Run and gun bowhunting from your blind
04-15-2008, 11:43 AM
#11
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Indiana (southern)
Posts: 6,146
RE: Run and gun bowhunting from your blind
Nope, i dont believe game over afterthe turkeystravel away from you. I have killed turkeys on multipal occasions after they havetraveled up to 500 yards away.What worked for me was to reset on them after they slowed down and milled around again. here is what i tried, i had there full gobbling attention but they still would not commit. called lightly with them responding, went silent, called agressive, finally let them walk away, sneak right into there last position and get agressive on the calling. They would feel more comfortable comming BACK to a spot they had just been to and i had dead turkeys each time.
04-15-2008, 12:50 PM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Sturgis, SD
Posts: 1,983
RE: Run and gun bowhunting from your blind
First rule of hunting turkeys:
1) There aren't any.
I would say if turkeys it is early, the birds have left the roost, and are going to a spot they will cover the 300 yards on about 15 minutes, WAG, on my part. Usually when they come down and head off they know where they are going and walk pretty much straight there.
If you know where they are going and had no luck off of the roost I would sneak to within binoc distance and watch them to see what they are doing. Likely hens feeding and scratching and Tom's strutting this time of year. Watch them until they start to move off and then close the distance fast as soon as they are out of sight. Just keep dogging them and trying to get closer until you can get out in front of them. This time of year, likely henned up, you best luck calling IMO would be very aggressive and try to get the boss hen irritated and calling back to you. If you can get her talking and then repeat her calls immediately back to her, most of the time she will come looking for you. The whole group will follow if she comes. Once they get close stop calling and a lot of times you'll get a shot at the gobbler. As all of the hens are leaving he will stay and strut for a while.
Until the hens start nesting, unless I get one right off the roost, I kill most of them by spot and stalk or calling in the boss hen. When I run and gun, I leave the blind, just set up by a tree or in some bushes. Most all of the time you can get drawn. Just move slow and in one steady motion draw you bow and be ready for a quick shot. Most of the time they will stand and look at you for a few seconds if you do this. Do anything fast and jerky they will be gone immediately.
You can also watch them for a couple of days. If you don't get into them they are creatures of habit. They will fly into and out of the roost from the same spot and they will usually head to the same area every day. Get between where they are and where they want to be and ambush them. If you do get into them, as others have said, the gig isn't up. As long as they stay on the property they have a pretty short memory. One thing I always do is switch calls if I bust them so I sound different.
1) There aren't any.
I would say if turkeys it is early, the birds have left the roost, and are going to a spot they will cover the 300 yards on about 15 minutes, WAG, on my part. Usually when they come down and head off they know where they are going and walk pretty much straight there.
If you know where they are going and had no luck off of the roost I would sneak to within binoc distance and watch them to see what they are doing. Likely hens feeding and scratching and Tom's strutting this time of year. Watch them until they start to move off and then close the distance fast as soon as they are out of sight. Just keep dogging them and trying to get closer until you can get out in front of them. This time of year, likely henned up, you best luck calling IMO would be very aggressive and try to get the boss hen irritated and calling back to you. If you can get her talking and then repeat her calls immediately back to her, most of the time she will come looking for you. The whole group will follow if she comes. Once they get close stop calling and a lot of times you'll get a shot at the gobbler. As all of the hens are leaving he will stay and strut for a while.
Until the hens start nesting, unless I get one right off the roost, I kill most of them by spot and stalk or calling in the boss hen. When I run and gun, I leave the blind, just set up by a tree or in some bushes. Most all of the time you can get drawn. Just move slow and in one steady motion draw you bow and be ready for a quick shot. Most of the time they will stand and look at you for a few seconds if you do this. Do anything fast and jerky they will be gone immediately.
You can also watch them for a couple of days. If you don't get into them they are creatures of habit. They will fly into and out of the roost from the same spot and they will usually head to the same area every day. Get between where they are and where they want to be and ambush them. If you do get into them, as others have said, the gig isn't up. As long as they stay on the property they have a pretty short memory. One thing I always do is switch calls if I bust them so I sound different.
