Going to try a Ghillie suit for chasing turkeys in the mountains here this year. For those that hunt turkeys without a blind, do you camouflage your bow as well? I'm sure movement is the biggest issue, but was interested if guys "Ghillie" camo your bow as well. Thanks for any tips
Jay
I've ghillied with a smoke pole, but not a bow. Have sat in maskeshift/stick blinds with a bow. Didn't do anything to camo it. Black glass limbs. Did make sure my arrow crown and fletching colors were muted/dark.
Ive shot them with ghillie on using bow but you cannot move unless their tail or a tree is blocking their view,,, think of it as the same as it being a wise old doe,,,, once they think they saw something your either busted,,,,,, or that tom is so fired up over the decoy he doesn't care,,,, one tom my first with a bow let me get 3 arrows at him, but i learned about decoy placement..
Now i set my decoys up no more than 8-10yds behind a big tree and looking at it,, with me around 5yds directly behind it...
Another trick if i know where they roost is i put 2 or 3 decoys right in middle of a logging rd or ( cranberry bog rd)
I then go down the edge of rd towards where they are roosted and i set up at edge where its thick and i can use pruners to trim a little space to tick in and be able to move,,, its a standard ambush point.
I only turkey call to get their attention once he sees the decoys doing their breeze dance he should come tromping down rd. maybe a cluck from a mouth reed if he is running to stop him for the broadside or 1/4ing shot,, if my cover is perfect i have shot at them hunting this way on cranberry bogs.
I wrap my limbs and riser with that camo ace bandage type wrap,,, use scissors to cut the edge of the wrap material so when you wrap it around bow the cut pieces pop away like leafy camo.
I've taken birds with a ghillie, and also camo the bow a bit. I have ghillie material hanging off a piece of elastic that wraps around my quiver hood. This also helps to hide my draw arm a bit when pulling the string to anchor. My ghillie is homemade with no material on my bow arm to avoid string slapping loose material.
Agree with previous posts: You've got to have something between you and the bird, and covering as much of you as possible. Agree with staying away from unnatural feather colors. I use 3 white, but my quivered arrows should be hidden from them. Toms communicate with the color of their noggin, so a quiver full of red feathers-- no bueno.
To say it's a challenge with a stickbow and no blind is a massive understatement! Good luck!