Archery Turkey Masters

[Lowcountry]

Fellow stick and string enthusiasts. Long time rokslide lurker here, first time poster. I chase longbeards on heavily pressured GA public. Tossing around the idea of packing the compound instead of the scattergun this year. To those of you who chase these crazy birds with a bow, would you recommend packing a hub blind around and limiting my range from the truck, or go it without the blind and be considerably more mobile?

 

[Coveyleader]

It will be much more challenging and lighter without the blind and “harder”

Using a blind is pretty much taking away a turkeys main defense, their eyes. But, the blind is heavier and is a pain to set up take down 2 or 3 times in a morning and most people set them up once and sit there and call all morning waiting for the birds to come to them.

I’ve killed quite a few birds with the blind. Set the decoys 10 yds out front and shoot them with the head chopper style heads when they come in.

 

[Lowcountry]

It will be much more challenging and lighter without the blind and “harder”

Using a blind is pretty much taking away a turkeys main defense, their eyes. But, the blind is heavier and is a pain to set up take down 2 or 3 times in a morning and most people set them up once and sit there and call all morning waiting for the birds to come to them.

I’ve killed quite a few birds with the blind. Set the decoys 10 yds out front and shoot them with the head chopper style heads when they come in.

Thanks for the input!

 

[Biggie]

I've only taken 9 with a bow and they've all been from a blind. As much as I want to chase birds around, forcing myself to stay in a blind for several hours has given me opportunities on birds that I normally would have given up on. Patience kills just as many birds as running and gunning, it just takes a bit longer.

 

[Laramie]

For your first time, I would recommend the blind. I have taken a few without a blind and a pile from a blind. Bow hunting without the blind is a PIA but can be really fun and you definitely feel accomplished if you get it done. Just plan on getting busted quite a bit. A good strutting tom decoy can really help distract them. I typically try to draw when they are in full strut facing away so their fan blocks their vision. Good luck!

 

[Anobody]

Go mobile less hassle and fiddle. If anything pack a little stake blind or add a stab mounted blind like hips. Or like I used to do leafy up your upper half and bow and go after them. Nothing more rewarding than killing one with a bow without a blind

 

[Wiscohunter]

I've switched to no blind bow hunting for turkeys a few years ago. I haven't scored yet, but have missed one and had some close opportunities that I blew. A ghillie suit and a decoy helped me get close, but they do pick up your movements quickly in the open. It's certainly a lot more challenging than with a shotgun.

 

[Cant hit em]

Fellow stick and string enthusiasts. Long time rokslide lurker here, first time poster. I chase longbeards on heavily pressured GA public. Tossing around the idea of packing the compound instead of the scattergun this year. To those of you who chase these crazy birds with a bow, would you recommend packing a hub blind around and limiting my range from the truck, or go it without the blind and be considerably more mobile?

Not a master but ......I have a 2 man blind that sets up in :30. It folds up like a windshield sun shade no hub. I put 2 decoys and a fold up stool in my pack and strap the blind to the outside. Very mobile setup.

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[dtrkyman]

If you want to kill a bird a blind of some sort, if you want a challenge and the ability to be more mobile no blind.

I have a chair that turns into a blind hauler(not made anymore) I have carried that blind decoys and bow some ridiculous distances in Nebraska. If you go with a hub blind look for a blind hog to carry it. Or at least a pack frame.

For a more mobile set up get some ghillie material or 3d mesh and set it up to block your draw.

I hunted archery only for about 10 years and have gone back to the scatter gun, turkeys were just made to be shot in the face!

 

[Pezboat]

I’m relatively new to turkey hunting (5th season this year). Didn’t have a clue as to how to do it, so initially, I brought everything. Turned into too much of a hassle. I like to be mobile with my bow, so tearing down a blind and setup just got annoying. I just take a bow and maybe a decoy or 2. Killed a few that way so far. I had more luck being mobile than calling birds into a setup on public land. Before I start calling, I always make sure I have good cover. You call and a bird is 100 yards away, and you have no cover, you’re screwed.

 

[sveltri]

I've taken a few CO/KS birds without the blind with both compound and longbow. It is obviously more challenging, but if you wait to draw when the birds head is covered by his fan you can get drawn. Decoy placement has been key for me. From what I understand your birds are quite a bit more wired than those I've killed. I was also wearing an ASAT leafy suit top when I killed them.

 

[dydetert]

Is there a specific decoy setup that you guys would recommend for being able to draw? If I want to hunt without a blind it seems as though the decoys are a necessity, just need to figure out how many and hen/jake/tom configuration

 

[jmez]

Face decoys toward you. Toms generally approach them from the front.

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[fatlander]

Make your dekes seem real.

Jake/strutter following hens, all heading the same direction. I’ve had gobblers approach dekes from every direction, however I think not having the deke facing where you think he’s going to come from prevents him from hanging up at that magic distance and strutting for an hour.

I’ve had and used pretty much every commercially available decoy. The DSD Jake flat out leads to more dead gobblers.


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[Laramie]

Just like an elk, setup is key. Need to make sure you can draw when they won't see you. I like to set up in relatively heavy cover with the decoys in a smaller opening. Try to draw as they approach. I agree with the above, don't face the decoys the direction you anticipate a bird to come from. I have had my tom decoy attacked from the sides and from the front but never from the rear. I typically face the hens directly at me with the tom quartering towards. You can also place the tom decoy near obstacles like a larger fallen limb so a tom squaring up on him has to face a certain way.

 

[Nick Muche]

There's only one Turkey Bow Master, and he's from Georgia!

 

[Ace12]

I've only taken 9 with a bow and they've all been from a blind. As much as I want to chase birds around, forcing myself to stay in a blind for several hours has given me opportunities on birds that I normally would have given up on. Patience kills just as many birds as running and gunning, it just takes a bit longer.

Amen to this

 

[backcountry_hunter]

When I started bowhunting turkeys, I tried the blind thing a couple of times.... just couldn't do it. It was too painful for someone that spent a couple decades doing the run-n-gun stuff with a shotgun.

A good leafy suit keeps me moving and has allowed me the same opportunity. That said a good friend does the doghouse thing and kills birds every year, with more ease and he's quite a bit more comfortable. It just wasn't for me.

 

[ForrestGuy82]

I was just thinking about making a similar post. I too am interested in trying to hunt a turkey with a compound bow. I don't have many turkeys under my belt (1 in 2019) for the amount of years put in, but I love Archery and want to try it.
As a resident of West Virginia I get to hunt two gobblers in the spring and I have an unused PA license. So my plan is to hunt my first one in WV with a shotgun, same for PA, but if I am blessed to get a turkey in the first couple days with my shotgun I want to break out the bow for the second one.
I am horrible at using mouth calls which would help since I need both hands to draw and it's more motion than moving from a slate or box call to my shotgun. I do have a full leafy suit which I love. I also have access to my brother's pop up blind, but it's rather big and we do have roll up blind material. There's plenty of edge cover that I could use. In West Virginia there is no separate Archery and shotgun season, plus it's legal to use a rifle so the use of a jake or Tom decoy is considered dangerous.
Thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts for the OP. Hopefully I can make it happen and whomever has dreams of thunder chicken stick and string will too.