So, I have hunted turkeys with a shotgun but not a trad bow. What is your preferred method for taking them? Do you guys mostly use a blind and if so which blind holds up best? I am looking for something that will hold 2 people. My friend (not a trad hunter) and myself are wanting to start filming our hunts. I at least got him to agree to use his compound this year to tag a turkey.
I can't see how it's possible to draw on a bird without being seen. I am wanting my shots to be 10 yards or under.
I have seen some pretty impressive videos of guys taking turkeys on the ground without the use of a blind. I use a blind and have taken birds each of the last 4 years. I know a guy that uses a treestand that he hangs about 6' off the ground. He has success so it must work.
which blind are you using?
I use a double bull recurve model. It's big enough for 2 people. I don't use the shoot through mesh very often anymore. If the blind is good and dark colored on the inside, the birds cannot see in. The last turkey I shot was about 6 yards away from the blind confronting my decoy. He never had a clue till the arrow hit him.
Double bull recurve model also. I'm a little more comfortable shooting through the netting but I have taken turkeys both ways. If you're going to film, the double bull blind is probably the way to go.
I have a few Barronett Big Mike Blinds,with the snake eyes windows in the corners. I love those things as they are cheap in the wallet department...half of what DB is.
I also hunt those crazy birds without a blind in my ghilli. Getting drawn is not easy but not impossible. I use really good dekes (Avian X). I will not draw on a bird until he is all up in the dekes either whooping one or lovin' one.
Turkey hunting is addictive with a bow...you're gonna love it!
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/imagejpg2-5.jpg) (http://s147.photobucket.com/user/wapiti792/media/imagejpg2-5.jpg.html)
I use Primos Club XXLs. I set up the decoys in front of the blind so I have a submissive female dominated by a Jake or 3/4 size gobbler; plus a disinterested feeding hen off to the side. I always face the decoys away from the most likely direction of the birds to encourage broadside shots. Gobblers have never spotted me drawing in the blind, and I do not shoot through the screen.
I have had good luck with a hybrid ghillie/leaf suit, but definitely earn my money drawing my bow without being detected. I always carry a submissive hen and a dominant Jake decoys when still hunting. Like Wapiti792 above, I hold my draw and shot until the fight and/or passion commences. Brian
Wapiti792 Mike makes it look easy. I use a Barronett Big Mike too. Good price and lots of room. I think a blind is the only way to do it if you're filming.
Good Luck
I have Double Bull Blinds. Two that I have had for 8 yeas. They work and they last. That being said just about any blind that you can shoot out of will work for turkeys. They seem oblivious to the blind.
QuoteOriginally posted by tracker12:
I have Double Bull Blinds. Two that I have had for 8 yeas. They work and they last. That being said just about any blind that you can shoot out of will work for turkeys. They seem oblivious to the blind.
sorry for the double post
I like a blind with the netting in the windows, and I like to get the birds under 10yds for the shot. I also will not turkey hunt without the String Tracker. That little device has really upped my recovery percentage.
Bisch
I tried for the last three years to harvest a Tom with primitive equipment. I have had great luck putting my back to the bird, with my decoys 10 to 15 yards in front of me. I try to use some type of moving decoy and hope they walk past me and concentrate on the action. I wear a ghillie suit.. I also have a two arrow quiver on my self-bow. In one of the slots I put an arrow that I made with added limbs and leaves on it to break up my silhouette. I haven't connected, but have video of five different Toms I've missed. (one three times!!) Funny....I can kill every 3D target in my back yard sitting down, but I swear they Duck--Dodge---Juke my self nocked arrows. "Must be the bow!" I've killed 4 with a recurve, and several more when I used a bow with training-wheels, using the same set up. Good Luck...its definitely a rush!
That was the most fun i've had hunting in years trying to get to anchor without those birds busting me... I was using a ghillie suit and serious face paint, and those dad burn things busted me drawing every time....
I'm going to build some brush blinds and use the ghillie suit again. the ghillie suit alone wasn't enough for cover for me.... the problem i see with pop up blinds is them fluttering in the wind.
