Face paint or face mask

[Chad Gus715]

I don't use either and half the time don't wear camo either. I've never had an issue being busted, I don't hunt out of blinds either or fan/reap.

[eggshell]

Most of what we do to conceal ourselves is actually unnecessary. It is an advantage, but mostly it's marketing for companies bagging hunters more than hunters bagging game. Like has been said here many times, it's movement that hurts us more than being spotted for our clothing. That and game animals have learned the human shape just like they have all predators, but movement is the biggest obstacle. I think you could put up a white sign with red letters saying "HUnter ahead" and they'd walk right past it. More than once I have had birds come out and strutt right beside my truck. We move more then we realize. Blinking eyes, lips moving, adjusting our position. Just watch some videos and count any movement a hunter makes. Human movement is unlike any other animal in the woods. 

[GobbleNut]

In addition (and again, based on where I hunt), I almost always take a standing position when setting up and choose trees that I can stand BEHIND and rest my gun on a limb at "shooting height".  The added benefit of using a standing position, rather than a sitting position, is that standing generally affords a much greater degree of visibility, as well as maneuverability, for any approaching gobbler.

   

When you set-up standing up, You don't have too much problem with legs becoming weak as you wait for Mister gobbler to come to perfect range? I know I would... But the again, i'll get sore butt also if i'm sat... So nothing is perfect. 

Great point, YoungGobbler.  Yes, there are times when I have had to stand long enough that I am thinking that maybe it was not such a great idea.    However, I don't usually choose a set-up unless I believe a gobbler I am calling to is coming to me...and usually, in those cases, he shows up before my legs give out. 

I don't often use "blind calling" tactics where I just choose a location and call randomly, hoping that a gobbler is nearby, although there have been rare occasions where I have had to resort to that tactic...and in which case I will definitely sit rather than stand. 

Also, there are those occasional situations where standing is just not feasible based on the set-up location. Sometimes the appropriate tree or bush is just not available...or standing is not advantageous based on the terrain features.  However, I always evaluate each set-up I make on whether or not standing, rather than sitting, is going to be a better choice. 

Way back when I first started turkey hunting, I never even considered that maybe standing up would give me a better opportunity at killing a gobbler in a certain situation.  I always sat down just because...well, "that was the way you were supposed to do it" according to the "experts".

I finally had enough incidents in those early "sitting" years where gobblers didn't get killed because the "sitting-level" brush didn't allow me a good shot...even when those gobblers were plenty close enough that I should have been able to kill them. It took a while, but I finally "deduced" that,..."hmmm, maybe if I had just been standing up behind that tree right there, rather than sitting down here where I couldn't see very well, I could have easily killed that gobbler that just got away from me".  ...I'm a slow learner, but I finally have gotten the message...   

[Dougas]

In addition (and again, based on where I hunt), I almost always take a standing position when setting up and choose trees that I can stand BEHIND and rest my gun on a limb at "shooting height".  The added benefit of using a standing position, rather than a sitting position, is that standing generally affords a much greater degree of visibility, as well as maneuverability, for any approaching gobbler.

   

When you set-up standing up, You don't have too much problem with legs becoming weak as you wait for Mister gobbler to come to perfect range? I know I would... But the again, i'll get sore butt also if i'm sat... So nothing is perfect. 

Great point, YoungGobbler.  Yes, there are times when I have had to stand long enough that I am thinking that maybe it was not such a great idea.    However, I don't usually choose a set-up unless I believe a gobbler I am calling to is coming to me...and usually, in those cases, he shows up before my legs give out. 

I don't often use "blind calling" tactics where I just choose a location and call randomly, hoping that a gobbler is nearby, although there have been rare occasions where I have had to resort to that tactic...and in which case I will definitely sit rather than stand. 

Also, there are those occasional situations where standing is just not feasible based on the set-up location. Sometimes the appropriate tree or bush is just not available...or standing is not advantageous based on the terrain features.  However, I always evaluate each set-up I make on whether or not standing, rather than sitting, is going to be a better choice. 

