Turkey Hunting Blinds
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Highlights:
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- Set up Dimensions are 48" x 45" x 34"
- Light weight, easy to move
- Easy open peep hole in top and back
- Comfortable one man seat
- RealTree Camo
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The Ultimate Turkey Hunting Seat
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Designed for total comfort when hunting from the ground, our ULTIMATE SEAT is constructed with 1" light weight aluminum, and weighs in at just under 4 lbs. Its 6" legs fold in or out independently to allow you to accommodate to varying terrains and hill sides. The cushion for the ULTIMATE SEAT is our amazing SEATMATE which is velcroed to the frame for use either with or without the frame. We guarantee you'll be glad you bought one. $59.95 ea. |
Turkey Hunting Tips
Turkey Hunting can be an exciting and memorable experience, but it has associated dangers that the hunter must keep in mind. The wild turkey has a keen sense of sight and can easily detect movement and colors that are out of place in the woods, making the use of complete camouflage or drab colored clothing almost a must. Camouflage not only reduces the turkey's chance of seeing the hunter, but also has the same effect on other hunters. Each year hunters somewhere in the U.S. are mistaken for turkey's and are shot. Several factors are responsible for these accidents. Hunters sneaking up on other hunters (stalking) who are calling and hunters who are wearing turkey colors (red, white, blue, and even black.) are involved in a high percentage of the accidents.
Three solutions to these problems are:
DON'T STALK, CALL THE TURKEY TO YOU
DON'T WEAR THE COLORS RED, WHITE, BLUE, OR BLACK ON ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE EXPOSED DURING YOUR HUNT
DON'T HIDE WHERE YOUR VIEW IS OBSTRUCTED
Being completely sure of your target and what is beyond it before you shoot will reduce the number of hunting accidents and the number of hens that are mistakenly killed during the spring season. Peer pressure and the underlying human desire to succeed sometimes contribute to hunting accidents. If you or your hunting companions feel you must be successful to prove some point, it is best you stay out of the woods. The true sportsman knows that HUNTING IS NOT A COMPETITIVE SPORT. Remember to 'HUNT DEFENSIVELY' and follow these suggested tips.
LOCATING TURKEYS
Pre-season scouting is important. By walking ridge tops and driving back roads in areas populated by turkeys, and then stopping to give an occasional hen a call, owl hoot or gobble, plus doing a lot of listening, you should be able to locate some gobblers. Give yourself and other hunters a "break" by not calling in or "working" birds prior to the open season. While in the woods, look for turkey signs such as scratching in leaves, droppings, tracks or even feathers. Once one or more gobblers are located, it is best if you can determine their roosting areas. The most productive times to be afield listening for gobblers are early morning just prior to sunrise and again just before sunset. The gobbler is generally the most vocal at these times as he lets local hens know where he is.
State Forests and Wildlife Management areas are often favored turkey hunting areas, but privately owned lands provide much of the turkey hunting opportunities in Massachusetts. Even when private land isn't posted, ask landowner permission. Farmers and other landowners will generally cooperate with sportsmen who treat them fairly.
SPRING SEASON
Many hunters try to "roost" a gobbler the night before they will hunt him. The next morning try to get within 100 - 150 yards (depending on cover and terrain) of the gobbler before it gets light enough that he will be gobbling. Try to get uphill of or at least on the same level as the gobbler. POSITIONING-Select a calling position where you can place your back against a tree or other natural obstacle that is large enough to break up your human outline, while protecting your back from unsafe and unethical hunters who may try to sneak in on you and shoot the turkey you are calling. Be sure that you have good visibility so that you see incoming turkeys and other hunters approaching your calling position. DON'T STALK the gobbler-call it to you.. Stalking is seldom successful and does lead to hunting accidents. Respect the other hunter-don't "cut in" on areas where other hunters are working birds, or get between another hunter and a bird.
CALLING
Several soft tree yelps or clucks are generally enough while the gobbler is still on roost; just enough to let him know a hen is nearby. If he gobbles right back, resist the urge to do more calling. In nature, the gobbler attracts the hens to him through his gobbling and courtship displays. If you call to frequently while he is still on roost, he may stay in the tree longer than normal and continue to gobble. This may attract real hens or other hunters, either of which could ruin your chances of success. If another hunter does approach your position, REMAIN STILL and call out to him in a loud voice. DO NOT WAVE OR SOUND YOUR TURKEY CALL to get another hunter's attention.
