The clock was ticking during Wisconsin's youth turkey hunt, and we needed to make something happen. Time to dial up the food plot connection. My friend Cory guided me and our youth hunter along a multiflora-rose-choked ridge to the edge of a large Conservation Reserve Program field. Then, he pointed toward a timbered ridge that tapered down to a dandy clover plot.
“There were birds there at midmorning yesterday,” he said. “The hens are hitting it pretty heavy, and a gobbler can't be too far away.” I yelped loudly on an aluminum call. Sure enough, a distant gobbler responded. “He’s way down at the base of the ridge,” Cory said, “but he’ll probably try to hit that food plot where the hens have been. Let’s go.”
We hot-footed it along the woods edge, crossed a town road and slipped 100 yards down an old logging trail that connected with the food plot. “Try him,” Cory said. I yelped softly, and the bird cut me off less than 100 yards away. “He’s already coming,” Cory said. I stayed back to float-call, and Cory led the young hunter to a nifty setup 30 yards ahead of me. When he gave me the go-ahead, I hit the call again. The bird hammered back just 75 yards away, probably from the middle of the clover patch.
From there, it was Turkey 101. I switched to soft purring and clucking and scratched the roadside leaves two or three times. Within a minute, drumming filled the air, and I could see Cory instructing the youngster on where to point his gun. After a tense 30-second interlude, a shot cut through the crisp April air, and Cory gave me the thumbs-up. “Bingo,” Cory said. “He went right to the plot, and we got to watch the whole show.”
Our youth hunter was justifiably excited. He'd killed a dandy gobbler — 23 pounds, with 1-3/8-inch hooks and a bushy beard. Moreover, he’d witnessed the type of video hunt — strutting, drumming and gobbling during a headlong approach — of which even veteran hunters dream. We shook hands and celebrated. Food plots and youth turkey hunts had again proven to be a deadly combination.
THE FOOD PLOT CONNECTION
As more states rightfully try to get children involved in hunting at younger ages, youth turkey hunts have become a staple of spring across the country. At least 36 states offer special youth hunts, and the Families Afield Initiative — spearheaded by the National Wild Turkey Federation, the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance — has opened hunting opportunities to more than 100,000 young hunters.
Many youth turkey hunts are held before states open their regular seasons, giving youngsters and their mentors the chance to pursue unhunted, unpressured turkeys. Because these hunts occur early in spring, turkeys are often grouped up in large winter flocks, and hens typically gravitate to the best available food. Where hens go, gobblers surely follow. Likely areas include agricultural fields, spots with leftover mast and greening food plots. I focus on food plots because they offer the most advantages. Food plots are usually smaller than pastures, or corn or bean fields. Those spots attract birds in early spring, but their relatively large size can complicate a hunt. Unless you choose a spot-on setup within range of where turkeys enter and leave a large field, a hunt can be finished quickly. When birds walk into a large field, they often hang out of shotgun range and can see any potential danger for hundreds of yards.
It’s fun to watch field turkeys, but it’s a daunting task to kill one. The smaller size of many food plots narrows the safe zone for turkeys and often lets youth hunters and their mentors set up within shotgun range of likely feeding spots.
Also, open clover patches or other food plots give young hunters a clear view of the action, which lets them observe turkey behavior and eliminates the problem of having to scan the woods looking for the red-white-and-blue flash of a gobbler’s head. In addition, a longbeard in an open food plot provides a clear, clean shot, so youth hunters don’t have to worry about shooting a sapling or picking out a lane in thick timber to attempt a snap-shot. That also benefits mentors, because they can focus on their charges and give quick, clear instructions on when the youngster should move and when he should shoot. They can worry less about the turkey and more about their No. 1 priority: a young hunter whose heart will likely be pounding through his camouflage.
HOW-TO
When scouting for youth turkey hunts, I first try to identify where turkeys are roosting, feeding and traveling in between. If they’re hitting a food plot, I seek possible ambush spots at the plot or along their travel route from the roost. Then I look for spots to build or place a blind. Many veteran hunters eschew blinds, whether because of tradition or because they want mobility. However, children often get antsy after a few minutes in the woods, and turkeys don’t respond well to herky-jerky movements. A blind lets young hunters move around and stay comfortable while staying concealed from sharp gobbler eyes. If a food plot is small enough and is surrounded by enough large timber, I often construct a small blind or place a portable blind at a point or narrow area in the field. That decreases the distance of potential shots if a gobbler enters the plot but hangs up. I might make a setup where the gobbler enters the field, but I avoid doing so if timber or terrain would let a silent bird appear suddenly. Remember, I want to take brush, timber and other cover out of the equation so the youngster can focus on the turkey and have an open shot. When hunting larger food plots, I’ll place a pop-up blind right in the plot. For whatever reason, turkeys don't yet associate pop-up blinds with danger, and they’ll often walk right past them. If birds seem to be hanging out in the middle of a 50-acre clover plot, I’m not shy about setting up shop with them.
Because food plots are open, you should use one or more decoys when hunting them. Gobblers instinctively want visual reassurance for the hencalling they heard. If they enter an open area and don’t see the hen they heard, they usually leave because they sense it’s not natural.
During early spring, I use several decoys, and I focus on realism. I start with at least two hen decoys in a feeding position. Decoys with upright heads work fine sometimes, but a turkey with an upright head is alert and looking for something, not relaxed. I also prefer flocked decoys, which cut down on reflection from sunlight and provide added realism. If the youth hunt is at a property with no other hunters, I’ll also add a jake or strutter decoy. When a gobbler sees a jake or another gobbler, it often provokes an aggressive response, especially during early spring, when turkeys are still actively sorting out dominance and their pecking orders. Conversely, gobbler decoys can intimidate two-year-olds and other male turkeys that have been whipped by flockmates.
When they work, the results can be spectacular. When they don’t, a hunt can fall flat. When a youth food-plot turkey hunt commences, I usually call like I would during any other hunt, with one notable exception: I’m not shy about hitting the yelper. Hens are often the most vocal and raucous during early spring, so it doesn’t seem unrealistic to call a lot. Also, frequent calling — and hopefully responses — gives young hunters a better idea of the spring game and keeps them interested. If they can hear constant gobbling as a bird slowly approaches, their anticipation and excitement builds, adding to the experience.
If the hunt goes well and a turkey walks into range, focus entirely on the youth hunter, and don’t be afraid to provide too much instruction. Tell him what the turkey is doing, and be mindful of the hunter’s movements. Instruct him about when to raise the gun and click off the safety. Tell him when you’ll make the turkey stop, and when it does, be clear about where to aim and when to shoot.
ANOTHER CONNECTION?
After Cory and I registered the young hunter's bird, we met the boy's younger brother and hit an island on a large river. We crept through the timber, aiming for a small food plot on the island's northern shore. When we arrived, my yelps brought four responses — from the timber across the river.
“Well, what should we do?” I asked. Cory shrugged. “We can't go there,” he said. “Might as well try them here.” So we did. And 20 minutes later, four gobblers flew across the river, landed on a sandbar and marched single-file into our food plot. Our youth hunter dropped the lead bird at 15 steps. Will food plots let you call gobblers across rivers to the gun barrel? Not always. But that hunt illustrates the powerful attraction and great youth hunting opportunity provided by food plots.
Focus on food plots this youth turkey season, and give a young hunter the strutting, drumming and gobbling show of a lifetime.
