# So it begins



## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

This is going to be my youngest daughters first turkey hunt. I think it will be fun to keep a daily log of how it progresses. Last night we got permission to hunt a field. The property owner told us there isn't alot of birds using it but we did find a couple when we got out of the car. We set out a trail camera in a spot hoping to catch a few photos of birds working a fence line. We also set and waited until dark to see if we could hear or see some birds. Unfortunately we didn't see any other birds. We will continue scouting this week in other areas and keep you posted.























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## mlob1one (Aug 29, 2014)

Thanks for taking us along. Love hunting with my kids. 

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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

SW you are a good papa!! Good luck and pictures please.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Seeing them there is a good sign. They will obviously be close to the area come hunt time.

Good luck! hope she gets one.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

We went out today and scouted another area. It's an area Lindsay shot her turkey last year. The only problem is its a public and very popular spot. We however did find lots of sign.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

When we got home a turkey left this on my sidewalk going to my front door. We have never seen a turkey in my neighborhood. They however do live a few blocks away. So I think this means war!









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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

swbuckmaster said:


> When we got home a turkey left this on my sidewalk going to my front door. We have never seen a turkey in my neighborhood. They however do live a few blocks away. So I think this means war!


That's funny. Last year during the turkey hunt, a hen turkey came into our campsite and left a similar present.

Rascals...


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

We are checking trail cameras today however we have birds a few hundred yards away. So I sent Makenzie in alone to retrieve the trail camera while I watch the birds. Were trying to leave as small a foot print as possible. It's hard to see but if you look close there is a tom in the photo.
















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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

Good Luck!


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Checking photos on the camera revealed interesting things. I'll post them up when I can download them. 

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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Something I never did with my older daughters hunt is pattern the gun. Big mistake on my part!
Lindsay missed a few turkeys or hit them but didn't kill them. We were using heavy shot turkey loads and after having Makenzie pattern them I see why. 
Her gun likes winchester. These groups were shot at 30 yards
























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## NVDuckin (Apr 18, 2016)

Wow, that's a significant difference. No changes other than different ammo?


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

NVDuckin said:


> Wow, that's a significant difference. No changes other than different ammo?


She either shot way high or it didn't like the full choke. I had her shoot it twice though with both loads just to make sure and the winchester absolutely dominated the tests. If we get a shot it's going to be 30 and under so we will just use the winchester loads.

I should have shot it just to make sure but I won't be shooting so it probably doesn't matter at this point.

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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

I know one thing for sure is I should have never bought a pump shotgun. Lol they all knock your teeth out. 

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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

We got up at 4am. Drove to our spot. It's raining so we set our blind up near a fence line of an open field. We think the birds will stay out in the open more on a rainy day like today because turkeys will use their eyesight rather then hearing for protection.

we're now just waiting for the sun to come up and birds to show up.










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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

We may have just made a mistake. We passed on 4 jakes at 30 yards.























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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

There is a big old B&C tom in sight but he hasn't committed to coming this way yet. 

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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Love to see you out there with your kids. A couple things I've learned about shooting shotguns in general and turkey shooting specifically. Nearly all misses are due to one of two things, (1)you shoot over the target(failure to keep you cheek down on the stock) or (2)you take too long of a shot. In turkey hunting you are often sitting or are in some other weird position when you fire which increases the likelihood of pulling your cheek off the shock and shooting high. Practice shooting from sitting, shooting off to one side or the other and shooting up hill and down hill. Be right behind her when she takes each shot and verbally remind her to "keep your cheek on the stock", she will soon make this a common practice and become a killer shot. Another thing, have her aim for the base of the turkeys neck! I know there will be guys that will come on here and say always aim for the head...well, here is why that will result in more misses and wounded birds than neck shots. If, and it happens all the time, you end up shooting a little high, for the reasons mentioned above, a neck shot will still end up with a good concentration of shot in a vital area. Simply put, more kills!
Get some light loads and have that kid shoot from crazy positions, she'll learn to hit the target and probably out shoot you some day. Good job dad.


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## OriginalOscar (Sep 5, 2016)

swbuckmaster said:


> There is a big old B&C tom in sight but he hasn't committed to coming this way yet.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


And? Fingers crossed pulling for ya.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

First of all good luck!
Looking at that last photo of your daughter holding the shotgun, and all I can think of is that's gotta hurt. The gun is on the inside of her arm, not shouldered. She is not facing straight at the target. Looks like a bow shooting stance rather than gun form. I'm not trying to be critical so please don't take it that way. If it works for her then great. Just wanted to point that out and maybe it will help, maybe not.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

That was her first shot. Soon as I looked at the photo I corrected her. She doesn't shoot shotguns very often. 

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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

We just came back from lunch and the birds got there before we did. They were 20 yards away from the car. In my youth I may have gunned one down out the window but thats not how we roll and not how I want to teach my kids how to hunt. So we gave them a pass and just watched them walk off. Hopfully they will be back.









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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

This just happened but I can't upload the video with poor reception.









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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

This is Tom









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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Is there such a thing as too close?

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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Kind of a sad look on your gals face, miss?


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Dunkem said:


> Kind of a sad look on your gals face, miss?


Yup! 15 yards. I think the pattern was to tight at that distance and she pulled the shot. Aahhh!

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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

swbuckmaster said:


> Yup! 15 yards. I think the pattern was to tight at that distance and she pulled the shot. Aahhh!
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


Darn!!


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

This is the view out our blind windows. 
We are in Wallsburg



















































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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Sitting in the blind all day is tough. So we have been taking a few walks listing for birds. They are very quiet. We haven't even heard a gobble! Which is weird considering we have provably seen 20 or more toms today.
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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Getting up at 4am has finally took its toll on Makenzie.









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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

Keep after 'em!


