This will be my first spring sitting in a blind hoping to put the smack down on a big tom. I went out and picked up a few decoys and a good blind. I have a couple questions about the blind set up.. I will be on private land and I don't know of much for turkey hunters in the area so these birds shouldn't be well educated, but even so I know that its not always one way or the other.. But from you more experienced turkey hunters how blind skid dish are these birds? with a good back drop and the blind tucked into the tree line pretty well going to be good enough? Is it a game changer to use the velcro mesh windows or not? and my biggest question even though I have seen it done in videos plenty of times, Do you trust your arrow to fly true when shooting through the mesh velcro windows?
Leave the mesh screens down. Arrow flight is very important when shooting a Turkey. An inch can make the difference, so don't chance it. Wear all black inside the blind, even on your face. Move just as slowly as you would sitting out in the open. Quarter the decoy away from the blind set up, you don't want the turkey coming strait in at you. I love blind hunting for turkeys, it works awesome, especially on uneducated birds!! Good luck!
My blind tips, I'll echo some from above: Don't face the blind into the sun if at all possible. Sit as far back in the blind as possible. Wear black or dark camo clothing. Don't think you are invisible just because you are in a blind. On sunny days make sure to leave the windows to your back closed. They let to much light in the blind exposing your every movement. I leave mine closed regardless.
Very good tips from everyone, and the only other thing I can say is don't be afraid to put it anywhere. I shot my 3 gobblers with the bow last year, and I had the blind sitting in the middle of a field for 2 of the 3 hunts. The 3rd was on an opening in a woods. I had just put the blind up the same day I killed the birds. (Episode 3 last season's Bowhunt or Die shows)
don't worry too much about whether your blind is brushed in or not. turkeys don't seem to be bothered by blind like deer are. agree with antler addict, can sit up blind almost anywhere and it doesn't seem to bother them, at least not the ones around here.i also like others have said leave the windows in except the ones i where i have the decoys set and will be shooting that way.
The only thing to be careful about is getting out of the blind with birds around. If u do and spook them they'll wise up pretty quickly. Aside from that, don't face the sun because it lights up inside the blind. Wear black. Get a comfortable chair. Turkeys just don't pay any attention to a blind.
Be careful of blinking video camera lights! My buddy in Marion Wisconsin was out this past weekend for the Wis Youth Turkey hunt and thought he would film his kids first hunt, well the camera battery light started flashing just as some hens came in and it spooked them. Worse yet, he saw a big tom running off that hadn't come out yet. Just a tip.
Great advise from all the replys. The only other thing I might add is to be very patient. Where I hunt the the gobblers are henned up when season comes in. The mid-morning is as productive for me as first light when they are on the search again. Good luck. CK
