Blinds and Preferred method for turkeys

[freedomhunter]

So, I have hunted turkeys with a shotgun but not a trad bow.  What is your preferred method for taking them?  Do you guys mostly use a blind and if so which blind holds up best?  I am looking for something that will hold 2 people.  My friend (not a trad hunter) and myself are wanting to start filming our hunts.  I at least got him to agree to use his compound this year to tag a turkey.

I can't see how it's possible to draw on a bird without being seen.  I am wanting my shots to be 10 yards or under.

[tracker12]

I have seen some pretty impressive videos of guys taking turkeys on the ground without the use of a blind.  I use a blind and have taken birds each of the last 4 years.  I know a guy that uses a treestand that he hangs about 6' off the ground.  He has success so it must work.

[freedomhunter]

which blind are you using?

[jonsimoneau]

I use a double bull recurve model. It's big enough for 2 people. I don't use the shoot through mesh very often anymore. If the blind is good and dark colored on the inside, the birds cannot see in. The last turkey I shot was about 6 yards away from the blind confronting my decoy. He never had a clue till the arrow hit him.

[Gordon Jabben]

Double bull recurve model also.  I'm a little more comfortable shooting through the netting but I have taken turkeys both ways.  If you're going to film, the double bull blind is probably the way to go.

[wapiti792]

I have a few Barronett Big Mike Blinds,with the snake eyes windows in the corners. I love those things as they are cheap in the wallet department...half of what DB is.

I also hunt those crazy birds without a blind in my ghilli. Getting drawn is not easy but not impossible. I use really good dekes (Avian X). I will not draw on a bird until he is all up in the dekes either whooping one or lovin' one.

Turkey hunting is addictive with a bow...you're gonna love it!
 

[Sky-Dogg]

I use Primos Club XXLs.  I set up the decoys in front of the blind so I have a submissive female dominated by a Jake or 3/4 size gobbler; plus a disinterested feeding hen off to the side.  I always face the decoys away from the most likely direction of the birds to encourage broadside shots.  Gobblers have never spotted me drawing in the blind, and I do not shoot through the screen.

I have had good luck with a hybrid ghillie/leaf suit, but definitely earn my money drawing my bow without being detected.  I always carry a submissive hen and a dominant Jake decoys when still hunting.  Like Wapiti792 above, I hold my draw and shot until the fight and/or passion commences.  Brian

[Joeabowhunter]

Wapiti792 Mike makes it look easy.  I use a Barronett Big Mike too.  Good price and lots of room.  I think a blind is the only way to do it if you're filming.

Good Luck

[tracker12]

I have Double Bull Blinds.  Two that I have had for 8 yeas.  They work and they last.  That being said just about any blind that you can shoot out of will work for turkeys.  They seem oblivious to the blind.

[tracker12]

Originally posted by tracker12:
I have Double Bull Blinds.  Two that I have had for 8 yeas.  They work and they last.  That being said just about any blind that you can shoot out of will work for turkeys.  They seem oblivious to the blind.

sorry for the double post

I like a blind with the netting in the windows, and I like to get the birds under 10yds for the shot. I also will not turkey hunt without the String Tracker. That little device has really upped my recovery percentage.

Bisch

[ChuckS]

I tried for the last three years to harvest a Tom with primitive equipment. I have had great luck putting my back to the bird, with my decoys 10 to 15 yards in front of me. I try to use some type of moving decoy and hope they walk past me and concentrate on the action. I wear a ghillie suit.. I also have a two arrow quiver on my self-bow. In one of the slots I put an arrow that I made with added limbs and leaves on it to break up my silhouette. I haven't connected, but have video of five different Toms I've missed. (one three times!!) Funny....I can kill every 3D target in my back yard sitting down, but I swear they Duck--Dodge---Juke my self nocked arrows. "Must be the bow!" I've killed 4 with a recurve, and several more when I used a bow with training-wheels, using the same set up. Good Luck...its definitely a rush!

[**DONOTDELETE**]

That was the most fun i've had hunting in years trying to get to anchor without those birds busting me... I was using a ghillie suit and serious face paint, and those dad burn things busted me drawing every time....

I'm going to build some brush blinds and use the ghillie suit again. the ghillie suit alone wasn't enough for cover for me.... the problem i see with pop up blinds is them fluttering in the wind.

