Turkeys and ground blinds...?

[Bottom Hunter]

I've never useda ground blind to hunt turkeys.

I've been told that turkeys don't oay attention to them, even when they are recently put up.

is that true and why do you think that is.?

also, anyone ever turkey hunt from deer stands, like ladder stands?

thanks

 

[whiskey]

Well I am a believer in blinds now. My daughter took her's from a blind yesterday that had been in place less than 12 hours. It was not hidden at all, sitting in the open on top of a hill. The turkeys never paid any attention. My hunting partner has told me he has done it for years and even in the middle of a field they don't pay attention to it.

I have been busted by turkeys in the fall trying to draw a bow from a deer stand, so I would avoid that route.

 

[RUGER]

Well it was pretty selfish of me but I used opening day of the juvenile hunt to experiment with this very topic.
I have seen them put ground blinds up in the middle of fields and kill turkeys out of them with guns and bows.
I have seen them put TWO blinds up, one for the hunter(s) and one for the camera.
I am going to do the same thing this weekend.
Here is a breakdown of my experiment and mind you when I say field I mean a cow pasture (with cows in the area) that has grass about half an inch tall.
Absolutely no cover and the only "landmark" was a 5 foot wide stump that is about 8 inches tall.

Get to the farm and gather our "stuff".
I had on a turkey vest, ground blind on my back as well, one folding camp chair in each hand (the kind that go in the bags).
Man carried his turkey vest, my backpack and his shotgun.

We arrived at the farm about 5:30 or so, forgot to look at the time.
Walk up the hill through the woods and pop out into the field.
We walk straight through the middle of the field till we got to where I wanted to set up.
Cows were moving away from us through the field.

I set the blind up (rather noisy too) then unfold the chairs and get everything in the blind.
It is set up about 40 yards from the tree line that I feel the birds will be roosted in.

We were in the blind and set up about 6 or maybe a few minutes before.
Had several gobblers roosted within 75 yards of us.
The one he killed flew down 40 yards behind us and moved 5 yards closer to the top of the hill and at 6:40 bang flop, game over.

Zero cover, put up the blind less than an hour before the shot.
I am thinking as long as it ain't moving they don't care.

I will be doing the same set up this coming weekend, will have pictures of the blind this time.
We will see.
As for now, just get in it, make sure only windows open are in front of you with no chance to be skylined by the bird and go for it.

 

[AROD]

i use one about half the time and never had any problems. even in the middle of an open field. i dont think thay pay any attention to it, unless the wind is blowing hard, and it is moveing.

 

[Bow Hunter]

Never have hunt out of one, always just set up against a tree.

 

[Mag]

Set up a blind and decoys last year and about 30 minutes after settling in we called in a few birds,I was using a bow and missed one at 17yds. Sure was exciting though.

 

[Trevor2]

I use one from time to time they don't mind it and pretty sure it's illegal in tn to hunt turkey in spring from tree stand. Good luck

 

[WMAn]

Blinds

Turkeys pay no attention to them. I watched a video from Double Blinds. Their theory is that turkeys lack depth perception.

I don't know if that's true, but I do know you can throw a blind up in the wide open and turkeys seem to act as if they don't even see it.

Tree Stands

No advantage here. If you have ever watched turkeys during deer season, you will know that they spot you just as easily up a tree as on the ground.

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

I have hunted from a blind 2 different times at 2 different locations. Both days it was supposed to rain and did. First time I shot a jake, it was my very first solo bird and I dropped the hammer on him. The second time I had a hen come to within 15 yards looking for the "other" hen.... I was hoping she would have Mr. Longbeard with her, but no such luck. She eventually went on her way.

 

[catman529]

I watched a video from Double Blinds. Their theory is that turkeys lack depth perception.

I don't know if that's true...

I'd say it's not true, how else to they know how to fly through tree branches to and from the roost or fly at all without depth perception? I'd think they would run into everything if any kind of bird didn't have depth perception.

 

[bucks2beards outdoor]

Turkeys dont mind blinds just as long as they dont walk into them ,bout the only problem you may have.

