Turkey hunting at age 4

[Forrest Creature 1]

Well not really hunting but sitting in the blind with ol'dad. My boy turns 4 in march and keeps on asking when turkey season is, he is expressing interest in going but I know the big challenge will be keeping he quiet long enough to see anything    . Just him expressing interest is good enough for me for now. Tell me some of your stories of first hunts with your kids. Thanks and maybe we will have some pics in a couple of months.  

[The Whittler]

I would bring him along and when he has had enough, then take him home. You could bring a coloring book with crayons or a toy. Remember having your son/daughter with you is more important than any turkey or deer for that matter.

Make it fun and he will want to go again. Spend as much time as you can with your kids when they are young, they grow up so fast.

[CaliCreole]

Havent had a chance to take my boys hunting but I can tell you I started hunting with my dad at about that age and to this day it is some of my best memories the whole experiance of it. I was telling him this the other day actually that i can remember like yesterday when he taught me how to s*#t in the woods..(wait maybe it was yesterday    )

[mdrecurve]

this is a story about me my dad took me on my first deer hunt when i was 5 in the mountains of western md we well he walked quietly in the wood to a ridge were he raked out a spot around a tree for us to sit (he said i wasnt so quiet he told me we had been sitting their for some time when i got board and started breaking little sticks on the ground and he told me to be quiet and i said i didnt say anything well he explained and i stoped then it was HEY DAD not very quietand then he explaine to me to talk soft i think the trip was a learning eperiance for both of us we didnt see any deer but being in the woods with my dad was good enough now i have a three year old daughter who tells my she want an bow and to go hunting i now will have a fun experiance to in a few years

[gregg dudley]

The whittler nailed it.  Make it about them and have fun.  You have the rest of your life to kill turkeys.  Dang kids grow like weeds...

[Corn Stalker]

I agree with whittler. My boys have gone out hunting with me since they were 1 year old (I have a very understanding wife). It may be only 15 minutes it may be a few hours. Let them decide and keep it fun. Teach him how to run a slate call. At 4 years old he can draw circles with the best I am sure. How cool would it be if he called in Dad's turkey  

[Sean B]

Just what the Whittler said, its got to be fun.  Take him to roost the birds, so he can hear them gobble.  Let him blow on an owl hooter, that should be easy enough for him to do, it'll make him feel involved, esp if he can get a bird to gobble.

[K.S.TRAPPER]

Keep it short and fun, They will love it    My boys started young and I wouldn't trade that time for nothing.

Here's Pete Iacavazi's boy Tanner(4 yr old)in a turkey blind. Great kid! and he had his portable DVD player with games/movie on it just in case he got bored.
 

We didn't get him a turkey but he did get to track down a deer a friend shot with his bow. He had a blast finding the blood trail.

 

Tracy

[Lefty]

My daughter started turkey hunting with me when she was four.  I have her take a small backpack and let her put anything in there she wants to carry.  Small bino, crayons, paper, turkey call, etc.  I carry the blind, chairs, snack and drinks.  I let her nap if she wants and she gets to decide when the hunt is over.  At four we hunted a couple hours at a time.  Now she is eight and I have to pack a lunch, LOL!
 

[Zipperhead]

They're some of my best memories.  My oldest boy killed a big 22lb. tom when he was 6.  I can still hardly believe it.  Both of my boys have been going deer hunting with me since they were 4.  We all sit in tree stands together.  Been fortunate to kill a doe and a nice 10 pointer with them. They're 9 and 6 now.

[bornagainbowhunter]

I love taking my kids hunting.  My oldest just killed his first deer this year, and my youngest is extreamly jealous and wants to go hunting all the time.  I have gone turkey hunting with them, set everything up and sit only 15 min before taking it all back down and leaving.  I have also spent hours in the woods with them.

You must always remember that you are taking your kids hunting, not taking yourself hunting.  Make it fun for them and leave when they get ready.

[Forrest Creature 1]

Last spring were sitting on the front porch and heard a turkey gobble in a field across the road and he started to try to gobble back with his mouth so I went to the turkey vest pulled out a box call showed him what to do and let him go. The turkey ansewered right back and that was his toy for the next week. The thing of us getting a turkey is second as long as we build memories is what I want.