Lets get one thing straight here. Calling tactics dont change based on weapon, calling tactics change based on hunting style. Half the "vets" i know around here are THE most passive gun hunters ever, pick a tree and wait till lunch. The other half dont just enjoy killing turkeys, they enjoy calling them in, aggressively. Both are effective methods.

Also the effective range is a wash. Nearly everyone CAN shoot a turkey at 30-40 yards with his bow. Id be willing to say that 80% of gun hunters keep their range 45 yards and in, if not more of them. So again, if someone is hunting from a blind, weapon has ABSOLUTELY no merit in the conversation.

And before youcall my experience in to question Jeff, I have only hunted turkey for 7 years now. Started back in 2001, and called in and killed a jake on my own on my very first hunt, pops was there just watchin. Since then I have taken one fall hen(Thanksgiving Turkey), 4 jakes, and two Toms. All shotgun, never had the interest in Bow hunting them until this spring. My farthest shot was 40 yards, which I could repeat with a bow, soI fail to see the difference.

Im a little of both, different situations call for different tactics. If i have a nearby bird thats HOT Ill be more passive and call less and let it play out. If i feel the birds are fading ill get a little more agressive. Sometimes mimiking a hen with agressive calls will bring her in, and hope that paintbrush is not far behind. for the most, im somewhat passive.

I am aggresive caller. The last 3 bird I shot were 24.2 lb double beard (9.5,4.5) 1" hooks. 2 year ago an adult tom but a smaller one I think around 50 NWTF score. 3 year ago 25+ lb 11" and over 1" hooks. You can call agresive and be succesfull. BTW no blind.

I'm agressive until the TOM is commited to my set up. Many times I have had them on an all out run to get there. I agree some guys should be very passive with their calling. I get to laughing so hard sometimes when I hear new to calling hunters from their blinds. The calls resemble a turkey getting a hot poker shoved up is rear. It's like a middle eastern guy talking English, you know what he is saying but you can tell he's not from around here. Same goes with calling turkeys. The better you get at speaking their languageincreases the attention you will get from your Tom.

As you turkey hunt more and more, you will quickly learn that having a decoy, and moving it ten yards closer, is rarely if ever a problem solver. Infact quite often, a decoy is more prone to make a smart bird hang up... or heck.. I've seen them come out at thirty yards... run to sixty yards.... and then go in to full strutt.... expecting the hen to come to them.... Honestly, I've done better putting the decoys further away from me and trying to orient myself between the gobbler and the decoys....imagine a bird coming in from the left... I'll put the decoys thirty to forty yards to my right and if he stops at 60..... then he is really only at 20.... hopefully you see where I'm coming from. And even then, were I so inclined (and i used to be) with a shotgun if he stopped at 60 and put his head up... it would be lights out. The first Rio I ever killed I rolled deader than innocence.. I've never seen a bird really not flap at all... I ranged him (laser) at 56 yards. That was the spring of 2003.

Andy - I canglean from your poststhat you're a pretty good turkey hunter. So can we all at least agree that a skilled caller - a guy with a lot of experience in the spring woods - is much more likely to be successful if he hunts "aggressively?" (as compared to a novice, who may be not quite hitting the right notes or giving a bird what he wants to hear all the time?)

I think when we talk about "aggressive" callers - we're all picturing some hack who just bought a boxcall at Gander Mountain the night before - and he's wearing the damn boatpaddleout in one day.Compare that toan experiencedturkey hunter, whocan be equally effective sitting tight or slinking around and being a little more sassy with the calls (because he's got the skills to do it). It boils down to what the hunter prefers - some guys are content to wait. Others want to cover more ground.

I can say this: If you're not a great caller - you're always better off sitting still and keeping the calling to a minimum.

That said - anyone with half a brain and a few vacation days can kill a big tom without ever puttinga call in their mouth or pegging theglass. It's just as simple as waiting one out. But that requires patience that most people don't have. It's not rocket science, really.

Bowhunting turkeys for 30 years. Thatwould beimpressive !! 10 years ago you rarely heard of anyone bowhunting turkeys. Seems like it's reallypicked up in the last 5 years. Has the guy bowhunted all 30 years ??