Turkeys without a blind

[twosheds]

I think it would be cool to hunt turkeys without a blind, but here in Kansas, the turkeys are just too darn cautious.  Guru's advice will lead you in the right direction.

[Labs4me]

I'm certainly no expert, but I have taken a few birds without the use of a commercial blind- so clearly, it can be done. My first bird, a jake, was taken using a discarded Christmas tree as makeshift cover. I took these photos yesterday afternoon.

     

 

[Dave2old]

Duckbutt ... you got it! What do we want from a hunt? Max assurance to KILL sumpin? Or max assurance to have a good HUNT? Well, most of us want both, so it comes down to personal pref and, let's face it, the "developmental stage" we are in as hunters. At first and for a long time we need at least occasional "success" to confirm the worth of our efforts. At some point for most of us (unless we become "hunting heroes" in our own minds, constantly striving to "prove" and "reprove" and outdo ourselves), we have enough "success" that we can relax a bit and think about Why we hunt, and esp. why we hunt Traditional ... that's when the real fun starts: when we reach the point where, when someone we care about asks, "How'd you do this season"? or "Did you get your bird/deer/elk this year?" and we can, when we must, smile and say "No" and not feel that we have to make excuses ... That is when we have become Enlightened as hunters. None of which is to dismiss the necessity or importance or "it's OKness" of the previous stages. Just the way it is. As I've said before, I hunt without blinds because of where I hunt (wide-open public-lands forests) and personal preference. But if I lived in, say, Kansas, and the Only choice I had on turkeys was to hunt the flock that every day hung out in the middle of the corn stubble ... I might well use a blind. It's like camo and SO much more ... not that any of it is "bad" but rather, when having a great hunt becomes more important than assurance of a kill and we no long give a hoot about our honest answer when someone asks "How'd ya do?" ... and "having a great hunt" for a particular hunter means being loose and free and able to be spontaneous and not weighted-down with stuff that the industry tells us we "must" have ... personal choice. In sum: Blind or no blind ... some of the decision has to do with where and how we hunt. Another part has to do with why we hunt at a particular point in our lives. And too ... how much we like to eat wild turkey! Like it enough, and we hunt with a shotgun and get 'er done the first hour of the first morning out. All I want is to hunt, and killing ends it, so I'm never in a rush. Variety makes the world an interesting place. Anytime anyone tries to tell us that there is only One Way for Anything ... uh oh! Have fun, however, so long as it's fair chase. Crazy Dave

[rybohunter]

I tried it one season. Bow & no blind. I wish we could use the little roll up things that just stake in front of you, but those area illegal. Some years I have a hard enough time getting a bird with a shotgun, but I take the bow out a couple times each season as well.

[joebuck]

In My Experiences..2 out of every 10 EASTERN and FLORIDIAN mature gobblers will SPOOK on a tent blind and hang up outside of bowrange. It is definitely harder to call these birds up to 15 yard decoy shot with a FRESHLY implanted Pop up Blind. Merrians,most RIOs and Goulds seem to "accept" the newly planted blind and come in mostly. It is definitely easier to call up a mature Eastern to Bow range WITHOUT a freshly planted POP UP BLIND or have one already set up up for weeks.....drawing strategys....well another thread  :D

[RC]

Ok Joebuck. Two out of ten spook with a pop up. Getting eight of ten birds in bow range is sweet if every thing works out. But if they come you`ll almost everytime get a shot. Without a blind I`d say not.Sitting the decoys at around 5-7 yards and setting up in the wide open works best for me. I tried sitting in cover and I think the Turkeys are skittish of it.In the wide open they can see and seem to come on in.But I`m not the expert Turkey hunter you guys are.But I do shoot at them a bit. I think the 2 of 10 rule would apply on my connections though.....RC

[joebuck]

My experiences are if you call 10 Mature Easterns (Eastern side of US species) up from afar ,then they walk up and see the PopUp Blind....only 2 will walk into bowrange..the other 8 will putt and walk around your setup out of bowrange. I called up and shot at over three dozen Easterns in a ghillie suit within 18 yards of me in the early and mid ninetys...Jakes seem to never mind my POP UPs though....My Pop Up is retired this year after FL. I'm going back to my chair and moving around and calling at muliple birds to try cull that Dumb one...Of coarse I hunt some of the toughest birds in the world on the Mississippi River where we have also had a turkey season before most states had even turkeys restocked so my fellow club members know how to work and educate a bird, it's in their blood unfortuatly for the bowhunter in me. I miss the days when Schuster and I stumbled around the Paradise and had it to ourselves! I missed a 2 year old at 3 yards squating behind a privet bush one time.. Schuster will never let me live that down...I should let him shoot and MISS....Lesson there was ...screw split finger...gun barrell that arrow!....

