Youngsters succeed in turkey hunt

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While the rest of the permit-holding public had to wait at least until Monday in order to participate in the state’s wild turkey hunt, one sizeable group didn’t … and they made the most of their opportunities.

Back in October, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife established the youth turkey day, hoping it would catch on as the Youth Deer Day and youth waterfowl day had.

At the time, Mark Stadler, the DIF&W’s wildlife division director, said the department was trying to foster interest in hunting.

According to initial reports from the field, the effort is paying off: Youngsters are interested in hunting … and are interested in talking about their hunts.

Josh LaPointe, a 13-year-old from Orrington, wasted no time bagging a bird, as he rose early, headed into the woods at 4:40 a.m., and shot his bird before 6.

But that’s not to say that there wasn’t enough time for some anxious moments.

“Just as we sat down we heard a turkey gobble, so we listened for a little while and a couple of gobblers were gobbling back and forth,” LaPointe said.

His father, Jeff LaPointe, tried to entice the turkeys with a few yelps from his box call. The turkeys were decidedly conversational … but a bit leery of showing themselves.

After more than a half hour of yelping and sitting, Jeff Lapointe tapped Josh on the shoulder and whispered the magic words: “We’ve got a bird in the field.”

Still, the waiting wasn’t over.

The tom approached from 25 yards, took about five steps toward the decoys – a jake and two hens – then froze … and walked away.

As it turned out, he was just heading back in the woods to find some reinforcements for the fight he expected.

“About five minutes later, he came back with three friends,” Josh LaPointe said with a laugh. “They were all puffed out, four of them in a row, and they walked side by side down toward those decoys. They looked just like bullies [who were] going to beat this jake turkey up.”

After the bullies arrived at the decoys, Josh found he had another problem: The birds were too close together, and he couldn’t get a clear shot at just one bird.

His father solved that problem with a few more yelps on his box call.

“Boy, did they turn around,” Josh LaPointe said.

Eventually, they began heading back to the woods, one by one.

The eighth-grader was ready: He took aim from 15 yards and bagged a bird he estimated at 11 to 12 pounds.

“I was very excited and pleased with myself,” he admitted. “[And I was] shaking.”

In its three years of existence, Maine’s Youth Fish and Game Association has done a great deal to help the state’s youngsters gain an appreciation of the woods and waters of Maine.

The impressive clubhouse on Pickerel Pond outside of Milford is utilized several times a month, as programs on hunting, fishing and conservation are offered.

On Saturday, the MYFGA and its volunteers showed – again – how serious they are about sharing their love for the outdoors with the younger generation.

According to Wdn. Dave Georgia, one of the driving forces behind the MYFGA, the club conducted a raffle for a guided turkey hunt on the day set aside for youngsters to hunt wild turkeys.

The catch: You’ve got to have a permit in order to participate … and selling raffle tickets only to those who would already be participating in the hunt wasn’t the anyone-can-win atmosphere the club was trying to create.

The solution: Club board member John Meister gave up his permit under the provision that allows adult permit-holders to transfer a permit to a youth hunter.

Wdn. Chris Dyer volunteered to take the young hunter afield, and the pair enjoyed a successful morning.

The young hunter, 15-year-old Harry Coffin III of Levant, didn’t even enter the drawing; his younger brother filled out the entry blank with his older sibling’s name on it.

Dyer, who is also a Registered Maine Guide, took Coffin to Kenduskeag, where they heard turkeys gobbling.

“We stayed right put, and four jakes came in. The bird was taken at about 10 yards,” Dyer said.

Dyer said Coffin had been hunting for four years, but the 15-pound bird (with a five-inch beard) was the first animal he’d had the opportunity to harvest.

“He was pretty tickled. I don’t know who was more tickled, me or him,” Dyer said.

He’d been hunting for four years and that’s the first thing that he’d ever got to harvest. He was pretty tickled. I don’t know who was more tickled, me or him.

Dyer said four other game wardens took youngsters turkey hunting on Saturday, and all of the youths were successful.

And on Monday? Dyer was back in the woods, hunting on his own permit.

As you may expect, Dyer – a self-described “turkey freak” – ended up bagging a bird of his own.

A 14-year-old Orrington girl continued to establish her growing credentials in the sport, as she added a wild turkey to her list of hunting accomplishments.

Jessica Bryant, who has been hunting for the past two years, showed on Saturday that she’s also a big fan of the state’s youth hunting days.

Bryant shot a deer on Youth Deer Day back in 2002 – dropping the doe with her .243 Winchester.

And on Saturday, the eighth-grader took advantage of an opportunity offered by the Penobscot County Conservation Association and shot a 161/2-pound turkey.

Her turkey, which she shot with a 12-gauge shotgun, had a nine-inch beard and 11/4-inch spurs.

The PCCA sponsored a guided youth hunt for a member whose son or daughter was drawn for a turkey permit.

Bryant’s name was drawn, and she was escorted afield by PCCA president Dean Smith.

Smith took Bryant to two of his favorite spots, and at 10:25 a.m., two mature toms strutted into sight, eyeing the hen decoys.

The rest is history.

John Holyoke can be reached at jholyoke@bangordailynews.net or by calling 990-8214 or 1-800-310-8600.