I'd like to try decoys this year... What do you guys recommend?
I'm flying to Texas this spring to go do that again.....but i could have something shipped to my buddies place down there...
I set my hen decoy at ten yards facing away from the blind, if using a Jake decoy, it's about the same distance roughly but it's facing towards the blind. I prefer to shoot the old Texas heart shot and in theory this is the best way to get the Tom to give me that shot presentation.
I've used popup blinds, ghillie suits, and have spot and stalked. All are fun and have their time and place. Taking turkeys with a traditional bow without a blind can be difficult but it sure can be done. Nothing hones your hunting skills more than stalking turkeys with a longbow or recurve.
I made this last year and took my two birds out of it over the course of the season. Its large enough to fit several people and it's tall enough to fit even the longest of bows. Turkeys have no problem walking right up to it.
(http://i.imgur.com/Z4eRD4W.jpg)
Kirkll - I've been using the Avian-X decoys for a few years now and have been very pleased with their performance. You can buy a jake and hen combo pack that will be the last turkey decoy's you'll ever have to buy. I like to set my jake up facing me at about 8-10 yards. As soon as the tom's fan covers his head it's time to draw.
I like my avian x and have used them for a few years but I will admit, the errant shot from a black powder shotgun with a cyl bore will quickly ruin one LOL!
I remember tracking down guys trying to figure out what the David smith dekes were when I first saw one. They truly are tops if you can use a solid deke. Being I have to travel to go after birds, solid dekes are out.
A word on blinds at least from my meager (read cheap) attempts with them in the turkey woods. In KS and NE where the wind never stops. I was running a lower end cabelas blind. it fit my bow well but had some down falls. The biggest wasn't the fact that it was like looking through a bay window into someone's house during broad daylight. The bad part was every time the wind would start to move around a little, were not talking tornados here, that blind would move. Those days when it was 'calm' with just a slight bit of a breeze were the worst. Those birds would come in close and spook every time the blind flickered. Frustrating as heck. That blind is still in Ks! LOL
There's no reason to shoot through the mesh on blinds. I haven't tried it with the string tracker yet, heck just finding string anymore is about impossible without ordering them. If the blind is black you'll be fine.
I did shoot one out of the cabelas blind. I swear that tom was the village idiot. He wouldn't come to the deke, and never stopped walking, on a mission to get somewhere, my crazy loud calling as my partner put it must have had him in a hormonal trance LOL! It was blowing to be heck that day. I've also hunted them out of the DB 360s and really they are the cats meow! its a shame DB sold off to primos. The dark horse seems like a good hooch or the newer blind luck model. I'll be snatching one or two up if they ever go to a 360 window design.
The main issue with windows is finding a window LOW enough. Keeps your upper limb from smacking the top of the blind....without having to be shooting a 50" bow to use it.
Since were' talking birds, what ever happened to the asbell seat? That seemed like a pretty slick idea for bird hunting with a bow.
Yes the Avian-X hen decoy if for nothing else, to watch hen turkeys attack it. Would love to have some of the fights on video. After much pecking, I had a hen flog the back end of the decoy and send it spinning at warp speed and all the while the hen was trying to flog it again. I guess you would have had to be there but the funniest thing I have ever seen. She eventually broke the decoys leg. Sorry, off subject.
Kirk I just read your post, I bet with a good decoy set properly that you could get a shot off with a ghillie suit alone. I've pulled off getting shots with just a three sided little blind thing in front of me with an Avian X decoy. Trick is you have to know the bird is coming in, those silent toms are hard to beat even in a blind sometimes, they catch movement so easy, slightest movement looking around and they will bust you.
Looks like it's more important for me to get a couple decoys over the blind. I am in FL, I guess I can just use a few palmettos like I do for ducks. I have spent way to much cash this year to drop 300 + on a blind. I am looking at reviews and people are really liking these http://www.basspro.com/RedHead-Foam-Turkey-Decoy-3Pack/product/10210539/
and they seem really cheap. They should get me through this year. Time to try to tag and old Osceola Tom with my bow.
