Awesome job getting the girls out there! Even better that you knew when to pull the pin and head home. Hopefully your next trip is just as much of a memory maker!

CW

Nice job Joel!

Soon it will become an obsession to get both them boys on birds and you’ll end up almost forgetting that you even have a tag for yourself.

Kooty I’m blessed with a youngster that knows his way around a turkey call and it’s nice to have those extra turkeys available when you need them. I can’t wait for mine to be old enough to drive so I can catch up on all the hours on the road that he’s slept traveling for turkeys.

CW

We’ve had a lot of success with the Federal Heavyweights 6 and 7’s out of Remington Super Full choke. Even before we did anything to the barrel we had great numbers out to 45.

CW

We use them a lot. They are a little bit of extra weight but by far worth it compared to sitting on a foam seat up against a tree.

CW

I would shy away from using that E-caller if hunting in MN. Mostly because I don’t think they sound as good as 98% of the other types of calls available, and secondly they are also illegal.

CW

Your going to have a heck of a time finding any of the suggested shells in 2 3/4″. Federal does have a low recoil HW out this year in 12 but truthfully I wouldnt worry about the shell. You pattern it and let them practice with light trap loads. Neither of my kids noticed the extra recoil of the 3″ mags when they have harvested turkeys.

CW

Remington factory x full and #7 Federal Heavy Weights is what we use. Tight tight 40’s and enough energy for more than that.

CW

Interested to hear what happens here.

I would think this would/will be a well abused loop hole if you are able to purchase a tag. Especially with a year with weather like this. I realize this particular situation is not about the weather but the reason for the 8 individual seasons is to control the pressure/access. Of course they already kind of screwed that up with the rezoning.

CW

Reason #485 that MN needs to go to an all season tag.

CW

This 870 youth has had a ton of work done to it to the point it is really just the action that is stock. The trigger has been reworked; forcing cone lengthened; barrel, action and forcing cone have been polished; stock was replaced with an ATI synthetic pistol grip; a high mount B Square with Tru Glo red dot optics; backup Tri Vis fiber sights under the B Square on the barrel; raised cheek pad and a sling. With the barrel mods and the ergonomics with the pistol grip I’d be willing to bet it has less felt recoil than most gas guns. I’d guarantee it is a vast improvement over the stock felt recoil of these guns.

Why did I choose the 870 youth over the other guns? Reliable and proven out of the box performance using readily available ammo that threw turkey killing patterns at 40 yards was probably the biggest reason. I looked into many stock guns, read reviews and looked at what kind of patterning numbers the common hunter was getting before deciding on this one. I didn’t buy it with the intention of building it up but rather wanted stock performance just to get the boy going. Another reason is the majority of our hunting is not in MN but in multi bird states, but I don’t like the semi auto’s because of paranoia over the possible accidental discharge of the second shell. If there is the need for a follow up or a chance at a double I’d rather have the shell in the gun magazine instead of trying to throw another in to a semi auto because of my safety concerns.

Currently percentages in the high 90’s are very common in a 20″ circle at 40 yards. I’ve personally only seen two missed shots with this gun. First was at 11 yards and the second was a bird that barely suck his head up above the ridge at 5 yards away. Both misses were by our son when he was 6 and I doubt he’d miss them anymore.

Basically we started with a gun that fit him and was known to provide the results needed and went from there. I didn’t intend this to be a build but it has turned out to be a very rewarding one.

CW

Thanks everyone!

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Congrats on the hunt! Sounds like a great time. Just curious what kind of gun and load you are using? I have two kids that will be hunting in the next year or two and was wondering what kind of set up others use for first timers.

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The gun that both the kids used is a Youth 870 pump. It’s been highly modified with a synthetic pistol grip/forearm, Tru Glo red dot sights and a bunch of barrel work done but any youth 20ga will work. Truthfully I usually take it for myself on the rare occasion that I’m hunting alone.

Keep the shooting fun, no turkey loads when practicing. I do all the patterning of our guns and let the kids use light trap loads. If you ask our daughter if it kicked she’ll tell you not too much even though she shot 1 1/2 once turkey load. They don’t notice the kick when the adrenaline is pumping.

Snow is not going to effect the Gobblers. IMO they seem to go more by the length of daylight over actual weather. Hens won’t be receptive if it’s not nice out. So it may be easier to call in a bird that might otherwise be spending the day breeding hens. I wouldn’t worry too much about it yet, in three weeks it could be 80 and sunny.

CW

Thanks!

We’ll just say it was enough not to disclose it to the reporter, I have to remember to go off the record when I make comments like that….

Haven’t seen the article yet but I will hint that the youngest member of the Wall’s Calls Team has tipped one over down here in Osceola Country!

