A 6-year-old shows the experienced hunters how it's done.
Spring is finally here, and so are turkey seasons. It's the perfect time of year to take a youth out and introduce them to the tradition of hunting. The weather is warm, and the action on spring gobblers can often be fast and thrilling in the right circumstances.
Such is the case with this Wisconsin public land turkey hunt. Six-year-old Garret is coming fresh off the harvest of another turkey in Kansas and is looking for another.
It doesn't take long for these hunters to locate an area on public land where the birds are roosting. They get in before first light and the birds are already making a ton of noise. Now it's just a matter of waiting for one of these Toms to step in and offer a shot opportunity.
They don't have to wait long. A healthy Tom comes in fast and angry to the decoys, giving the youth hunter a prime chance at a shot.
Obviously, Garret has been taught well. It just goes to show there's almost no minimum age limit for a person to hunt, so long as they are properly educated in safety and trigger discipline. Garret showed patience beyond his years in waiting for the right shot opportunity at this gobbler. When he did take the shot, it was over for the bird in seconds.
Considering that hunter numbers are dropping all over the country, it's more important than ever to get youths out into the field and hooked on hunting from a young age. Not just for preserving the tradition of hunting, but for the greater good of conservation. The less hunters there are, the less money flows into state wildlife agencies to fund the work that preserves our favorite natural places. So, we love it when we see these youngsters out there carrying on the tradition of hunting.
Congrats on your bird Garret. They joked about a Grand Slam in the video, but he's already well on his way with this bird!
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