Lots of good advice so far, my-2cents:
I bowhunt turkeys every year in Michigan and Kansas. I have picked up a lot of "little" things that all add up, and make it a lot easier.
Roosted gobblers, this is usually the hardest turkey to call in the woods. Typically gobbling at every sound, because they feel safe up on that limb. Quite often they cast down, and go quiet. Often away from any noise "your calling". I have found it much better to stay quiet, and don't make any calls until he touches down, then a few soft calls.
I don't get too hung up on where they are roosting. I concentrate on where they are going. Set up in good blind and stay all day if possible. I call soft, off and on, or when I hear a gobbler. Once every hour or so, I cut loud on my diagram call. I can't tell you how many times, this lights up a Tom, and he comes within bow range. The gobbler has been hearing your soft calls all morning, and feels relaxed but not enough excitement to get him coming your way. The "cutting" gets him fired up. I use a lot of differents calls, the diagram is my favorite, because nobody sounds like me. I love glass/slate calls, but everyone has them, and they can sound the same.
Decoys, I use them in Kansas, the birds are not as spooky. In Michigan I usually do not. When I use a decoy, its a hen pinned to the ground, like she is dusting or in a breeding position. Decoys have held up too many birds for me. I put the decoy about 5 yards out. I have put them too close a few times, I had 3-4 gobblers up against my blind, too close to shoot in the last two seasons.
Blind, Double Bull Recurve model. Black interior, dark clothing. Keep the windows behind you shut. I lay down a blanket inside the blind, and sit on a folding chair. When a gobbler approaches, fold up the chait and shoot off your knees. You can move around freely on the blanket, and use any window.
Window management, I learned this from trial and error, and from my friend in Kansas. He has taken 52 gobblers with a bow. Open 1-2 windows in the blind, as turkeys approach, open and shut windows as needed, always have the windows behind you shut first! You can open windows very slowly with gobblers close, even easier if you use Double Bull's black window covers. These covers keep the window covers black from the outside when the windows are shut. Opening them, goes unnoticed because the inside of the blind is black also.
I can't stress enough about broadhead size. Good luck to those who stick with their deer set-up. After chasing/loosing 3-4 most change their minds. I shoot Simmons Landsharks, they have a large cutting diameter 2" and fly like darts. Since shooting them, I have taken 4 gobblers and lost one, I just sliced his breast. No comment prior to that with smaller heads.. You can't go wrong with large snuffers either.
Scout, set up where they are going. If I set up in the open, I like to tuck the blind close to cover. If the aproaching Tom can see all around your set up, and there is no hen he may hang up. Setting up with some cover keeps him searching.
I like to shoot just above the drumsticks. If I put my large broadhead through the body cavity, He's mine. The broadhead will not pass through and does tremendous damage. Of the 4, I took with Landsharks, three of them never traveled over 4 yards, one ran 20 yards, then flew 20 yards.
I usually sit until 2:00 in the afternoon. They are out there moving all day. I get quite a bit of action from 11:00 - 2:00, never much after that in Michigan. In Kansas, I can have action all day.
Topic: Turkey Tactics and Tips? (Read 27458 times)
