Pro’s and Con’s Of Different Turkey Hunting Methods

Pro’s and Con’s Of Different Turkey Hunting Methods

By Billy Pryor

When Spring Turkey season comes around, you may be lost in the many styles or tactics of a midwestern turkey hunt. You might be the traditional turkey hunter with the old fashioned roots, who sits with their back against a sturdy oak tree and your gun up on your knee just like your Grandpa. Maybe you like the new and top of the line gear and you disappear inside the black interior of a pop up ground blind. You could be the hunter who hates to sit all day, so you run and gun, listening for a response to your calls and then you start moving in hopes of cornering that hung up bird. Some choices will even lead you to hide behind a decoy fan of a tom while getting as close as you can to a feisty long beard. Whatever your style of hunting, the objective remains the same; getting a bird on the ground.

With so many different styles or methods to hunt a turkey, you might want to take the time to compare them and see if there is one that may fit your personality. Maybe you want to be the up and moving, impatient hunter that some of us inevitably are. You could choose a style that is easier on the old knees and lets you sit inside the blind on a comfy chair. But which one is better than the next. Let’s dive into the options and compare and contrast a few different tactics.

Going back to the basics; Turkey hunting can be traditionally done by camouflaging yourself into the forest floor and waiting for that perfect shot. This method of hunting seems to be the staple of a lot of tried and true hunters. Finding a camo pattern that matches the area you are hunting, then sitting against a tree and calling in a trophy bird. The key to this method is to be as still as possible at all times. Turkeys have very good hearing and extremely sharp eyes. This style is so common because it allows you to hunt with only the bare necessities and it can also be very successful. The downfall to this type of hunt is your visibility. Wild turkeys can see in full color and they have excellent daytime vision. In fact, it is three times better than our eyesight. Their field of vision covers a massive 270 degrees. So every single twitch you make can easily catch their eye.

Another common standard of turkey hunting is using a ground blind and decoy set up. A simple setup that will allow you to have the concealment needed to hide but also the ability to move without being busted as easily. Choose a ground blind that will be comfortable for you or multiple hunters to sit in and place the decoys of your choice within roughly 20 yards of your shooting windows. The rest is a calling and waiting game. This is my favorite tactic as you can setup a blind and if it seems out of place; most birds will not care. Their main objective is to find the hen that they keep hearing.

Also this method allows you to stay out of the spring weather. As we all know, the weather in Iowa is sure to keep you on your toes. However, you will definitely find a few cons when using a blind for concealment. Inside a blind you may find it to be very humid. The wind does not always rip right through the windows. Bugs also love to be in the blind with you. Maybe they are trapped or maybe they just want to “bug” you, who knows? If you setup your blind with intentions of leaving it for the season, make sure you stake or tie it down very well. I have seen blinds blow away like a tumbleweed rolls across the prairie. Also, be aware of the amount of weight you will be carrying. If you are not one for carrying extra weight in and out, then maybe a blind is not your go to tactic.

The run and gun method is a style that is more common than you may expect. It is a game of luck as much as it is a game of skill. A typical run and gun hunt will consist of making your way to your hunting ground and listening or maybe calling for a response. Once a gobbler is heard in the distance, you can start heading in that general direction. While listening along the way you can stop and call, hoping for a response to give you a distance and direction of the bird you are after. Once you are closing in on the turkey who is answering your calls; you simply tuck into the brush or blind and call him in the last couple hundred yards, making the sitting and waiting much shorter. Although this seems simple it comes with its own set of problems. It is easy to spook a bird while moving so much. I have had birds go silent on me in this situation too. Once I start thinking the gobbler has left because he has gone silent, I look over and see I have no time to hide because he has already busted me. This type of hunt can also be tricky as you chase a bird for what seems like miles, just to hear him gobble behind you.

Reaping is becoming more and more known today even though it is an ancient hunting technique, once utilized by the Native Americans. It is done by using a fan decoy in one hand and your gun or bow in the other while crawling toward the turkey, thus challenging it to a fight. This is a whole different type of turkey hunting. It is an exhilarating style that will have your heart pumping and will wear you out for sure. Another thing about this style that is so different than a traditional method, is the fact that you may not have to ever use a call. You may think crawling around is easy, but the spring ground in Iowa is not exactly forgiving. Dirt, water, mud, and sticks pose a problem to both your weapon and your arms, hands, and especially your knees. Maybe the thrill of this sneak is enough to push you through the muck.

Each style of a turkey hunt has its ups and downs, but they each have a time where one could be more useful than another. For example: if you know where your bird is roosted and where it flies down to; then a simple brush in or ground blind is a perfect setup. If that gobbler always seems to be hundreds of yards away no matter where you setup. Then maybe you need to chase it down with a run and gun technique. Who knows, maybe you are a thrill seeker and want to drop that trophy tom in the middle of an empty beanfield while he tries to spur the fan that you have in your hand. Any tactic is sure to work at some point. It is just a matter of knowing the turkeys that you are hunting and adapting a style to finish the job.