Bow Tactics for Fall/Winter Turkeys
 

I can't seem to connect on a deer with my bow so figured I may try turkeys. What calls do I use as in...yelp, purr, and all that. I think the feeding call is what I should use but how does it sound. I ain't all into fall calling for turkeys. Also, can you hunt em from a treestand or is it better to use a groundblind. And are decoys effective? What time and where do I set up? Are the turkeys vocal or will I just have to find scratches and set up nearby? I just wanna have some kinda hunting action. The deer hunting around here's at an all-time slowness factor.

Peace Through Strength

RE: Bow Tactics for Fall/Winter Turkeys
 

WOW! Fro,Talk about a challenge.In early fall I'd suggest find a flock scatter em and have a friend do the callin.That way the birds concentrate on him and not you.This will give you a chance to draw your bow.In winter,find where they are feedin.Set up some decoys,and call.Yelps will work to let them know there are other birds (your decoys)in the area.When the birds appear switch to purrs,clucks and soft yelps.As for a setup alot of guys stand behind a tree and let the birds walk past em to the dekes this gives you a chance to draw your bow.On the safety side be careful another hunter could be drawn to your callin and decoys.Good Luck

RE: Bow Tactics for Fall/Winter Turkeys
 

I don't know the type of terrain you are hunting,
but I do a lot of hunting in our state forests. In
the fall turkeys are very vocal,in fact in
my experience even more so than the spring, so
locating a flock usually takes little time. Getting
to full draw and getting a arrow released is a
different story! I wear my 3-D leafy suit, including
the mask. I also use face paint around my eyes and
camo tape on my binoculars. I've been within shooting
distance of turkeys several times this fall, but
can't get drawn for one reason or another...usually
because there are too many sets of eyes. Last week,
back in the timber, I had 14 longbeards cross a open
lane 40 yards in front of me. I was on one knee with
my arrow nocked and bow in hand, unable to get drawn.
The gobblers crossed the lane one by one, each one
looking at this stange leafy blob in the lane(me) and
not one of them spooked. They flew up to roost 50 yards
later, so my turkey tag is still unfilled, but is that
ever fun! Unfotunately, I spend all of my time bowhunting
whitetails until my tag is filled, leaving me only a few
trips to hunt turkeys.

I have tried using my DB blind with dekes, but never
seem to have turkeys in the area. At least for me,
bowhunting turkeys in the fall without a blind is
very exciting. I have learned so much just from my
own mistakes...of which I have made many. It is much
different than spring hunting, but sometimes just
scratching the leaves on the ground will bring them
over your way. Good Luck


TB