Treestand turkey?

[LostArra]

Has anyone taken a turkey from a treestand? I had an "opportunity" last fall but didn't draw my bow because I was more concerned about some deer moving in the area. My hunting buddies say it's tough to draw on one from a tree but I haven't tried. If there was any chance I would prefer a stand to a pop up blind.


I did climb into a treestand well before sun up on morning and a flock was roosting in the same tree. That was exciting!

 

[tgus59]

I missed one from my whitetail stand a couple of years ago. It was a big longbeard about 5 yards from the bottom of my tree, and shot right over his back. Still a very vivid and painful memory.

Drawing on turkeys is always tough, but I think it might be a little bit easier from a tree.

 

[realunlucky]

I'll totally disagree here. I see a bunch of turkeys every year from the stand and they are very good at picking you off even without drawing. Turkeys are prey to many things from above and keep an eye out constantly above them. They seem to rarely pay attention to the blind. I've had them strut only a couple feet away from it before.

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[Tod osier]

Up in a tree might even be a disadvantage, it certainly isn’t better than on the ground.

 

[tgus59]

Could this be a regional question? In Iowa the main predators are coyotes. We have red tail hawks, and owls, but not mountain lions, which would attack from above.

I know my evidence is anecdotal, but I have turkeys get close in my bow stand all the time.

 

[Broomd]

Treestand for turkey is a clear disadvantage. I've been busted with the most benign movement.
I remember spooking a good buck right under my treestand when I lifted my rifle to shoot and an old hen busted me...she was always there at the same time every afternoon and unfortuantely so was my coveted buck that day.
Being able to move to a better spot isn't happening without blowing an entire set.

 

[LostArra]

Sitting in a self-made brush blind I once had a turkey spook when I just THOUGHT about drawing my bow. Of course, I may have blinked.

 

[blackdawg]

I killed one turkey from treestand with bow and strutted all over town with my chest poked out,,one of those rather be lucky than good scenarios because from above is almost impossible according to the expert gobbler chasers in these parts.


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[Dexter Grayson]

I've killed turkeys from a tree stand. But I've been busted way more times than I've killed. It's doable, but you have to have back cover (i.e. Cedar tree) to make it happen. A stand on a bare oak tree ain't gonna happen. Enclosed ground blind is your best bet.

 

[LongWayAround]

My buddy hopped up in a ladder stand one evening when we set up to call. I called the bird in (from the ground) and he proceeded to send two arrows at it, neither touching a feather.

I've killed a couple on the ground with my bow and no blind but it is tough to get drawn.

 

[RedneckRyRy]

It’s doable.

Side note, I’ve also shot geese out of a tree stand...with a shotgun, not a bow. I got tired of waiting for the geese to use the field I had permission to hunt. So I got up in a cottonwood that they always flew past. They came by tree top high....same height as me. It was fun but only did it once. I guess just to say I did.


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[kswhitetail]

Been there, done that. It can be done. It's not near as fun or as flexible as being on the ground. Best of luck!

 

[BrentLaBere]

I have done it before and only being successful one time. Very difficult to draw. I started getting picked off and decided to go a different route. It can be done, just like others have said. But I would look for different options first. Should add that I was using a bow. Using a gun may be easier.

 

[fatlander]

I’ve drawn back on one turkey in a tree stand and busted by a few. I’ve gotten drawn on quite a few off the ground. However I never really like to shoot turkeys in the fall so I don’t try very often from a stand.

The one I did get drawn back on was because he was gobbling like spring time, so I called him in and he came in strutting just like an April morning in October lol.


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[Murdy]

My buddy took one a few years ago. He admits it was more luck than anything. Fairly long shot as I recall.

 

[Rich M]

I've found that the turkeys will either see you immediately or not at all when in a tree. Shot one with a bow from a tree stand - dozen to choose from, took the one that looked up at me when I drew!

 

[NUKE]

Biggest gobbler I’ve ever killed was from a stand. Bow and turkey seasons line up so well that I’ve shot more with a bow the last 10 years than with a shotgun. Have to let them pass and then draw if they’re grazing through. If they’re coming at you, just have to draw earlier than you’d like and hang on.

 

[Sodbuster]

Very doable in the fall.I go to the deer stand early and make a few light clucks at first light to cover the noise that I made in the dark. In my mind it calms the deer down and Turkeys seem to work in circles and may come to me later.My leafy suit lets me get away with a lot of very slow movement for the draw.
They usually catch on about the time I am triggering my release but there is a pause long enough for the arrow to get there.

 

[Desk Jockey]

My AO has a lot of hawks and eagles so they are definitely wary of overhead threats. I have observed them from a tree stand and been busted easily.

I do have a ground blind close to one roosting spot. That flock is nowhere to be seen during the turkey season. Then the rest of deer season they prance around me like a marching band while I sit 10 feet away.

 

[sheajeff]

I have been busted several times trying to draw on some wise Missouri birds, I believe like Desk Jokey said, maybe to many predators from above keep them on edge??