Once the turkey flies down from his roost you can again start calling, but remember that calling to loudly or too frequently can cause the gobbler to become suspicious and "hang up." He may continue to gobble and display from the same spot and come no closer. To avoid this, call just enough to keep him coming. Muffle your calls so as to give the impression that the hen is moving away. If the gobbler goes silent, you never know for sure if he left or if he is coming in silently looking for that stubborn hen that wouldn't come to him. The gobbler can appear from any direction. This is one of the most nerve-racking and exciting times of a turkey hunt and is a true test of your patience. Don't move, and listen carefully for footsteps or the sound of the gobbler displaying.
If the gobbler does appear, positively IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET AND WHAT IS BEYOND IT. In the spring season only a "bearded" turkey can be legally harvested. Be able to distinguish the sex of the turkey by head color, body color, and finally be sure it has a beard before you shoot. Be especially careful that other turkey hunters are not in line with the bird you intend to shoot and that no hunting companions or other hunters are behind your intended target.
KNOW YOUR EFFECTIVE SHOOTING RANGE and make sure that the gobbler is within that distance before you shoot. Pattern your shotgun before the season to determine which load will work best overall at various ranges. Shoot your gun at ranges of 35 yards and less. You must be able to consistently place 6 or more pellets into the skeletal area of the head and neck. Full choke barrels and premium shot shells with buffered loads of copper coated lead or steel shot are good choices. (Check your Massachusetts Hunting Abstracts for legal shot sizes.) Remember HEAD AND NECK SHOTS ONLY, and let the turkey get within your effective range.
Once your turkey is down, get to it quickly. Practice safe gun handling and be sure to put your safety back on. If your turkey is not fatally hit it could escape. If on a hillside or near a ledge, a flopping turkey can go quite a distance even though fatally hit. Be careful of gobblers leg spurs and flopping wings when holding him down. Detach the "turkey tag" from your turkey permit, fill out the required information, and attach the tag firmly to the bird before moving it from where you shot it. For safety reasons carry your turkey from the woods in some sort of camouflaged or blaze orange carrier. Carrying a turkey out of the woods over your shoulder with flopping wings and tail can invite a hunting accident. Some hunters also wear a blaze orange hat while carrying their turkey or while changing calling locations. Remember that you must bring your turkey to an official check station within 48 hours of killing the bird. District offices of the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife can provide information on Check Station locations.
LEARNING TO CALL
Many successful turkey hunters are not expert callers, but use their knowledge of turkey habitats and woodsmanship to their advantage. There are many turkey calls on the market and most are effective. The novice hunter generally starts with friction- type call because they are easiest to learn and are very realistic in sound. The box call, slate call and push button calls are all popular friction calls. This type of call requires some movement to operate, so most hunters also learn to use a diaphragm call, which is placed in the mouth. These calls are a little harder to learn to use, but are very effective, especially when you wish to call and still have both hands on your gun. The gobbler call duplicates the gobble of the male turkey. This call is generally a bellows type call that must be shaken to operate. This requires a lot of movement. It is a good call for locating gobblers before the season or in the evening when trying to roost a gobbler. Don't use this call while actually hunting- you don't want to imitate the bird everyone is trying to shoot.
There are numerous turkey calling tapes and hunting videos available to help you learn the basics of turkey hunting, but there is no teacher like personal experience. Hunting with an experienced turkey hunter can provide a new hunter a wealth of information.
Local chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation also hold seminars throughout the state to educate hunters on calling, hunting techniques and to promote safe and ethical hunting. Novice hunters are strongly urged to attend a turkey hunting seminar before participating in this sport.
FALL SEASON
The same safety considerations must be used during the fall season. Successful fall hunting often requires considerably more scouting to locate birds and pattern their movements. In the fall some hunters will roost turkeys and try to call them in when they come off roost, or ideally, they will scatter a flock off the roost or later when feeding. They then pick a spot to sit near the break-up point and start calling for about 10-15 minutes, unless they hear calling before that. The best call to use in this situation would be the lost call of a young turkey, - also called the Kee-Kee run. Another good call is the assembly yelp of the adult hen. Once you get a Response from a bird, just try to imitate the sound the bird is making.
MassWildlife and the National Wild Turkey Federation are committed to safe and ethical turkey hunting. Putting these turkey hunting tips to use will help to insure that turkey hunting will remain a safe, enjoyable outdoor experience for all of us. Remember to read and understand the rules and regulations in the current Massachusetts " Abstracts of the Fish and Wildlife Laws" regarding season dates, open zones, hunting practices and other aspects of your sport
Call During Peak Hours
Having problems calling in a gobbler early in the morning? It's hard to pry toms away from hens during breeding hours. You'll have better luck around midmorning when hens start nesting and gobblers are lonely. Around 9 a.m., start moving through cover, pausing to call at least every 200 yards. When a gobbler answers, pocket your call and try to close the distance to under 100 yards. Then use soft hen calls to draw him your way.
