Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

I had just climbed down into the “shooters” stand and helped my partner into the “camera” stand, attached my Lumenok ended Black Eagle Arrow tipped with a Grim Reaper Broadhead to my bowstring, hung my setup on my Morph Pro bow hanger and sat for the wait. Well, I didn’t have to wait very long, two minutes to be exact. Then on the ATV trail steps out “BIG BEN”! I could clearly see why the guides named this bear BIG BEN… he was like a Volkswagen beetle walking down the trail, and I could see him from 90 yards plain as day and immediately knew it was my “target” bear everyone was talking about, all 600 Lbs. of him! I looked up at my partner and said with excitement and a quiver in my voice “that’s Ben”! Now Ben is the biggest black bear I’ve seen let alone get the chance to arrow him in my 32 years of black bear hunting! As a rule, I’m cool as a cucumber until after I make the shot, then I lose my composure, if you’ve ever seen me on BearMagnet TV before and after I arrow a bear, you’ll know what I mean! As Ben gets closer to the entrance of the bait site, I have to look away because the excitement is building within my body and I feel like I’m losing my composure, and doesn’t Ben walk into the bait site and walk directly to the base of our tree, looks up through the mesh steel base of my True North Tree stand to say “ I know you’re there” so to speak, then turns and casually saunters back towards the bait barrel with that BIG BEAR swagger, and if you’ve seen BIG bears you know what I mean by swagger.

Swagger On

As Ben swaggers to behind the bait barrel and sits down to catch his breath, or should I say, “last breath”, I draw my PSE Dream Season. As Ben decides to remain seated which seemed like an eternity, as I’m drawing 68 Lbs and still holding at full draw. He finally decides to make his move, takes two steps, and still on all fours stretches out under the beaver cross pole as if he was smelling that sweet beaver scent. I place my single pin PSE Slider bow sight on the mark and touch off my Cobra release, sending my Grim Reaper Fatal Steel broadhead directly through the boiler room and stuck 6” into the ground on the exit! Ben didn’t waste any time getting out of there although only went 30 yards, death moan, it was over! I had just arrowed my biggest bear ever, with BIG Ben weighing in at 603 Lbs and my first B&C black bear in 32 years scoring in at 21 4/16”. Special thanks goes out to Brian Kitzan, Master Guide and Host of Burnt Lake Outfitters Alberta, Canada for putting me on this gorgeous and once in a lifetime bear! If you’d like to watch me arrow this HUGE bruin, tune into BearMagnet TV YouTube channel, it’s quite entertaining.

I’d like to take a moment to tell you a little about myself prior to getting into this amazing story. My name is Dale Boyer, I’m an avid hunter and bowhunter of 35 years. I’ve been both lucky and blessed by having the opportunity to have bow hunted almost every big game species in North America, although my passion is black bear hunting. In 2015 I made the decision to take my passion of the outdoors and black bear hunting into over 45 million homes in North America, yes, I put together a team of individuals like me with the same drive and passion for black bear hunting, thus BearMagnet TV was born. BearMagnet TV is a 100% archery, 100% black bear, high energy hunting TV show. Now in Season 5 and airing on three (3) established networks, with a viewership base of over 265,000, it’s full steam ahead! As the Executive Producer, In-Field and Studio Director, my hands are full. If it wasn’t for my team of hardworking individuals at BadBear Productions Inc. taking care of social media, scheduling, promotions, sponsorship negotiations, research & development, and Prostaff that all spend countless hours to put just one (1) episode together for your enjoyment, BearMagnet TV wouldn’t be possible. Now that you know a little about me… on with my story.