Here is my set up, shot three birds out of it last year. Two
In Nebraska where this pic was taken and one in Texas. I shoot through the screen, if you think just because you have it blacked out inside they can't see you, you haven't hunted long enough. The sun changes positions all day long, may be really shaded in the morning but try a late morning or evening hunt and you could be lit up like a Christmas tree.
Even with screen up I still wear a face mask and gloves. I've hunted these birds for over thirty years and have been busted every way possible, I don't leave anything to chance.
Decoys, DSD makes the best hands down the most anatomically correct they are. The Avian X decoys look great but are round in the body, now does it make a difference to to a POed Tom, no. He hates anything that closely resembles a
Jake around a hen and will flog the H--l out of it to you shoot him or he finally gets tired. I use a Jake and hen set up just like the pic, sometimes two hens, but always with a Jake.
Every mature Tom and a lot of Jakes will come to challenge a single Jake, not any Jakes and a lot of grown birds will challenge a Full Strutter.
Now why do set up the decoys like I do. The Jake faces me
Because a Tom will most of the time come up displaying and Strutting around to face his opponent, leaving you with a shot
Straight up the spine, but most importantly, his head is facing
Away when you draw. The Hen faces away, why, for the same reason. The Business End of the hen causes the Tom to again
Turn his back to you. I put the hen at 10 yds. And the Jake at
8 yds., now I can still miss from that distance, but it's a lot harder even for me.
RW
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Some great info....KY :archer:
Broke down and got myself a couple of avian x. Man are these things realistic! Hope it makes a difference this year. They ain't cheap, but they look great.
QuoteOriginally posted by old_goat2:
Kirk I just read your post, I bet with a good decoy set properly that you could get a shot off with a ghillie suit alone. I've pulled off getting shots with just a three sided little blind thing in front of me with an Avian X decoy. Trick is you have to know the bird is coming in, those silent toms are hard to beat even in a blind sometimes, they catch movement so easy, slightest movement looking around and they will bust you.
All this talk of turkey hunting is definitely getting my juices flowing..... I know it may sound silly but i had as much fun trying to get a shot at these wiley turkeys as i did bugling elk in. Does that sound crazy or what?
After all the times i got busted in my 3 day hunt last year, i'm definitely going to at least build a decent brush blind or two. I'm also going to camouflage bloody everything including my arrow fletching...
Double Bull doesn't make the "recurve" model any more. It was several inches taller so you could shoot longer bows.
Double Bull Blind, 2 shooters, two chairs, 2 longbows, all fit inside the blind. Sometimes one shooter will do filming instead. "Run and Bow"...set up many times at Dawn while pinpointing gobbling activity. I like to have the mobility of moving with the equipment as the morning dictates. This of course, is usually on private ground where there are no gun hunters in the field. 2-3 decoy sets within 15 yards of the blind. Black Ninja gear, blacked interior of the blind. No shoot thru mesh. None needed.
Barronett Big Mike and AvianX decs. Shot a longbeard off of my jake decoy at 6yds. last spring. Think Primos makes a blind called The Club XXL I believe and it is pretty tall.
I use Primos Club XXLs. They measure 78 inches to the center of the ceiling, 58 inches by 58 inches wide, and 72 inches hub to hub. We hunt two bowhunters in chairs per blind all the time with no issues. Brian
I had a different year last year for spring turkeys. I use a Bush in a Bag and either my Huntmor or a Strap on Grizzly seat, two old foam hen decoys and a Primos jake. My one foam hen has been shot a few times by the kids, it is taped and looks like a crippled alien turkey. I called in two jakes one morning, my crippled half collapsed foam hen got jumped on. I could not see a beard on the jake so I did not shoot. Later I had a big tom came with in a few feet behind me, I did not know it was there until he chirped a little. I did not get a shot at it. I got my turkey while I was scouting a different place. No decoys or Bush in a Bag, just my spike seat. I took a break, sat down, took a drink of tea, did a loud call series and here he came on a dead run, saw me veered off, stopped just for a second and caught my arrow. Just a barely legal jake, but good enough.
