Turkeys are wiley.

[therenaissancewoman]

I made it out to the woods with my brother (who has also never hunted turkey) early Wednesday morning for Minnesota turkey opener. We got lucky enough to be about 200 yards off the roost I had scouted and we heard them fly down and start gobbling their heads off! Shortly after they got on a group of hens and wanted nothing to do with us and went the opposite direction. Some sneaking around  and we found them in a corn field...sadly not property I have permission to hunt. We watched three gorgeous big Toms walk off into the distance after the hens. That was it for the day!

Thursday morning I went out by myself set up on that same field edge but in the only narrow strip I am allowed to hunt. The big Toms stayed 400 yards out and did not want to come closer, painful to watch them strut knowing that if I could hunt that land, I could get them in range. They crossed a road and I glassed them at 570 yards. I thought they were gone forever, but after some calling and patience, they started to come in closer. I got them to about 300 yards when a truck drove by my blind, saw the big guys strutting and pulled over. The driver snuck down through the pines on the edge of the field and BAM! He shot the biggest Tom with a shotgun! To say I was bummed is an understatement. I saw the two other Toms bust out of there and hightail it back into the woods I had just called them from. I was hopeful I would see them again, but I found out later that another one of them was shot that day as well.

I was about to leave the blind when I heard a hen start yelping. It was so cliche sounding that I figured it was another hunter, but I yelped back. She kept it up and I just decided to do what she did. I mimicked her calls step by step and she went from barely visible with binoculars to 30 yards in about 20 minutes. When she saw my decoys she decided its not what she was looking for, two hens and a jake, and she went eating around the field and eventually wandered off. I was hoping she'd bring company, but no dice.

And that's it! I'm worried my season is busted already because the Toms I was targeting are gone. I've only ever seen the three and I only have 15 acres or so to hunt here! Wishing for more Minnesota land right about now. Any good public land spot recommendations would be awesome!

With two hens and a jake, how do you position them? Do ya'll hunt out of blinds mostly? I used a blind but I don't like the limited vision! I'm just dying to get a turkey! Also, any advice on getting those Toms that I can see in from the 300-400 range and actually interested.

Do any of you put camo tape or limb covers on your bows? What about arrows? I've considered just grabbing some spray paint and making them camo.

Turkeys sure are wiley creatures!

[olddogrib]

Take heart, most of the time turkey hunting is as you describe.  Then there is that rare day when they come in like they're on a string.  Don't know from your description whether the truck hunter was illegal since he got at out, but it sounds like he had to have seen your blind so should have moving on would've been the right move for him to make.  Sounds like he may also have been "opportunity trespassing".

[olddogrib]

It helps to have the local game warden on speed dial and binocs to get the tag number for clods like you encountered.   A lot of folks don't realize it, but most state's biologists set the seasons assuming all gobblers will be killed on opening day and all hens will have been bred by that time.  So things are actually winding down by April......but those leftover lonesome gobblers can make it worth the effort.

[BAK]

At least your seeing some.  Numbers in my little area of the world are down big time.  I can't even get any game cam pics of any.  Very frustrating year.   

[Cory Mattson]

Blind yes always bowhunting turkeys
Shouldn’t need to paint if you stay in the blind
Read Hunting the American Wild Turkey by Dave Harbour

Doing a drive by jump out sneak and blast is a low life move legal or not.

[Bowguy67]

Idk bud if you want actual turkey hunt advice for one 200 yards is way too far to even begin your morning. Chances are way too slim, too many things can go wrong. Also you mention not being able to get closer. Is this your only spot? If so that’s also part of the problem. All your eggs would be in a long chance basket. It could happen but if you had multiple spots, somewhere would offer higher odds.
Personally best case scenario, if &you can roost a bird, I’d get 70 yards maybe from him. Go in super early, like 2 hours before light. The birds are harder to wake than. Also no lights and go a step or two at a time when you get close.
Try n get in front of direction he’s facing so he perhaps flies down to you. Sometimes they flip but at least try. If he’s got hens they often aren’t roosted directly w Tom. Get between em.
Now a couple light tree calls or a fly down either audibly or w a wing. Preferably when he’s either down n can’t see or if you have a ridge, tree, etc blocking him. Be careful he can see you. If need be wait til he flies down, fly down w the wing, hat, decoy bag, etc. Than maybe some soft contact clucks or yelps, purrs while scratching in the leaves. You’ll seem disinterested. He has a decent chance of closing distance.
There’s so many scenarios though. Gotta take the birds temperature. If he wants more calling from you and reacts positively to it, you can pour it on but be careful. You can’t go back typically. Start easy and close. Take the advice or leave it. But you’re nit in the game consistently being so far.
Also when he’s coming what you’ve done is working. Stop calling and let him find you. Do whatever is working. Read the play so to speak

[GCook]

You've been there.👍