Deerthug

My son shot his first bird this past weekend and i want to mount the tail, beard and feet. What is the best way to preserve the feet so they don't stink? I've mounted tails and beards before but never feet. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Congrats to you both!

This was my 12 year old son, Steven's, first time turkey hunting since taking and passing the sportsman's education course this past October. He decided that his first hunt would be this years Youth Spring Turkey Hunt. Last weekend my father in law gave him a 20 y.o. Savage 20ga side by side shotgun with double trigger. He also gave him a 410 which he had a blast shooting at the Calverton range. He was afraid to use the Savage and I did not push the issue. During our car ride up this past Friday afternoon we got to talking about the 410 not having enough knockdown power and that he should consider using the 20ga when we went into the field the following morning. Well he didn't give it much thought and half way up he decided that he felt confident to shoot the 20ga. I said ok and left it at that. Saturday morning's hunt started out with the two of us trying to sneak to our blind when we didn't realize we were set up right below a roost. We ended up spooking 5 big ones and heard them soar like helicopters onto the neighboring property. We get to the area where I had previously set up the ground blind and it was missing. So in pouring rain I'm cursing under my breath that someone stole it. I thought to myself I'm not going to let this ruin his first hunt. After about 5 minutes I found the blind upside down along a path inside tall brush. After resetting up the blind we sat there trying to dry off and heard nothing. Then the rain stopped and shortly thereafter the gobbles started. He was shaking in his pants from excitement. They were far off in the distance but close enough to get him hooked. After a few hours on Saturday, we see two young jakes coming out from the tall brush and enter a cut corn field about 150 yards to our right. I start soft calling on my glass call. They start moving at an angle closer toward us but heading for the woods. Eventually they disappear into the treelike. About 30 minutes later my son spots two hens coming out of the woods in the corner of the property just opposite the front of our blind. Following not even 5 minutes later were 4 jakes. All 6 were heading into the cut corn field. I had a jake and hen decoy out and I started purring on my glass call. The jakes danced around for a few minutes but eventually continued on their way just out of the 20ga range. Needless to say although they were too far my son was excited to see them that close. At 10:30 he was bored after not seeing anything for about 2 hours so we called it a day. Saturday night he says to me lets get out there earlier on Sunday. So I said Ok and asked him what time. He said lets be in the blind by 5:00am. After another sleepless night for me, (He was sound asleep all night) I'm up at 3:30am and head downstairs to put wood in the wood stove. About 30 minutes later I hear footsteps walking along the hallway and down he comes dressed and ready. I said it's still too early. We sat and talked for a while and he says to me I feel that I'm going to get me a turkey today. I said lets hope so. He wanted to get in there before they flew down from above us. At 4:45 we head out to our blind and by 5:00 we are sitting patiently in the blind. Unfortunately they decided to roost all the way on the other side of the property on the neighbor's land. Sitting there listening to them gobble their heads off on the roost made me a bit disappointed and I thought to myself well they have about 600 yards to make there way toward us and we only had 3 hours to hunt today. Nevertheless, he was all excited and raring to go sitting there listening to the Toms gobbling. About 6:30 we are glassing the fields and we see 4 turkeys about 500 yards away across the fields, tall brush, a stream and a pond. I start soft calling and purring and they start to gobble. I call again and they continue. This goes on for about 20 minutes but they are moving from our right to our left still at 500 yards away. I'm thinking to myself Steven is not going to connect today. Then out of nowhere without a peep at about 6:50 two jakes pop their heads out of the brush about 40 yards directly across from our blind. I grab my glass call and start purring. One starts to gobble. Steven grabs the 20 and slowly puts the butt up against his right shoulder and places the fore end on my Primos trigger stick for support. The jakes start walking toward us but at an angle to our right and toward the woods. All the while I'm soft calling and they stop, look and continue. My son has his 20 still pointing straight out of the blind and he can't maneuver it toward the right. I slowly grab the trigger stick and help him lift and angle the 20 toward the two jakes. The jakes get to about 15 yards to our right at a real awkward angle and they stop about 10 feet apart or so. I say to Steven, pick one and shoot whenever you are ready. I hear the safety go "click" and then the next thing I hear is "BOOM!" One jake runs and takes off and the other hobbles its way toward us, crosses not 15 feet from our blind and drops in a heap just off to our left another 10 feet away. We look at each other and the expression on Steven's face was indescribable. He could not believe he just shot his first jake. We hug, and he just sits there. I say "what are you waiting for, lets go get your gobbler"! He tears off his face mask and we run over to where he laid down in a pile and without even saying anything to him, he says to me "Dad, lets kneel down beside him and thank God for the opportunity". I was speechless. He weighed in at about 18lbs with a 5inch beard and stubs for spurs. I think the pictures describe his experience a lot better than I did!

