Bow-bagging a spring gobbler is easier said than done, but these six tips will substantially increase your odds.
The conditions were bone-chilling as I trudged through the freezing drizzle to my pre-set ground blind. Everything was layered with ice. It felt nothing like spring turkey season; regardless, I was determined to see it through.
As dawn peered through the dim, foggy forest, a few gobbles behind my blind confirmed that two toms — they had skirted my setup the previous evening — were roosted exactly where I thought. After making a few tree yelps, it became obvious that the birds weren’t fired up. So, I hunkered deeper into my parka and waited in silence as the rain droplets on my blind roof made me thankful for the shelter.
Occasionally, I watched behind the blind in the direction of the gobblers while my two hen decoys were on the logging road out the front. Soon, I spotted a dark bowling ball on stilts curiously approaching through the timber. It was a tom, and he was heading towards the logging road where he would see my decoys.
When he reached the logging road, I prepared my bow for action. He didn’t strut or gobble, but he walked right into my oval blind window and stopped 10 yards away next to the decoys. Already at full draw, I aimed and drove an arrow into the bird's vitals. He turned and bolted down the logging road. Seconds later, rapid wing beats confirmed perfect arrow placement; I got my bird. It was the worst turkey hunting day until it wasn’t.
In the last 23 turkey seasons, during which I’ve arrowed dozens of gobblers, I’ve learned that some toms come easily, and some require a lot of patience. If taking a turkey with your bow is your goal this spring, you might have to get creative. Here are six ways to do that.
HUNT BEFORE WORK
Contrary to popular belief, outdoor writers don’t hunt all day, every day. I must work at least 40 hours weekly (often more) to maintain my workload. Thus, I frequently do short morning hunts, then come home to begin work. Work is more important than turkeys, especially if coming in late will get you into trouble or fired. But, if you can feasibly squeeze in 1-2 hours before work, you’ll increase your odds as compared to being a weekend warrior. Hunt the weekends, too, but those quick morning hunts allow you to be in the woods more and learn the birds’ habits. If you give yourself only two mornings on Saturday and Sunday, you’re far less likely to be in the action and succeed.
LEAVE THE BLIND BEHIND
Ground blinds are great, and I still hunt from them quite often. However, hunting without one for the first time in 2011 revealed that I had previously wasted countless hours sitting in spots that looked good but wouldn’t produce. By ditching the blind and being mobile, I hunt fewer hours to kill more birds. Getting close to a gobbler before setting up and calling substantially increases your odds of enticing him with calls and decoys, and hunting blind-less maximizes your mobility.
While you can potentially be successful without decoys, a bird will be more attentive to danger when he comes in but cannot see any turkeys. It is extremely difficult to get him within 15 yards and reach full draw. I always use decoys, and I rarely hunt without a jake because I find that a jake decoy puts aggressive gobblers into a frenzied state of mind; they are less aware of their surroundings. Be sure to draw either when the bird passes behind a tree or other obstacle, while he’s ambushing your decoy, or while his fan is blocking his eyes.
LEAVE BIRDS TO FIND BIRDS
This sounds risky, but I’ve hunted enough different finicky gobblers to know that some are nearly impossible to kill. They might gobble and strut 100 yards away but not come in, or they might tuck tail and run the second they see your ground blind. Whatever the case, if you’ve hunted turkeys long enough, you’ve probably encountered a tom or two like this.
While staying on the same bird(s) can eventually pay off, sometimes it’s best to find a more receptive tom. This might entail knocking on some doors or jumping between multiple public land parcels. There’s always some fear of failure when striking off into uncharted territory, but it has yielded plenty of gobblers for me.
HUNT THEM LIKE DEER
Calls and decoys are awesome, but when you encounter a call- or decoy-shy gobbler, consider an ambush. This will entail a high level of scouting. I suggest using trail cameras (where legal), glassing, listening for gobbles a few hundred yards from potential roosting sites, and scouting the timber for disrupted leaves or fields for tracks and droppings.
Try to identify specific areas where turkeys appear to be spending time daily. Then, park a ground blind there and wait. Setting up right where turkeys are going to be without calling or decoying is a solid bet when conventional tactics aren’t producing.
CRUMMY WEATHER? GO ANYWAY!
As my opening story depicts, miserable conditions can make for miserable hunting. But, with limited time, you have to be out there to succeed. I’ve killed many turkeys in crummy weather, proving that filling a tag requires perseverance. A good ground blind can keep you comfortable amidst wind, rain, snow, or sleet. Hunting in these conditions isn’t as fun as it is in classic spring weather, but success is always possible. Crummy weather? Don’t hit the snooze button. Get up and go!
HUNT EVENINGS (WHERE LEGAL)
Turkeys are generally more fired up in the morning than late in the day. However, they are highly susceptible to well-placed setups in the evenings as they stage before roosting. This topic is somewhat controversial, and in some states, hunting in the afternoon and/or evening is illegal. But, in states such as South Dakota that allow afternoon/evening hunting, it can be highly effective. If you can scout from afar one evening, use optics and watch where the turkeys stage before roosting. That is usually a good spot to hunt the following evening.
GET CREATIVE, GET YOUR GOBBLER
Conventional call-and-decoy hunting from a ground blind makes for a thrilling hunt, but some gobblers don’t fall for it. If one or more toms have given you the slip, it’s time to get more creative using these six tactics. It could be your ticket to bow-killing a spring turkey.
By Darron McDougal - Mathews Archery
