Went to the in-laws deer lease to do a little turkey hunting this weekend. Tried hard to put Lance (my 6 year old) on a turkey.

We left early Saturday morning on foot from the camp. We probably covered a 1.5 to 2 miles, half him walking, other half him on my shoulders. He finally had enough and said his legs hurt. So we went back to the camp.

I headed back out by myself and went to the first place Lance and I went that morning. No soon as I sat down, I hear a gobble. Sounded like he was a long ways off, so I closed a little distance and sat back down. He was gobbling his head off the entire time, so was easy to set up on.

I get situated and within seconds spot him about 300 yards off. I think I let out a total of 3 series of yelps and he closed the distance to within 20 yards in no time.

Turned out to be a decent gobbler, and all by his lonesome. I immediately thought this gobbler is perfect for Lance. He's by himself, gobbling his head off and apparently desperately trying to find his hens he separated from. So I stopped calling and sat there motionless and watched him travel down the fenceline gobbling every 20-30 secs trying to spot the hen.

When he was far enough away I sneaked outta there and went interupt Lance's breakfast. I told him I found him a turkey and he jumped outta the chair and off we went.

We made it to nearly the exact same spot I was at earlier when I heard him gobble about 100 yards off in the cedars. So we quickly setup. I positioned Lance and his shooting sticks so he had about a 20 yard window about 30 yards away from us. Would be no problem for him with Grandpa's 22 mag. I actually had a little window where I would be able to see the turkey coming and could get him ready.

So I start calling. He immediately gobbles and starts heading our way. Within 5 minutes, he was 30 yards from us in full strutt, spitting and drumming. He'd walk to our left behind a little cedar bush and I would tell Lance get your gun up and take it off safety. All we needed was 5 more steps to the left and he'd be in the wide open for Lance to get a shot.

The turkey turned around and moved back to our right.

Now he was in the wide open for the entire time. I could see over the little cedar bush we were hiding next to, but Lance couldn't. Over the next hour this gobbler walked behind that little cedar bush no less than 15 times, and all 15 times we only needed a few more steps for Lance to get a shot, but every time he would turn around and move to the right.

Lance was a champ the whole time. He'd get all excited every time the turkey gobbled, and thought the "wierd spitting" sound was cool as hell. He never moved a muscle and did everything exactly like he was supposed to. But an hour of sitting down got to him. He kept telling me his butt hurt and his legs hurt.

I had already made up my mind that there was some invisible barrier that the gobbler would not cross. So I let him move all the way to the right out of sight. I then got Lance to stand up. I was trying to get in front of him to hold up the front of the barrel for him and let him rest the stock on my shoulder. While we're doing this he decides to step back out. Lance starts getting all excited. I see him in the scope daddy I see him can I shoot him. I told him to wait. The gobbler was behind a dead tree, no leaves but plenty of sticks and branches. Then he spotted us and was gone within a second.

We quickly got around him, setup and waited. I didn't think he would come into a call again so we just tried to intercept him. Well he passed us up out of sight. I heard him gobble about 100 yards away. I called and a few seconds later I hear him a little closer. I tell Lance to get ready. Never saw or heard him for the next hour. Lance is ready to go back to the camp.

We stand up and he was 40 yards from us behind a big patch of prickly pears and we got to watch him haul [censored] again for the second and final time. Oh well, guess it just wasn't meant to be.

I was worried Lance would be upset, but he was all smiles. He enjoyed the heck out of it and talked all day long about the gobbler being just right there and how cool it was to hear him gobble and hear that "weird spitting sound."

Two more weeks and we'll give it a shot at our lease.

great story. He'll get 'em next time!!

Great story!!! I am sure the little man will be ready to go back.

Thats why they call it hunting and not shooting

He got more experience and memories from not shooting that turkey than if he would of shot him right away. Good times!

Sounds like a great time! Good job...sounds like you got him hooked now!!

Awesome story! Thanks for sharing.

Man...that story was great but it wore me out. Lance is hooked! Good luck next go around.

My shoulders and my legs are killing me. It was either that, go back to the camp, or hunt without him.

Can't wait to do it all over again.

Good story!

That was a great story! Sounds like the boy has been infected with "turkey-itus" Having him as a hunting buddy will be all the fun from now on.

Good job Dad! He will never forget that hunt or all the ones to come for ya'll! My son is now 22 and serving in the Marines. He is still my number one hunting buddy and we have shared a lot of great hunts over the years and will again in the future. Its all good when you hunt with your younguns!