Second day of the Youth Turkey Hunt was a success. Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

Nice end to a first turkey hunt. Back strap on the BBQ Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

What's the point? Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

Just like his old man Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

At 10:30 he had enough. So we packed up. Moved the blind to a new location opposite the roost and secured it. As we were walking back to the house we saw another 6 Jakes/hens on our path back. Son had a great time. He Wants to go out at 4:30 tomorrow morning. I Think he's hooked even without shooting one. Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

Nothing out there now leaving it up to my son to call it a day Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

Congrats on the first bird. My son saw 6 Jakes so far but all were out of range. Just seeing them made his heart pound and legs shake. Lol Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

Congrats on the first bird and shed! Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

Called in another 4 Jakes. Just out of range. Haven't seen so much action in such a short time. Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

Just had 2 Jakes about 150 yds. Called then in to 50 but went into the woods. I heard my son's heart pounding. Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

First spring turkey hunt for my son and I. Spooked 5 from the roost on way to our blind. Got to our spot and the blind is missing. Found it blown away few yards into the brush. Reset the blind. Put out the dekes and we are sitting here watching the rain falling. Hoping the rain will stop and the birds will come out to dry off. Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

Thanks guys. It's 4am and I've been tossing and turning all night like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. Mean while my son is out cold in the bed next to me. Lol. Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

Lol. Not as often as I wish!Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

With my son and my BIL for my son's first spring turkey hunt. Hoping the weather cooperates. Good luck to all you young 'ns this weekend. Be safe! Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

Yeah I was afraid that would happen which is why I am bringing the 20 with us. Perhaps I can convince him to use it.

Taking my son for his first time. He is siked! He's going to be using a .410 and/or 20 ga handed down to him by his Nono. I went up and set up my blind two weeks ago on the edge of a cut corn field. Hoping we'll at least see some longbeards. I promised him that if he takes one I would do a full body strut mount to put in his room. Nice way to get him motivated!

I originally had my first initial "J" followed by my last name as my forum name. But I decided to change it to more of a "hunter's" nickname. I wanted Deerhunter but it was taken so the only other name I came up with was "Deerthug". Go figure . . .

Χριστος Ανεστι! (To my fellow Greeks) Buon Pasqua! (To my fellow Italians) Happy Easter! (To everyone else)

We had a blast "literally". We stopped and bought his junior license afterward at campsite in Huntington and of course Nono had to pay for the first one. Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

Took my son to the range in Calverton this morning to shoot his first .410 & 20ga. He did really well with the 410 but he was unable to shoot the Savage side by side 20ga due to too long of a stock (could not reach the double trigger whole holding the butt tight against his shoulder) and lack of any recoil padding. Perhaps he'll grow into it. Need to install a better pad too. But the smile says it all. Bring on the long beards!! Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

I picked him up today and just put him on my wall. Had him done at Fish and Wildlife Unlimited Taxidermy in Oakdale. Danny did a great job on this guy. My kids wanted to name him Pablo but I decided to name him Knuckles. Now "Chuck the Buck" has his buddy "Knuckles" to "hang" around. Why Knuckles? I never thought you would ask . . . Now my home office is complete!!! Well . . . I still have some wall space. Just need to take down pictures of my kids . . . LOL!!