To The Hunt

As mentioned, I’ve hunted almost every species in North America with black bear being my favorite, there’s just something I get from black bear hunting that I don’t get from hunting any other species. Maybe it’s the thrill and excitement to hunt an animal that can do physical harm to you, possibly cause death, or is it the majestic black bear itself, king of the woods as I call them. They can be as stealthy as a slithering snake and lurk in the shadows or be as loud as an elephant running through a jungle, you’ll not see one unless they want to be seen. Ok, my story starts out by leaving my home in Eastern Ontario for my 2017 Spring BearMagnet TV filming tour. Headed West, first stop… Burnt Lake Outfitters with Master Guide Brian Kitzan in Alberta, Canada. This amazing bear camp is a mere 41.5 driving hours from my home. With many stops to refuel, and an overnight stay including picking up my then filming and hunting partner at the Winnipeg International Airport after the first leg of my trip which took approximately 24 hours and with another 16.5 hours to go prior to reaching my destination at Burnt Lake Outfitters Alberta, Canada.

Let’s Go!

Pulling into camp around 2:30 PM, arriving on time and as scheduled I was looking forward to a relaxing afternoon of unpacking, shooting my bow, checking the camera gear and maybe enjoy a relaxing beverage, but NOPE, Brian Kitzan had other plans for us… He met us and welcomed us with open arms and a firm handshake and in his next breath was “Lets go”! He was taking us in for our first hunt!!! He said there’s some big bears on camera and he doesn’t want us to miss an opportunity if one presented itself. Completely exhausted from the long 41.5-hour road trip, we quickly unpacked, geared up, shot our bows, and departed for our first night in the Alberta BIG bear woods with our knowledgeable guide and workhorse Kevin, truck loaded with bait and an ATV we headed out. The back roads we traveled were made for and by oil companies to access oil well locations and pump stations, although gravel these roads resembled highways. Approximately 1 hour from base camp by truck, then unloaded the ATV to go another 1000 – 1500 yards off the beaten path to the hunt site. Stands were setup perfectly and as requested, I’m thinking to myself, these guys got it! We went about our normal routine… getting into the stand and setup while the guide would rebait and do what guides normally do in setting up or refreshing a bait site, its now “go time”!

Hunting and Fi lining

As always, I give my hunting and filming partner the first opportunity to be the hunter, or in this case huntress. Sitting for the evening, or should I say night because we were so far North legal light ended at 11:15PM. Unfortunately, we did not see a “shooter bear” in our first outing, it gave us the opportunity to get the bugs out from setting up and film what we call in the industry “B-roll” footage. Our assigned guide Kevin returned and escorted us out of the woods, not that I’m a scaredy cat to walk out alone, its policy for Alberta Bear Outfitters to ensure their hunters are safe, besides, I and all BearMagnet TV Prostaff carry Defense Aerosols BearGuard bear spray in which I trust 100%, we don’t carry guns. Arriving back at bear camp around midnight we’re welcomed by a pre-warmed outfitter tent and a delicious home cooked meal! After out post-hunt meal we had the choice to sit around a campfire or slide into a makeshift “old school” hot tub. It’s a hole dug by hand (guides hands), with a tarp doubled and laid in, then filled with creek water, and heated by a copper line coiled through the campfire and a small pump drawing water through the coil and back into the hot tub, quite ingenious I must say!

Day 2 & 3

Went pretty much the same as day one, back on our regular routine spending mornings and early afternoon gathering B-roll footage, then in for an evening hunt. Again, not seeing what we consider “shooter bears”, because after 32 years of being a hardcore bear hunter you get very selective in what bear you’re willing to take.

Wild turkey beards are an unusual form of feather that feels more like whiskers than fluff.  All male turkeys grow them their first year and make identifying a yearling bird much easier.  Known as “jakes” these immature gobblers have beards of one to three inches in length.  As males turn two years old, their beards grow longer making a “tom” easier to identify.

About 10 percent of female turkeys grow beards according to the Audobon Society website, although that number seems high in my experience.  Would you shoot a bearded hen?  It’s probably legal, but is it ethical?  Download this video on your phone to help in the identification process.

Are binoculars critical gear for turkey hunting?  YES! A week roaming the South Dakota prairies and Badlands proved that hunters will be more successful using binoculars than hunting without them.  This became abundantly clear the first afternoon of the hunt when Larry Naeyaert and our Indian guide sneaked ahead of a feeding flock.  Eventually, we lured several gobblers across a creek into a patch of timber.  With my naked eye, I could see nothing, yet the Maven 10X30’s showed three gobblers clearly scanning our direction for the source of hen calling.

