Successful turkey hunter 'shoots like a girl'

Successful turkey hunter “shoots like a girl”

By Tyler Frantz

            Kayla Hoffer is a 16-year-old straight-A student at Lower Dauphin High School. She was recently inducted into the National Honor Society and attended a school dance, just like all the other girls her age.

            But there’s one thing that sets this budding sophomore apart from the rest of her peers; She’s currently ranked 10^th in the world by the International Bowhunting Organization- a recognition of which she proved worthy during this year’s PA Spring Gobbler youth hunt, when she arrowed a boss tom by 7 am.

            “I started shooting archery when I was about 7-years-old,” Hoffer said. “I instantly fell in love with it and began competing in indoor competitions and outdoor 3D for Palmyra Sportsmen's Association. At age 10, I started hunting and shot my very first turkey with the crossbow that year.”

            Six years later, Hoffer was looking for a repeat of her success, only this time with the compound bow she has learned to shoot so well.

            On the morning of April 23^rd- the day of the youth-only gobbler season- Hoffer woke at 4:30 am to go hunting with her father, Tim. While traveling to their hunting location at Fort Indiantown Gap, Hoffer realized she forgot her coffee and sandwich at home, so she bought a sandwich at a gas station along the way. It turned out she wouldn’t even get the chance to eat it.

            “My dad and I signed in at the hunter’s registration booth, but it was cold and raining out- just miserable, so we drove to our area and squeezed in a quick nap before dawn,” Hoffer said.

            “At about 5:40 am, we got our stuff ready to head out and set up. We walked about a quarter-mile and set up along the edge of a field in the brush. The rain began to stop and I heard a gobble off in the distance that Dad didn't catch. I told him what I heard, and he grabbed his mouth call and began calling. The turkey I heard did not respond.”

             “After waiting a couple minutes, Dad called again, and 5 or 6 gobblers instantly gobbled back. I sat there in disbelief; I have never heard that many turkeys before in my entire hunting career. Dad called back again, and they immediately responded. I knew then that this day was going to get interesting,” Hoffer said.

            Before long, turkeys began to appear from the corner of the field, and they were moving in quickly. The field flooded with turkeys- more than Hoffer had ever seen. There were at least twenty in the field now, and they were coming in waves.

            “The jakes were the most curious and instantly flocked around the decoys we had set up 20 yards from our blind. The next wave was hens, which stuck behind a little bit and just watched, while the last wave was longbeards.”

            “Dad whispered to me, ‘You can shoot one of the jakes if you want,’ Hoffer explained.  “I thought about it as they pranced around the decoys, but seeing this many birds is a rare thing, so I was patient.”

            Five minutes passed, and the jakes became suspicious of the decoys and began to slowly walk away. Hoffer thought she had lost her chance- that the jakes were going to walk off and the rest would follow. But then the jakes stopped and came back to give the decoys a second look.

            “Off in the distance, the gobblers were slowly walking in with the hens. I focused on them and didn't realize the jakes had disappeared to the left side of our blind. As I was standing there with my bow in hand, admiring the beautiful feathers on the birds strutting in the distance, the jakes came crashing in from the left,” Hoffer said.

            “I watched them run toward the decoys, and I heard Dad say, ‘That one!’ A long-bearded gobbler was right behind the jakes. Not even thinking about it, I pulled back my bow and settled my 20-yard pin on the turkey. I was patient enough to let him walk behind the decoy and wait for that perfect shot.”

            “When I released the arrow, I knew I had a clean hit. It was only 6:54 am, and I had shot my biggest bird ever. Dad and I both ran out of the blind and watched as the jakes flocked the dying bird that chased them minutes earlier.”

            “We walked out into the field as the birds disappeared back into the woods and took a look at just how long his beard was. It was a good nine-and-a-half inches long. But the size of the bird wasn't the best moment; seeing my dad turn in amazement and pride as he hugged me was the best part. I was so happy of my accomplishment,” Hoffer said.

            After tagging the bird and taking a few photos, the father and daughter duo walked back to their truck and pulled it up to the field to load the blind, decoys and Kayla’s turkey. When they got home, they recreated family photos from Hoffer’s first gobbler taken six years earlier.

            “I was overwhelmed with pride to have shot the biggest turkey in the household,” Hoffer said with a smile. “No matter how many guys underestimate me because I am female, I can proudly say, “Yeah, I shoot like a girl. Try to keep up.”

For more great writing, photography and video work by outdoors freelancer, Tyler Frantz, visit www.naturalpursuitoutdoors.com. Also, please LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!

 

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