Well, id like to try and take my first turkey with a bow this year I was going to use my compound but I want to do a seriously traditional hunt no blinds and natural voice calling. How could I use the terrain to my advantage so I can draw and shoot without being busted? I want to get a bird at 20 yards or less be it a jake or longbeard that is unimportant what do you guys suggest?
Turkeys have unbelievable eyesite. You'll need a tree or brush blind to break up your outline. It's not impossible. I've killed 3 without a commercial blind, and with 2 of them I wasn't even wearing "camo" and was using primtive equipment. My longest shot has been 16 yards. But you have to hide and move when they can't see you (as in fanned with their tail towards you)
good luck if you can get drawed on one you got a chance try to get in a bolwdown or brush pile close to a roost usally see lot of birds morning and evenings
wow---no blinds and only natural voice calling----and it's your first try for a turkey with your bow ? And you're hunting scary old Easterns, not those sometimes very cooperative Rios or Merriams. To paraphase a line from another of Mark Baker's songs you're "setting yourself up for some frustration" (Special Licensing Blues).
Could I convince you to take it a step at a time ? I honestly think you'll have more fun if you don't make it so hard on yourself from the gitgo
Ive been hunting turkeys for 5 years all with a shotgun the reason I want to hunt without a blind is simply because I dont have one lol id rather use a blind but I cant afford one at the moment.
not necessary to have a popup blind, natural blinds can work very well especially if you'll give some thought to the compass direction when setting up to keep yourself and your blind in the shadows--just make sure to allow yourself plenty of room to maneuver and draw your bow.
not sure if it's applicable for your exact hunting location but large cedars (or spruce or fir or white pine) can make great blinds, just settle in against the trunk and clear just enough limbs to allow you to shoot. call sparingly and shutup when they start your way, i seem to get more and better shot opportunities when they have to hunt me
Turkey hunting im going to be honest with you I like to run and gun I like to work a lot of timber and call I cant stand to stay in one place unless we have a bird going or were listing for them on the roost. Denny Gulvas had a setup where he used a tree as a blind in a sense because if your behind it in a certain direction the bird cannot you see you draw.
Denny if you read this could you shed some light on this setup which you showed in Challenging Pressured Gobblers?
2Blade: Camo yourself head to foot. Face, hands, head bow etc -everything (I don't camo my boots). Use dark fletchings. Don't be afraid to cover ground. When your in the presence of birds sit still. Don't move. Draw and shoot when he can't see you (easier said than done with a stickbow). Imporvise your ambush site. Trust your camo.
Good luck to ya. I always buy two permits, first goes to the smokepole, second if I'm blessed to have taken the first goes to the bow if I'm again lucky.
Know your area real well and who hunts where if you run and gun. More turkey hunters seem to get shot than deer hunters nowadays.
I hunt them with my bow the same as the shotgun. You just need to be more patient and don't draw until their tale covers their view.
2blade, i am in the same boat as you. I finally have a place to hunt that is holding some turkeys. I really do not want to hunt with a gun or the compound. If I can get them within 20 yards I feel confident I could make the shot. Problem is I do not have a blind at this time. I may just try to use natural cover where I can. Should be a great learning experience. You guys keep the comments coming, I could use the advise as well.
They get tougher every year our turkeys are smart our jakes are even on high alert. Most people say jakes are dumb but we called in 3 jakes one day and they hung up at 50 yards! My uncle tells me they hang with the old gobblers and learn from him.
You might want to look at ameristep jakehouse blind There cheap, light and they work. I bought one to use with the kids this year i will carry it when i plan on moving around alot.
Jakehouse blind (http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0031787227256a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&Ntt=jakehous%20blind&QueryText=jakehous%20blind&noImage=0)
Cant the birds still see the movement because your top half isnt covered? Im not worried about them picking out my form more then drawing movement but im guessing snap shooting would be a good choice for sharp eyed gobblers? Thanks for the link.
A small piece of camo netting and some long small bungee cords makes a serviceable and quick blind. Good luck!
Use a string tracker if possible. These birds are tough to stop.
I just noticed you did not rule out decoys. Two hens and a jake work well. Set the jake so it's facing you. The bird will face it head on if it comes to the decoys giving you plenty of time to draw the bow.
Shaun's giving good advice and most of us can scrounge a fair size piece of camo (even if it's just old camo clothing recycled---the raggeder the better, think "ghillie") and some cord. The other thing you might want to do is go to your local craft or floral shop and get yourself a piece of "floral vine". This stuff is cheap, is made with a moldable wire inside it, can be had in a variety of leaf styles and colors and you just wind it around your bow limb to turn it into a part of the woods
I would be lookin for that head to pass behind a tree and hope I could draw and shoot just as he comes out.
Hopefully itel work out it was odd I had a dream last night I killed a big long beard with my compound bow which was odd but it was so real I rember he had a 10inch beard giant of a turkey and it was in one of our prime spots. Maybe thats a sign of good things to come. Any other tactics I should know about?
Yes they can see the top half of you but your movements below the blind will be covered this will give you concealment to set your call down and ready your bow. You do not want to even try to snap shoot on a turkey once they spot your movement they will be on there way before your brain can register what is happening. They will beat you to the draw every time. What ever method you choose you cannot move when there head is in sight, they will pickup the slightest movement and their reaction is faster than you will be.
I know that I had a bird spot me last year luckily I reacted and took him running at 40 yards great tasting little bird.