24.5 pounder

The gobblers were about 60 yards away with only open ground between us.  I practically set my Rocky Mountain Hunting Box Caller on fire as we exchanged yelps and cuts, but the toms would not come closer.  We used a gobbler decoy, periods of silence, and various calls yet the standoff continued.  Eventually, the gobblers moved farther away, and we quickly repositioned to get closer.  Our guide used his binoculars to spot an approaching longbeard and we quickly set up, Naeyaert to the right and me to the left of the caller.  The big Merriam’s came directly to my buddy, and he made a great shot on one of the largest turkey gobblers we’ve taken in 20 years of hunting the Great Plains.

Maven 10X30’s- The Ideal Size

A turkey hunter can look like a pack mule with all of today’s gear, from numerous callers, owl hooters, decoys, seat pads and such.  One might ask, are binoculars useful enough to carry?  As you can see in the size comparison above, these Maven 10X30’s are palm-size and will easily fit into a standard turkey vest.  They come with a convenient carrying strap that I wear over my shoulder so that the binos are at my side for easy access yet not dangling in front of my chest where they can interfere with shouldering a crossbow or drawing a compound.

Mavens are Internet Direct

The Maven Outdoor Equipment Company was born and based in Wyoming and makes and sells a variety of optical gear. from spotting scopes, to rangefinders, to binoculars.  Instead of following traditional marketing practices by selling through companies and vendors, they chose to sell direct to the customer with a unique “try-out” program.  Go to their website, www.Mavenbuilt.com, select an item, and order it.  They will ship you a slightly used model of that product which you can test for two weeks.  At that point, you can return the item for a full refund, have them ship you a new item, or purchase the used optic for a reduced price.

A Gift for Generations

Maven optics are unique because they can be personalized and built to your specifications.  These optics will last for generations and are the perfect gift for a family loved one or hunting guide.  They can be highlighted in a special color and engraved with a personal message.  Whether it’s to the love of your life or your name engraved to personalize an heirloom, this Maven opportunity is like no other.  To see their full line of optics, click HERE.

The right broadhead may be more critical for turkeys than deer.  Despite its seemingly large size, the kill zone of a strutting gobbler is amazingly small.  The feathers on a strutting tom make up more than half of its body size and the heart/lung area is the size of a baseball.  The following image should be on every hunter’s phone for quick reverence.

The Most Critical Element

Accuracy and consistency are the two most critical elements of a turkey broadhead.  It doesn’t matter how larger or aggressive the cut will be, if you can’t put the broadhead exactly where aimed, the head is worse than useless. You may wound a gobbler and not retrieve it.  A lethal wild turkey hit breaks the wing bone and destroys the vitals in a single blow.  A turkey broadhead must fly exactly like a target point so that you can practice with your hunting gear and then screw on a broadhead for a final test before hunting.

Hybrids are a Great Choice

Which is better, a fixed cut-on-contact broadhead that cuts every time or a large mechanical blade that opens to devastating proportions without the possibility of wind planing?  The answer is, “Yes.”  Hybrid broadheads offer a 1 inch+ cut on contact AND contain an auxiliary blade that opens and greatly increases the would channel.  Jay Liechty took his five children on a West Virginia deer hunt last fall and each youngster killed a deer using the Grim Reaper Micro Hybrid.  The fellow who organized the hunts exclaimed that the wound channels were “devastating.”

Why Grim Reaper

Broadheads are expensive and you hate to consume one by practicing with it.  The folks at Grim Reaper solve this problem by including a practice head in every four-pack.  In this way, you can practice on a foam target and know exactly where the arrow will strike.  As you can see in the following picture, the auxiliary expandable blades cause a monstrous cut that greatly expands your margin of error.