 

[BIGROCKREB]

I watched a video from Double Blinds. Their theory is that turkeys lack depth perception.

I don't know if that's true...

I'd say it's not true, how else to they know how to fly through tree branches to and from the roost or fly at all without depth perception? I'd think they would run into everything if any kind of bird didn't have depth perception.

That is it. They can only see in 2-D, where we can see in 3-D.
Everything looks "flat" to them, so to speak.
Think of Bugs Bunny cartoons vs. the new animated 3-D ones.

I got that from a NWTF Biologist many years ago at a convention.

So if it ain't true, I am not responsible for the killing, or lack thereof ,of any and all birds from my misinformation! :D

 

[catman529]

Interesting that a NWTF biologist said it. Maybe it is true, I shouldn't argue with someone of experience. However it doesn't make much sense that something that flies through trees and bushes and can land precisely where it wants to would only be able to see in 2D.

 

[BIGROCKREB]

They can still see the limbs, they just look flat sort of. That is why they can't see a blind sitting up.

That said, that is the ONLY way I hunt them. I have been using them for about 12 yrs now. You can't beat it, IMO. I can't sit like I used to due to back surgery, so blinds are the way I go.
I have sure killed a bunch in them.

 

[Gravey]

I use one quite often on one place I hunt and especially if my son is with me. No way would he have killed his first yesterday had we not been in it. You can get away with so much movement. I put it up the night before and have never had a turkey bothered by it. They pay it no attention. Now, if I'm by myself and going to run and gun I don't even think about using one.

 

[4onaside]

Regardless of instinct that makes him scared of everything and therefore hard to kill, their brains are walnut sized at best. They just don't see a ground blind, including one that you just put up, because they can't reason that it wasn't there yesterday. For us types that like as much comfort as we can get while sitting out there for hours at a time, there ain't nothing like em.

 

[Brad C.]

Blinds take the hunting aspect out of a hunt. I think they are great to maybe introduce a kid to turkey hunting or maybe someone who is physically handicapped. But I don't like the fact that I'm sitting inside something that makes me invisible to a turkeys greatest line of defense. That's just me. That's how a lot of bowhunters now days are killing birds with their bow and putting out a decoy or two 10yds from their blind. Try doing that without that blind and see how many they will kill.

 

[Buck Assassin]

I have never had a turkey pay any attention to a blind.

 

[VolDoug]

That's your opinion, Brad. I guess you also hunt in jeans and a t-shirt instead of wearing camo

:D That was going to be my reply. Kind of blows that statement out of the water, huh ;) ?

I have a blind, but don't hunt out of it much. But, I guess the main reason is I have never really had a place with fields that the birds liked to hang out in. We do have some food plots now that is attracting birds.

But, if there are gobbling turkeys, I'm going after them. So, the blind is out of the question there. However, if the birds just aren't talking, I might get in it to prolong the hunt a few hours.

I just love people who think their way is the only way, and will demean anyone who sees it differently!

 

[Brad C.]

I never once demeaned anyone that uses them. I said it's not for me. Using one does take away a turkeys greatest defense. And that's why I like hunting them. When a turkey can't see you it's in my opinion hunting them blindfolded. Those guys that use them I don't judge them. Some guys like that style of hunting and more power to them. I don't try and answer for others way of hunting. If legal, then good hunting.

 

[Knothead]

When a turkey can't see you it's in my opinion hunting them blindfolded.

So then, if you are in full camo, with the largest oak tree in the county as your backdrop, sitting as still as can be, are you then saying that the turkey is not "blindfolded" ? But, if you are in a blind, he is? Or do you give him the sporting chance and hunt in jeans, a white t-shirt and a hunter orange cap? :crazy: ;)

 

[Brad C.]

When your in camo they can at least see you move. When you move inside a blackened ground blind or in the dark, they haven't got a clue. Like I said, to each his own. Use them if it is what you want to use.