I'd like to try decoys this year... What do you guys recommend?  

I'm flying to Texas this spring to go do that again.....but i could have something shipped to my buddies place down there...

[old_goat2]

I set my hen decoy at ten yards facing away from the blind, if using a Jake decoy, it's about the same distance roughly but it's facing towards the blind. I prefer to shoot the old Texas heart shot and in theory this is the best way to get the Tom to give me that shot presentation.

[KSCATTRAPR]

I've used popup blinds, ghillie suits, and have spot and stalked. All are fun and have their time and place. Taking turkeys with a traditional bow without a blind can be difficult but it sure can be done. Nothing hones your hunting skills more than stalking turkeys with a longbow or recurve.

 I made this last year and took my two birds out of it over the course of the season. Its large enough to fit several people and it's tall enough to fit even the longest of bows. Turkeys have no problem walking right up to it.

   

[sveltri]

Kirkll - I've been using the Avian-X decoys for a few years now and have been very pleased with their performance.  You can buy a jake and hen combo pack that will be the last turkey decoy's you'll ever have to buy.  I like to set my jake up facing me at about 8-10 yards.  As soon as the tom's fan covers his head it's time to draw.

[AkDan]

I like my avian x and have used them for a few years but I will admit, the errant shot from a black powder shotgun with a cyl bore will quickly ruin one LOL!

I remember tracking down guys trying to figure out what the David smith dekes were when I first saw one.  They truly are tops if you can use a solid deke.  Being I have to travel to go after birds, solid dekes are out.  

A word on blinds at least from my meager (read cheap) attempts with them in the turkey woods.  In KS and NE where the wind never stops.  I was running a lower end cabelas blind.  it fit my bow well but had some down falls.  The biggest wasn't the fact that it was like looking through a bay window into someone's house during broad daylight.   The bad part was every time the wind would start to move around a little, were not talking tornados here, that blind would move.  Those days when it was 'calm' with just a slight bit of a breeze were the worst.  Those birds would come in close and spook every time the blind flickered.   Frustrating as heck.  That blind is still in Ks! LOL

There's no reason to shoot through the mesh on blinds.  I haven't tried it with the string tracker yet, heck just finding string anymore is about impossible without ordering them.   If the blind is black you'll be fine.

I did shoot one out of the cabelas blind.  I swear that tom was the village idiot.   He wouldn't come to the deke, and never stopped walking, on a mission to get somewhere, my crazy loud calling as my partner put it must have had him in a hormonal trance LOL!  It was blowing to be heck that day.      I've also hunted them out of the DB 360s and really they are the cats meow!  its a shame DB sold off to primos.   The dark horse seems like a good hooch or the newer blind luck model.  I'll be snatching one or two up if they ever go to a 360 window design.

The main issue with windows is finding a window LOW enough.   Keeps your upper limb from smacking the top of the blind....without having to be shooting a 50" bow to use it.  

Since were' talking birds, what ever happened to the asbell seat?  That seemed like a pretty slick idea for bird hunting with a bow.

[Gordon Jabben]

Yes the Avian-X hen decoy if for nothing else, to watch hen turkeys attack it.  Would love to have some of the fights on video.  After much pecking, I had a hen flog the back end of the decoy and send it spinning at warp speed and all the while the hen was trying to flog it again.  I guess you would have had to be there but the funniest thing I have ever seen. She eventually broke the decoys leg.  Sorry, off subject.

[old_goat2]

Kirk I just read your post, I bet with a good decoy set properly that you could get a shot off with a ghillie suit alone. I've pulled off getting shots with just a three sided little blind thing in front of me with an Avian X  decoy. Trick is you have to know the bird is coming in, those silent toms are hard to beat even in a blind sometimes, they catch movement so easy, slightest movement looking around and they will bust you.

[freedomhunter]

Looks like it's more important for me to get a couple decoys over the blind.  I am in FL, I guess I can just use a few palmettos like I do for ducks.  I have spent way to much cash this year to drop 300 + on a blind.  I am looking at reviews and people are really liking these   http://www.basspro.com/RedHead-Foam-Turkey-Decoy-3Pack/product/10210539/  
and they seem really cheap.  They should get me through this year.  Time to try to tag and old Osceola Tom with my bow.