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

We put the sneak on two big gobblers for the last couple of hours. We were in the river using it as cover. They were on the other side just out of range. 
Perfect scenario if they came our way. They didnt.. 

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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

I'd think about those two toms for tomorrow morning. Try and roost 'em tonight and be there in the morning early. I think you might have a better chance on those two than any toms that may be running with some hens. Keep in mind that when they come off that roost they may be quiet so do some calling, but watch for them to sneak in without a peep. And Mekensie, get ready, gun on your knee, and don't move 'till dad say's "take'em", then shoot him right in the base of his neck. You get 'em girl!


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

She did it!

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## USMARINEhuntinfool (Sep 15, 2007)

This has been awesome to follow along, now I'm dying to see the pics. Thanks for taking us along!


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Here is the Video of Makenzie missing?
I looked at it over and over with Makenzie in the field on my phone and couldn't tell if she hit it or not. After she watched it a few times she started to cry. I told her to not worry about it and told her that Lindsay didn't get the first bird she shot at either.






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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

After the two big toms headed over the road and out of sight we headed back to the blind. We sat in the blind for an hour or so then decided to take a drive and see if we could see birds working any of the foothills.We found plenty of birds however they were in fields we didn't have permission to hunt.

I was already starting to think about tomorrow's hunt. We headed back to the blind thinking we may have a chance if there were any birds still up the canyon. The area the birds are roosting in is about a 1/4 mile away on property we don't have permission to hunt but if birds were up canyon I figured they would want to follow the tree line back to the roost. I looked up at the head of the field Makenzie shot at the bird in and saw a big tom working the sage brush. I saw it lay down and thought why not see if we could cut the distance some. So we got out of the car and made a big loop towards the tom. When we closed the distance as far as we could without being seen I started to glass. I found the Tom and we both watched him and tried to come up with a plan. Several deer came out in the field while we waited and they noticed the Tom. The curiosity got the best of them and they walked closer to the Tom. I figured they may scare him towards us if they kept going. When all five of them got to within 10 feet of him the tom got out if his bed and started hissing at them. The deer all ran off. I figured the bird had to be injured at this point and started thinking Makenzie must have hit this bird earlier. I told her to take her boots off and make her way close to the bird but not right at it. I told her to act like a deer and don't make eye contact with the bird. When she left I said a prayer asking if this was an indeed an injured bird that she could put it down if it was. . About 20 minutes later I could see makenzie and the bird clearly in my binoculars. Makenzie was belly crawling her way towards the Tom. When she got in range I thought she was going to shoot it in the prone position but she didnt. She got on her knees and fired. The tom stood up. Makenzie had gotten blown off her knees from the recoil and now had her feet sticking straight in the air. She rolled over put another round in the chamber and shot again with the same results except this time the bird was finished. She rolled over stood up and I gave her the thumbs up.

I wish I had gotten it all on video but I left my phone in the car to charge. I'm so proud of her.






























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## brisket (Mar 3, 2015)

So awesome! Congrats to you and Makenzie! That's a great first tom.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

What a great story. Was a bunch of us following that hunt throughout the day. Thanks for the post.


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## turkinator (May 25, 2008)

Awsome! Great job to you and your daughter! Loved following along!


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

That is fantastic! Thanks for sharing.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Who needs a tag when you have a daughter that has one? 

Fantastic story.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Just plain old neat:!::!: Glad she got one!!


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Critter said:


> Who needs a tag when you have a daughter that has one?
> 
> Fantastic story.


I think I'd rather see my girls fill their tags then do it myself. It's so much more difficult and challenging imho. Talk about ups and downs. I actually have three general deer points now because it's more enjoyable to see them hunt then it is for me.

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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

swbuckmaster said:


> I think I'd rather see my girls fill their tags then do it myself. It's so much more difficult and challenging imho. Talk about ups and downs. I actually have three general deer points now because it's more enjoyable to see them hunt then it is for me.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


I have always had more fun hunting when I have taken a kid out for their first animal. I have done it on both deer and elk not to mention birds. There is something about their youthful enthusiasm that makes you forget about the tag in your pocket.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Congrats to you and your daughter! I really enjoyed the play-by-play of the whole hunt - thanks for sharing!


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Congrats! It was a pleasure to follow along, and congrats to your daughter! I had my suspicions where you were hunting after your first set of pictures and it was fun to see it confirmed. Beautiful area with tons of birds---if you can secure access! 

Missing a Tom only to pull it together a few hours later, only adds to the tale. She'll have great memories of that hunt for a long time to come.


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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

Congratulations to daughter and dad!!!


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Well done!


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## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

That's awesome! Congratulations to you both on a hunt very well done!


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Very cool!


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## Idratherbehunting (Jul 17, 2013)

Awesome bird! Congratulations! I loved following along!


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Here are the trail cam photos I promised. Makenzie and I put the trail camera up and we forgot to set the time and dates. She went in by herself and picked up the trail camera. I was suprised by the photos I got. It wasn't until the bucks in velvet that I figured out what happened. They were from my hunt on the San Juan. I took the camera down and I can remember ever checking the card.















































































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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Any way my girls love setting/checking trail cameras. 

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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Too Cool!!


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## USMARINEhuntinfool (Sep 15, 2007)

So freaking awesome! Thanks again for sharing!


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## tigerpincer (Dec 5, 2009)

Congrats to your beautiful Daughter and her proud awesome Dad. It was a blast following along with you on your adventure.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

Fantastic work to you and the young lady!


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

Congrats to you both! Some good lessons in staying positive and persevering in those adventures. 

... Might have to invest in a turret for that 20ga tho. lol ;-)


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## theoutdoorsman (May 18, 2018)

@swbuckmaster - would love hearing more about your tips for turkey hunting. Neat story


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