Way back when I first started turkey hunting, I never even considered that maybe standing up would give me a better opportunity at killing a gobbler in a certain situation.  I always sat down just because...well, "that was the way you were supposed to do it" according to the "experts".

I finally had enough incidents in those early "sitting" years where gobblers didn't get killed because the "sitting-level" brush didn't allow me a good shot...even when those gobblers were plenty close enough that I should have been able to kill them. It took a while, but I finally "deduced" that,..."hmmm, maybe if I had just been standing up behind that tree right there, rather than sitting down here where I couldn't see very well, I could have easily killed that gobbler that just got away from me".  ...I'm a slow learner, but I finally have gotten the message...   

I agree.with this. I stand 7 1/2 hours a day at work,so that doesn't pose a propblem for me. A problem that does occur is holding a shotgun in position without a knee to rest on. Standing behind the tree has worked good for me. I rest the shotgun against the tree. The tree will also bock your movement from any turkeys out in front. I have taken several this way.

I have killed turkeys when I was wearing black jeans and a green and black checkered shirt or a tan and white checkered shirt. No pop-ups for me, so it was just me, a shotgun and the woods.

[YoungGobbler]

Thanks for your answer Jim...  I also see some pros of being stand up. Depends on the terrain as you said. I wonder if sometimes just sitting on a low chair would work just as good... But then again, too scared to try 

[Lcmacd 58]

Being motionless is the key

[YoungGobbler]

Dougas, I am on my legs a lot for work also and I don't know but standing up and waiting motionless just kills me after a few minutes  haha

I wonder what's the reaction of a turkey that sees a human not in camo... Even if your not moving, they must kind of stare? Like... more than if you are camoed up?

[Dougas]

I don't know but standing up and waiting motionless just kills me after a few minutes

Standing up after sitting kills me. It takes quite a large amount of shaky energy to get up off the ground. I walk 1 to 3 miles a day, lift weights twice a week and move heavy glass as (in hundreds of pounds) at my job each day, so I am in somewhat decent shape at 60, and I have the worst time getting up from a sitting position.

[WildTigerTrout]

I wear a face mask. I keep a half mask around my neck at all times in case I have to get into action quickly.  If I have time I keep a full face leafy mask in my vest.  I never liked face paint.  IMO it is too messy.  I wear glasses also and treat them with an anti fog wipe.

[YoungGobbler]

I don't know but standing up and waiting motionless just kills me after a few minutes

Standing up after sitting kills me. It takes quite a large amount of shaky energy to get up off the ground. I walk 1 to 3 miles a day, lift weights twice a week and move heavy glass as (in hundreds of pounds) at my job each day, so I am in somewhat decent shape at 60, and I have the worst time getting up from a sitting position.

Dougas, I had a question in regard to one of your previous post... You said you hunted turkeys without any camo... How do they react when they come close to gun range and they see you ? They must stop and stare... But more or less than if you are camoed up...?

[Dougas]

I wore checkered shirts which matched the terrain I was in, wore a face mask when I remembered to pull it up and always wear mesh gloves in the warm weather and wool gloves in the cold, rainy weather.

The checkered shirt was enough break up pattern that they reacted the same as when I started wearing camo. Turkeys are killed every year with shotguns that have no camo and light colored stocks, so it is a similar comparison.

[Dtrkyman]

I kill turkeys standing up every year, been doing it for a long time, really comes in handy in steep terrain with those peek a boo birds!


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[Woodleyrd]

Mask, wouldn't look good walking onto office with make up on!

[mcw3734]

I use a camo neck gaiter. Thin and stretchy. Pull it up and over my nose when needed, but not over my ears to block sound. Keeps the sun off the back of my neck, which for somebody with Irish skin, is a real issue.

[eggshell]

The two things I dislike most about face mask are they are Hot an they impeded hearing. I see a lot of people pull them down and wear them around their neck when not in use. I can't stand this. If I do that I get hot fast. when I take a mask off it feels like walking into air conditioning to me, from the heat released. Heat dehydrates and exhaust me. Just a thought to put out there