Do the Paper Test

If you opt for a traditional mechanical head, conduct a paper test before you go afield.  Attach a piece of copy paper to the front of a foam target, back off to 15 yards or whatever range you choose for turkey hunting, and take a practice shot with your favorite broadhead.  The cut below is with a Rage Hypodermic two blade head and notice that it opens to a full cut on the way into the animal.  Rage broadheads have been known for large blood trails and this is the reason why.  Some mechanicals have a small entrance hole and a large exit slash.  For optimal lethality, you want both.

Pine Ridge Archery makes the ideal item for compounds and crossbows that will keep your critical moving parts out of the dirt.  Light and compact, see the quality that goes into this unique product.   www.PineRidgeArchery.com 

Punching paper is poor preparation for success.  At the moment of truth when your heart is pounding and you struggle to hold steady, knowing where to aim must be instinctive.  Few things in nature are as exciting as a mature turkey gobbler strutting toward your location and gobbling every few steps.  You must know when to draw or raise your bow and more importantly the exact spot to aim.

From Points to Broadheads

If you use a decoy, a shot on a wild turkey can be a close-range affair.  You want to practice with your compound or recurve until you can touch fletch on repeated shots.  For crossbow shooters, you may want to aim at multiple dots to prevent busting nocks or cracking carbon shafts.  Accuracy is the first step and once accomplished, graduate to your hunting broadhead.  That requires a foam target and once you know that the broadheads fly like target points, you are ready for the “diploma” step- 3D or realistic targets without dots or marks.

Morrell Back-to-Back

Morrell makes the Back-to-Back foam target which features a full-size turkey gobbler on one side and a whitetail deer target on the reverse that includes the vitals, clearly marked.  Thanks to its rectangular shape, built-in carrying handle, and relative light weight, this target is perfect for year-round broadhead or field point practice.  Thanks to its transportability, it’s easy to carry to a hunting blind for ultra realistic practice through shooting windows.  Once you are finished, it can be a seat in the blind or a handy shelf to quietly store calls and other gear.

Where to Aim?

Here’s a 3-D full-body target compared to a mounted Eastern gobbler.  The vitals of a wild turkey are located behind the wing butt which can be difficult to detect.  As you can see on the target and the mounted bird, the aiming spot is directly behind the bottom of the waddle- the red flesh below the turkey’s head.  On a broadside turkey that is a good reference point.

Maryland hunters have been harvesting giant deer for a decade and it deserves to be among your best bet for an out-of-state hunt.  A non-resident hunter can be fully licensed for multiple deer for under $200.  If venison is your goal, how about a limit of 10?  Additionally, a hunting license entitles hunters to pursue turkeys and small game.  Charlie Wallace took the giant buck shown above from St. Mary’s County.  It grossed 186 7/8.

State Record Crossbow Buck

Maryland recognizes hunters in a number of divisions.  Above is Abigail Russum who took the #1 Non-Typical Whitetailed deer in the youth and female crossbow division.  Crossbows are legal in all archery seasons except the very late season Primitive Hunt the first week of February each year.  Only long bows and recurves quality for that 3-day hunt.

Bears Bucks and Stags

Bears, Bucks & Stags is the official record book of Maryland’s Award’s programs. It contains categories for all methods and youth and is very informative.  If you are thinking of a Maryland hunt, this book is invaluable. Check out their website at www.bucks-bears-stags.com 

Deer/Elk Combo

Sika deer, technically Asian elk, abound in the swamps of southeastern Maryland, including the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge, a huge chunk of public land that is open to hunting.  Sika deer rut in mid-October when both sika and whitetail deer are in season.  Crossbows are allowed during the entire archery season with a limit of one species each, plus a bonus tag for an additional animal.

Camo Carpet Friendly

Maryland has a special mentoring program for first-time hunters.  Youth and adults can participate with a greatly reduced license price and a minimal requirement.   The goal is to introduce as many new people to hunting as possible and the mentoring program allows this to happen in a safe program that trains future hunters on safety and hunting skills.

Turkey hunting requires total camouflage and the SKRE camouflage folks developed a package plan they call a “bundle” that includes a total system for complete spring camouflage.  There will be no Super Bowl quarterbacks or green lizards in this package, so let’s get to it.

