I'm on the proverbial fence post here. I'm starting to look ahead to our spring season, and I'm considering going after the birds with the bow only. I have the option for a bonus tag where I can take one with a shotgun and one with the bow (which was the original plan), but now I'm not sure. I'm not big on blinds. Shotguns appeal to me for this reason. I like being able to run and gun, setup on birds at the last minute, sometimes even getting into odd spots I otherwise couldn't with a blind. For instance, I took a fall bird this year squatting behind a hay wagon in a pasture after literally sneaking back and forth along an old tractor path continually setting up on them as they moved. It would have been impossible with a blind. Anyways, I only tried hunting turkeys with a bow once (ironically it was the same flock I ended up getting into in the above situation). I called them in, no blind, waited for the lead bird to get behind a tree, I drew, and I felt like I was wearing a neon sign saying "look here! I'm going to shoot you!" Needless to say, it was tough. I suppose I'm mostly thinking out loud here, so I'm not really asking a question directly except possibly looking to hear of others successes/failures bowhunting birds without a blind. I know most of you do use blinds, but would you ever consider trying it without one?
I have killed 4 turkey with my bow. The first was kneeling next to a tree in tall grass. I GOT LUCKY. Period. I called in 2 birds and still don't know how I got away with it. The only thing I can figure is they were completely blinded by the love exhuding from my decoy. I killed 1 this past spring out of my blind. I've killed 2 this fall, one from a tree stand the other from a ground blind. I got lucky with the one I killed out of my stand. I've tried to kill quite a few out of a tree stand, and they see me EVERY time. This one did too, but for whatever reason stood there with with its head straight up.....then it was gone. I will, forever, shoot them from a ground blind. Blinds are venom on turkeys. They just don't give a damn about them at all. I can have my blind set up in about 20 seconds.
I have been archery only on turks for 6 years. I have got one every year since. 5 toms 1 jake. I used a blind once. It was really raining. It isnt that tough (maybe just mn) but I dont have a problem with it. I use a ghilli suit and natural blinds sit still and pick one direction that you intend on shooting. Stick with it. Dont draw unless you can shoot.
I don't use blinds either, and I prefer hunting on the ground much, much more. I've tried using a blind before, but it's way too hard for me. Like you, I like to run n' gun. No blinds for me. :D
I haven't had any success bowhunting turkeys yet. I have a new place to go this year thats free and close. It has a good population of birds. I hope to get one with the blind and then try it without. First one with the Marquis and then one with the Kanga and no blind.
Matt, its totally dooable without a blind. I have killed 4 from the ground with out a pop up and 1 from the tree. My setup is a HS foldable shield blind for the front and sides and a rural king shield blind that has longer stakes and is taller that i use for a backing to shawdow me in. I make sure I have some obstacles on both sides of me so I can draw when they are behind it. Another key is a good decoy with a movable fan, they are killer
Crick, I saw those foldable shields on Season 1 of HBTV (starring some weird dude named Dan:D). In fact watching that the other night is what spurred this question. I've hunte turkeys for two seasons now, and I've taken two with the shotgun (should have had my spring bird last year,but my gun failed) and one with the bow from stand. I was debating buying a new turkey gun for this spring, but I keep thinking I really want to go bow or bust this season, but I don't want to deal with a blind.
Never heard of that Dan dude :D That is the only bird that has ever busted me so far. It was nervous when it came in. My only bad shot to, go figure, it was on film
I've Killed Turkeys both ways and it is definitely easier with a Blind. My Turkey hunting is always limited days to hunt so I will continue to use a Blind. It is still a lot of Fun setting up on Roosted birds with Decoys and then calling them in and................................................. Whackin' em :-) Dan
I agree Dan, when your limited on time especially out of state hunts, a blind would most certainly be the way to go. In my case I also pre build some blinds out of cedar or pine branches where the turks like to be.
Dan, Here where I live I can't hunt Turkeys in my home county because there are not many and where they are is on private ground where I have No legal access. If things were different it would be simple enough to construct a couple of crude blinds (I have done it in the past) to ambush them from, or even use natural cover, big tree, etc. I think most will agree while it might not be impossible to set in the open and kill a Turkey with a bow. It is fairly difficult and highly unlikely to accomplish on a regular basis. So the choice is whether you hunt from a commercial blind or use a natural blind. There are definite advantages to both. It just depends on the situation. :-) Dan
If the pursuit means more than the kill, then ditch the blind. It's doable, harder yes, but a lot depends on your setup & how the bird comes in. Also, (for me) a lot depends on how many birds I think I can call in, in one season. history has shown, its only one(sometimes 2) so I lean WAY more towards the shotty since I'm likely to only get one chance. If I felt I could call in 4-5 birds over the course of a season, I'd use my bow much more.
Same can be said with blind or no blind with the bow. Chances are I'll bust way more birds than I'll get drawn on without a blind on my heavily pressured birds. I'd opt for a blind if few birds are responding well. Hell I've seen gobblers spook just moving a shotgun barrel a half inch!
My thoughts, exactly. I'm either gonna take 'em the way I want to........or not take 'em. It is (to me) ALL about the "how".....and the "how many" (even if that means NONE) means nothing. Hell I know guys who've shot 'em (turkeys) over bait. Nothing against ANY legal baiting of ANY legal animal. So, the "how" obviously doesn't hold the same importance to everyone.
I'm not even sure it's necessarily about the "how." I suppose it is to an extent. I would REALLY love to take a bird with my bow and no blind. Then again, I don't have a lot of time (only Saturday's, and we can only hunt until noon. I believe that's one of the main reasons I'm tempted to try and fill my tag with the shotgun first, and go after them with my bow for my second.
If your goal is only to take a turkey with your bow (and you don't mind traveling), my advice is to head to KS. Seems everyone who goes there kills one; they have an archery-only season; they have lots of birds AND baiting's legal.
Unfortunately I don't have the means to go to KS, and although I say this with some hesitation given the format, I don't want to hunt over bait.
last year was my second year hunting turkeys, the year before I took one with my shotgun from a blind. I tried with the bow a few times and then went to the shotgun and was successful the first time out. Last spring on my first turkey hunt I was using the bow and no blind, just Ultimate camo backed up to a big tree. I had a lone tom come in on my decoys, I took a shot and heard it and thought for sure I smoked him. He ran away with my arrow sticking out of his midsection. The arrow actually caught the ground and caused the turkey to go airborne as he was running and the arrow slid out of him when he was in the air. When he hit the ground I thought for sure he was dead, but he got back up and kept running. I was excited and went right after him. Needless to say I went way to early and never recovered the bird. So I wasn't successful but had a hell of a hunt and learned a valuable lesson about backing out.
