My sons first turkey 2022

[Little Creek Calls]

I had the great opportunity this past weekend to take my 10 year old son on his first turkey hunt. This really has been a hunt he has been getting ready for the last 10 years. From the time he was 1 he was going with me to the NWTF national convention watching the national calling contest, seeing my pot calls in the call making contest and meeting the primos crew who he had seen on the truth turkey hunting DVD’s so many times. He has been to 3 national conventions. He has also been fortunate to join me in turkey camp so many times through the years. He has been with me in the shop watching me make so many turkey calls and picked out the wood and the size and surfaces for the calls he wanted me to make for him. He is always asking me to make him something new. I started making the smaller sized pot calls (3” instead of 3 1/2”) to fit in his hands better. He has also attended with me to so many fund raising banquets all over Arizona and even volunteered and helped set up, clean up and run prizes to the winners at the last East Valley Toms banquet. 4 years ago he joined me at a turkey camp helping other youth hunters. On the first evening of the hunt he started experiencing really bad pain bellow his stomach. He ended up taking a helicopter ride from Show Low to Phoenix Children’s hospital because his intestine had developed a small hole and was leaking into his body. After 3 very painful weeks in the hospital and several procedures later he made a full recovery. I am so glad he pulled through and this experience has really helped me appreciate all the time I get to spend with him and his two younger brothers.

This hunt started a little rough when getting out of our vehicle on opening morning in the dark to the wind howling. We just had to go from past experience hunting this area because we would not be able to hear them. It took an hour or so of calling and moving to locate them but we found them and had them coming in to our calls. We had a fence between us them and some were hanging up not wanting to cross. Two hens and a jake did cross and just as the others were getting ready to cross a vehicle came driving by and scarred the flock in the opposite direction. Later that morning we were able to call the two hens and jake to our setup but the jake never gave him a shot opportunity. The first evening had us trying a different area on the other side of the unit playing cat a mouse with a strutting tom and three hens. It was fun to watch him strut but the closest we could get him to come was about 50 yards, good enough for my 12 gauge with 3 ½” shells but not for the 20 gauge 3” he was using. No shot taken. The second morning we thought we had the perfect setup after seeing the birds travel pattern on opening morning. The turkeys had a different plan in mind and went the opposite direction. Knowing where they would probably be heading we left our decoy and setup and hurried on a quick mile hike to get in front of them. After a few minutes of calling it was confirmed we had made the right move with gobbles not to far off and sounding closer each time. The hole flock came in and he was able to make a great shot on the strutting tom at 10 yards. He was so happy and excited. I have been apart of over 40 birds being harvested all over the country but this is my new favorite most exciting turkey hunt I have been on. I am so happy for my son.

I would like to thank Steve AKA Cactus Jack and his son for letting us borrow his youth 20 gauge. He was nervous about the recoil and didn’t want to use any our 12 gauges.

Sorry for the long read, just glad I was able to be apart of this hunt and share a little of it with you.

 

[Little Creek Calls]

A few other pictures with him. 

[bigorange]

Good stuff…huge congrats!

[Couzer]

Man that’s a big ol bird! Nice job Ammon!!! 👊👊👊

[cactusjack]

Great write up. We were glad to help him.

[Coues79]

Great work. Nothing better than being with your kids turkey hunting. 

[Zeke-BE]

Great pics with the kids and congrats

[zslayer]

That’s a big day for you guys!  Congrats!

[Will K]

Congrat's on a nice bird.

[thegunsmith2506]

10 yards!! That's awesome. Congratulations!

[Crazymonkey]

Good write up Great big Bird .

Congratulations!

[tomharveyb]

Excellent!!  Congrats

[Coach]

Congratulations, Ammon! Nothing like the kiddos' first!

I called in a nice tom with one of your calls this weekend and ended up dropping the ball at the one yard line (shot too early). They really are great calls. 

[couesdeerhntr]

 Man how amazing! Congrats on your sons first bird and great memories. Cant wait for my kids to get there first birds.

[Eli]

Great bird and story! Congratulations