Gotta Have Gloves-

You hands move more than any other body part when you are calling a turkey.  As you draw a bow or raise a crossbow, your hands will flash a skin tone signal that is not normal.  Likewise, as you use a diaphragm caller or friction device, you hands display movement which can be quickly seen.  Having a shiny wristwatch reflect is a possibility so the best gloves not only match your camouflage pattern but cover the wrist.

Don’t Show Your Face

I once removed a face mask in near darkness as a black bear passed below me.  The instant my white face appeared; the bear ran away.  Bears have poor eyesight, yet the unnatural element in its environment signaled danger.  Even in a blind, a person’s face will shine through the shooting window and spook a turkey.  The SKRE bundle contains a balaclava that hides your face well.

Moreno Wool for Warm and Cool

Spring is a period of unpredictable weather ranging from an April blizzard to an early May scorcher with temperatures nearing 100.  Moreno wool is one fabric that hunters count on for both as it insulates and helps keep the wearer cool by wicking perspiration.  The SKRE bundle comes complete with a Wasatch Brew Top and bottom in Moreno wool, so you are not only set for this spring but next fall as well.

This trail camera picture was taken just before I shot the middle gobbler.  It was posted near the jake decoy and captured the action prior to the shot.  Unfortunately, this image was “still only” and a video would have been very entertaining.

Love this Longbeard.

This big gobbler walked past my blind a few days ago and seeing it gives me high hopes for opening day.  As you will see, this time was 10:31 and that’s about the time that turkeys have entered this field in the past.  The gobbler is walking from left to right which means it probably roosted in a tall patch of timber behind my blind.

Why Cameras are Important.

If you hunt a small farm or other private land, it’s important to know the status of the local turkey flock.  If a longbeard hangs out with two jakes, and the jakes respond to a call or decoys, you know to hold out for the tom that is probably just out of sight.  If the property you hunt has a large number of jakes, you may want to take one of them, since that age structure is in abundance.

Timing is Important

These two longbeards are cruising at mid-day.  If the morning has no response, I’ll know to wait until the last minutes of morning before calling it a day.  In states with afternoon hunting on day-one, knowing when turkeys travel helps you hunt the most productive times of day.  Watching videos such as this one, helps to make optimum shot decisions.  Would you stop these birds with a call?  Where would you aim?

Change in Core Area

Once hens begin to nest, they remain in that nesting area, laying one egg each day.  This will keep toms in the same location although they will roam throughout the day.  A few years ago, the day before the season, I spotted a mature gobbler with a white patch on the back of its head.  It failed to show up the next morning, but I saw it more than a mile away on the drive home.  The turkey had the same unique marking and had traveled extensively from the previous day.  Trail cameras help you see which turkeys are remaining in your hunt area and others that may have moved in.

Wild turkeys were nearly extinct in the United States until two conservation heroes took action.  The founder of Mossy Oak Camouflage, Fox Haas, affectionately known as Mr. Fox, and Tom Kelly, author of “The 10th Legion” relate how America’s wild turkey were snatched from the brink of extinction and transformed into one of the greatest conservation success stories of our time.  You won’t want to miss this special YouTube presentation.  Here’s the trailer:

If you are considering the purchase of a first or newer crossbow, keep these 6 points in mind.  There is no one “best bow” so buy one that best fits your needs, dimensions, abilities, and goals.  For sure, these are generalizations, but you need facts.  Here you go:

Recurve vs. Compound

I own each style of bow and took both kinds to Africa on safari, so one isn’t necessarily superior over the other.   Recurve limbs are simpler, may be easier to replace, and often can be relaxed with a cocking rope and the proper procedure.  Recurve bows cock like a vertical recurve bow such that the farther you pull the string back, the more force is required.  If you are considering one, make sure you can cock it manually or purchase a cranking device.  Recurve bows have fewer moving parts than compounds and won’t go out of tune- that is, one cam working differently than the other.