Get Close To Gobblers
To get more toms to come into your setup, sneak within 75 yards of a bird before calling. Once you know his location, stay quiet. Instead of setting up and hoping the gobbler will travel to find you, use thick cover and the topography to move as close as you can without being seen. Gobblers that refuse to respond to distant calls will often investigate turkey sounds they hear nearby.
Surprise turkeys on the beach
Gobblers that are banded together in autumn rarely respond to hen calls, but you can stalk them at close range. Patrol lake shorelines by boat to scout for birds drinking and feeding shortly after dawn. Pass at a wide distance until you're screened by a bend or point of land; then beach your craft and circle back quietly on foot. Creep into shotgun range, using foliage, trees, and wind sounds to hide your movement.
Tweak Your Decoy
Always enlarge the hole that the spindle goes through in the bottom of a turkey decoy so the body can move friction-free when stirred by slight air currents. With the decoy in place, push a twig firmly into the ground 8 inches on either side of the tail to prevent any unnatural spinning. In a light breeze, gobblers find the abrupt back-and-forth movements hard to resist.
Sit tight for quiet gobblers
If a turkey that has been answering your calls suddenly goes silent, he may be trying to sneak in on you. Sit very still and make soft, contented hen clucks. Keep your eyes peeled, but don't move your head. Gobblers that sneak in will use cover to their advantage and watch carefully for movement. They often approach from behind and remain unseen until they are very close.
Bring in Distant Turkeys
When a distant gobbler answers your call, move silently in his direction before he starts moving toward you. Try to get within 200 yards of the bird before calling again. Gobblers are more likely to come all the way to a hunter who is inside that range. If you continue calling from a long distance, the turkey's answers will likely attract a live hen that will cut him off before he reaches you.
Keep Your Turkey Gun Aimed
When calling turkeys, always place a few dead branches close around you to break up your outline. Arrange a sturdy one so that it crosses about 18 inches above your knees when you are seated. While you call, keep the gun butt against your shoulder and rest the barrel on this crossing branch. You'll already be in an approximate shooting position when a gobbler approaches.
Hit More Turkeys
If you can't or don't want to mount an optical sight to your turkey shotgun, having a gunsmith add a rear bead a few inches ahead of the breech is an inexpensive alternative. The rear sight forces you to get your face all the way down on the stock and helps assure that you will be looking straight down the barrel when you pull the trigger.
Plan a Gobbler Ambush
Whenever you see a tom with hens, make note of the time and location. Turkeys are creatures of habit, and knowing their routine is crucial when gobblers won't respond to calls because they already have company. Unless you spook them, you can expect those birds to show up again tomorrow at the same time and place you saw them today. Be there first, put out decoys, and call softly.
Turkey Hunting Tips
When setting up on turkeys before daylight, don't try to get too close to a roost. Opinions vary on what the proper distance is but as a general rule, try and get within 100 - 150 yards if it's possible. You're basically trying to get as close as possible to the bird without scaring it off the roost. The closer you are, the fewer the obstacles that turkey will have to come around to get to you.
Most turkey hunters have experienced a tom that "hangs up" which simply means he stops out of range at 60 yards or more, is still gobbling and refuses to come close enough for a shot. He may be hung up for several reasons. He could be behind some obstacle like a fence or creek, he might be in his favorite strutting area or he has some hens with him. He might also just be stubborn and if you call to him a lot, he will just stay there and wait for the "hen" to come to him.
There are several things to try when this happens. First, try using very soft "clucks" and "purrs" to entice him that last 20 yards. Another alternative tactic is to lightly scratch the leaves with your hand, imitating the sounds of a turkey scratching the ground. If that doesn't work, stop calling altogether and wait him out. Turkeys have their own sense of time and it's nothing for a gobbler to stand and strut for an hour or so in the same spot before finally giving into curiosity and coming the rest of the way in.
If the bird is still far enough away or hidden enough to allow you some limited movement, try switching calls. And, finally, the most risky option is to change your calling location either by moving back 50 yards or so and calling again there so the gobbler thinks the hen is going away, or simply circling the gobbler and trying to call him in from a different direction.
If you have found a gobbler that is located on a hillside or part way up a ridge, try and climb the hill or ridge and call from a position above the tom or at least on the same level. Turkeys are not as likely to come downhill to a call.
