I just booked a 4 day 2 bird hunt in NE Kansas for May 4-7th. I've never been to KS. I will be doing a DIY turkey hunt for easterns. I am leaning towards leaving my BP shotgun at home. I know I plan on bowhunting hard for the first bird. If I succeed on the first bird quickly I want to try to get bird #2 with the longbow and no blind. Any of you guys got any tips for a relative novice? I've killed 2 birds,(both with blackpowder), in the past 4 years. No bow birds to my credit.
I'm in the same boat as you Greg. The difference is, I have never even tried turkey hunting before. Figured I would apply for an IL spring turkey tag. Heck, it fits into my schedule better than hunting whitetail, so I might as well give it a try. Hopefully we can both learn a thing or two from this thread.
I assume NE KS is too far north/east for RIO's. I hunted Altoona, KS S/S/E and it had both RIO's and Easterns and Hybrids. Good Luck Greg.
Give up now it can't be done outside the blind. I think fun will be had either way, just remember that once you can see a turkey, odds are he sees you to. absolutely no movement accept to draw once that turkey is around. Draw when his body blocks his head, he gets behind brush, etc. Don't expect to draw in full view of the turkey unless in a blind. If you are in a blind, you can practically do jumping jacks before spooking the bird (wearing ninja black clothing). A truckload of KY boys are heading out to KS as well, only a little farther west for Rios. He said bird numbers are huge everywhere, just use some common sense on the individual birds and don't let the sheer numbers fool you, and you will do fine. Best of luck, my only tip for trying it with a longbow without a blind, is be 100% certain to put brush/tree/etc between you and the approaching turkey...if he gets in view of you without you tucked away hidden and ready, game is probably over before it started. Strutters are your best friend for bowhunting, the cut off their own eyesight from you. Are you using decoys or calls only?
Best of luck to ya TX.. My advice, watch out for tornado's :d you will be in tornado alley :d OH, you have to click your heals together twice Dorthy style when you enter Kansas Hope to hear an awesome story
Heck I'm from Texas, I know all about baiting! LOL! Oh,Tembry, I will be hunting out of a blind with the compound. If I score early I'll try for at least a day with the longbow. I figured I'd have to be patient and still as well as concealed. I know not to draw until the bird is turned away. I will use dekes and calls. If I don't make a kill during the first 2 1/2 days I may resort to bait. I never have for turkeys but if I travel that far I may as a last resort.