CW

I don’t have the confidence needed to take a shot at a bird at 40-50 yards. I like to have them in close, but won’t hesitate at 25. Does he shoot deer at 90+ yards too?

CW

Joel you should know by now I only use him as an excuse so I can go on all these extravagant hunting trips!

The wife and daughter are both hunting with us in Florida and I need one with a bow, so he’ll be watching 3 birds being harvested before he gets to put down the calls and flip a safety off.

CW

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Wow! (Is he available for rent? I’ll take him for Mn season “C”…!) Very cool…

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I may be able to loan him to you… I’ll warn you, he eats more rations in a day than a whole platoon of Marines.

He set a personal best this past weekend. He called in all 3 youth divisions and the hunter/amateur. He called great and the judges agreed especially in the hunter class against 10 other callers. In the end he had a perfect day, a First place finish in all four divisions.

I also attempted my first calling contest ever in the friction division. I called well enough to tie for fourth, but the nervous shaking of the hand really effects how a friction call sounds. It was a fun experience but I think I may be better off just building the calls and let the boy use them.

CW

We should be down there Sunday for the turkey calling contest. This is the first time the Mid Iowa Classic is being held there and it will be fun to have it in such a large venue. The little man will be calling in all three youth divisions and the hunter and running a few new routines since Nationals so it might be an interesting day.

CW

Jake gobble, wait a minute, mature double gobble with a jake gobble after it. Follow that up with a long series of serious fighting purrs with some wing flogging and that should seal the deal if he was the dominant bird.

If he’s not the dominant bird move 50 yards and do some hard cutting, followed with another series at 75 yards away. Then sit down and wait.

A few years ago I bought the DSD’s, and still today I would spend my money on a 100% AMERICAN made decoy. The list of failed attempt’s of coping the DSD seems to grow every year. The original and still the best.
http://davesmithdecoys.com/shop/decoys/turkey-decoys/cat_18.html

CW

I’m one of those people that believe breeding is dictated by the length of day not the weather. Therefore we are right now in the peak of the breeding season. Re integration gobbling was earlier in the month, they should be breeding now and shortly they will hit the nesting phase and the gobbling will peak again. Talking to a buddy of mine, and he said that 25+ bird were still in a breeding flock up in the field behind my place the other morning. I also haven’t heard a gobble in the evening for more than 9 days from the deck, and with that large of flock that makes sense.

Hopefully the reports weeks ago here about hens nesting were mistakes but it’s been awfully cold the last few weeks and tragically those nest may be a complete loss. I’ll go on a limb and say by the 8th the birds should be going nuts again.

Wind, hens, and lost arrows. That pretty much sums it for our trip last week. Three seperate times we had birds in range but neither of us could seal the deal. Connor can mow them down with a shotgun,or get up in front of 250+ people to do turkey calls, but he just couldn’t get the nerves in check to down that first bow bird. I have to say spending time with him is the reason we started this years ago, and still today the beards and spurs mean little to me. It’s just hard to see him disappointed. We’ll get them next time.

Seen a single strutter last night on my way home. No hens around either. Hoping for a break at work to hit NE next week.

CW

Hands down for that price range Jerry Zebro is the man. Skip the store bought crap and give him a call. I have a single sider from him and it flat out spits feathers when you run it.

http://turkeymountain.homestead.com/BoxCalls.html

CW

Had a good time down in Ames this weekend. Got down there late but still had a chance to hang out with the guys Friday night, talk a little smack, and tell turkey hunting stories. Great contest all around, and a ton of great calling.

Connor called in the three youth divisions, and the hunter. He made a few mistakes in the hunter, but he adjusted, and came back with authority in the Youth.

At the end of the day he walked out with a huge smile, and a little hardware for the wall, Second in the Poult, First in the Jr, and a First in Intermediate!

When did they add in the 20ga restriction, and weren’t 7’s illegal before too?

CW

Scott also won the Locator Division there, and another National Gobbling Champion title in Nashville a few weeks ago!! Besides being a great caller he’s also a very nice guy.

Just an FYI the Northwest Sportshow is having a calling contest again this year. Many of the top callers in the Midwest will be there. If you want to try it, or just want to come check it out its on Saturday, March 31st.

CW

Scott Ellis has a new DVD that I think would help out any hunter, not just new ones. He talks about how to do almost every call in the woods. He still has a few up on youtube, but the DVD goes more in depth and explains each part of the call.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkKR3eYnBd4

CW

Can you describe what sounds off about it?? Are you missing the clear front note, not getting good raspy end, missing the roll over, have a hissing sound?

CW

Saint Patrick’s Day!! I might have to do a call with some green in it for the occasion.

Hopefully we will be able to attend again this year but I’ll be sending a few things either way!

CW