If you're lucky(?) enough to live in a windy state like I do, you better learn to hunt in the wind. Strong winds increase the challenge of turkey hunting since you cannot hear as well and neither can the turkeys. Try and find spaces that are out of the wind if possible and if not use loud, high-pitched box calls and glass or aluminum friction calls that can be heard through that wind. Try setting up and calling in a position upwind of where you think there may be turkeys so the sound of your calling can go downwind to them.
Do not attempt to shoot a strutting gobbler. If you can, wait until the bird comes out of strut and extends his neck. If he doesn't do it by himself, give him a "cluck" or two and that is usually enough for him to come out of strut and raise his head to see who is there. Your goal as a hunter is to take the best shot possible and cleanly harvest the bird. A shotgun pattern is most efficient when the bird extends its neck, enlarging the target area.
Patience, Patience, Patience
Probably the most overlooked skill in turkey hunting is the ability to sit still and wait out a gobbler. When you can't stand sitting anymore and you think it's time to get up and move to another hunting spot, stay put for fifteen more minutes. Patience kills more gobblers than any other factor.
If you see another hunter approaching you in the woods, never move or make turkey sounds. Simply call out his name if you know him or say "Hello." The sound of a human voice will safely alert the hunter that someone else is in the area. It is far better to maybe spook a gobbler in the area than to get accidentally shot at.
Question
Fall Vs Spring Calls
Idaho hunter here, I was wondering in the fall hunt for turkeys would a turkey come to any turkey calls or do they just come to calls in the spring. I am very new at this so any help would be great.
Thanks Dee
Response 1
i rarely can call in a turkey in the fall. i have had toms come in to tom clucks and yelps though. i havent heard of anyone ever calling in a turkey in the fall, although if it is early early fall you probably have a better chance than any, but i wouldnt count on it. your best bet is to find out where they are roosted, and where they are feeding the most, and set up there
Response 2
turkeys dont come to calls in the fall only in the spring when they are breedin
Question
Spring Turkeys Run from Calls
Hi,
This is our families first spring hunt. We can't seem to get the turkeys to answer our calls. And when we happen to see a turkey he flys away. Should we go look for him or stay and wait to see if he comes back? When do turkeys go to bed at night? And when we do call the turkeys they run. What are we doing wrong?
Thanks, Dee
Response 1
Turkeys usually go to roost just before dark , what you want to do is wait till just after dark and try to roost the birds, which means getting close but no closer than 100 yards from the tree they are in and getting them to "shock gobble" use an owl call and the cadence " who cooks for you" "who cooks for you too" if that doesn't work try a coyote call or crow call, scout an hour or two before dark and see what direction birds are moving that will give you a good idea where they may be heading to roost. If you are walking and you see a turkey there is a good chance he has already seen you turkeys can see in a 345 radius.The best bet is to roost your bird the night before and move in on him an hour or so before daylight dont get too close to his roost tree stay about 200 yards out and and dont make any noise be very still and wait for him to wake up you will know when he does cause he will gobble, I like to let him gobble once then I start off with a couple of soft tree calls wait till you hear him come down he will cackle and you should heard his wings flapping then do a few soft yelps, if he gobbles back give a coule more soft yelps maybe some purrs and just make him want to come to you , sometimes with a stubborn bird you want to sound like you are moving away do a little cutting then a jake gobble a little more cutting and then some yelps trick is to yelp softer and softer each time then wait sometimes they will run right in to your setup go online and type in turkey sounds or calls you can hear the different calls turkeys make and good luck. Oh one more thing dont chase a turkey they are much faster than we are.
Response 2
Well I am 15 and I killed 4 turkeys so far because of his calls. Last year I called in 4 big toms together and their beards were touching the ground. I couldn't shoot one of them because I already killed a jake that had a broken leg because it was shot at by somebody else. Then this year I killed a gobbler that was 20 pounds and had a 11 inch beard and 1 inch spurs. Then I went with my dad and called in three gobbler and they were about 20 yards and killed another. and it was 25 pounds and had a 10 1/2 inch beard and 1 inch spurs. so I would stay put and see if another is around or try to call that one back in.
Response 3
Just wanted to let you know the best time to kill a gobbler is between 10 and 5 in the afternoon. during this time the gobblers will not have hens with them and will be much easier to call in.
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Discussions
Youth Turkey Hunting Tips & Information
Many states now have a youth only season that offers outdoorsmen and women a great opportunity to spend quality time with our kids and pass on our passion for the great outdoors. The Youth Season is usually one week prior to the regular season's open and is for kids 15 years and younger. A hunter education certificate card is required in most states for kids 11 years or older, and anyone under the age of 11 must be in the immediate care of a properly licensed adult. Each state is different, though, so check your local regulations.
