Taking a new hunter turkey hunting

[dannyb278]

Any suggestions on what I should do to get a new hunter hooked on hunting?

My buddy never grew up in a hunting family. He started a new job where almost everybody hunts, and he would like to pick it up as well.

Because he was born before 1980, he doesn't need to take the hunter safety class prior to getting a license, though I am recommending that he does when he can.

I've taken him along bow hunting a few times, but never got on a deer with him along, so his hunting experience is limited to sitting up in a tree stand with me watching deer just out of range.

I figure chasing turkeys would be a great start. Our farm is chock full of them, and nobody hunts them (I only started turkey hunting last year, and now i'm hooked).

 

[JohnCushman]

Rabbit hunting is a great way to start. Lots of action and lots of rabbits to shoot at. It's fun to flush them and watch them run. It should keep him interested for the day. Antelope hunting is also another good way to start since they are plentiful and if you blow a stalk, there is always another herd close by to try again. That's how I started my wife.

 

[dannyb278]

Rabbit hunting is a great way to start. Lots of action and lots of rabbits to shoot at. It's fun to flush them and watch them run. It should keep him interested for the day. Antelope hunting is also another good way to start since they are plentiful and if you blow a stalk, there is always another herd close by to try again. That's how I started my wife.

Rabbit hunting sounds like a great idea! We have a few weeks left of the small game season, and I've always enjoyed hunting rabbits in the snow. Likely how I first started hunting.

I just started antelope hunting last year. Took a trip to Wyoming on left over tags. Came home empty (clean miss on the one buck I saw on public land and within range) but learned a lot and had a blast. My dad and I plan to go out again this fall.

 

[JohnCushman]

When my son shot his first rabbit it might as well have been a booner buck with all of his excitement

 

[VAspeedgoat]

If you are on a farm pidgeons may offer a bit of exitement and I prefer the meat to dove. Also squirrels would be my go to small game animal, not many rabbits around any more. Squirrels take a little patience this time of year but generally you can get some on a sunny afternoon. Some people don't like the idea of eating squirrel but rabbits don't seem to bother people much. Fox/coyote may be a good one too there's not quite as much quiet sitting with a call going.. As mentioned pronghorn would be a good big game species to start with. Turkeys may do the trick. I've never gotten into them but most people are hooked right away.

 

[putm2sleep]

uh, yes!! get him on those turkeys for goodness sakes - family farm, not hunted. Holy smokes what a thrill for new hunter!!!!
dont even take a gun - just scout first and take the box call, call and see what happens
nice work - however. he should and you should make him or get him in a hunter safety course asap = new hunter, part of tradition! good and proper start.

 

[Flatland Crusoe]

With a new hunter and turkeys I would really suggest a ground blind because it eliminates a lot of the discipline of movement required while turkey hunting. Shooting a lot in field positions and small game hunts where opportunities are often and mistakes have fewer consequences is a huge plus.

 

[JohnCushman]

I forgot to say GOOD ON YOU for starting a new hunter out!! That's pretty frigging awesome!! I agree with squirrels too since they do require a little bit of stalking and that will teach him a little bit of quiet and skill. Turkeys in a ground blind would be cool too.

 

[ringer]

Get him a headnet and camo, set him up against a tree where you roosted birds the night before, hook a 15 yard rope to the back of his underwear and sit down 15 yards behind him. Tell him to hold the gun up on his knees and when you jerk the rope he needs to shoot the bird. If he misses pull hard on the rope and give him a wedgie.

 

[ida homer]

My buddies got me hooked by taking me duck hunting first. Even if it's cold and slow, you can be back on the couch by noon watching football.

Another buddy took me on a 4 day backpack deer hunt my first year, and I wasn't quite ready for that. Physically or mentally.

 

[dannyb278]

Really looking forward to the hunt. He has been a close friend since childhood, so about 25 years, room mate in college and groomsmen in my wedding.

 

[Epfd217]

I've found turkeys are a great way to introduce someone to hunting for several reasons, namely the time of year for spring birds. Plus it will allow him to get his hunter safety class taken care of before fall season.

1980 may be the cut off in your state, but some other states require the hunter safety no matter what age he is so have him take it anyway. Its good experience and lots of little tidbits aimed at new hunters.

Small game is an excellent opportunity too, but depending on where you live, small game isn't as plentiful as it used to be. I try pretty hard every season and I've still killed more turkeys than rabbits and squirrels.

