Gunner’s First MN YouthTurkey Hunt!

The author of this report is Jason Ramthun (GMAN).

In 2010 – the MN DNR allowed all youth hunter 17 and under to buy Turkey tags over the counter . This was a shock to me but I was very excited because I have a 8 year old that has been target shooting since the age of 5 . I quickly asked him if Turkey hunting was something he would like to do this year . It didn’t take long for him to say yes and ask me if he gets to shoot his big gun LOL this would be a 12 gauge I picked up for him to use when he gets older .
I found a youth 20 gauge with a red dot scope on it and had him practice with game loads . Let me tell you this kid can shoot! I was a bit nervous at first about the kick but he just shot and looked at me with a smile and said DID I DO GOOD???

Now that I knew any Tom Turkey that walks within 30 yards of this kid would be in trouble. We set out for land permission . Every farm we stopped at Gunner asked them if he could Turkey hunt and not a one turned him down … Sure was fun watching him walk back to the truck with a big smile….

His hunt would start after school on April 14th. We made our way to our spot and got set up at 4 p.m. Hit the call and a Tom calls back right away! Sweet! I tell him get ready because he’s coming. Well I ended up calling in 3 toms and 1 hen that would not get any closer than 70 yards. I told Gunner they are hung up and would not come in today. To make him smile a bit more I handed him the slate call so he could call to them and all 3 toms called back! We let them walk away with the hen so we could come back and try the spot another day!

Day 2 (after school) we met up with a good friend and his step-son for a hunt on their property . We got in our Covert blind with a camera , 2 adults and 2 kids for this hunt . Talk about full house! But our plan was to get his kill on film! Everyone gets set and ready , I called and bang a Tom cuts me off … Again we have a bird coming . Well long story short he had 2 hens with him. 1 hen took the tom away and the other hen came within a foot of Gunners shooting window. So I messed with her for a good 10 minutes so the boys could see what turkeys sound like when they come in and how you should call to them. We never did hear another tom on this sit but the boys sure had fun stinking Jeff and I out of the blind !

Day 3 after school we met up with Jeff again and set out to another spot that we have been watching some toms. We get everything set up inside our Covert blind and we hear a tom gobble all by himself! I say “Sweet! GAME ON !!” Well I worked this bird from about 400 yards and he hung up on me . Now I knew we had to make a move on him or he would just sit and strut /spin in circles … So we put the move on him and I’m thinking I pushed a bit much and we bumped the bird. Now trying to explain to a 8 yr old that DAD scared his bird away is not easy… but he was cool and just said it’s ok dad.

So now we are walking back to the truck trying to figure out what to do for Saturday morning. I knew if we could get him out on a morning hunt we had a great chance at getting one . So after a long talk Gunner told us that he would get up in the morning if we promised him a turkey! I just laughed and said “Bud I will do my best and you know that.”

That night I asked Gunner what spot he would like to try in the morning . He said, “let’s go back to the 1st spot that had them 3 toms!” Off to bed and up at 5 a.m. for our first morning hunt . We stopped at the store so Gunner could get a pop and some donuts . We get to the spot about 5:30am and we are covered up in birds . I would say about 15 different birds gobbled from the roost as we walked in to our blind . We have Jeff behind the camera , Gunner as the shooter and myself calling. At about 6 am, a hen dropped in the field only 50 yards from the decoys but didn’t want anything to do with them. As she walked off talking back to me, the toms got fired up and came out to the field edge but followed her. I have hunted this spot for years and know the toms will go strut for awhile, but they will come back to us. Gunner was a bit upset about this but I said, “Bud give it time and don’t get down because they will come back or maybe one of these other birds will come in that we heard earlier.” So he decided that eating his donuts and drinking his pop was a good idea. and after that he was curled up in a blanket snoring away.

As Jeff and I sat and listened, we could hear birds in the distance but I let them do their thing until about 7 a.m. Then I got really aggressive and I could hear them working back our way! So I stopped calling again and I kid you not these birds must have RAN 200 yards right to us and all let a gobble fly only 70 yards from us! I wake Gunner up , put him back in his chair and ready! Now the problem we have is we have no idea what side of the blind they are going to come on! I had set out decoys on both sides because it’s a crap shoot on what side of the woods they would come out on . These 3 birds are HOT and they gobble every step they take! Still we don’t know what side they will pop out on. Gunner is starting to shake as he waits. Bang – they pop out on the wrong side! Now we have to pull the camera man and Gunner from the North facing windows to the East facing windows and FAST! Jeff gets the camera out the other window and is getting great footage of the 3 toms coming as I tried to get the other window open for Gunner but I couldn’t get it! So I unzipped the door and Gunner finally got on the birds as they closed into 40 yards !!!!!!!! I didn’t think we would /could pull all this off that fast but we did! As I called to them, I talked to Gunner at the same time. “Can you see the strutter ?” Gunner says, “YES!” I reply, “Good – When I tell you to shoot, you put that red dot on his head and hammer him OK?” He says “OK. .. Can I shoot yet?” “ NO, not until I tell you…” At this time I was getting these 3 toms to double and triple gobble and Jeff is getting it all on film. 2 of the toms went to the decoys, but the strutter kept walking , gobbling and strutting right to the 27 yard mark. I gave Gunner the all clear as I took the gun off safe and then I asked Jeff if he was on them ? Jeff says, “YES!”, I then asked Gunner if he had the dot on it’s head ? “YES! Can I shoot ,can I shoot?” I say “YES Nail Him!” BANG! The 20 gauge fired and the bird hit the dirt !!!!

I really don’t know how to tell you guys what went on in that blind for emotions. Gunner tells me thanks dad, that he loves me , all the congrats , hugs and high fives . Man I was one proud/teary eyed father !!!!!

After this we look out the window and Gunner said hey the other 2 are still around so I got back on the call and had them back to the decoys gobbling again….. But that didn’t last long because I opened that door and my little hunting buddy was out it like a rocket and running to his bird!!!

As Gunner and I looked over his bird I lost it. I have shot some great animals/birds in my 34 years BUT not one of them have I ever been this proud or happy. I have an 8 year old asking me what is wrong and I can only tell him Dads just that happy you got one and we are forever hunting buds!

After many, many pictures and doing our interviews, Gunner was burning up the phone lines calling his Grandma and Grandpa, his Uncle and many of our friends. We headed to my mom and dad’s for breakfast and watched the video! Everything turned out mint and I couldn’t ask for a better day with my son!
Love you bud and congrats on an awesome, awesome first Turkey! 23 pounds , 10 inch beard and 1/2 inch spurs!!!!

Hi I’m Gunner – I got up early Saturday April 17th with my Dad and Jeff. My dad got me some donuts . Dad called in a 3 big toms and I shot 1 just like I practice at my grandpas (at targets). Right in the head ! Jeff got it all on film for me to watch! Dad is going to have my Turkey mounted for me.
Thank you dad for taking me hunting.
Love Gunner .