No blind turkey methods

[jimneye]

I'm going to try turkey hunting without a blind.
Any veterans willing to share any advise?
I'll be hunting the public forrests of Pennsylvania, not too many fields mostly big timber areas.  Or should I just stick my head in a bucket of water?

[Marblesonac]

I got one in a ghillie suit..you better have some killer camo, and make no movement at all.

Best of luck.

[whitebuffalo]

Hunt in the woods not on the edge of the feild. Lots of brush. using large trees to blind them from you is always helpful. Oh yeah, Its a wonderful challenge. Good luck turkey hunting and get a lot of good scouting in. God bless, JB

[ArkansasHunter]

Ive had some luck using big trees as blinds. The area ive done this in is thick with turkeys. I would wait until they walked past me then take em.

[Al33]

My thoughts and suggestions:

If you have big timber set up on a tree at your back wider than you are. If you can find such a tree with two other large trunked trees in front of you at 6 to 10 feet (+/-), one to your left (if you shoot righty) and one straight out in front. These trees will hopefully provide cover for a draw if and when a turkey comes in to your setup.

Good luck!!!

[benderofwood]

Good camo {leafy wear}, low poundage bow {40 to 45 lbs plenty}, sharp broadheads, stay as still as a dead stump, surround yourself with natural cover, learn to shoot from a sitting position,good luck this spring;

[Duckbutt]

I agree with what's been said so far.  2-3 nice size trees in front of you are the ticket.  Also, two things that I've found helpful are 1) a tree seat and 2)Sneaky Leaf added to my clothes/hat.  The tree seat will allow you to sit in a more ready position for longer periods of time.  The sneaky leaf allows you some of the advantages of a ghillie without the downside IMO.  I also had to change the way I shoot.  I started practicing with my bow arm all the way up and shooting by just pulling back to anchor and releasing.  This allows me to get my bow up when the turkey goes behind one of the trees.  Then, when I'm ready to shoot, I draw and release in a smooth motion that doesn't seem to alert the bird.  Also, I apply face paint around my eyes and tape to every inch of my bow.  Also, pay attention to your background before you set up.  Try to imagine how you are gonna look like when the turkey shows up at 5-10 yards.  You can't get away with much on these terms. Good luck.  Being free from the blind is a lot more fun to me.

[kennym]

Troy,I've killed 1 gobbler while blindless(58" TD curve),its a tough go! Like said before,draw when he's behind somethin (even his fan) and bein in full shade helps too. IMO

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

I was hunting and killing turkeys with a recurve before DB was invented. However some may argue my makeshift hides where in fact "Blinds". I had my best luck using cut cedars and waiting along travel areas leading to roosts.
Now I am older, lazier, use a blind and kill fewer birds..
Still think "Runnin and Gunnin" (Bowin) is the most fun a guy can have on a spring day, and an absolutely great time to be afield.

[Duckbutt]

I've only been trying for two season.  First season, I got my rear end handed to me time and time again.  I learned more from the not killin than I did from the killin.  Last season, I shot two and recovered one.  Going to try a different head and a string tracker this year.  50% recovery isn't acceptable and I'll have to quit if I can't improve on that.  I sat in a blind a few years ago and I just didn't enjoy it as much even though success may have been easier to come by.  I don't pretend to be an expert.  I also didn't know anybody else who had done it so what I accomplished was by my own trial/error/determination.

[Bowmania]

If your hunting eastern birds you might as well take a seat at the bar.  You'll have a better chance in the wood, but not by much.  In fact, you'll probably have a better chance to kill a "turkey" at the bar if your not species specific.

Bowmania

PS.  My record - 10 plus years without a kill without blind, One with a blind and a recurve and 2 with a blind and a longbow.  I don't know if it's fair to mention this, but I murdered one when I drew my first permit.  After almost 5 full days of trying with a bow, it took me 20 minites to get a 28 pounder 11 inch beard with 20 minutes left in the season.  It was the last time I ever hunted with a gun.

