First year hunting gobblers with trad bow. whats a good set up ect. for getting them without a blind. I was thinking of using my blind with my shortest bow[ 58" Grizzly} but I'd rather use no blind and my 64" r/d longbow.
I have found the best way to get into close range on spring turkeys is to go out without a turkey tag, seems like they know. when I do have a tag I have found that I can really waste my time if I don't have heavy cover to work with. Around here it is the cedars, anything less and the turkeys will have you made at about 50 yards. I have a couple of tight clusters of large basswoods that have worked, but usable clusters of three or four large tree trunks are rare to be where you want them. the cedar thickets cover wider ground to work with.
If you could use the terrain it would be TONS of fun to do some stalking...
Otherwise you could set up in a deadfall or other natural cover.
I hunt open hard woods,and have been hunting for 30 plus years and I like a challenge, but without using a blind-natural or man made- It's going to take a lot of ifs' to get er done. Just would like to hear some kind of new break threw, like maybe a gilli suit and an oversized decoy, so when the strutter gets behind the deek you draw and shoot him when he isn't looking HA HA :archer2:
Believe it or not, if you find two trees that are about 2 foot or less apart (enough that you can fit between) it works pretty well. Out in KS we have a lot of plum thickets and I like to make a shooting window and then sit behind the thicket a couple yards. Other than that, like said before, dead fall. I really enjoy making my own blind out of dead fall, I don't know if your against that or not but its an option. Good luck!!
I got within 10' of 20 or so hens last year in Kansas. I was using a rancho safari shaggie.. I even drew on them to see if it was doable. I ended up killing a jake at about 10yds.
going to be a lot of turkey hunters at the stump shoot, i'm sure you can get a few good ideas then!
Tree stand.
The most successful non-blind hunter I've known used a shaggy suit and sat on a stool, with a decoy out front at about 10 yards. He's killed a bunch this way.
I like to set up where there are big trees in front.
I've taken several wily Eastern longbeards using a Rancho Safari "Shaggie" suit while sitting on a folding seat lying in ambush. The best setup has been a "real" mounted jake decoy facing me in full strut in the center of a logging road or along a field edge. I NEVER move until the gobbler faces the decoy and fans my way. That allows me to draw straight back undetected for a quick anchor and release. My point of aim is the anal vent, aka, a "Texas Heart Shot", which is devastating.
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I missed (twice) Sunday by doing what Mr Logsdon does except I tried to shoot him in the neck/head and gave him a haircut instead. It can be done as I have had 3 shots the last 2 years sans blind...however, my shooting stinks at these birds :)
That is an awesome idea with the shaggy suit! :thumbsup: Do you guys wear the same suit for deer hunting as well?
Do not use a tree stand, that is one of the surest ways to get busted. My advice is to set up off a field so you have some brush or trees to cover you when you draw. Turkeys see 360 so they will bust you if they see movement unless they are heavily distracted by a decoy or, as Mr. Logsdon said, are blinded by their fan.
All cool stuff guys, I can see it happening with a guili suit, in a way its really not that different than using a blind. It's a blind in itself.I like the two tree idea snakebit 40, and no I'm deffenatly not against deadfalls, in fact I rather use a natural blind than a man made one.Sometimes hunting tactics are only relative to were you hunt. I'v had situations where I could have shot jakes without a blind,but these two and older birds are a different breed.They more often want the hen to come to them, and they want to see her. they have played the game before and/or are just more cautious.Then again they do make mistakes{ the female gender can do that}