Photo Courtesy of Mike ChristensenJosh Godfrey of Osawatomie displays the wild gobbler he shot near Harveyville, Kan., this past weekend with his Big Brother, Stan South of Paola, in the Pass It On — Outdoor Mentors Inc. youth turkey hunt. It was the first time that Josh has hunted turkeys.
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Youths gather for annual turkey hunt
Big Brothers Big Sisters helps Littles at fifth annual Pass It On — Outdoor Mentors Youth Turkey Hunt
By: Mike Christensen, Pass It On/Outdoor Mentors Inc.
Although you couldn't tell it by the weather, it was time for the annual Kansas youth turkey hunt this past weekend.
Seventeen youngsters, most of whom were from Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the state, met in Harveyville, Kan., for the fifth annual Pass It On — Outdoor Mentors Youth Turkey Hunt. The host was Bell Wildlife Specialties and Dan Bell.
Each youngster had a mentor, ready to help him learn all about the ways of spring turkey hunting. Guides also were on hand to help those matches that had little or no turkey hunting experience.
Stan South of Paola and his Little Brother, Josh Godfrey of Osawatomie, were among those hunting. For both Stan and Josh, this was their first turkey hunt. I joined them in their blind on Friday morning as a member of Pass It On — Outdoor Mentors Inc.
It was cold! The wind was blowing from the north and snow spit from the sky all morning — not ideal weather for spring turkey hunting.
In the blinds by 5:30 a.m., we waited for first light. While still too dark to see, we could hear an owl hooting in the distance.
“Listen carefully now; those toms will shock-gobble to an owl call,” I told them.
Sure enough, gobbles erupted to their left and right and from behind as well. Josh's eyes lighted up at the sound.
As time crept by, I pointed out some of the turkeys in trees to the left of the blind about 50 yards away. Josh and Stan gave one another excited glances as they watched more than 20 birds pitch down about 20 yards in front of the blind. We looked hard, trying to identify a bird with a beard, but it wasn't possible in the early morning light with the overcast sky and intermittent spitting snow. Before a shot could be taken, the birds were heading off across the field, toward other blinds and shooters on the far end. All Josh could do was watch.
As the flock made its way across the field, away from Josh and Stan, a hen that had gone unnoticed yelped from behind the blind.
“They're coming back!” Josh whispered.
The boss hen made it known that it wasn't time for them to head that direction, so back they came, right in front of the blind. The light was better, but sti ll not good enough to easily pick out a beard. By the time a positive identification was made, Josh couldn't get in position for the shot.
Now there also were birds that had gone unnoticed just over a terrace about 30 yards behind the blind. All that could be seen was their heads popping up now and then. The jakes and toms were spurring and strutting, but not where Josh could get a shot.
When two birds started back over the terrace, in front of the blind, we could tell that they were both young jakes. Josh took the shot, but missed.
The afternoon hunt almost provided another opportunity for Josh, but the birds didn't present themselves for a safe shot.
The next morning, Josh got his first bird with Brett Mullinix, a high school youth, in the blind with him calling the birds. He was using a Mossberg 20-gauge shotgun with a full choke and hit the jake in the head as it was running.
Stan stayed in the vehicle due to the small size of the blind and cold weather, he said. As they returned to the lodge from the hunt, it was difficult to tell whether Josh or Stan had the bigger smile on his face.
In all, four young hunters got their turkeys during the weekend. But as one young hunter said, after spending a cold Saturday morning in the blind and missing his first shot at a turkey, “It doesn't matter that I didn't get a turkey — just being out there and seeing them and having the chance to hunt was great. I can't wait to do it again.”
Also joining the hunt on Friday from Paola were Cam Johnson and his Little Brother, Justin Smith. While Justin didn't get a shot, both had a great day.
Bell has provided lodging, meals and great places for the mentors and the children to hunt.
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Seventeen youngsters, most of whom were from Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the state, met in Harveyville, Kan., for the fifth annual Pass It On — Outdoor Mentors Youth Turkey Hunt. The host was Bell Wildlife Specialties and Dan Bell.
Each youngster had a mentor, ready to help him learn all about the ways of spring turkey hunting. Guides also were on hand to help those matches that had little or no turkey hunting experience.
Stan South of Paola and his Little Brother, Josh Godfrey of Osawatomie, were among those hunting. For both Stan and Josh, this was their first turkey hunt. I joined them in their blind on Friday morning as a member of Pass It On — Outdoor Mentors Inc.
It was cold! The wind was blowing from the north and snow spit from the sky all morning — not ideal weather for spring turkey hunting.
In the blinds by 5:30 a.m., we waited for first light. While still too dark to see, we could hear an owl hooting in the distance.
“Listen carefully now; those toms will shock-gobble to an owl call,” I told them.
Sure enough, gobbles erupted to their left and right and from behind as well. Josh's eyes lighted up at the sound.
As time crept by, I pointed out some of the turkeys in trees to the left of the blind about 50 yards away. Josh and Stan gave one another excited glances as they watched more than 20 birds pitch down about 20 yards in front of the blind. We looked hard, trying to identify a bird with a beard, but it wasn't possible in the early morning light with the overcast sky and intermittent spitting snow. Before a shot could be taken, the birds were heading off across the field, toward other blinds and shooters on the far end. All Josh could do was watch.
As the flock made its way across the field, away from Josh and Stan, a hen that had gone unnoticed yelped from behind the blind.
“They're coming back!” Josh whispered.
The boss hen made it known that it wasn't time for them to head that direction, so back they came, right in front of the blind. The light was better, but sti ll not good enough to easily pick out a beard. By the time a positive identification was made, Josh couldn't get in position for the shot.
Now there also were birds that had gone unnoticed just over a terrace about 30 yards behind the blind. All that could be seen was their heads popping up now and then. The jakes and toms were spurring and strutting, but not where Josh could get a shot.
When two birds started back over the terrace, in front of the blind, we could tell that they were both young jakes. Josh took the shot, but missed.
The afternoon hunt almost provided another opportunity for Josh, but the birds didn't present themselves for a safe shot.
The next morning, Josh got his first bird with Brett Mullinix, a high school youth, in the blind with him calling the birds. He was using a Mossberg 20-gauge shotgun with a full choke and hit the jake in the head as it was running.
Stan stayed in the vehicle due to the small size of the blind and cold weather, he said. As they returned to the lodge from the hunt, it was difficult to tell whether Josh or Stan had the bigger smile on his face.
In all, four young hunters got their turkeys during the weekend. But as one young hunter said, after spending a cold Saturday morning in the blind and missing his first shot at a turkey, “It doesn't matter that I didn't get a turkey — just being out there and seeing them and having the chance to hunt was great. I can't wait to do it again.”
Also joining the hunt on Friday from Paola were Cam Johnson and his Little Brother, Justin Smith. While Justin didn't get a shot, both had a great day.
Bell has provided lodging, meals and great places for the mentors and the children to hunt.