Compound crossbows, by contrast, are usually easier to cock since the cams reduce draw weight as the string approaches full cock.  The Excalibur 365 is the maximum bow I can manually cock, while the TenPoint Nitro 505 shoots much faster and cocks with a crank.  Compound bows can be more compact and store more energy resulting in greater arrow speed from shorter limbs and a narrower profile which can help when hunting in tight places like blinds or tree stands.

Cocking Device

Crossbows cock differently and with various devices and this can be a deal breaker on some models.  TenPoint has this process down to a science with their ACUdraw 50 and ACUdraw systems.  The “50” uses a traditional cocking rope, yet the handles and the rope nest in the stock.  In this way you never have to wonder if you brought your cocking rope or where it is for a quick extra shot.  Likewise, the handle for the ACUdraw system nests in the stock and cocking is as easy as turning a crank.

Mission and Barnett bows offer a standard cocking rope, yet they do not have a traditional cocking stirrup which give a much better cocking posture.  I’m just 5’8” tall and cocking a long bow with a stirrup forces me to pull the rope nearly to my chin, a poor mechanical advantage.  Without the cocking stirrup, I can cock the Mission and Barnett primarily with my leg muscles and doing so is a breeze.

A Canadian bear hunt is the adventure of a lifetime, and you have the potential of taking a phase color, either chocolate or blonde.  Canada is archery friendly and allows crossbows and compounds without the hassle of taking a firearm through customs. This contest is sponsored by the Outdoor Specialty Media Group so the winner will probably become a black bear hunting star in one of their publications.   We wish you the best of luck!

To enter to win a free Canadian bear hunt, click HERE.

Mushroom locations are like bank account passwords- rarely shared and ultra secretive. Ronnie McAllister takes morel hunting so seriously that he annually schedules a week’s vacation to hunt mushrooms in late April.  I am a mere “grasshopper” at mushrooming, so I invited the master to a tract of land hoping to learn some of his schrooming tactics.  We began along a stream bank searching for morels below mature tulip- poplar trees.  As expected, he found the first ones which were barely thimble size.  We looked for nearly an hour and found only one more.

Where to Look

Next, we moved to another poplar stand where he found three large mushrooms while I found one.  A third location held promise, but no fungus, prompting my mentor to share one of his secret spots on a nearby state wildlife management area.   After hiking half a mile into the mountains, we searched around large poplar trees with limited, but consistent success.    Morels were small, yet many trees had a single fungus close by.  I stumbled onto a dead porcupine and Ronnie remembered seeing the damage the animals do to trees and showed me two large birch trees which were nearly girdled.  Suddenly a turkey gobbled and we each looked at each other in surprise.  A few minutes later it gobbled again, closer this time, apparently mistaking us for hens scratching for food.   Truly a walk on the wild side, McAllister had seen a black bear two weeks earlier not far from our location.

Search Carefully, but be Prepared

McAllister had 26 deer ticks on his body the last time out and takes precautions to wear high boots with pant legs tucked in and wraps his sleeves with tape, creating a bug barrier.  Hunters should spray their pants and boots with permethrin (Not on skin) to ward off ticks and other insects.   A Shrooner staff, or walking stick helps maintain balance when climbing over rocks, logs and other obstructions and is ideal to move weeds aside or push a briar out of the way.

“I generally have the best luck searching around poplar trees or dead elms on the south or southeast slopes of ridges,” he says.  You want to look for places of other vegetation as mushrooms often grow in the shade.”

A decoy can make or break a bow hunt.  Drawing your compound or raising a crossbow in the sight of a gobbler will certainly cause it to run or fly, unless its attention is totally focused on a rival gobbler or mating opportunity.  Posting one or more decoys in plain view of passing or approaching gobblers eliminates the need to call and allows you to focus on the shot at the best possible moment.

How Close?  How Far?

If you are hunting from a blind, set your decoy at 15 yards and sight your bow dead-on at that distance.  Closer than 15 yards puts you at risk of spooking a turkey with a sound from the blind.  Murphy’s law predicts that “stuff will happen” and having the tom at a known close range minimizes error.  If your arms begin to tremble or you jerk the trigger on a crossbow, you may not need a perfect shot.

