Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Let's hear them guys. Some seasons have started, others are starting very soon. Let's get a list of tips going to help our fellow bowhunters out.

My tip is simple, for those that don't know and it's not garuanteed but, when it rains, head to the fields because that's what turkeys love to do. Yesterday during work there were turkeys everywhere and yes you guessed it, it rained most of the morning. Here's a short video of several I caught out. There are 3 sections to it.

Click Me for Video.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Rob I got to get me a shot at one of those turkeys!:D

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

If all else fails, PM me to find out how to setup TOOD decoy set;)

Best tip i got is have your decoys facing you. If the Turkeys are quiet, do a little calling to let them know where you are, and then you be quiet:D

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

First year bowhunting them...but I figure many shotgun tactics will work as well.

My tip is don't give up on birds. I dont know how many birds I have busted by giving up on a setup, only to get up to move on and hear the PUTT PUTT.[:@] If you are calling in a bird and he goes silent, sit tight and give him time. I'd have quite a few more birds on the ground if I would have done this sooner.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Hunt with Hunsucker Sorry this is my first year trying turkey hunting with my bow. I don't know jack!

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Hunt where the turkeys want to be. Don't try to make them come to you. They want to be in their comfort zone.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

My neighbor just told me, it's better to know where the turkys want to go than trying to call them in.

Good tip

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Practice, practice, practice. Calling, shooting and shooting. They are so easy to miss!!!lol Just ask me.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Just because you want to put that bird on the ground soooo badly; don't always show it in your calling. You don't always want to come off as begging for it.;)

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

You don't have to be the best caller in the world. Some guys think they hey need to be the best and sound EXACTLY like a turkey, turkeys all sound different and make different sounds. Understand what call your making. Don't call too much!

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

A favorite and proven tactic of mine. Many times i have had birds that would respond very well to calling but just would not commit to coming into the set. After figuring out that its not going to happen, ill let them drift away just enough where i can sneak in and set up where they had just been/hung, andset up and get aggressive with my calling with yelping and cutting, it seem to fire them back up and they feel more comfortable comming to the set because they had just been there. It kinda co insides with Jmbuckhunters tip of being where they want to be. It has worked very well for me but you must be very careful and not get busted when resetting positions.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Back in grade school when you traced your hand at Thanksgiving and made a turkey out of it, did it remind you of a 25lb Butterball with those enoromous fingers of yours?


>>>BAM<<<

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Go to bed Tootsie :D

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

If you have a bird gobbling pretty close and then he shuts up. Don't move and don't call. When he gets tired of looking for you... he'll gobble and chances are he'll come running to your response.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Very, Very good tip above!

Also, if you think you are arriving too early to your spot, I assure you, you are not. Get out of bed, be set up and ready to go when it is STILL dark. Nothin like birds bustin' you when they aren't even out'the tree;)

Another, if you can, get a wing from a turkey and right when you think they are about to get of the roost, let out a few tree yelps, then bang the wing against your leg and the ground and what not, obviously simmulating a fly down.

Another, when you got birds commin' in, scratch at the ground with your hands or feet rustling the leaves and what not. While doing this, let out a few purrs, and if you can shoot straight, you'll prob get that bird;)

If you can, it is always nice to have a caller behind you!

I'll prob add a few more.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

I'm reading some great tips guys.

1. If it rains, head to the fields.
2. Face decoys toward yours, call sparingly, then be silent-Germ.
3. Don't give up on birds, when a bird goes silent, sit tight and give him time-Tembry
4. Hunt with Hunsucker...lol-PABuck HNTR
5. Hunt where the turkeys want to be. Don't try to make them come to you. They want to be in their comfort zone.-jmbuckhunter
6. It's better to know where the turkeys want to go-Germ's neighbor
7. Practice calling and practice shooting-tkycaller
8. Don't be too anxious with your calling, call sparingly-ducsausce
9. You don't have to be an excellent caller, understand what call your making, don't call too much-BowHuntingFool
10. If they don't commit, move on them, reset up and they may come back in to the spot they were just at-bloodcreek
11. bloodcreek has fat fingers-Tuco
12. When one responds close, set up and be quiet, he'll come looking for you, he may sound off and come running-Dubbya
13. Get in early early, use a wing and imitate a fly down, scratch leaves, sound like a turkey, use a caller behind you.-MN/Kyle
14.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

And to go along with tip #6, you can't scout too much.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Keep your decoys close........ 10-13 yards. If they hang up, they should still be in range.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

If hunting with out a blind, try to plan your draw/shot before you start working a bird. Go through as many shot situations as possible before you hit the call.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Unless you are using one of the "headchopper" broadheads, you will find turkeys are often fairly difficult to kill with a body shot. Try using some sort of penetration limiting device - like an adder washer or a Muzzy Grasshopper in between the broadhead and the insert. Getting the head to stay in the bird greatly increases your chances of recovery.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

I think your asking this in the wrong forum, this is the off season forum.:D

Good post!

I don't chase them so no tips here. Just can't justify the cost of getting something I can buy for half the tag cost. I can shoot them when deer hunting, just don't. Habitate around here is limited.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

If you haveto do hand to turkey combat, don't take it lightly. A wounded turkey is a bad mamma jamma.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Thats the truth there! Though it may sound funny, dont take it lightly. If you hunt like me, those spurs will be sharp so dont underestimate them!!:D

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

since this is a great thread, here is one more. When slpipping in on a Gobbling bird on roost, keep in mind that he may be gobbling with his head pointed away making him seem farther away than he really is, take your time when approaching so as not to get busted. I have learned the hard way on this one :eek:

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

To go along with #8 if you've got a gobbler really fired up and gobbing his head off, shut up. He will come to find you. As tempting as it is to hear him gobble if you overcall he'll think the hen is really hot and expect her to come to him.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

It's because we have worked in a power plant for over 20 years and we can't hear squat.you never told anyone on here I had a fro back in 1979 did you????

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Well ... what can I say that hasn't been said already , scout your hunting land early and offten , find out where there roosting.
Look for a water sourch , a dusting area , a struting zone and try to set up an ambush some where in between and call spairinly.
Decoys work well at times but just remember to have the jake decoy facing you at 10 to 15 yards.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Funny I though there would be strong recommendations for the use of a blind???

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

I do use those cover blinds that are about 6 feet long, use 2 of them, in like a "V" shape in front of me.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Oh yea . . . . the ground blind. Neither my buddy or I would have scored last spring without one.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

I like this. IMO....you have to know when to shut up.

Hunting turkeys with a bow is a LOT different than hunting them with a gun. You have COMMITTED to being "passive". I like to call "just" enough to let them know I'm there. IMO....that's about all you can do.

Also.....when it's windy......get out of the woods.

When in the woods......using a decoy isn't always the best idea.

RE: Bowhunting Turkey Tips,
 

Always be prepared for the unexpected.;)If you're the "runnin-n-gunnin" type then you've probably learned that things happen quickly sometimes. If you're moving and calling and you need to take a breath and pause for a second; do so near a tree or some sort of cover. Gobblers love to catch us hunters off guard when we least expect it.

Same goes for deer hunting too.:)