I'm planning on taking my son turkey hunting for first time this month....

[Deerthug]

on the Youth Spring Turkey hunt (April 26-27) up to our hunting grounds.  This is the first time I'm doing this and I was wondering if anyone has any tips for me on how to make this something he will enjoy (other than actually seeing or shooting a bird, of course)? Thanks. 

 

 

 

[moog5050]

No tips, but good luck.  I assume a blind is a must if he is young.  I am sure you both will have a great time.

[pistolp71]

Use a enclosed blind so he will be able to move a little and not have to be totally still for hours. Use decoys so you can control where the shot will be. Try to locate the roost the evening before to up your chances. Ill be taking my daughter for the first time this year as well. Good luck

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[landtracdeerhunter]

Be sure to take you B- mobile decoy and enjoy the time together. I'm sure the time spent together will be priceless, and you'll never forget it. Enjoy!

[Deerthug]

I have my B-mobile motorized decoy up and ready to bring some beards in for my son. I figured I'd let him bring his iPad to play some games if we don't see much early on in the morning. 

Thanks all. Good luck to all who are bringing their young ones this youth season. 

[Woodjr55]

I have my B-mobile motorized decoy up and ready to bring some beards in for my son. I figured I'd let him bring his iPad to play some games if we don't see much early on in the morning.

Thanks all. Good luck to all who are bringing their young ones this youth season.

i was going to recommend bringing a little game or something that he could do so he's not too bored.

[Cabin Fever]

Took my daughter out last year. The pop up blind worked out perfectly for us. You can whisper, move around a bit, and we had swivel stools, which is a hell of a lot more comfortable than sitting on the ground on tree roots and rocks! You don't have to keep telling them to "stop moving" so much. On those mornings when there's nothing going on, my daughter stretched out on the ground and napped! Sure makes it nice when it's raining and/or windy too.

 

You have to be courteous and understanding, realizing that they won't have that same drive that you do at their age, to keep at it all morning. It's tough getting up that early, especially for kids at that age! Encourage them, give them pep talks, tell stories of your previous hunts, etc... When they're ready, and you can't stall them any longer, just pack up and leave. Don't want to force them to stay and make them not want to go out again. I usually take my kids out to breakfast after an early morning hunt and that sometimes energizes them to want to go out afterwards for a late morning hunt.

 

My daughter took her first turkey and deer last year! I was one proud Dad!! 

 

Oh yeah, and take a thermacell! 

 

Enjoy being out there with your son and good luck! It's been a long time coming.... trust me, I know! We've been thinking about this since the day they were born! 

[letinmfly]

Good luck to your son!!  The both of you will have a great time.  If he shoots a bird make sure to enter it in the youth contest!!

 

Be safe!!!

[Vince1]

Got a blind for me my wife a 2 year old and a 5 year old. Gonna be a tight squeeze but im tqkin a tablet with kid movies they like and headphones with a deer cart im addin a little seat to.

[nyantler]

Bring a camera and film the hunt... He'll get a kick out of it years form now... and so will you.

[NFA-ADK]

Good luck!  Hope you have a great time! 

[WhitetailAddict11]

I say ditch the blind and the ipad! keep it old school man and get down to the basics of turkey hunting, and what it's really all about. Sitting against the tree with little man in between your legs,or by your side, and enjoying the woods as they wake up. IMO we can all agree that hunting is about much more than the kill, its about the entire experience everytime you go afield. The downtime and sometimes boring aspects of hunting are what make the good hunts so special!! I 100% understand the ipad to keep his mind occupied but it's not necessary. When he starts getting bored it just means its time to get up and walk around and for a kid thats when the real fun begins! Show him the roosting sites, the dusting spots, some deer tracks. Tell him stories of the bird you missed or killed in this very field and how the whole hunt went down, or the time a coyote scared the heck out of ya when you were siting against this tree right here. Thats what makes for a love of hunting and time spent with dad. I still crack a big ol' smile thinking back to when I was only 6 or 7 and dad would let me tag along. He'd sip his coffee while holding a wine cork over the stove flame and then we blacken our faces with the charcoaled tip. I'm 22 now and have a handful of longbeards under my belt, all due to the experiences and things I learned while hunting with my father. No ipad, no blind, no fold up camping chairs. I hope you two have a blast regardless of what you do and be sure to post pictures!

[Fanaddict]

WHITETAILADDICTED you could not have said it any better!!

[G-Man]

Get out the night before and roost birds... if you hear them you should be able to get close enough in the am he'll at least hear em in the am and most likely have a chance at seeing them. If he gets tired by 8 in the am or when ever go back to your camp... go out again if he feels like it.. keeping him out in the weather even if in a blind playing PSP is not going to give him the right idea of hunting. Fun first, concentrate on the hunt..if cold tired go back to camp the PSP can be played there ... let him call the shots... he'll be a better hunter for it in the long run. I did 3 kids this way over last.five Years and they all got birds. And got hooked. The 1st girI i took out in youth season is now graduating college and deer and turkey hunts.