[Al33]

DTala, I have not. Killed my first last year but it was from a blind. having said that, when I do hunt without a blind I try to find a setup as I described above, not to mention using many of the other tips posted here.
If and when the day comes I DO get one without a blind and using my trad bow I will be one happy hunter.  

[jimneye]

How about the use of a decoy?

How should it be set up( distance, facing what dirrection, etc)?

Dockbutt,  how about some do's and don'ts?

[Duckbutt]

The guys that shoot from blinds are the experts on decoys.  The first bird I shot last year was coming to the decoys.  I wasn't using dekes on number two.  I try to let the situation at hand dictate the set up.  I didn't always use decoys when I gun hunted and that's one thing I like about ditching the blind with the bow.  It's a lot more like the turkey hunting I've been doing for years with the smoke pole....just much much harder to close the deal.

[Orion]

If you can find the book by Jack Probst, there's a lot of good info in it on hunting turkeys without a blind.  It's pretty easy to kill a turkey with a gun without a blind, but it's a whole different story with a bow.  I didn't start killing turkeys with a bow until I started using a blind. On the other hand, it's pretty easy killing them with a blind so I'm thinking I might start hunting them without a blind again.  I'll probably come to my senses before season though. (L0L)  Good luck.

[BrianC]

If it's a $$$ issue, get yourself some of that military camo leafy netting that is on the market.  I use that stuff on my duck boat and plan on having some in my back pack this spring for turkey hunting.  Get a couple sticks shoved into the ground, hang the netting on, and you have an instant, easily moveable blind.  Ideally, set the camo up in a U formation so your back and sides are covered.  Once the turkey walks in front of the mouth of the U, you should have a shot.

Brian

[JStark]

I'd love to get a chance at a blind turkey.

[the Ferret]

You can use a blind set up with out a blind. By that I mean sit on a stool in some thick brush on the edge of a field with a couple decoys out in front of you. It is critical not to move when they are coming in and when you decide to draw go ahead and do it. Don't hesitate. Draw, pick a spot and shoot. Don't dally. Doesn't take long for a tom to fold up from full strut and get the heck out of there, but sometimes they just can't believe they got fooled. They stretch their necks up and look at you before turning and taking off.If your arrow isn't on the way by then, the games over.

The birds are tough.... tough to hunt, tough to kill. They can take a pounding from a heavy bow and big broadhead and still get off the ground. If they get off the ground they can set their wings, glide a long way and expertly hide in the tinyest brush pile after landing. If ya hunt turkeys with a bow much your going to lose one now and then. String tracker helps in locating but hurts in shooting if you're in brush thick enough to hide yourself in. I've shot 4 recovered 3 in 20 something years of bowhunting them. The one I lost got airborn on me. None were taken out of a blind, and I was only wearing camo on one of them, the other 2 I was wearing plaid shirt and plain brown pants. ALWAYS wear a headnet and gloves.

If you want to eat turkey.... buy a butterball before season starts. That's the only GUARANTEED way you're going to be eating turkey after seasons over.  

[Al33]

Ferret, your post reminded me of a big tom I lost last year. I hit him solidly as he was quartered to me but he stumbled off down a ridge top taking my arra with him never to be seen again. I was hunting on a friends place in the North Georgia mountains and it was REAL think in the draws with so much for the tom to hide in. Several of us looked hard for the tom but to no avail.
My friend has killed several toms with his compound and told me to try to shoot the next one through the hip joints if I could get a broadside shot. He surmised if a tom is hit through the upper legs or hips he will not be able to jump to fly nor run off. The following week I did just that hitting my tom right next to and in front of the drumstick. He was able to get about 25 yards before expiring and I discovered that even though my arrow missed the joints it had passed through his vitals. This is now my preferred shot.

[Wudstix]

As several have said, Super Good Camo.  Leafy version.  Low weight bow to allow drawing slow and possibly holding draw for awhile.  Good broad heads that fly super, I like Snuffer for turkey.  Stop and call only when you are in cover.  Shoot sitting or kneeling.  I practice kneeling, sitting with my "Seat" on my boots.  A decoy would be useful as it distracts the bird coming in.