Folks turkey season is 2 months away here in NY and for many of you its closer yet. I hope to tag my first bird with a bow this spring, ive been trying for years and have had alot of great hunts but none where ive released an arrow. Id like to discuss Tips & Tactics for those who may just be taking up turkey hunting with a bow. And equipment you plan to use on your spring hunt.
I will be toting my 52" 55# Bear Kodiak Magnum with 520gr 29" Cedar arrows and 160gr STOS 2 blade broadhead. Ill be in my faithful "Predator Den" blind blacked out to the max. How bout you guys? :archer2:
I'll be using my 60" Don Dow Stik Bow with 30" CE Heritage 250's, tipped with 3 blade VPA broadheads. For the first time this year, I'll be hunting out of my Hidden Hunter 6x6 blind, and using decoys (Zink Avian-X jake and Primos PHD Hen). Also for the first time, I'll be hunting a full week in NJ, and then the first 3 days of PA season. I have high hopes! Good luck to you, 2Blade!
I'm getting ready to head to Florida in a week and a half to get the Osceola out of the way for my recurve turkey slam. I'll be using my 55# Black Widow PCH II shooting GT 5575's tipped with 125 grn Woodsmans and 100 grn inserts. For NY, I will be using my KB X for at least one bird.
Good Luck!
I'll be heading to nebraska in 3 weeks for turkey.Best tips I can give is focus on getting birds in real close. Keep blind windows closed up as tight as possible and purchase the most realistic decoys you can afford, avian zinc or dave smith decoys.In NY I do best with gentle clucks and purrs once a tom gets close.I use either a 53 lb morrison cheyenne or a 55lb robertson fatal styk and either zwickey 4 blades or simmons tree sharks.PS. had a lot of fun hunting the ithaca area when I was a cornell student.Good luck the first one's the hardest!
I have pretty good Turk hunt'n right around my house. The birds are sparse enough that the mature birds usually dominate areas were the hens are hanging. These are the birds that are two or three years old or older. Tough to hunt by yourself even with the best calling, they want to see that hen come to them. Of coarse there are always exceptions and it depends/varies with the individual bird and circumstances. I have a real good looking decoy that is mounted on a spring. I think this year I will impart some lively movement to the dec. via some fishing line. Iv' already tested the rigging and it looks like it should work good. Decoy is quick to set up which is important for mobility of the hunter. Used with a caller and shooter setup should get some results.
Turkey season opens in 9 days here! I can't go opening weekend but I'll be after them the following week.
I hunt out of ground blinds with netting in the windows. They can't see in and I can get away with a lot more movement.
This year though, I am going to remove the netting and try to shoot one in the neck with a Magnus Bullhead turkey broadhead.
Bisch
Bone Collecter blind , Bear Super mag-45#, 3555 GoldTips w/ 125gr Magnus bullhead(excellant head). I use cheap blow-up decoys and HS calls.
Gonna use my trusty darkhorse blind, maiden voyage of the DSD's... want them real close this year I will be using my 63 inch Osage bendy handle55#off the knuckle with my to Fletch arrows with stone or obsidian points.... I guess you could say I'm going to primitive with modern gear :campfire:
I can't wait for the upcoming turkey season. This year I will be bringing out my 60 inch BBO bow I am almost finished with. It is 50# at 28 inch draw. Seems to shoot real well and I will be starting regular practice sessions next week since it is supposed to be in the 50's.
I have only been successful with a traditional bow in 2011. I had a couple opportunities last year at turkeys with my first BBO bow but being new at the longbow I missed just high.
Couple tips I like is I never set my blind in the middle of a field. I know people say you can but I rather focus the bird right in front of me and set up on field edges with some sort of obstruction behind me. When I hunt I usually run either a three decoy set up or one hen decoy. I have had really good success with a strutting jake decoy with a real fan. I usually will set this only around 5-7 yards from the blind... Really close because if the birds don't come all the way in I figure they will at least be within range for my bow. I don't shoot over 20 yards anyways. I have a Barronet (think thats how you spell it) blind which is 80 inches tall which is plenty of room to move and draw. I have all the windows down in the front of the blind so its around 120 degree view. The window is only open enough to draw and be comfortable at draw.
One extra step I take is I have multiple practice sessions shooting out of my blind the way I will be hunting and with the clothing I will have on.
I missed a nice jake last year because I did not practice with my bow quiver attached to my bow and it threw the limb timing off. So make sure you practice with the very set up you will hunt with.
I like to cover turkey hunting with a bow in the spring with my bowhunter safety class I teach in an attempt to get people to chase the long beards with stick and string. More and more people are taking up the sport I think.
Here are some pictures of my successful hunt...
The setup.. Windows are opened more because I jumped out of them to get the bird. Didn't have to track it because it did one back flip and was done.
(http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x344/bowhntineverythingnh03743/turkeyhunt.jpg)
Money Shot
(http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x344/bowhntineverythingnh03743/turkeyhunt2.jpg)
Better Money shot
(http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x344/bowhntineverythingnh03743/Justin_Laffin_2011.jpg)
Just a picture of the class
(http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x344/bowhntineverythingnh03743/bowclass.jpg)
Well anyways...this is what has worked for me. Good Luck to all who take up the chase this spring!
Justin
Nice work on the bird...GOTTA LOVE IT
Just read every post by Joebuck. You will learn something.
I'll be hunting out of my DB Recurve blind and a homemade portable blind. I'll be using my Horne's longbow and recurve. I'll also use my string tracker just in case. I'm looking forward to it.
I just ordered some Montana deeks; tired of the blowup types not holding air. I will be using one of my HH bows and probably a Big Jim bush in a bag, unless I can find some really dumb ones that will let me get away with Asbell wool. I have some good hunting within 5 minutes of home. It's always fun trying to outwit a bird with a brain the size of a walnut.
April 15th here. Gonna use a DB dark horse blind & hopefully I will have some arrows tuned up for my new KB X. Really looking forward too it.
I'll be using my "YewBet" bow. She's a little 64" Hill style longbow. I hope to have a Hidden Hunter 6X6 blind by opening day so I can take my daughter with me.
Its early, but im already in turkey mode. I like to be mobile so ill be carrying some camo netting and zip ties along with a couple of ole hen decoys. My bow of choice will be a 68 lb 70" HHA made by Ted Kramer during his time there using Hill heads and of course camo, them ole Toms got sharp eyes. Even if I dont get one, what a rush trying!