Gobbler compound opinions

[WNCTracker]

25 years ago in PA I ground hunted deer with a longbow, then recurve, then compound I took a decade off of hunting and returned buying a compound xbow then a recurve xbow and now I'm back to a compound vertical. I've never killed a gobbler with a vertical bow. This year I'm planning to change that but not until I get one with the gun.  I do not want to use a blind simply because it's not for me. No judgement there. That may change but for now that's how I feel. I have a hen and jake decoy that I'll use though. I solely use diaphragms so I can call with hands at the ready. In my mind I'm seeing myself drawing while behind a tree or bush and waiting for the gobbler to keep walking or do so in a kneeling position. Or draw as he turns his tail feathers to block his view. But life has taught me that reality is rarely what you expect it to be. Anybody hunt like this without a blind and have suggestions?My range will be similar to gun, 35 yds and under.


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[fallhnt]

In the early 90's when I first started turkey hunting. No mater what way you face a Jake decoy you may not be able to draw. A single hen or breeder hen may work better. I placed my decoys 15 yrds or less back in the day. Faced a big tree on my knees and called em in. My buddy and I had lots of success this way but every bird we killed was a single. Never once did we kill when multiple birds came in. All timber hunts too. A very uncomfortable wait.

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[Turkeyman]

As you, I don't like blinds...disrupts my mobility. I've taken three toms with the compound bow...two from a blind, one without blind or deek. When I raised him I had to be kind of picky on the setup making sure I had some big enough trees here and there out to twenty yards or so. I did as you would with your shotgun...had the bow "semi ready" and then raised it when he walked behind one of the trees. The shot was inside twenty yards.

[hotspur]

Like you said put your decoys to the right of you, I used a blow down tree on my left  to hide my draw and let the turkey walk into set up

[Dtrkyman]

I would actually recommend the jake decoy, I have had them so locked in on it you could throw rocks at em.

No blind is fun but frustrating, be prepared to give up some opportunities and just let it happen.

I have killed a few with no blind and its tough no doubt!  Light draw weight goes a long way too!

[CAPTJJ]

35 yards with bow is a bit far as the vitals are quite small (especially compared to a deer), and compare that to a shotgun with pellets that spread out making it much more forgiving. 20 yds and in with a compound is reasonable, I suggest studying pictures of turkey vitals to learn where to aim.

[WNCTracker]

35 yards with bow is a bit far as the vitals are quite small (especially compared to a deer), and compare that to a shotgun with pellets that spread out making it much more forgiving. 20 yds and in with a compound is reasonable, I suggest studying pictures of turkey vitals to learn where to aim.

I agree 35 is too far wasn't really thinking when I wrote that. I've killed 5 with xbow so I'm good on vital location....good suggestion though never hurts to review.


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[CAPTJJ]

Cool, compound won't be much different than a crossbow, except needing to draw. I tried a compound without a blind many times without success, always got busted. Found it a little easier with a recurve, could draw and release smoothly and as long as I had the bow up and ready could get a shot off quickly. That's where decoys are important to distract the tom for a shot, and when I started using a DSD jake things really got easier. Good luck.

[High plains drifter]

I don't use a blind, and I've got 2 nice birds with my bow.I wont shoot past 27 yards.

[Marc]

Not the same, but I have been hunting with a pellet rifle (without a blind), and face some of the same challenges.

On the opener, I had a number of jakes come into range, and I quickly realized that moving to get the gun on them and line up a shot is considerably more difficult than with a shot gun.

I hunted in some more open areas with some brush and trees (where the birds wanted to be), and quickly realized that it is impossible to make the move to the bird without being seen.

So:

I am hunting in smaller open areas in which any bird I can see is in range, and with enough trees, bushes or rocks that I can wait for birds to get behind them to make a move to them.

If I am hunting logging roads, I hunt the bends, in which I have small straight-aways on each side to offer a shot (I am screwed if the bird comes out at the corner right in front of me).

I will also probably go to using at least a hen decoy to divert their attention from me a little.

While setting up, I make sure that I can physically move the gun (in your case draw) to birds coming in range.  If the bird comes in behind me, I make sure that I can turn my setup and remain unobstructed.


In essence, I am trying to get the birds where I want them, as opposed to setting up where I think they want to be...  Tons more difficult.  With a shotgun, once a bird is in range, I just pull up and shoot; with the pellet rifle, if I am not on the bird before he steps into range I likely will not get a shot opportunity.

I have fired at two birds this season, both with unforeseen mechanical issues with the gun.  (Bolt came loose on one shot, and apparently the scope was knocked on the last bird I shot and I have to re-sight the gun).  My point here is make sure everything on the bow is in working order...  Make sure the release is in good working order, and that your pins cannot be bumped, and that your rest is secure and quiet....  Etc...