HuntingNet.com Forums - View Single Post - One week left in the season and need some help
Old 05-25-2020, 01:42 PM
  #11  
CalHunter
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern California
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JW, you're welcome. You do bring a unique skill set and level of experience to the forum. It's a definite asset to all and a particular benefit for the OP.

For the OP (Tyler). You've given us a lot more pieces of the picture so you should end up with more specific advice that is tailored to your specific hunting scenario. I'll throw out a few more thoughts for you to consider but JW will likely be able to fashion a workable tactic or plan for you.

In general, run and gun hunting works way better when you're alone in a large hunting area and there are no other hunters nearby. Trying to sneak up on a Tom when other hunters are nearby is not recommended for obvious safety purposes. Even if you wore hunter orange to do so, you just never know when you're on the other side of a Tom and another hunter is getting ready to shoot at the same Tom and honestly can't see you or is just tunnel focused on the bird. You wouldn't deliberately walk into somebody shotgun shooting impact area and such a scenario presents a lot of the same potential dangers. Not to mention that if you spook a tom (they can spot your movement easily), the other hunter probably isn't going to be too happy with you. So for your situation, I would not recommend run and gunning. YMMV but I like to worry about safety first.

I didn't realize that you are a minor and require a parent to hunt with a gun. That can change the setup slightly. I don't bowhunt (someday maybe) so will defer to those who do. What is your max distance with a bow that you can hit a small target? If it's only 20 yards (as an example), you would want to setup any decoys closer to you than your 20-yard limit. If your dad can't hunt with you everyday due to work and other obligations, you might be looking at mainly bowhunting with only a day here or there with your dad and a shotgun.

You mentioned that you can't shoot out into the main field and that some neighbors usually see turkeys in their yard around 11. Are you able to hunt next to those neighbors yard? Any time you can figure out where turkeys are going to go on a regular basis, you can always set up an ambush. Cover your face and hands with some gloves (turkeys can't recognize camo if you don't have that) and find a comfortable pad to sit on so you can remain still longer. Have your bow and arrow more or less in ready position so all you have to do is lift it and shoot. If there is any brush you can hide behind, so much the better.

You also mentioned that you have a shooting lane in the brush on your side of the field. You said that you see the turkeys around 9 each day and the neighbors around 11 but you haven't tried an all day hunt. That may be what you need to to try. Anyway, this stuff is lots of fun to figure out. I think JW will be able to help you refine your tactics even further. Good luck and let us know how it works out.
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