Turkey hunting with a bow can be very hard. The challenge is
when the turkey comes into range you have to draw back on the bow
without being seen by the bird. The best way to hide from the
bird is to use a portable blind. A blind is a great way to
hunt with a child or a person new to turkey hunting.
I am hunting in the states of
Massachusetts
and
Connecticut.
Both
states have low harvest numbers compared to many other states.
In the state of
Massachusetts
there are only 2,500 turkeys killed every year.
In
Connecticut
the number is less than 2,000. There are very few killed with
a bow.
Over the years, I have used many methods to attempt to kill a
turkey
with a bow. This year I will
try setting up in one spot where I know turkeys are moving through
and stay there all morining. Using this technique I have seen
more turkey movement than I have ever seen before. I love
cutting and running and have written many articles about how to do
it with a bow.
I like to set up on the edge of a field and sit there.
This is where being comfortable comes into play. If you are
not comfortable you will not be able to sit for long periods of
time. I like to use a chair in my blind.
The key to sitting in one spot instead of cut and running is
that you can sit and call.
I will set my blind just inside of the wood line next to a field.
Then I set up my decoys about 15 yards in front of the blind.
At first light I listen for gobbles and if I hear one I will call to
that bird. If I don't hear any gobbles I will call very
softly using clucks and purrs.
About a half an hour after sun rise I will start calling more
aggressively. My goal is to have birds think that there are
other birds in the field.
Even if a bird doesn’t respond they could still be moving
toward you.
I will start with clucks and purrs. Then if there is no gobble I
will
start cutting. You should start by cutting softly first and
then get louder. I don't want to scare away any turkeys that
are around the corner. Once an hour I will call very loudly. I
will do this for one to two minutes and they won’t call for 15
minutes. You don’t want to call non-stop.
This is not natural and the turkeys know it.
When you get a gobble, you have to tone the calling down a little
bit. When a turkey gobbles I will call one more time. Then I
will stop. I want the bird to think that there is a hen there. I
will call softly about five to ten minutes depending on how far away
the turkey is. You don't want the turkey to think that the hen
ran off. If the bird is coming towards me, I will stop calling and
get myself ready. The hardest part of this technique is not to
call to the bird as it comes in. We all want to know where the
bird is but calling can only slow the turkey down.
In most cases, the best option is to get the chair out of the way
and kneel on the ground. I have the bow in my hand bracing for
the shot. I’m always looking for the bird.
You want to see that bird long before you have to shoot.
Sometimes you will have to call him so he will come that last couple
of yards. You want to be calling very softly. Don’t over
power the bird. When taking the shot, you have to take your
time. A turkey has a very small kill zone compared to other
big game. Take you time to aim and shoot like you would shoot
at any target. Using
this system works well when the turkeys are not gobbling or you
don’t have the best weather for turkey hunting.
Good luck,
Sean
