Lets see your blind setup
Turkey
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THE END Except for the gilly suit blind, all other blinds resulted in a dead tom.
THE END Except for the gilly suit blind, all other blinds resulted in a dead tom.
Nice pics Paul! You've got me and others fired up for gobbler season! It's apparent you've had great success with a range of blinds, blindless, and decoy setups.
My preference is to "run and gun" without a portable blind. Where I hunt OTC here in Colo I have to hike in quite a ways to get away from the crowd and the birds are pretty mobile. The simpler and lighter the set up the better. In Nebraska where I hunt the birds tend to be somewhat "blind shy" and spook from blinds. I'm not sure if it's because the country is so open and blinds spook them or what is going on? I usually cover lots of country there as well. Blending blinds in with the terrain and vegetation would likely work. I've used mirror blinds a couple times with pretty good success.
The birds where I've hunted generally move around quite a bit after they fly down from their roost so it would be long days sitting in blinds waiting for them to return to the roost in the evenings. I have a tough time sitting in a blind all day waiting. Depending upon the scenario I may set up near roosts in the morning and evenings....but am mobile during the day when they are actively moving and strutting.
Good luck Paul and others! Gobbler season is just around the corner!
Jim, I under stand the run and gun idea and did that with the Heads UP decoy. Actually all of these blind pictures were taken in eastern and western Colorado and in Nebraska and on SWA or public lands.
Excellent woodsman/hunting skill Paul as usual...I've use my ghillie as well but just on WT..Ive had deer 2 ft from me with a perfect stiff breeze...Great job in your color matching the different sets....The simple cloth kind in front of the big trees us. My favorite..And blends into the tree ,,just as you'd planned I'm sure..Nice!!
I am trying again with the ghillie as well as a blind this spring. Hope for two toms. Paul
Hope you get the double, long hooks. Forrest
You may have a little Indian in you! Good luck Paul.
Paul did you have any problem with you bowstring getting tangled in the ghillie suit. I want to try one but that was biggest concern I had. I hate sitting in blinds but use them for turkey to get drawn. The jake decoy looks awesome it says HS on it is that hunter specialties.
I trim off the material on the inside of my bow arm to prevent the string from hitting it.
Yes, that is the HS snoot jake. Presenting it over or just behind a squatting hen has worked very well.
1st set up
1st set up
A friend, Stan, standing next to the blind we just placed adjacent to an area toms have been captured on camera strutting regularly for the last ten years.
This is within 20 feet of the blind, last spring. Camera date is wrong. A neighbor's cow rubbed up against it and I have not been able to change anything since,
2015
2015
And the year before that, etc...
And the year before that, etc...
scores of pictures occur on this corner of the property each year. And my cabin is only 300 yards away.
We have a youngster in mind to have his first crack come this season.
From my pop-up Blind
From my pop-up Blind
Hay Bale Blind
Hay Bale Blind
This is bare bones. If you watch the birds head easy to draw on one. Killed out of this set.
Shot a double out of this set but, couldn't find the 2nd bird. Notice the dekes on the ground. The first bird jumped on the jake and the 2nd bird stepped around him and mounted the hen!
Dropped the 1st bird turned and shot the 2nd as both lay there flopping the first got up and hobbled off. So stunned that I didn't shoot again. Watch for 45 minutes and when I went to get him he jumped up and ran. Couldn't find any blood trail.
Same set up. I really like the Avian X decoys. They are great.
A couple GoPro shots back at the blind.
One from our junior hunt weekend.
Thanks Frank. Haven't spoke in a while. Good hunting!
Hunting in the back yard.
Hunting in the back yard.
The birds on my farm hardly ever hang out in the fields so I spend most of my time running and gunning in the woods. I do bowhunt the birds behind my house, though. I've only got 5 1/2 acres there so there's no room to run. It's just a matter of calling the birds through the fence and into my setup. It looks like I have several longbeards to choose from. Darren
Darren, you just got to love the hard woods. I remember in Ohio, Some times you can hear the turkeys and deer coming through the frosted fallen leaves a mile away. Have a good shoot. Paul
Just got mine finished and in the field.
Chief, I am wanting to build a big bale blind for deer season. Can you tell us about yours? Look like baled corn stalks.
Ben, it was not bad to make. I used many ideas found online. The base is 4'x8' treated, two cattle panels make the round sides, conduit frame for the rest, poly tarp, grass matts and round bale wrapping material. I will send you a private message and if you want to reply with your email address I will send all the pictures I have. Chief