Why Hunt Turkeys?

I've said before that the spring turkey season could be the perfect time to introduce a youngster to hunting. I wrote about the pleasant weather, the safety aspect and controlled situation, as well as the fun of being in the woods on a spring morning. But I want to elaborate on why spring turkey hunting can be so much fun for kids. It's really a complete aural, visual, and adrenal experience. First you build excitement the night before by listening for gobbles in the area you plan to hunt. Hearing a tom gobble from the roost in the dark will make it hard to sleep and easier to get out of bed at 4:30 a.m. the next morning. And knowing where a tom is roosted will help you set up the following morning. On morning of the hunt, you'll hear more gobbles walking to your blind in the dark, which builds anticipation. Snug in the pop-up blind, it's time to watch the woods wake up, and this can be a great show. Birds noisily welcome the sunrise, and raccoons, deer, and maybe even a bobcat will sneak past in front. As the sun rises, toms will often gobble continuously, announcing their presence to any nearby hens. Now it's time to call, and letting the youngster scratch out some yelps on a box call is a great idea. But look out, when you call and get an immediate response from a gobbling tom, the excitement meter can peg. Then there's the adrenaline rush as the gobbles get closer and closer. Finally, silence. Where is he? He has to be close. Then a thunderous gobble right next to the blind, followed by the sound of spitting and drumming as a tom struts into view toward the decoy. If you're not shaking now, you don't have a pulse.

If you don't feel comfortable taking your youngster on a turkey hunt, look into one of the special turkey hunts where guides will assist. There's one at Council Grove and another at the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant near Parsons. Both are limited so don't delay. The youth turkey season opens April 1 and runs through April 12. Hunting pressure is light during the youth season, making it a great time to explore the hunting opportunities on public land and WIHA tracts.