Credit: NWTF Click image to download

Top Nine Tips for a Successful Youth Hunt
The excitement builds well before the hunt, and grows as the tom drums his way to your setup, getting so close and so loud his calls reverberate against your soul. Still, this excitement is topped by the smile of a new hunter’s face as he looks over his quarry and tells his story.

Most of life’s lessons can be learned through these stories and by simply spending time in the woods: patience, attentiveness and a respect for conservation and wildlife are just a few things youth can learn in the turkey woods.

Ensuring young people have a good experience in the woods, however, depends on those who take them hunting.

“Mentors play an extremely important role in teaching young hunters ethics, safety and the importance of conservation,” said Rob Keck, CEO of the National Wild Turkey Federation. “Without their guidance and involvement, hunting traditions aren’t passed on, and could eventually be lost.”

From comfort to safety, the NWTF has compiled nine tips to get you started in the right direction.

1. Get Cozy
Make sure young hunters stay warm — or cool depending on the weather — dry and comfortable. Giving them a hunting vest with lots of pockets is a great way to carry snacks, extra clothes and rain gear. A vest also promotes confidence and makes them a part of the hunt. Visit the NWTF’s Turkey Shoppe to get items to outfit your young hunter.

2. All in Good Fun
Young hunters can lose excitement for the hunt easily, especially when the turkeys aren’t gobbling. With this in mind, let the youngster decide when it’s time to go home.

3. Safety First
Before taking to the woods, hunters must know how to stay safe. From proper sporting arm handling to identifying their target, make sure your young hunter has the knowledge they need for a safe hunt.

4. Practice Makes "Purrfect"
All responsible hunters pattern their shotguns before taking to the turkey woods, so why wouldn’t young hunters do the same? Taking a kid out for practice builds the excitement of the hunt and is a great time to discuss proper firearm safety.

5. Feed Me Seymour!
Snacks are a great way to break up a morning hunt. The fresh air of the woods, combined with exercise when hunting can increase the appetite of young hunters. Peanut butter crackers and bite-size candy bars, for example, are a great addition to your snack pack.

6. Terrain Terror
When planning a hunt with a young hunter, make sure the area you’re hunting is an easy trek. While most turkey hunters are willing to chase a gobbling bird across Mt. Everest for the slightest chance of getting a shot, carrying a young hunter across rugged terrain could have a less than desirable outcome. (Checkout: mytopo.com)

7. Just in Case
Bring the first aid kit. You never know when a fall will result in a skinned knee or elbow. Add insect repellent and sunscreen so you’re prepared for any type of situation.

8. Calling All Young Hunters
Get young hunters involved by allowing them to call. Push-pin, box or slate calls are the best for beginners. If they are proficient callers, let them call. Or, let them call between setups to practice.

9. Continuing Education
Don’t be afraid to point out different types of trees, tracks and birds you find during your hunt. What your young companion learns in the field on a turkey hunt will likely be remembered long after last week’s math lesson.

The ability for young people to enjoy hunting is being threatened across the U.S. For this reason, the National Wild Turkey Federation has teamed up with the National Shooting Sports Foundation and U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance. Through an initiative called Families Afield, the groups are working with volunteers, elected officials, wildlife agencies and hunters to remove youth hunting barriers. Families Afield uses research from the Youth Hunting Report to cite the decline in hunter retention. Nationwide, for every 100 hunters that leave the sport, only 69 take their place. To view the state-by-state hunter replacement rations, click here.

The report was written by Silvertip Productions, USSA and Southwick Associates Inc., and shows young hunters are the safest hunters in the woods when accompanied by an adult. The findings were peer reviewed for statistical validity by the Triad Research Group.

“Today's youth are tomorrow's conservationists, and if we don't instill in them the love of the outdoors from an early age, the hunting and conservation tradition could be lost,” said Rob Keck, CEO of the NWTF. “We need to hook young people on hunting, so they become appreciative of the hunting tradition. This will also increase hunter retention and ensure the future of conservation remains strong.”

Several states have already made great strides to remove youth hunting barriers. Minnesota, Utah, Pennsylvania and Ohio became the first states to pass Families Afield legislation regarding youth hunting, and in the upcoming legislative sessions, more states are sure to follow suit.

“Hunting is a tradition passed from parent to child, and when you restrict the age at which a young person can enter the woods, you interfere with that tradition,” said Bill Torhorst, president of the NWTF. “If we don't start letting parents decide when their kids are mature enough to hunt, we will lose the hunting tradition and, ultimately, funding for wildlife.”