One, Two, or a Flock?

Notice the body language of these two decoys.  One hen is feeding, and I intend to tie a piece of fishing line to her head so that it will bob up and down as if she is pecking bugs or gravel.  The second hen is in a natural walking stance.  Neither seems alarmed.  Contrast this to the normal hen decoy with its head erect as if it had spotted danger or another approaching gobbler.  Two hen decoys work better than one.  More than two increase the work with little increased effectiveness unless it includes a jake.  That issue is next.

Lone Jake

A jake (immature gobbler) decoy sparks aggression in most adult toms, especially if there two or three together.  Most of the time a gobbler will literally attack the decoy by spurring it, flapping its wing, or jumping on top of it.  Once knocked off the stake, gobblers will continue to spur and flog the decoy.  This is exactly the kind of distraction a bowhunter needs, but you must be very patient with your release.  You not only must pick the exact spot to aim but wait for the gobbler to stand motionless.

Breeding Jake

Depending on the kind of decoys you have, it may be possible to set up a mating scenario that will certainly capture the attention of any passing tom.  Place the hen decoy on the ground and a jake decoy directly behind it on a stake as if the two birds are about to breed.  You can expect a gobbler(s) to directly attack the jake and be extremely aggressive.  If you are at full draw or in your scope, using a diaphragm caller to make alarm putts may cause the attacking bird to stand motionless for a second or two.

Motion sensor cameras were invented by a wild turkey. LOL, if you hunt them long enough you may think so. The person in the above photo has two natural looking decoys, is in position early in the morning, yet because he is on the skyline, his slightest movement will be magnified.  For safety and seclusion, always sit against the trunk of a wide tree and orient your body so that the tree trunk will mask your silhouette.  If you are right-handed, scoot around the tree so that the turkey approaches from your left side, Crossbow hunters can rest their bow on their knee and watch the gobbler through the scope such that taking the shot requires very little movement.

Rely on One Call Type

Like human voices, turkey sounds vary, and the trick is to make sounds that duplicate a local hen.  Most successful turkey hunters use a variety of callers- box calls, diaphragm calls, and pot or peg-and-slate callers.  It’s probably better to be good one all three than to be exceptional with just one.  By mid-season, gobblers have heard many turkey sounds that are often followed by human interaction.  As a result, they become much more skittish about approaching and you may need several vocal options to attract one.

Get Too Close to a Roost

Merriam’s and Rio Grande turkeys often roost in the same tree and it’s tempting to sneak in close for an early shot.  Approaching too close to the roost is problematic for several reasons.  First, if you make an errant sound or they see you from their “sky box” they will pitch down far away from the tree.  Secondly, hunting the roost may cause them to change locations eliminating a predictable travel route.  Finally, posting a couple hundred yards away from the trees allows you the ability to intercept their feeding route.  As toms gobble and begin to move, circle well ahead of them and set up an ambush.

Shoot a Blind Window

Pop-Up hunting blinds greatly increase your chances of getting a quality shot at a wild turkey.  As you see above, a hunter can use a tripod rest for pin-point accuracy and by using decoys, you’ll know the distance down to the inch.  However, with a compound and a crossbow, the line of sight is higher than the path of the arrow and one of the easiest mistakes to make is to aim through the window and have the arrow strike material on the way out.  You not only miss the turkey but educate the tom that these motionless birds and that big bump of camouflage must be avoided in the future.

Be Careless with Decoys

Gobbler decoys with real feather are very dangerous to use in Eastern forests and small woodlots anywhere.  A fully spread fan and a red head are triggers that an excited hunter can easily mistake for a real turkey and blast away with very lethal turkey loads.  Rifles are legal in some states, making the practice even more dangerous.  When using a jake decoy, hunters must be careful to set the bogus bird well out of range of any potential approaching hunters.  Should you see another hunter, yell in your loudest voice to warn him.  Take no chances!

