CHENANGO COUNTY – This weekend is the Youth Turkey Hunt in New York, a weekend that provides the opportunity to those under 16 a chance harvest one bearded turkey before the regular season. The youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult of either 18 or 21 years of age, depending on the age of the youth hunter.

This special weekend was established at the same time that I began hunting in 2003-2004. I can’t remember exactly which year but I can vividly remember hunting on the youth weekend and harvesting my first turkey.

I had recently gone through the death of my father following his two year fight with cancer. I had taken my hunter education course the week after he passed and had planned on waiting until the regular season to hunt. My cousin and her boyfriend had broken up and I didn’t have an adult to take me out on the youth hunt. Or so I thought.

The day before the youth weekend, my friend Todd called and told me that his older brother, Tucker, said he would take me hunting if I wanted. Todd’s dad was taking him, so we both had adults to hunt with.

Of course, I had to ask my mom if it was okay and she said that it was fine.