How concealed should you be?

[sixbird]

It's been my experience that some birds will see me and get nervous when I think they shouldn't and others will be completely relaxed when I think they should see me easily. Just this year I was against a huge poplar with an old pile of cut firewood that covered about to the middle of my body, vertically (to my left), in deep shade...I'm wearing a shannon bug tamer jacket...Perfect setup right?
Well had one bird come up in back of me and slightly to my left and picked me off right away. I HAD NOT MOVED! Through some confusion tactics, he came home with me but he did see me.
Same setup, within a week...Gobbler (LO-O-O-O-O-O-G beard) comes over a set of railroad tracks straight in front of me. Clear line of sight from him to me...He walks up to within 20 ft. (ft., not yds.) and turns slightly and continues on without a clue I was in his world...
Both of these instances were for all intents the same time of day. Light was the same. I was in EXACTLY the same spot and position.Everything the same except the position of the bird relative to me. Both mature birds...You tell me...
I just try to stay still, stay shaded, and stay calm (while my heart is jumping out of my chest)...If they see me I'll let them move away and as soon as they disappear I'll gobble or scratch and call or make a small commotion. If you do this stuff while they're still unsure that they've seen something, sometimes they'll either return or hold up long enough for a shot...

[WildTigerTrout]

 I try to sit up against a tree with a base wider than my shoulders. I wear full camo and try to sit in the shadows if possible. The most important thing though is turkey huntings #1 rule, SIT STILL!

[Hooksfan]

I've killed them in dark colored work pants, a camo shirt, no gloves, no face mask and with a shiny gun. As long as your outline is broken up and your not sitting in sunlight your fine. Even when they are keyed up, they almost always let you pick up and aim at them. I wouldn't try it if they are very very close, but I've killed birds that were on edge and I needed to switch hands to shoot. I will give up some visibility in favor of cover, but being still is #1.

I will go along with this.  I actually think more birds get away because folks give em more credit than they actually deserve.
Being still is the key.  Also, terrain plays a huge factor.  If I can be concealed and not give up visibility, then I will go for cover.  But, I have killem em pinned up against a barbed wire fence out in the wide open.  You have got to be where you can kill them.  Killed one this year sitting in the middle of ankle high grass in a cow pasture--but terrain was the factor there.
I never understand folks that say they had em at 25 yards and couldn't get their gun up and let em walk away.  You ain't gonna kill em by uglyin em to death--take a chance.  Even if you spook em, you weren't gonna kill em by just watchin.  Never try to fast draw one, but SLOWLY ease your gun up.  Chances are they will see it, but a lot of the time it even helps by makin em lift their head and stand still.

[sixbird]

I've killed them in dark colored work pants, a camo shirt, no gloves, no face mask and with a shiny gun. As long as your outline is broken up and your not sitting in sunlight your fine. Even when they are keyed up, they almost always let you pick up and aim at them. I wouldn't try it if they are very very close, but I've killed birds that were on edge and I needed to switch hands to shoot. I will give up some visibility in favor of cover, but being still is #1.

I will go along with this.  I actually think more birds get away because folks give em more credit than they actually deserve.
Being still is the key.  Also, terrain plays a huge factor.  If I can be concealed and not give up visibility, then I will go for cover.  But, I have killem em pinned up against a barbed wire fence out in the wide open.  You have got to be where you can kill them.  Killed one this year sitting in the middle of ankle high grass in a cow pasture--but terrain was the factor there.
I never understand folks that say they had em at 25 yards and couldn't get their gun up and let em walk away.  You ain't gonna kill em by uglyin em to death--take a chance.  Even if you spook em, you weren't gonna kill em by just watchin.  Never try to fast draw one, but SLOWLY ease your gun up.  Chances are they will see it, but a lot of the time it even helps by makin em lift their head and stand still.

I'll agree to a point. Sometimes they'll seem to not see you when they should. I've been wide open and had them come or not react...As far as moving when a bird has a line of sight to me...Generally I won't move. I'll usually let the bird go and try to call him back. It's been my experience that an alarmed bird is usually a missed bird. Once they start ducking and running, I usually miss.
I have a friend who is fairly successful at moving when they're looking at him but for me, not so much...
I'm pretty successful doing it this way...I like for that bird to be looking for that hen he heard calling him one minute and the next playing cards with his turkey buddies in turkey heaven talking about that clap of thunder 
I prefer they didn't have a clue I was there...

[Eric Gregg]

One thing that is a luxury to have is a good cedar tree that you can sit up under.
I hunt everything under one if I can find it. Usually the low hanging branches provide great cover for movement, the area underneath is dark and just dirt around the base (makes a difference when deer hunting).
What I do is scout out my hunting area well before season and make note of any brush piles or cedars that will provide great cover while I am hunting. That way, if I am moving through and a gobbler sounds off, I know where all of the cover spots are and move accordingly. That way everything is ready to go.

You can never be too concealed.

[CntrlPA]

When given the option I would always take more concealment unless it effects my shooting. Movement is your worst enemy. I've been stuck many times against a not so perfect tree in big timber and it worked out fine.   

[FullChoke]

I call BS on the birds spooking from an emblem on a hat.

Generally, I agree with you on this point, but I believe that this one has some validity.

He said that the birds picked out the orange UA logo and started getting antsy. While I doubt that turkeys are concerned about effective corporate branding in the marketplace, this logo is a little different. An orange colored UnderArmour logo looks remarkable like the eye of a cat (bobcat?), complete with the vertical slit. Animals, particularly those who are usually prey, are very sensitive to the detection of eyes and these hens may have thought they they had spotted a bobcat's eye watching them from the shadows.

FC 

[glenhunter]

I use ground blinds. either a full tent like blind with windows or a simple two man ground barrier fully camo. Both give me ample time to get my gun swung in the bird's direction without being seen.

gh

[Kylongspur88]

I've had birds walk right past me while wearing carhearts and an orange vest while deer hunting. But, I've also had them booger out while fully camoed and covered up. In the end I would say movement is the biggest factor.

[charlie]

I hunt blind birds. 

[Kylongspur88]

I hunt blind birds. 

Hmm, and where is this magical place..

[handcannon]

I dont think that the latest and greatest camo pattern out there is a necessity. Look at what the old timers wore in the past and still killed birds. Shadows and breaking up your outline is a big bonus to not getting busted. I hunt in North Louisiana and we have miles and miles of pine forest that is owned by timber companies. Most of the time a pine tree isn't gonna get big enough to hide you and break up your outline, especially for a big boy like me. If I'm walking around trying to strike up a conversation with a bird, before I call I always look around me to see if there is a good spot to jump into quickly if that bird is really close when he answers. Once in a while it happens that way and you can be caught off guard. When I do set up, I pull out everything that I think I may need and put it where it is easily accessible. Once he answers and sounds like he's coming my way, I'll set down everything except my gun and mouth call. After that, I play the "Freeze" game like we did when we were little kids. I think that is more important than anything else is just being still and having your gun already up ready to go.

[turkey_slayer]

Movement will get you busted more than camo. I don't wear gloves unless its cold and rarely a face mask. I just pull the bill of my cap low.

[Jay Longhauser]

In my experience, if I don't move when they are looking at me they may notice Im something out of place but they don't spook.  Every time one has busted me and left its because I moved something.  May be a barrel turning, or a hand setting a call down but i moved.

[saltysenior]

we are blessed down here w/ plenty of palmetto frons to make a good hide with if you sit....i take time and make a hide that i feel i can move in without being seen when i wake up from dozing....also big enough to swing the gun and hide my boots so i can wiggle my toes without the turkeys seeing that.