Bodeen
New Member
Turkeys can be bowkilled without the aid of a blind, but be prepared for some frustration.
Prior to this season, I've taken my bow on about 10 different spring turkey hunts.I spooked alot of birds trying to get a shot.Only once did I bring a gobbler home with me.
With that said,this spring I bowkilled both of my birds without a blind.
Both of them were taken in the same field corner. I had some good ground cover to break up my silhouette.Some hedge trees in front of me to hide my draw as the turkeys passed by. This is basically the same set up I would use if I were hunting with my shotgun.
This year I bowhunted out of neccesity because the area I wanted to hunt is bowhunting only.If not, I'm sure I would have had my gun instead of the bow.
Most everyone I've talked to that uses a blind has success stories.By success, I'm talking about having relaxed birds within range while at full draw.IMO that is the toughest challenge, getting the bow drawn on an unsuspecting bird.
Prior to this season, I've taken my bow on about 10 different spring turkey hunts.I spooked alot of birds trying to get a shot.Only once did I bring a gobbler home with me.
With that said,this spring I bowkilled both of my birds without a blind.
Both of them were taken in the same field corner. I had some good ground cover to break up my silhouette.Some hedge trees in front of me to hide my draw as the turkeys passed by. This is basically the same set up I would use if I were hunting with my shotgun.
This year I bowhunted out of neccesity because the area I wanted to hunt is bowhunting only.If not, I'm sure I would have had my gun instead of the bow.
Most everyone I've talked to that uses a blind has success stories.By success, I'm talking about having relaxed birds within range while at full draw.IMO that is the toughest challenge, getting the bow drawn on an unsuspecting bird.
muddy
Well-Known Member
at first i bow hunted turkeys only with a piece of camo burlap draped between a few electric fence poles. it was pretty much the same as no blind because the damn thing fell apart all the time, flapped in the wind, and generally just made me so damn mad i went to shotgun for a year or so. then i got my salvation in the form of a double bull blind. a person can bowhunt turkeys without a blind but not me, the fact that i can keep dry, move and stretch, and sit there and share the experience with my buddies is much more important in my book.
i think that if youre going to bowhunt without a blind you will have to be very picky and choosey as far as locations you hunt. large trees, brush piles, and natural travel cooridoors wil be a big part of patterning your birds. i say good luck to you!!
i think that if youre going to bowhunt without a blind you will have to be very picky and choosey as far as locations you hunt. large trees, brush piles, and natural travel cooridoors wil be a big part of patterning your birds. i say good luck to you!!
ironwood
Active Member
I bow hunted one year without a bilind and netted a big zero. This year with the aid of a double bull I took two birds in full strut and at ease. Not to mention the confort that the blind brings to the hunt. As Muddy said you can sit with a buddy or family member and simply enjoy the whole experience.
I'm actually still hunting this way...trying to bag my first bird of the year.
It is very frustrating. I actually had a great hunt 2nd season and was able to call in, draw back, and take a shot at a nice tom. I hit him, but he made it to the timber before me and I never found him.
I've been busted on two other occassions trying to draw. I am hunting a very nice field/timber that has produced birds for me every year. If I were gun hunting I can say that I'd probably have 2 very nice toms in the freezer by now. This past Friday morning I had a tom fly down and strut at only 40 yards before being drawn away by a hot hen. On my way back to the pickup I decided I'd probably be getting a combination gun/bow license like I have in the past next spring!!!
I made a promise to myself that I'd stick it out this spring and try to bag a bird without the aid of a blind. I wanted to prove that I could draw back in the open air...which I did...I just don't have a fan on the wall to prove it!
The blind hunting sounds like a great time...other than hauling it out to the timber with me every time and setting it up. Truthfully, the last few times I've been out I've kind of missed shotgunning. Bowhunting turks like this is a different animal than bowhunting deer. In any case, I'll be out there right until the end of the season if I have to trying to bring home the bacon...err...breasts.
It is very frustrating. I actually had a great hunt 2nd season and was able to call in, draw back, and take a shot at a nice tom. I hit him, but he made it to the timber before me and I never found him.
I've been busted on two other occassions trying to draw. I am hunting a very nice field/timber that has produced birds for me every year. If I were gun hunting I can say that I'd probably have 2 very nice toms in the freezer by now. This past Friday morning I had a tom fly down and strut at only 40 yards before being drawn away by a hot hen. On my way back to the pickup I decided I'd probably be getting a combination gun/bow license like I have in the past next spring!!!
I made a promise to myself that I'd stick it out this spring and try to bag a bird without the aid of a blind. I wanted to prove that I could draw back in the open air...which I did...I just don't have a fan on the wall to prove it!
The blind hunting sounds like a great time...other than hauling it out to the timber with me every time and setting it up. Truthfully, the last few times I've been out I've kind of missed shotgunning. Bowhunting turks like this is a different animal than bowhunting deer. In any case, I'll be out there right until the end of the season if I have to trying to bring home the bacon...err...breasts.