Turkey and pop up blinds

[birdshot8's]

I am wanting a pop up blind for this turkey season. I am hunting Merrians and maybe Rio Grandes. Will the turkey shy from the blind? Will calling in the blind distort the sound?

 

[mingo]

Nope and Nope...although the turkeys will shy from blinds after they see their brothers shot and a lot of hunting pressure (overcalling rookies) that have no patience. They will learn they are danger.

 

[buck460XVR]

What I have found with pop-up blinds is that they can distort the sounds of turkeys, thus making it harder to tell which direction faint gobbles are coming from or even hearing faint turkey talk in general. Wind blowing can make the blind noisy and also hamper hearing birds talking or walking behind you. Puttin' a blind out in the open may make a bird hang up or be overly cautious especially when hunting pressure has wised them up. Puttin' the blind in some sort of cover or blending it in with the surroundings generally doesn't bother them at all. One thing to make sure is that the blind fabric is not thin enough or that the sun is not bright enough or shining from a direction to make you visible from the outside when you move.

 

[CApighunter]

I've always just camo'ed up and sat at the base of a tree, behind a log etc. More mobile that way and still kill plenty of turkeys

 

[birdshot8's]

thanks for the answers. Last year I hunted in the open, out in the sand hills. I was getting busted quite a few times.

 

[Sav .250]

Most turkey hunters are on the move till they find them. Then camo and brush are in order.
Lugging a blind around is a waste. JMO

But if you want one go for it.

 

[Dinosaur1]

I have a chair blind I use now and then, especially if it's wet. It doesn't seem to bother the birds but the problem is you have to shoot the way the chair is facing. Had one walk right up to it once and gobble at a distance of about 3'. What a rush. When he turned his back I went down on one knee got ahold of the bottom of the blind and when he wasn't looking I threw it up in the air and drew a bead. Surprised him so much he didn't move. Surprised me so much I didn't shoot. We both quickly recovered tho and he was in the pot. If you have their pattern and are going to wait all day it's the way to go. If the wind is right other critters come by too.

 

[birdshot8's]

Dinosaur1, nice story and well told. thanks.

 

[gamestalker]

I've killed dozens of turkey, and have never found the need for a blind. I don't even camo up, I've called birds to within reach wearing nothing but my street clothes, even a red plad flannel shirt. As long as you aren't moving or making noise, they'll never know your there.

One of my Son's just bought this elaborate blind yesterday and I'm trying to find a gentle way of telling him I won't use it for turkey. It would be nice for other hunting activities, but not turkey. When I'm approaching the roost area in the pitch black of early morning, where I put the birds to bed the night before, I want to do it with the least amount of movement and noise. Decoys are nice, but not blinds.

GS

 

[buck460XVR]

I am generally a runner and gunner myself and prefer to back myself up against a tree or brushy fence-line. Blinds I prefer to use natural surroundings to break up my outline. But....one of my turkey hunting buddies hunts with a bow and many times set-ups where he can draw and get a shot are tough without a pop-up blind....especially early in the spring when leaves and undergrowth are sparse. Another good time for a pop-up are days of continuous rain. Turkeys still move in the rain, but move much slower. They also get very active during short lulls in rain and it helps if you are out there when that happens as things will happen fast. Sittin' for hours on end with a roof over your head beats the heck outta having rain run down your neck or going home early. Most times, the pop-up is put up ahead of hunting season in a good travel area and left there for just such occasions. Never had much luck trying to set them up in the dark within' flydown distance of a Tom. Another time I use blinds is during the late fall hunt here in Wisconsin. Much of this is during one of several deer seasons when anyone in the woods hunting is required to wear blaze orange. Believe me, most Turkeys around here know what the 'ell blaze orange means after the second day of gun deer season. They have excellent color vision...one reason a Tom's head is white/blue /red and changes with his mood. Only way to get within shotgun range without a dog when wearing blaxe orange is sittin' in a blind where the blaze orange is not seen. This can only be done on private land as blinds on public land need to have blaze orange on them. Nuttin' more frustrating that having a flock of birds hang up 80-100 yards away after running to your calls from two farms over, because they see that spot of blaze orange against the snow.