 

[JohnCushman]

I've found turkeys are a great way to introduce someone to hunting for several reasons, namely the time of year for spring birds. Plus it will allow him to get his hunter safety class taken care of before fall season.

1980 may be the cut off in your state, but some other states require the hunter safety no matter what age he is so have him take it anyway. Its good experience and lots of little tidbits aimed at new hunters.

Small game is an excellent opportunity too, but depending on where you live, small game isn't as plentiful as it used to be. I try pretty hard every season and I've still killed more turkeys than rabbits and squirrels.

In Wyoming you have to actually carry your hunter safety card with you and many other states have age cut offs of 1949 for hunter safety requirements.

 

[putm2sleep]

In Wyoming you have to actually carry your hunter safety card with you and many other states have age cut offs of 1949 for hunter safety requirements.

Isn't one always to have their card on their person - ? whats your point. Should be with your lisc. at all times, no?

 

[JohnCushman]

Isn't one always to have their card on their person - ? whats your point. Should be with your lisc. at all times, no?

My point is, if you have read this thread from the beginning, that the friend doesn't have to do hunter safety due to his date of birth...and I was saying, adding to the other people that have suggested that he take hunter safety anyway...that he would need his card to hunt in other states, that's my point..that he would need a card in other states eventhough he doesn't need one in his home state

 

[Bambistew]

Small game, upland birds, waterfowl, turkey, and fox/coyote hunting, varmints, etc. Any sort of interactive hunt that doesn't' involve sitting in a tree stand. Walking around, even if you're not shooting something is much more "fun" than sitting and waiting. Even a camera stalking an animal can be fun!

I took my nephew last fall, he'd tagged along a few days with me on other trips, but we didn't get in on any animals. He took hunters safety and got a caribou tag last year and I made it my mission to get that kid bull. He was interested in hunting, but not really an outdoors kid, but doesn't really have any influence from his immediate family, but is always willing to try something. He's more of a video game type kid, due to boredom I think... Once I started taking him, its all he wants to do... He nearly killed a sheep last year after a couple hour stalk, and ended up with a really nice caribou. He also came back with me a couple weeks later and was right next to me when I shot mine. To say he's excited for this coming fall would be an understatement.

I've try to take at least one new hunter each year, sometimes two. I feel it's part of the culture and tradition and should be encouraged and passed on to the next generation.

Good on you for passing this on!

 

[dannyb278]

I've try to take at least one new hunter each year, sometimes two. I feel it's part of the culture and tradition and should be encouraged and passed on to the next generation. !

Yeah it's pretty neat he went from being a non hunter and not really interested in it to 100% for hunting. Now it's just taking that next step and getting his hands a bit more dirty.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

My point is, if you have read this thread from the beginning, that the friend doesn't have to do hunter safety due to his date of birth...and I was saying, adding to the other people that have suggested that he take hunter safety anyway...that he would need his card to hunt in other states, that's my point..that he would need a card in other states eventhough he doesn't need one in his home state

Our rules in Va don't require you to carry your card with you and old licenses verify your hunters ed certification. I'm not sure of the cutoff date but my dad doesn't require one. This comes as a last minute shock to a lot of hunters before heading west. Also, some guys had it and lost them because they don't need them to keep getting a license, thus requiring a reissue. So to Johns point, yes get it. It will save hastles in the long run.

 

[Ttannahill14]

In Wyoming you have to actually carry your hunter safety card with you and many other states have age cut offs of 1949 for hunter safety requirements.

So in Kansas we don't need our hunter safety card in the field. And once you've gotten your license once and showed your Hunter Safety ID card. You're good to go. So I litereally haven't seen my hunter safety card in over a decade. So if I go hunt in Wyoming I have to track that thing down and probably order a new one?

 

[kansasdad]

RE: hunters safety card in Kansas (a great place to go turkey hunting, by the way). ALL non residents regardless of age must show HS card to be licensed. All KS residents under a certain age (28 IIRC) must carry while hunting.

I love taking newbs out for their first hunting experiences. I might suggest that you start now to drum in the safety aspects of hunting turkeys, and make sure that the first time your bud is pulling the trigger its not the first time he is shooting that shotgun. You may also want to take him out now to scout the birds. Huge winter flocks of toms/jakes/hens/poults are a sight to behold. Sneaking in close and watching them interact is a blast.