Last year I hunted KS from a blind with a friend. We wore black shirts in the blind, as is expected. After picking up my bird from the successful hunt, wrapping up all of the blind, decoys, etc... taking a couple of pictures, slapping fives.... we headed back to the truck. On the way back, we saw several gobblers feeding in the field and walking along the woodline. Although the birds stopped what they were doing when they saw us, they did not seem alarmed. I kid you not when I say that we got within 40 yards or less of 2 gobblers (not jakes, likely 2 year olds). These birds did not make any attempt to fly, nor did they putt or make any alarm sounds. They eventually just walked off into the woodline.
Anyone ever have a similar experience? The only thing we could think of was the black coloration might have thrown them off? My buddy said he has experienced the same thing with deer while wearing all black. ???
Don't know about turkeys, but I beleive that deer acostomed to the sight of joggers don't react nearly the same as they do with hunters on the same trails.
You looked like a couple of gobblers to them. Gobblers have alot of black feathers. I would put my camo back on before leaving the blind.
Never wear red, white, blue, or black while turkey hunting.
Hunt saftely.
It could have been that they haven't got a lot of pressure in the area. Who knows what goes through that little brain of theirs!
Quote from: WyoHunter on April 05, 2011, 06:04:48 PM
It could have been that they haven't got a lot of pressure in the area. Who knows what goes through that little brain of theirs!
That's kind of my thoughts. This particular farm is the property of a family member of one of the guys I hunt with. This gentleman is in his 50's and reported that although he has permission to hunt the property, he had never actually hunted the property until the year before last when I was up that way. I have been really blessed to get to hunt this kind of place. Here in AR I only have public land to hunt. Seeing birds feeding in an open field around here only happens if you eat the wrong mushrooms... ;D
It also appears to me that if they perceive you to be stalking them, they then attribute you to being a preditor and flee. But, if you don't appear to be paying any attention to them, then they don't perceive you as a preditor and pay you no mind.
Case in point, my son-in-law hunts his property and if he's in hunting mode, he can't get close to the turkeys. But, if he's working on his driveway, the turkeys will just stand by the driveway and wait for him to move past them, well within sight and almost touching range of them before crossing the driveway.
Same reaction with deer when I was a kid at Mtn. Center CA. Deer on the ranch would feed in the yard and not spook at people walking around but after the first rifle shot they were gone and only ate at night. Here in WA at the lodge they will walk right past you until spring season and then they are gone.