Youth Turkey Hunting Season a Great Place to Start
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Last Saturday morning I attended the annual gathering of Hoosier Outdoor Writers from across the state in beautiful Brown County State Park. It was also the opening day of the 2016 youth turkey hunting season. By the time the first presentation ended my phone began erupting with pictures of children who had collected their first birds. Each text brought a smile to my face and the wish that I could have been there enjoying success with every one of them. During the break I would show other writers pictures of smiling children standing over their first longbeard. “Turkeys work perfect for kids,” one writer said. Then I began to think. Almost every hunter started out with .410’s and 22’s hunting rabbits or squirrels. That was our only choice because there weren’t any turkeys. Now every Indiana county boasts huntable populations and the Hoosier state, like many others, hold special youth only seasons before the regular season opens its doors. Many adults are more interested in hunting turkeys than small game anyway and that’s how children become involved. This year’s regular season began last Wednesday and continues until May 15. There is a lot of good to be said about spring youth turkey hunting season. The weather and surroundings are usually beautiful with warm sunshine and the emergence of new growth. Ground blinds cover a lot of fidgeting and let you sit next to your young hunter and offer advice while sitting shoulder to shoulder. But turkey hunting differs from small game hunting in many ways. Miss a squirrel or rabbit and you can find another in short order. Miss a turkey and your season could be over until next year. I know of one boy who missed a turkey and chose never to hunt again. It was a cruel lesson but one most hunters face one time or another. If you are fortunate in taking a young hunter out this spring, you owe him or her the greatest chance for success when it comes time to press the trigger. Here are a few things to consider. Tanner Pippenger, Kokomo, collected his first gobbler during Inidana's special youth turkey hunting season.
Youth Turkey Hunting Season a Great Place to Start
Youth Turkey Hunting Season a Great Place to…
Youth Turkey Hunting Season a Great Place to Start
Last Saturday morning I attended the annual gathering of Hoosier Outdoor Writers from across the state in beautiful Brown County State Park. It was also the opening day of the 2016 youth turkey hunting season. By the time the first presentation ended my phone began erupting with pictures of children who had collected their first birds. Each text brought a smile to my face and the wish that I could have been there enjoying success with every one of them. During the break I would show other writers pictures of smiling children standing over their first longbeard. “Turkeys work perfect for kids,” one writer said. Then I began to think. Almost every hunter started out with .410’s and 22’s hunting rabbits or squirrels. That was our only choice because there weren’t any turkeys. Now every Indiana county boasts huntable populations and the Hoosier state, like many others, hold special youth only seasons before the regular season opens its doors. Many adults are more interested in hunting turkeys than small game anyway and that’s how children become involved. This year’s regular season began last Wednesday and continues until May 15. There is a lot of good to be said about spring youth turkey hunting season. The weather and surroundings are usually beautiful with warm sunshine and the emergence of new growth. Ground blinds cover a lot of fidgeting and let you sit next to your young hunter and offer advice while sitting shoulder to shoulder. But turkey hunting differs from small game hunting in many ways. Miss a squirrel or rabbit and you can find another in short order. Miss a turkey and your season could be over until next year. I know of one boy who missed a turkey and chose never to hunt again. It was a cruel lesson but one most hunters face one time or another. If you are fortunate in taking a young hunter out this spring, you owe him or her the greatest chance for success when it comes time to press the trigger. Here are a few things to consider. Tanner Pippenger, Kokomo, collected his first gobbler during Inidana's special youth turkey hunting season.