Youth turkey hunt - update and pics

[BritSaz]

Headed to our first ever turkey hunt, with the youth camp in unit 1. Hope we have some success but either way it should be lots of fun.

🤞🦃

Update: Saturday morning my son tagged out. We had the best mentor from the youth camp in unit 1. All around great guy and hunter. He had roosted some turkeys the night before. We hiked in before sunrise, we heard 3 different gobblers around us. We got in as close as we could. My oldest son and I sat under a tree and my other son and the mentor sat about 10 yards to our left. We were right on the edge of a canyon. The sun started to come up and they were gobbling close. One flew out of the tree right above us down the canyon (side note, I had no idea they flew or they sat in trees). Our mentor started calling, we saw a hen to our right, then about 45 yards in front of us came a tom over the hill puffing his feathers. My son asked me if he could shoot it, I told he let's make sure he had a beard first, as soon as I saw it I told him to shoot. Great shot about 40 yards away, another Tom came right up and started fighting with the bird my son just shot. I was trying to signal to my other son , but it happened so fast. The mentor thought it was the same bird so he was trying to tell us to shoot it again. I found out later they didn't have as good of view as we did. Such a proud moment for me and even the mentor 😂. 

We tried the rest of the weekend but couldn't make it happen for my other son. 

It was a great weekend, the boys learned so much but so did my husband and I. My 6 yr old can't wait to hunt! 

Thank you to the youth camps, volunteers, and mentors. 

(Don't mind my son's hair 🙄)

[knothead]

A friend who lives in Springerville was out in unit 1 this morning and said he saw about 13 hens and 7 toms.  Only heard one gobble all morning.  Love spring turkey when they are talking.  Good luck

[HighschoolHunter]

Anyone hear shots or gobbles today?

[WHALE]

5 hours ago, HighschoolHunter said:

Anyone hear shots or gobbles today?

NO

[bigorange]

A few gobbles and shots in 27. My buddy’s kid tagged out opening morning. We had one gobbling and coming in to call that spooked then heard a few others before he shot his. 

[WHALE]

Heard one this morning and then my daughter put her tag on him.  We were able to call in the hen as he followed. 

[BritSaz]

My oldest son tagged a Tom yesterday morning!! It was awesome.  will upload pictures when we get into town tomorrow. 

[Couzer]

1 hour ago, BritSaz said:

My oldest son tagged a Tom this yesterday morning!! It was awesome.  will upload pictures when we get into town tomorrow. 

Congrats, that’s a huge proud dad moment!

[BritSaz]

1 hour ago, Vowell said:

Congrats, that’s a huge proud dad moment!

Or mom moment 😊😉

[Couzer]

2 hours ago, BritSaz said:

Or mom moment 😊😉

Ahhh yes!

[BritSaz]

Made some turkey schnitzel. Pretty good!!

Any good recipes that you guys have tried for the turkey legs?

[Couzer]

Debone the legs and make Turkey Jerky

[thegunsmith2506]

16 hours ago, BritSaz said:

Made some turkey schnitzel. Pretty good!!

Any good recipes that you guys have tried for the turkey legs?

pozole is what we usually do with them

[az41mag]

Any good recipes that you guys have tried for the turkey legs?

For turkey legs and thighs I like the Meateater recipe for carnitas. It takes some time to make them, but they've turned out great the 2 times I've tried it. Here's the link Beer and Citrus-Braised Wild Game Carnitas Street Tacos | MeatEater Cook (themeateater.com)

Big congrats to your son too.