turkey with bow or bust!

adkmountainken · January 22, 2022, 07:51:11 AM

turkey hunting is my passion and i enjoy it more then any other hunting season or game animal around. have killed my last few with flintlock but now for the ultimate challenge! i will kill my next one with long bow or i will never kill another lol. i plan on hunting them with bow until i get it done no pop up blind either will be using natural blind and cover. very excited to get after them in May! getting everything ready now as far as gear already have the 2 places picked out i think i can get this done wish me luck!

Dave Lay · January 22, 2022, 08:56:22 AM

Good luck.. I'm the same way, but I'm probably not as driven as you are, my hot button is whitetails, but with turkeys , it's without a blind and with a tradbow or nothing , I've killed a few with a shotgun but won't go back. Ive come close, cutting feathers but haven't gotten it done. Our turkey population is dismal at best but I'll keep trying and love being in the woods chasing them. Post pics when ya get it done !

mec lineman · January 22, 2022, 09:17:37 AM

I'm with you, no blinds. Not my cup of tea. I've got a rancho safari longboat. Works great. Good luck, I will say a decoy is often needed.

adkmountainken · January 22, 2022, 09:23:17 AM

i will use a decoy in one area i hunt the other 2 are big woods i do not want the extra weight and in the ridges 9 times out of 10 they never saw the deke.

Will Telluteyrd · January 22, 2022, 09:56:47 AM

I went all in trying to kill a Bird with Traditional equipment for 20 years. No blind, no decoys, just a stool to sit on. I would guess in those years I called in way over 100 Gobblers, missed a few and put a arrow through the breast of a nice Gobbler. In all those years I never filled a tag.I had a lot of luck calling birds in during fall season missing a lot of birds by shooting over their backs.

After shooting that nice Gobler through the chest and not finding him I started hunting with a shotgun. I went on a killing spree and getting a bird was easier. Now I'm deaf in my left ear and almost deaf in my right ear. It's not much fun Turkey hunting when you can't hear the birds.

I liked to hunt where there were large trees. When the bird would go behind a tree I'd get my bow ready and take the shot when he stepped out. Most Turkeys will freeze when they see something just long enough to get off a shot if your bow is lined up on the bird.

arrow30 · January 22, 2022, 10:04:51 AM

GOOD LUCK!.. i have been trying for quite awhile now. close misses, nothing but feathers .
it will drive you NUTS

dnovo · January 22, 2022, 10:34:28 AM

Quite a few years ago I killed a spring gobbler with my shotgun 10 minutes into the season. I said it was too easy and decided to hunt only with my bow. 20+ years later I have not killed one yet. Although I've had seasons where I only got out 1 time. I've got 4 grandkids with birthdays during turkey season so that takes up a lot of time plus work. I'm fixing to retire in a few months so maybe then I'll get more time. I did miss one a couple years ago at 8 yards when my arrow clipped a cedar branch.

trad_bowhunter1965 · January 22, 2022, 10:54:59 AM

Never killed a turkey with gun or bow but I am all in with trying to kill one with my bow, I been close a couple of times and fixing to retire so I should have more time to hunt them.

adkmountainken · January 22, 2022, 11:02:36 AM

i have killed more then my share with shotgun, 5 with caplock muzzleloader and last 2 with flintlock both of which were about 7 yards away if i never kill another one while carrying bow so be it its the game i really enjoy!

Car54 · January 22, 2022, 11:08:26 AM

Missed one this pass hunting season with stick bow,... I won't miss again! LOL I was just glad to get a shot off.

Orion · January 22, 2022, 11:26:14 AM

I've killed quite a few with a bow, but I do use a blind. Much harder to kill one without a blind. I hunted without a blind for a number of years without killing a bird. I could get them close, yes, but very difficult to get drawn on them. The few times I did, I think I was so surprised that I rushed the shot and missed the bird.

In general, just saw fewer turkeys while hunting without a blind as well. I think that's because they saw me move and slinked off long before I ever knew they were in the area, and sometimes even when I did know they were nearby. It's pretty easy to sit relatively motionless the first hour or two after fly down, but if one doesn't make contact with a bird then, it can turn into a long sit. That's when my movement increases, and I'm sure a lot of birds saw me and stayed out of sight during those situations.

Don't think I'll go back to hunting without a blind. I like to eat turkey too much, but I admire your determination and wish you good luck.

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A tag · January 22, 2022, 12:12:19 PM

I have found turkeys to be a very worthy opponent with a bow in hand. I have got my far share of them but most the time they make me look foolish.
I do change my arrow set up and build arrows specifically for turkey hunting. I like big wide 2 blade heads with a light arrow.
I also like using a bow that I can draw and hold if need be for long periods of time. I normally shoot a swing draw with a quick shot that can be handy with turkey but I think under some circumstances holding and waiting for them to step into a shooting lane can make a big difference in success. Drawing on turkeys can be very difficult without a blind.
I practice both shooting methods from my knees in cover prior to the season to make sure I'm ready for anything.

Terry Green · January 22, 2022, 12:56:09 PM

How much does a turkey decoy weigh?

adkmountainken · January 22, 2022, 02:12:23 PM

dekes don't weigh much but i do not care for them either when hunting in the ridges.

Tim Reese · January 22, 2022, 06:40:54 PM

Yes I switched to long bow or nothing a few years ago. Killed my share with a shotgun so don't care if I get another or not unless it's with a longbow. Killed one nice gobbler with a compound and missed 2 with trad gear. Mostly go with out blind as I don't trust leaving a blind in my spots so really just to lazy to carry one. Lol.

Tim Reese · January 22, 2022, 06:42:25 PM

Been my gear for last few. Leafy coat and a Waldrop to stay still. And one decoy sometimes.

kstout · January 28, 2022, 07:41:33 AM

I've taken several here in Michigan using a tent blind. I was able to take this Rio Grande 2 weeks ago, hunting in Mexico without a blind. Just tucked back in the cactus waiting for a Javelina, when the turkey strolled by and presented an opportunity.

fisherick · January 28, 2022, 09:02:14 AM

No pop up blind for me, I use natural brush blinds or for on the move a camo treestand umbrella as a blind or burlap material on a cord. Always bring a hen decoy to catch their attention and call lightly. Taken a few this way and missed or busted a few with my Recurve.

mnbwhtr · January 28, 2022, 10:46:43 AM

Like Orion, I too have killed several while using a blind. The first few years we only had a 5 day season so I'd bowhunt 4 days and take a shotgun and kill one the 5th day. A friend borrowed me his blind and I bow killed my first one and I was hooked. About the same time the state started a youth hunt in a park only 5 miles away and I was asked to be a mentor. Talk about a great time, I mentored for 15 years and got many young boys and girls their first birds. We always used blinds on those hunts and I just got used to using them and I still do.

Larry Dean · January 28, 2022, 11:40:14 AM

The best way to get into close bow range of fall turkeys is to not have a turkey tag in your pocket. They seemed to have no fear of me at all. Not the same bird in the spring. I use two collapsible decoys, a Nifty Seat, a clipper, and a shroud of convenient small cedars. I cut a pocket into the cedar thickets, a very effective natural blind.