The photo above and the images below were taken by Melissa Bachman, host of “Winchester Deadly Passion.” She posted these pics recently on her Facebook page.
I’m not aware of any organization that keeps track of such matters, but I think few kids (maybe none?) had killed a wild turkey at 3 years old before Bachman’s son, Jax, did so recently in Nebraska.
FYI: Nebraska doesn’t have a minimum hunting age. The law states: “Firearm hunters ages 11 or younger must be accompanied by a licensed person age 19 or older.”
I’ve known Melissa for nearly 20 years, and I’ve written about her outdoor adventures several times for Grand View Outdoors. She’s one of the most skilled hunters I know, and it doesn’t surprise me that her love of hunting (and fishing) has been passed on to Jax.
Here’s what she wrote regarding this memorial turkey adventure:
“The best hunt I’ve ever been a part of … hands down! Jax shot his first turkey in Nebraska with an old Winchester single-shot .410 we chopped down. We hunted hard, stayed patient and it finally came together at 15-yards on a lone gobbler. If pure happiness could be put in a set of photos, this would be it. So proud of Jax, super impressive for 3-year old! Turkey killing, car seat riding, grape pop celebration kid!
“He did it all on his own and has practiced really hard to prepare for this day! This is going to be one of the best episodes of Winchester Deadly Passion yet!
“Big thank you for Teeter for filming and the Beck’s for letting us hunt their ground in Nebraska!! Jax killed his turkey on our cameraman Teeter’s birthday, so it was only fitting to have a turkey birthday cake to celebrate them both!”
Of course, not every 3-year-old is ready to pull the trigger on an animal. Such a decision is best left to the parents, and I know for a fact that Melissa hasn’t pushed Jax into hunting. He loves hunting, just as he loves baseball and many other outdoor activities.
A few other observations regarding this specific hunt. (And this is good advice for anyone who wants to introduce a child to turkey hunting.)
- Melissa and her husband modified a .410 shotgun so it fit Jax. They cut off enough of the butt stock so the length of pull was ideal for his small frame.
- To make aiming easy for Jax, his parents mounted a red dot sight to the shotgun.
- Melissa and her husband made sure Jax had shot his .410 shotgun several times at the range prior to the hunt. Because the gun is clamped in a heavy/sturdy tripod, recoil isn’t a factor.
- Shot distance was limited to 15 yards. Jax tested the gun/load combo at the range on turkey targets to ensure enough pellets would hit a turkey’s spine/brain. Look at the target pic below; the bird didn’t stand a chance at 15 yards.
- Decoys were placed at 15 yards. Jax was allowed to shoot only if a bird came all the way into the decoys.
- Jax wore ear muffs at the range for every shot, and he wore ear muffs in the pop-up blind, too.
- Jax took part in field dressing the bird, and he looks forward to eating it, too.
Congrats to Jax on your first wild turkey! And kudos to his parents for teaching him respect for firearms, as well as respect for wild animals.
Note: My earliest childhood memory was when I was four. It’ll be interesting to see whether Jax remembers this hunt later in life. Of course, he’ll always have the pics and video to help recall his amazing adventure.
Enjoy the pics.
