear of the blind. The tom started our way only to turn quickly and walk away.
Soon several jakes came over the hill in the same spot. For some reason several of the jakes spooked and flew. Four stayed there with their heads periscoped,looking for the problem. I gave Trent the green light to shoot the biggest one on the right and watched him make a perfect shot, dropping the bird on the spot.
Trenton cried hard with the biggest smile on his face, overcome with emotion. Needless to say daddy's eyes werent dry either. This was my first time watching one of my children harvest an animal and man....what an experience. When I'm the shooter I can channel the emotion and stay reasonably calm but when he was getting ready to shoot I was shaking bad!
Unfortunately, the video camera battery died minutes before the birds came in.
No better feeling in the world! I'm one pround Daddy and he's got to be happiest 5 year old in the world!
17 lbs, double beard, 4 3/8" and 2 3/4".
He could hardly contain his excitment as the youth season approached. We shot almost daily. We hunted hard Saturday and Sunday with little success but had a great time laughing and spending time together. We headed out Sunday afternoon with high hopes. After a few hours I heard a spit / drum behind the blind and looked out to see a long beard at 40 yards in full strut. After a mess of moving chairs and situating 3 people and gear, we closed the front and slowly opened the rear of the blind. The tom started our way only to turn quickly and walk away.
Soon several jakes came over the hill in the same spot. For some reason several of the jakes spooked and flew. Four stayed there with their heads periscoped,looking for the problem. I gave Trent the green light to shoot the biggest one on the right and watched him make a perfect shot, dropping the bird on the spot.
Trenton cried hard with the biggest smile on his face, overcome with emotion. Needless to say daddy's eyes werent dry either. This was my first time watching one of my children harvest an animal and man....what an experience. When I'm the shooter I can channel the emotion and stay reasonably calm but when he was getting ready to shoot I was shaking bad!
No better feeling in the world! I'm one pround Daddy and he's got to be happiest 5 year old in the world!
17 lbs, double beard, 4 3/8" and 2 3/4".
