Youth and Persistence

by Kathie Hendershot
Ohio 2009

Ohio's 2009 youth turkey season started off with a BANG! After watching a group of birds for two weeks prior to the opener, we were feeling pretty good about taking a bird on film.

Opening day, and my daughter, Shalene, cameraman CJ White, and I were set up long before daylight. Gobbles rang out across the ridge as the sun rose, and after listening for 45 minutes or so, we knew it was Game Time! Soon, we had a longbeard closing the distance, gobbling at everything I threw at him. Finally, after what seemed like an hour, he strutted into view. Everything was proceeding as planned - until he changed his mind, and walked away without offering Shalene a shot.

Knowing the property and the birds, though, we made the decision to move. Soon, we encountered a group of jakes, and seeing as Shalene hadn't taken a bird in 2008, she was definitely ready! Three moves later, and we were ahead of the bachelor group of jakes. A few yelps, and the teenagers were headed in our direction. It wasn't long before we saw the white heads through the brush - a positive ID, and Shalene put one on his back, veteran style! Can you say proud?