Phil from Maine

Hi all as most have seen I have done a little scouting and have found groups of turkeys.. They move a lot in this area I am planning on hunting.. There is no farms in this area. So here is the situation I am going to ask about. I have found a location that is on a small knoll with a small stream on one side and a boggy area on the other side. The turkeys walk up and down a dirt road and naturally cross back and forth as well. The situation is a large rock wall with only a few openings. The turkeys have been going in and out all over there. What would be the best place to set the blind up as it would prove difficult not to set it up where a bird or 2 is going to be coming straight at you. Would that scare them off if I am to close to where they tend to travel? Your thoughts are appreciated..

JW

A picture of the area would help me greatly.

I use lots of blinds - simple answer is no use it.
Look how to blend that blind in without brushing it in. Look for a shadowy flat area, keep the sun at your back and set up the blind. You might try just off to one side or another of the main travel route to not to affect the main travel route and a decoy or two might help. I also like to set a blind up against a fir tree. I do have picture examples in the technique sections of several set-ups I have used.

Good luck

JW

Now I have always had rotten luck with a standing erect Jake decoy so I would not use that. 3 hens would be nice. 2 feeding and one erect.....

Phil from Maine

Thanks for the reply JW.. I am now debating on whether or not I should actually use it.. The whole place they travel in and out of.. Last year I saw a tom there ( that I could not get a shot at ) with 12 hens in tow.. I am hoping to try and figure a way to out smart him this year.. The rock wall is made of boulders that is anywhere fron 4 to 6 feet high. This runs for a little better than a mile in this area. With a few openings and the turkeys roam the dirt road out in front of it.. I will try and find a picture of some of that rock wall and post it for you. Setting up behind the wall and I cannot see over it. The other side of the raod is still pretty much open but it drops down several feet where I can not see anything from there.. So it is hard to figure this one out. Trying to use the rock wall is hard because of noisey brush that runs allong it. This will make it hard to find a spot to watch from or even see over the wall. This section also runs east and west. So trying to get out of the sun will be a hard thing to do. I will try and scout the other side of the road better once I get back into there..



I came across this picture here.. I wish I had a picture of how this rock wall runs the entire length of it.. This was one group of turkeys that was in this area last year..

JW

This will work
See the last hen in line - set up the blind against that large boulder. You might need to clear a bit of brush.
Your blind is nothing more than a boulder that fell and is in the way. Keep the back dark to not be silhouetted. A tiny slit in front is all that is needed.
Remember to poke the gun barrel slightly past the fabric of the blind and straight at the bird.
And my decoy (if used) would be where the 1st hen in line is so that the tom has to walk by a bit.
It will work.
JW

nchawkeye

Blinds are made for this situation, frankly turkeys don't pay any attention to them...A blind will help you hunt this area and not spook turkeys as they will pass by and not give you a second look...

Phil from Maine

Thanks for the help I will have to try that.. I want to be able to keep an eye on the road they travel while watching these coming in..

Matchbook454

Blinds do not bother turkeys one bit. I love hunting in blinds here in the midwest, especially hunting fields. Blinds make it easier to sit still (in one spot) and hunt areas that birds may travel through at various times of the day. I love to run and gun when its called for but nothing bothers more than bumping a bird. I've killed plenty of silent birds hunting out of a blind and have never bumped a one! Lol! Anyway, it does take patience. Pretwnd those turkeys are deer and your geound blond is a tree stand. Then call only when you have to. I think you'll like the results. Good luck.

neb

Very good advise. I also use blinds a lot with all hunting even bid game and have very good luck. With turkeys I have never brushed in and I have had killed many birds. I don't wear black either but it hasn't been a problem yet. Good luck!!

HatchieLuvr

I agree, turkeys pay NO attention to popup blinds whatsoever! I can't count how many birds have been killed from my Double-Bull that I've had for well over a decade. Most of the time the blind was out in the wide open, I mean smack out in the middle of a pasture 50-100yds or more from the nearest treeline! Deer will spot blinds ASAP & take awhile to get used to them. Turkeys can't comprehend that that "camo box" sitting there today WASN'T there yesterday.

They aren't conducive to "run & gun" types of hunting but for hunting known strutting/gobbling & feeding zones, the blinds are unbeatable. Add in a comfortable bag chair & the fact that you don't even need camo, plus they are GREAT for hiding kids/1st time hunters who can't sit still, you just can't beat a portable blind for that kind of turkey hunting!

Phil from Maine

Thanks for the replies everyone.. Who knows what they will think of it? Hopefully they will think it is a new opening it the wall and come straight at me.. Now that would be a thought. I did already carry it in and will wait until Monday to set it up.. That will be my first day of the season so it surely is not going to hurt me any..