Micah and David after the successful hunt

Micah first turkey on his first ever day of hunting

A proud young hunter heading for home!

By David Weckerly, Knox, Pennsylvania

Micah was excited to take advantage of the special youth turkey hunt as well as the mentor program. Micah was 11 and ready for his first official hunting experience. Having tagged along with me a few times as a buddy over the last few seasons, he knew a little about what to expect turkey hunting. We setup first thing in the morning in a spot where I had taken a bird last season. As the dawn came, the woods ignited with the sound of several gobblers. I estimated that there were as many as 8 birds gobbling within a few hundred yards. The birds stayed on the roost for quite a while gobbling for almost a half hour.

After they flew down we realized that they had flown away from us to a flat around the hillside.We started working our way around the hillside to get closer to the birds but they continued moving away. I decided to cut up over the hill to try and get out in from of them. As we paused to hear the birds gobble to locate them, I thought of THE spot to intercept these birds. I told Micah, “I know were we should be, let’s get there”. We got to the spot I had in mind at the edge of some pines overlooking a small brushy field. I cut on my slate call a few times to see if they were getting close and a bird hammered off to our left in the pines.

We sat down and Micah positioned his gun in that general direction. I called again and a bird gobbled to our right closer yet! So Micah turned a 180 and got ready in that direction. The birds were coming quick. I heard hens calling with the bird to our right as well. The excitement was growing FAST! As I called and he answered, I caught movement straight ahead across the field.  A THIRD gobbler strutting and coming fast! This was unbelievable, we had gobblers converging on us from all directions. I helped Micah get positioned on this bird. He was spitting and drumming the whole time. He would come out of strut to take a few quick steps our way then back into strut. He heard the hens calling and looked that direction.  I thought to myself then whispered to Micah, “It doesn’t get any better that this!”

The bird worked closer and closer.  The anticipation and excitement growing with every passing second. The bird was working to our left and went into a slight dip out of sight which gave us the perfect opportunity to get into final position. The bird popped out of the dip and came into the woodsline even more to our left. There was a lot of brush in that direction preventing a clear shot. I called ever so quietly just to get his attention.  It was just enough to get him to curl back towards the field. He came closer as he headed back towards the field. Micah was ready and I could see his opening. (I could feel his heart starting to pound as well!) I whispered to him that as soon as he had a clear shot at the his head to take it. I could tell the bird was getting a little nervous. The bird stepped into the opening and Micah made the shot. The bird went down in a heap. “GREAT SHOT!!”, I exclaimed.

After several high-fives, hugs, and talking about the experience, we took some great pictures right on the spot. By chance, the landowner of the adjacent property came by to share the experience. He was scouting for turkeys and it just so happened that this bird walked by him a ten steps twenty minutes before. He was kind enough to take a picture of Micah and I. He was as excited as we were about Micah taking his first bird. I was glad he came by because it was nice to know there are true sportsmen out there that can enjoy and share the experience of others and be excited for them.

As we headed for the truck, a young man with a turkey over his shoulder, I explained to Micah what a lucky young man he was. I told him that a hunting experience doesn’t often happen they way that it did this morning. You watch turkey hunts on TV or on videos wishing you could have that kind of encounter. Well Micah and I did. It was a special time that he and I spent together and I will remember our experience for the rest of my life. It was a picture perfect morning with a story book ending.