 

[Bucks & Beards]

Blinds take the hunting aspect out of a hunt. I think they are great to maybe introduce a kid to turkey hunting or maybe someone who is physically handicapped. But I don't like the fact that I'm sitting inside something that makes me invisible to a turkeys greatest line of defense. That's just me. That's how a lot of bowhunters now days are killing birds with their bow and putting out a decoy or two 10yds from their blind. Try doing that without that blind and see how many they will kill.

I haven't killed enough of them yet to feel a great deal of sympathy for them :).

 

[UTGrad]

When a turkey can't see you it's in my opinion hunting them blindfolded.

So then, if you are in full camo, with the largest oak tree in the county as your backdrop, sitting as still as can be, are you then saying that the turkey is not "blindfolded" ? But, if you are in a blind, he is? Or do you give him the sporting chance and hunt in jeans, a white t-shirt and a hunter orange cap? :crazy: ;)

:D

This is my first year turkey hunting and I will be hunting out of a blind. I can't wait.

 

[Brad C.]

You guys keep talking about jeans. I've killed a many of birds before camo was the thing. Didn't feel one bit handicapped either.

Anyone that thinks hunting out of a blind is tougher than hunting on the ground out in the open with camo needs a reality check. Go to youtube and look at all the guys that bowhunt out of them or go to the outdoor channel and you will see the same thing with guys putting up their decoys at 10-15yds and guys like Jay Gregory make it look ever so simple and that's because it is. Take away the blinds on all of these successful videos, and 95% or more of the kills that your seeing wouldn't take place with a bow. Anyone that tries to deny that is well blind. LOL!

If you think hunting out of a blind is a challenge, then I bet you would love hunting animals in a high fence where they don't have a fair chase chance.

 

[Bucks & Beards]

Blinds take the hunting aspect out of a hunt. I think they are great to maybe introduce a kid to turkey hunting or maybe someone who is physically handicapped. But I don't like the fact that I'm sitting inside something that makes me invisible to a turkeys greatest line of defense. That's just me. That's how a lot of bowhunters now days are killing birds with their bow and putting out a decoy or two 10yds from their blind. Try doing that without that blind and see how many they will kill.

That's your opinion, Brad. I guess you also hunt in jeans and a t-shirt instead of wearing camo and maybe hunt with a single shot modified barrel shotgun shooting bird shot??? A blind is just another way to get a leg up on what is arguably the toughest big game animal to take in this part of the country.

I personally just don't like ground blind hunting because I don't feel like I'm outside. Its just not as exciting.

What about a "ground blind" you build from cane or sticks and logs? Do you guys who are opposed to blinds put a natural made blind in the same category as store bought blinds?

 

[REN]

I actually agree with Brad on this one...i may not have worded it the same but generally speaking i dont really like them. I have one that i hunt out of from time to time but mainly because i take new hunters and kids to that spot so it just makes it easier.

i dont seem to get the same feeling when i am in one and definitely dont get the same feeling when i shoot one out of it.

there is just something about being eye level to the bird and making your mind and body do what it needs to do. I hunted out of one this past weekend with 2 kids and had a bird in range but had to pass on the shot. we ended up killing said bird an hour later set up in the woods and i was much more excited over that kill then when we almost had him when we were in the blind.

i will pass on them if i can but some set ups almost require it so i wont say i would never get in one, however i would much rather not.

 

[REN]

agreed Poser...

just to add to that, the kids i took even said afterwards that when we killed that bird set up in the woods and had him sooo close to us it was like something off a tv show! they really liked the blind because we could talk and i could teach them what i know but the hunt itself was no comparison TO THEM when talking about the blind experience and the woods experience.

 

[Bottom Hunter]

when I develop the eyesight, hearing and smell of the game I am hunting, THEN I'll stop using camo and blinds....

Then it will be more of an even playing field. LOL

 

[Winchester]

I agree, hunting from a blind is nowhere near as exciting and takes much less skill to be succesful! That being said, Im not against them at all and we do use them on occasion. I have absolutely nothing against blinds or anyone using them, but the true Turkey hunting for me comes from running and gunning with them, anywhere they may lead me on the particular day! I absolutely hate sitting in one location and just waiting to bushwack one, although to each his own! Good luck!