Spring Gobblers

[RJonesRCRV]

This is my third year hunting spring gobblers with a bow.  Ive been out twice this year, days 2 and 3 of the season.  Today, I had three jakes come in to me, but without a blind, I was limited in my movements.  One saw my fingers move and kept an eye on me for a few minutes while the other two walked by.

My gear is full camo, leafy face mask, dark gloves, my 50# Sage with some green paint leaves to break up the black glass backs outline, black arrows with green and white fletches modified with black permanent marker barring, a box call and a diaphragm call.

Having three jakes looking for a hen that isnt present really made it difficult.  I guess the best thing to do is get a hen decoy and park her on the far side of a big tree trunk. I managed to get my bow up and partially drawn on the last one as he passed a tree, since there were no eyes on me, but his position on a slight rise and the distance caused me to let off.  It just wasnt right for me. Im sure I coulda hit him, but it may not have been the cleanest shot.  The same happened a few minutes later when either another jake came by chasing a hen, or one of the original three came back.  He was strutting about 20 yards, but just over a slight rise, between trees, with some sun peeking over the hill. It just wasnt right for me.

I expect I will go back out tomorrow, maybe go a bit earlier and snip some branches and make a small blind to help my chances.  It is frustrating, but its a learning process and at least I got my arrow pointed at one, and it was a good time.  

I plan to finish this season out like Im doing now, with no popup or ready blind, keeping it as simple as I can, maybe arrange some branches for a blind and just use whats already there from mother nature.  Its the hard way, and I can change it up next year, but this close encounter is encouraging, and may have been different had it been a single turkey.

Any and all advice and pointers are appreciated.

[Stickbow]

I killed a Tom a few years ago, no blind.... it was very satisfying. I dabbled the next few years but never very serious about trying to connect on another bird. Bear hunting, fishing etc. took precedence.

This year I got serious, got a blind, a new decoy, scouted, practiced shooting out of the blind. I was ready. After the first sit in the blind I was miserable, like a caged animal. The second sit was no different. Yesterday I left the blind at home, burrowed in the brush and ended up with a nice Tom in front of me for 30 minuets without ever getting a shot. It was awesome.

It may not be the most effective method but for me it is the challenge that makes it attractive and fun.

However you huntem have fun and good luck! :-)

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Sounds like an exciting morning. keep at it.

[Warden609]

Keep after them. I have killed several without a blind, but I also enjoy sitting in a blind reading a book or cruising tradgang with my smart phone. Good luck!!

[Jack Skinner]

You could add a decoy they help. I hunt as you do and out of 5 times I bring toms into range even with a decoy I maybe get 1 shot opportunity. Turkeys are tough to hunt this way but way fun. Keep at it a shot will come.

[tracker12]

If you want to kill a bird with your bow you need to add a decoy to your equipment list.  Scrap the hen and by a submissive Jake decoy.  When to bird sees the Jake he will forget all about the hen and you.  If you are not going to use a blind you have to put a tree between you and the decoy so you can draw when the bird pose behind it. When multiple birds come in it gets tuff.

[Nantahala Nut]

Get a leafy suit or ghillie.  I killed a gobbler on tuesday standing in the middle of a deer trail.  No trees or cover and about 15 yards out. I had a whole flock of hens and a jake walk by me too. I paint my face and wear gloves.  A decoy is really gonna help your game. I would get a hen and a jake. Seeing the hen reassures the gobbler and the jake will be a good distraction.  

My leafy suit is homemade. I took a die cut camo blind material and cut it into long strips. Then i sewed them to a surplus marpat top. Overlap them to get full coverage and pleat the strips as they are sewn to get it to bulk up a little. Cost me maybe $40 and its as good as any commercial product costing 4 or 5 times that. I can post pics if anyone is interested. I picked a light brown color scheme for the material and it works great all year.

[Vesty]

Yes. Post pictures. Interested.

[centaur]

Originally posted by Stickbow:
I killed a Tom a few years ago, no blind.... it was very satisfying. I dabbled the next few years but never very serious about trying to connect on another bird. Bear hunting, fishing etc. took precedence.

This year I got serious, got a blind, a new decoy, scouted, practiced shooting out of the blind. I was ready. After the first sit in the blind I was miserable, like a caged animal. The second sit was no different. Yesterday I left the blind at home, burrowed in the brush and ended up with a nice Tom in front of me for 30 minuets without ever getting a shot. It was awesome.

It may not be the most effective method but for me it is the challenge that makes it attractive and fun.

However you huntem have fun and good luck! :-)

I'm with Stickbow on this. Blinds are obviously very effective for turkeys, but I get bored sitting in them when I can be out roving and spot and stalking turkeys. I blow a lot of stalks, but I am successful often enough to bring a few turkeys home. It is much more enjoyable to me than wiling away the hours in a blind.