Elk and deer camps are magical, but drawing tags is very difficult.  Turkey tags are often available over the counter and relatively inexpensive when compared to big game.  Even state that require tags to be drawn often have left over licenses due to low demand.  Your camp can be a rented cabin, series of tents, an RV rendezvous or an inexpensive motel near the hunting grounds.

Just Like a Camping Trip

Organizing a turkey camp is as easy as making a few phone calls or bringing up the idea at the next meeting of your hunting club.  Since the weather is usually mild in spring and you won’t need horses or an expensive pack-in, treat it like a camping trip and plan meals accordingly.  There is probably a lake or trout stream nearby which adds to the fun and requires fewer groceries when you consume your catch over an open fire. YUM.

Take the Family

Big game hunting often requires a considerable expense and effort, making “camp time” a few hours in the evening after dark.  Not so with turkey hunts.  Many states offer all-day hunting so that you can do something with your family and hunt all afternoon or visa-versa.  When you take loved ones along, a hunting trip becomes a vacation, and you may establish an annual tradition your very first year.

Book an Unguided or Semi-Guided Lodge

Many lodges in the South offer guided or semi-guided hunts.  A one-on-one guide situation creates the best opportunity for success, but often isn’t necessary to enjoy a great adventure.  Exploring a new section of the country, sneaking through trees laden with Spanish moss, and working around swamps are all new and exciting experiences for northern hunters.  Most ponds and lakes in the South are loaded with fish so don’t forget your fishing gear.  Turkey seasons in the South will open soon and many areas, like Kentucky’s Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area offer cabins for rent at campground with public hunting land nearby.

Hunting spring gobblers from a blind is fun and extremely successful.  If you have never tried it, here’s a quick primer and the gear you will need.  The first step is to select an ambush site which requires scouting either on foot, from a distance through binoculars or via trail camera.  Just like deer hunting, you don’t want to hang a stand in any ole tree.  If you find feathers, scratching, or droppings, turkeys are feeding or traveling through that area.  Pick a spot so that your blind faces north or south and you are ready for the next step.

What Makes a Good Blind

Primal sells tree stands and ground blinds and after a good look at the ATA Show, I ordered one.  This model allows for shooting in 270 degrees providing great versatility for cautiously approaching gobblers.  Numerous vendors sell these hub blinds which are easily transported and go up quickly.  Larger is better and turkey blinds need not be brushed in because wild turkeys, for all their savvy acuity, are downright stupid about blinds.  You can pop one up in the middle of a field and a turkey will walk right past it.  Make sure it’s anchored so as not to make noise or flap in the wind and put it up at least two weeks prior to the season so that deer become used to it.

Use a Comfortable Chair

The Alps Stealth Hunter Deluxe chair is specifically designed for blind hunting.  It folds and come with a handy carrying strap, has four sturdy legs that adjust for height and uneven ground, swivels like and office chair, and is totally silent.  Just as you saw Editorial Assistant Zachary “chilling out” in the lead photo, this baby is comfortable.  You probably have one or more camp chairs, yet they are TERRIBLE for hunting.  First, they often creak and leave you in an unbalanced position.  They may be comfortable, but after you scare a gobbler or two, you will understand the need for a quality chair.

Clasping Shooting Rest

Here’s the combo of Alps chair and Final Rest clasping shooting rest.  Placing the crossbow on the rest frees up both hands to use turkey calls, especially friction callers that can create subtle turkey calls that are very seductive.  Because your movements are screened by the blind, you are free to drink coffee, eat a sandwich or other snacks during the hunt.  You can take pictures of creatures with your cell phone and know that your crossbow is loaded and ready at a moment’s notice.  Note: We set this gear up outside the blind to aid phototherapy and illustrate gear use.

One or More Decoys

Placing one or more decoys in line with your shooting windows allows you to make a lethal shot with very little movement.  Since the adjustable height of your chair has you aligned with the scope or red dot, you can watch a big tom strut into your sights for a dead-rest shot.  Once you have called one or more turkeys into sight of your decoy(s), stop calling and let the visual attraction do its work.  We are experimenting this spring with the Barnett Hyper Raptor Crossbow and SKRE camouflage and so far, both are performing well.