Anyone taken a 3 year old turkey hunting?

[ChadH]

Hi everyone! This is my first post on the site, I am new here (and new to the state, having just moved last fall from Missouri). I check in and read a lot of posts and have been meaning to introduce myself, so here is my chance. Our family is very avid turkey hunters and look forward to figuring things out here in Washington (man what a complicated rule state).

I am attaching several photos of my son and I turkey hunting.

The first is way back when he was three, on his first turkey hunt (state of Kansas) I called these two big gobblers in at 15 yards and shot them both (which is legal to do in Kansas, not Missouri and I am not yet sure about Washington).

The second is him a couple years ago (I think he was 12) with a nice Missouri bird.

The third is last year with a Missouri bird on our farm.

As you can see, taking him young worked out for our family. That first year when he was three, we had to hike almost two miles to get to where I knew the birds were going to be in the afternoon. We left about noon, hiked a little, took a break for a snack. We had only been there MAYBE 5 minutes when a couple Canada geese flew down the creek Double Clucking and the birds fired off on the other side about 75 yards away. We jumped under a tree, call a couple times they flew across the creek and strutted right in, man what a flash hunt. I had to carry my gun, 45 pounds worth of turkey and a tired 3 year old boy, most of the way back to the truck, but it's the lightest load I've ever carried. It was a really special day, one I look back on now and remember every time I go hunting with him.

[TommyH]

My 4 year old is not real happy if daddy leaves with out him, He pretty much goes with me all the time, Salmon fishing, rattling in whitetail, he has bugled to elk. Good times for sure,

[turkeydancer]

Chad H - Welcome aboard --- left a million birds Missouri for 55,000 Wa. birds - OMG.

Suggest NE corner of the state (Units 105-124) where 70 to 75% of the states birds are harvested.  In the spring and early fall you can shoot 2 Merriam birds in the same day in those areas (bearded in the spring and beardless in the fall in those areas).  In the spring you can also harvest one eastern on the westside of the state. Also in the early fall, there are a dozen general and a dozen permit areas you can take one additional bird of either sex beside those in the NE corner (all units on the easside of the state).  There is also an either sex late fall in those units mentioned for one either sex bird.

Good luck ....

[ChadH]

Chad H - Welcome aboard --- left a million birds Missouri for 55,000 Wa. birds - OMG.

I know......
Oh well, a million birds brings a million hunters and Bill Jordan behind every tree
I still have our farm, plus family places to hunt, so a trip home may be necessary.

Thanks for the tip on units to look at. My son is itching to get a WA bird.

[ChadH]

ive debated taking my 5yo son along with me. wastickslinger and i have boys just a couple months apart and have talked about how cool it will be when we can bring em along some year. my biggest fear of bringing them along too early is we are pretty hard core. not that we dont have a comfy camp and all but we put in a good effort in the five days or so we set aside each year to go turkey hunting. that good effort has paid off, we normally put the smack down on a couple nice toms apiece each year. i dont want my son to get bored or cold and not enjoy it. i have a good number of birds under my belt, but at the same time i still enjoy roosting birds and being out early in the blind each morning. i think ill wait for him to get a little older before i let him tag along. i think in the long run it will be better for my situation. obviously not all kids are the same, but im my circumstance i think waiting a little longer like when hes seven or eight will pay off better in the long run. 
ms

Muley sniper... to me the way you're thinking about it is right on. I wouldn't drag them out on a long drive, cold morning, death march. When you get a spot that birds are roosting in regularily, give up a morning hunt for yourself and do an afternoon hunt with him. The year I took Matt (when he was three) I worked my rear end off finding a nice out of the way spot where birds were roosting. It was a bit of a hike, but I took him on a nice day. Roost hunts aren't the most fun turkey hunt (to me), but for what I needed to get my son introduced to turkey hunting, it was perfect. He was hooked, now we hunt all those cold mornings together... or in his case, he rolls out of bed and takes himself before school some days (at least when we were back in MO). Now we have a new game to learn together here in Washington.

The main thing I have found is that once my son could go, my priorities changed. I get a much bigger kick out of watching him chase birds (or calling for him or his friends) than killing them myself anymore.

[Pathfinder101]

Took PathfinderJR bird hunting and bear hunting with me when he was 3.  Mostly short hikes and bouncing around in the truck. 

[400out]

Took PathfinderJR bird hunting and bear hunting with me when he was 3.  Mostly short hikes and bouncing around in the truck.

My boy was out working corn fields at that age after chickens.

[turkeydancer]

For those who have youths under age 16 yrs old (that can pull the trigger) this state has a youth only turkey hunt usually the weekend before the rest of us get a chance to disturb the peace and quiet of the great old turkey woods.   Don't miss that chance  ... it's all about the kids and your special time with them!
 

[Pathfinder101]

Ive got a picture somewhere.  I'll have to dig it up...

[Machias]

Couple of things to keep in mind for safety and health issues.  Hearing protection for her.  Growing up in Missouri there were three colors you NEVER took into the turkey woods with you.  Red, white or blue.  Obviously those are the three colors of the gobbler's head.  I would not want my 3 year old sitting on or moving anything that is white, unless I was in a blind.  Sounds unbelieveable but every single year you hear about a small child being shot by thier relative because the small child was allowed to move around and not sitting right with the hunter. You wouldn't think it could happen, but I read about it every single year.  I think it's awesome you are getting her out with you.

[rosscrazyelk]

My wife and I are going to take our 3 year old Daughter out Turkey hunting this year what are your thoughts on this?

As long as you understand what you are getting into..  Taking the kids that young out is great but they cant sit still or be queit so your chances of getting a turkey are pretty low but you will  have a good time I am sure.

[Hoka]

How do you get a three year old turkey to hold the shotgun?

[Pathfinder101]

PathfinderJR age 3, first bird hunt

[turkeydancer]

 
That's what it's all about there ... enjoy all those moments with that cute lil JR !!!!

[Pathfinder101]

That's what it's all about there ... enjoy all those moments with that cute lil JR !!!!

We do.  He's becoming a hunter in his own right now.  And his little brother tries to get in on the action as much as possible.