The Kansas youth and archery-only season opened this morning and runs through April 12th. Kids 16 years of age or younger (with a turkey permit) may hunt with any legal equipment as long as they're supervised by an adult 18 years or older. Anywhere from 5,000 to 6,000 youngsters will participate in this youth season. It's a great time to get kids into the woods and put all the emphasis on their experience.
I have taken advantage of this season for several years now. My 12-year-old twin boys killed their first turkeys at age 7. Each of them took turns and would sit between my legs with their 20 gauge shotgun propped on shooting sticks. Although I wouldn't allow them to swing a shotgun on any flying game for several more years, those early turkey hunts were absolutely controlled. It's a perfect and safe setting to introduce a youngster to hunting.
There were some misses and bungled opportunities along the way. What seemed easy to me was more difficult with a young beginner and I understood and accepted the challenge knowing failure was part of the learning process. But when it all came together, my boys' smiles were likely only exceeded by my own. Watching them enjoy the great outdoors and passing on that tradition was truly a proud moment.
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