The Primos Club XXL is a great blind, but it's not wide enough if you have a really long draw.
At full draw, with my drawing elbow against the wall, 6" of my arrow would be poking out the window. If you don't have a 31.5" draw, you'll be fine.
I use my DB recurve or an older Primos Ground Max. I'm dry if it's raining, able to move a bit more, and can enjoy a thermos of coffee.
I should add, I'm not a big time turkey hunter. I wish I were but most of my hunting areas do not have turkeys so I must travel a lot to hunt them. Decoys make all the difference in getting them in close. Year after year I would easily get turkeys in shotgun range, only to have them hang up 30 yards out. Joebuck told me to buy a Dave Smith decoy and the results were instantaneous. MAJOR difference. However having said that Brooks Johnson has a decoy that works equally well and is much cheaper than the Dave Smith brand. It's calls BEST turkey decoy. My friend bought one last year and had excellent results with it.
How long does it take to set these blinds up? I am hunting public land so leaving them sit out is just not going to happen
Once the blind is out of the bag, you can have a five hub blind up in less than 2 minutes once you get some practice with the blind. The first set-up and take down can be interesting. Lesson learned, don't try to set it up for the first time, in the dark, on a hunt. Brian
Jonis I have a good comparison from Brooks Best and Daves DSD jake. no comparison!
You know I've busted a pile of birds over the years, almost all with pellets.
That said we've learned a thing or two about dekes. They do at times work. And when they work they can work extremely well. Take the Jake deke of your favorite manufacturer. We've had toms hang up, toms come in no care in the world whats around them ready for war, and birds flat out FLY...I mean 2 steps clear the tree tops fly.
So dekes unto themselves are not always proven. In areas of the states, Mn, WI, Ne Mo, Ks, we've had great luck with dekes 50% of the time. It makes them worth carrying.
But the one tip I can give a guy, is this.
Early on, the jake has the potential to work well. Consider it the pre rut if you will, birds still vying for dominance. As the rut goes on, a single hen, and I mean just that, not a looker, not a strutter, no jakes, just a single feeding or content hen has killed us more birds than any combination from east to Midwest.
We've personally witness guys killing birds with just a fan. It does work with the right bird in the right place. But again I've watched birds clear the tree tops scared at the sight of a deke, both jake AND hens! be warned they are not a cure all!
I've heard that about decoys being a real love hate thing... But for the times it works it may give a guy a better chance of a good texas heart shot, and getting to full draw without getting busted.
I had several times where i had almost got to anchor, to be busted by a different bird i didn't see. When you got all those eyes, its tough to do in just a ghillie suit..... most fun i've had in years though. :thumbsup:
Tall Paul, Sky-Dogg what is the window configuration like in the Club XXL? And also do the windows use magnet closers, zippers or hook loops to open and close? Looks like I will be losing my Barronett to my grandson and I was interested in the Club XXL.
Longbow58,
The windows use elastic cords and s hooks to open close--quiet means. The windows are all triangular in shape and use Velcro to hold the screens in the windows. This works well for me as I normally pul back corners of the triangular window screening to create "firing ports" for my arrows. Go to Primos.com for more info. List price is $269.95. That said, I've bought three of the Club XXLs and never paid more than $150 for one. Primos provides all needed screen and hub repair parts for only the cost of shipping for the life of the ground blind. Good Luck, Brian
Thanks Brian, one more question. How is the blind material for noise and water repellant. Double bull used to have nice quiet fabric that kept you pretty dry too. Wish places like Cabela's and some of these other stores carried these models for us to look at but when I call they always say they can order one. Nice to at least talk to some hunters that have them.
I never used an XXL for turkey but I bought one for Antelope and returned it right after the unsuccessful hunt. The wind blowing makes the widows vibrate and the sound kept scaring off the antelopes. It's a train like sound.
Mine are pretty waterproof. The material and windows are quiet on all 3 of mine. I have sat through some pretty good wind and storms in them with no issues whatsoever. Brian