[ethan]

Here in north west tenn the birds we have are basically isolated to large river bottoms. They are also VERY educated and I can't think of any serious turkey hunters here who will use a decoy.  Most say the majority of the birds will hang up and shut up the second they see the decoy and if it doesn't react the birds will quietly turn around and get the heck out of dodge.  I don't hunt turkey enough to know really,  what do some of the turkey pros here think, use a DB without a decoy?

[varmint]

I always hunt 'em with out a blind.The pop-ups just don't suit me.I feel too much like I'm camping than turkey hunting,like I'm in a tent........which I guess I am.I just feel to closed in..........maybe I'm claustraphobic(sp)?I also feel as tho I'm not seeing or hearing everything while inside a pop up........used a doghouse,at least gave it a try and gave it away.

I like to find a multi trunked tree to use as a back drop,then cut a few small bushy saplings/limbs to stick in the ground a few feet in front of me.......palm fronds in swampy areas work great too.Killed my last one at about 12 yards with 6 hens and a jake between us.Draw very,very slowly..........leave enough room in front of yourself to the "cover" so you can move/draw without hitting anything.

[jeff / sc]

I think dave2old and duckbutt sum it up for me. Most of the birds I've shot with a bow have been from a pop up...but most of my memories are from the birds called up in the woods without the blind and missed at close range(didn't miss them all).   Not to say I won't use the blind, in some situations like open fields or food plots in the afternoon, it can be pretty effective but no where near the fun. Our season starts in a week, my calls are already laid out, arrows selected, practiced in full camo with face mask using new seat from Mike / Ray....but pop up blind still in attic, humm.  Also re-read Tenth Legion.  Getting close....

[Biggie Hoffman]

Joebuck, those Florida birds were hangin up because of those decoys, not the blind.
You guys take this turkey stuff too seriously. A good pop up gives you room for a coffee table and a box of Krispy Kremes. You can move around and get things and it will cover some snoring. We're hunting something with a brain the size of an english pea. It's not that hard!

 

[Drew]

Yes, I set up in the edge of the woods or thick fenceline a few yard in next to a field they feed in.  A decoy staked close and get the turkeys to walk by you or some cover between so you can draw.

[Terry Green]

Nice pic Biggie!

[Duckbutt]

Originally posted by Biggie Hoffman:
You guys take this turkey stuff too seriously.

Biggie,
It's hard to look at your pic and imagine my wife's words coming out of your mouth.  

[joebuck]

Your right Biggie,,,it's not that hard hunting behind your house on 10 acres and shooting Jill's pets!!   :D    Eating donuts, hunting in Topsiders, bluejeans, drinking coffee....Man ole Man ....at least have a NWTF patch on or calls showing or something..Try to look like your turkey hunter instead of turkey shooter.  :rolleyes:

[MJB]

GREAT PIC BIGGIE

[rappstar]

i'm going after them this spring with my bow and no blind.  i've hunted and harvested a lot of birds with a shotgun and i've been busted moving on numerous occasions.  it seemed that if i moved very slowly, the bird would stand there and look...giving me time to take a shot.

we'll see how it goes...i'll make sure to post pictures if i get one!

[highpoint forge]

Hey I am going too this first week of April, for the first time with a bow against birds. Where do you want to put the arrow, ideally? Base of the wing? Sounds like shooting from a popup blind is really odd.

[Guru]

On a broadside turkey....straight up the legs,2/3 up in the body....adj. for 1/4 to and away...ideally.

And no, not odd at all, just shoot like any other shot.....

[Biggie Hoffman]

Duckbutt...sorry about that. No intention to bring up such a sad moment :-)

Joey...225 acres and if you call em and they don't come, they ain't pets.

Terry and MJB...see, you don't even have to dress up. Jeans and deck shoes.