Hunter Powell of Mt. Vernon with his trophy turkey in the Murderers Creek area on the second day of youth season. Contributed photo

On Saturday April 7, 13-year-old Shantel Klenski of John Day stood quiet, 40 feet away from a 2-year-old, 23-pound turkey. She held her 20-gauge shotgun.

“I aimed right at the head,” said Shantel.

Then … boom!

“After I shot, it was flopping around so I put another bullet in the gun just to make sure. I didn’t connect on the next shot but I didn’t need to because it was already dead. I was excited.” The turkey had a nine-inch beard which represented Shantel’s biggest turkey harvest ever.

Her father, Lyle Klenski, bent down to pick up the kill when Shantel said to him, “I want to pack it.”

Yes, the turkey hunting season has begun. The kids were able to start April 7 and, according to several hunters, about 800 adult hunters were out in Grant County on opening day April 15. The season lasts until May 31.

Lyle Klenski, who prefers a box or slate call, was one of those out on opening day.

“It’s more open around here than the west side of the state,” he said. “Our turkey population is increasing, instead of decreasing.”

His wife, Andrea Klenski, was also out in the woods opening day. “We live together and we hunt together,” she said.

On Monday, the box call worked for Larry Bennett and Otis Ricker, both of Mt. Vernon. They teamed up to bring in a 20-pounder with a 9-inch beard. Bennett did the calling and brought a bunch of turkeys to within 24 feet.

“When it came up that close, I knew I wasn’t gonna miss,” said Ricker, who used a Remington model 870 pump in 12-gauge.

Rod Willet of Prairie City, the five-year president of the National Wild Turkey Federation in John Day, was pleased with the opening-day showing – but not surprised.

“It’s a great hunt,” said Willet, “because it’s a very smart bird. They’re very challenging because of their eyesight and hearing. And in the last five years our turkey population is getting a lot better. And when they’re all strutting their stuff and all coming together and all fanned out well – it’s just a neat bird to hunt.”

A great bird to eat, too.

The Klenski family had one heck of a dinner after Shantel’s successful day in the woods.

Said Lyle Klenski, “We ate it the next night and it was awesome. You can’t beat a turkey that’s never been in a freezer and doesn’t have all the chemical stuff inside like the turkeys you buy at the store.”

Klenski has hunted all over the nation, most notably, in Alabama, Idaho and Mississippi.

“But right here is the best place,” he said. “Here you can hunt the way you want – relaxed. There’s more land, it’s more spread out.”

Linda Brown, a 10-year resident of John Day, said, “patience is the key” to a successful hunt.

“You have to spend a lot of time during the year driving around, checking out the good areas, looking for good cover, good food services for the turkey,” she said.

Brown will chair the banquet for the National Wild Turkey Federation for the Strawberry Mountain Chapter R.

The banquet will begin at 4 p.m. May 12 at the Fairgrounds Pavilion and will have a Mother’s Day theme. Every mother attending will get a gift. And Brown promised a lot of activities for both kids and adults, including a raffle and a youth art show.

“That will be a great night with a great dinner,” said Willet. Willet is eager to get local youth involved in the sport, and he’s starting with his own daughter.

“She’s 4 right now,” he said, ” and she’s getting the hunting magazine. By the time she’s 5, she can go out hunting with me.”

Which of course brings up a great hunting tool for the serious hunter – a blind to conceal movement.

“The tents are great,” said Willet, “especially if you’ve got youth with you and they have a hard time being still. I’m gonna get one myself soon.”