In 2005, Missouri's youth turkey hunters certainly took advantage of this opportunity statewide, checking in a total of 3,894 birds in the two day season, breaking last years mark by an increase of 636 birds. 2,732 were adult gobblers and 1,162 juveniles, known as jakes.
The Youth Deer & Turkey Hunting Permit for Missouri was (and may still be) $17 and is available to all youths ages 6 through 15. During the permit year, this tag allows resident youths to take one male turkey, or turkey with visible beard, during either the youth-only spring turkey season or the regular spring turkey season, and also one turkey of either sex during the fall firearms turkey season.
When hunting with a youth, you can greatly improve your odds of success by using a blind. Minimizing movement is also crucial when Turkey hunting, considering that Turkey can see about 10X better then we can. One more thing to keep in mind is that creeks and fences sometimes can create a barrier that Turkey tend to hang-up on, so position yourself wisely. Feel free to peruse the rest of this page or watch our show for more great tips, and good luck!
Question
Turkey hunts with cactus camo
I just watched a program tonight featuring Eddie Miller and Fred Ramsey in Texas hunting turkeys. They were wearing "cactaflauge" shirts, gloves, hats, etc. I bought some of this fabric some years back from Hancocks' Fabrics in Tucson and have never found it again. Where can I buy shirts, etc, made from this fabric that features cactus instead of trees and leaves?????? Better yet, do you know where I can purchase the fabric? Help!
Sue Ann Vannoy
Huachuca City, AZ
Question
Kentucky Perfect Turkey Spot
This is my first time ever going hunting for turkey and I was wondering if water was an issue... I hunt near Nolin Lake in Kentucky. While I was deer hunting there I heard many turkey... Should I hunt in the same spot as I deer hunt or should I wait and find out where they are and hunt there?... My uncle was down there fishing one time and he spooked about 12 of them out of the open spot in the woods... Should I hunt there or in a different spot?
Jeff
Question
This is my first year turkey hunting and I have already gone out once. When I went out on opening day I arrived at 6:30 a.m and hunted until about 2:00 p.m. I saw no turkeys and was well prepared as said my fellow hunters. I have total camo and turkey loads and calls. What am I missing other than experience?
Response 1
Longbeards!
Amy v.
Response 2
It sounds like you are off to a good start (but don't expect to see or hear turkeys every hunt). I can suggest a few things that you might try on your next Spring turkey hunt. Let's start with your timing. You said you arrived at 6:30am. I am not sure what part of the country you are hunting in, but on the East Coast where I hunt that could be late. I say 'could' because there are two schools of thought on arrival time. The first suggests getting into the woods and into your setup at least an hour before sun rise -- this gets you into position and allows for some quiet time before the boys start waking up and gobbling. The second approach is to assume that the toms will be with hens until around 800am to 900am (e.g. when it is the peak gobbling period) and, therefore, to sleep in, arriving in the woods sometime in the mid-morning to catch them when they head out for their second round of conquests. I personally prefer the first approach because, even if it is peak gobbling period and the toms are difficult to call away from hens, I just love to hear them in the morning and wouldn't miss it for anything. A second issue is how much noise you are making getting to your stand. If you make enough noise, you can put the birds on high alert and they will refrain from gobbling and fly down from their perches in the opposite direction from the noise (and you) -- and you might not even know they were there. Try practicing walking through the woods without making any noise and watch out especially for twigs and branches that crack loudly when snapped. My strategy is be straightforward about it walking as quietly as possible but assuming that I am going to make some noise. I walk at a medium speed and try to get the 'noisy time' over with asap. Most game will settle down after hearing some noise if you let time pass when you are absolutely silent. Which brings up number three: staying absolutely silent once in your stand. Make sure you aren't rustling around and banging your thermos, etc. That extends the 'noisy time' and makes it more likely the birds will fly down silently and away from you. Fourth, you didn't mention 'calling' but you may be calling too much or too loudly or using the wrong calls and again spooking the birds away from you. I won't try to review all of turkey calling here but two typical mistakes include: (i) using a locator call (like an owl call) in a way that sounds wrong -- too loud, animal doesn't frequent those woods, etc. and (ii) using a hen yelp that sounds wrong -- in some areas, hens yelp very little once the breeding period begins, using soft purrs and clucks to let a tom know that they are nearby and receptive. A good rule of thumb is to try to mimic the hen sounds that you actually hear in the woods -- and if you hear nothing at all, either remain silent or use soft calls. In such a situation, loud calling can sound more like a frustrated hunter than a hen. Good luck and safe hunting !
M. Orlandi
Response 3
You did not mention a gun, so my
