In this era of superheroes, what do Superman and a longbeard have in common? If you said x-ray vision, you’d be close. If you’ve spent time chasing spring gobblers, you’ve witnessed their incredible ability to see the tiniest movement. Move your head, raise your gun, or draw a bow, and they are GONE!
Blinds Mask Movement
If you continually get busted by approaching spring turkeys, you may want to try a pop-up blind. If you’ve never hunted from a modern pop-up, be prepared to be pampered as they have everything but a toilet. You can sit in a comfortable chair, drink coffee, and munch on snacks all while actually hunting. When your buddy texts to say he just saw a monster gobbler, you can pick up the phone and reply.
Blinds are also terrific if you want to video your hunt. Some blinds come with video ports so that you can put a camera on a tripod, aim it at your decoys, and when birds show up, push “record.” While the video camera is capturing the action, you can focus on making a precise shot.
Can You Stay Put?
The downside of blind hunting is immobility. If you pack all your gear into a spot, you may have to listen to turkey gobbles in the distance and have enough patience to stay put. That may sound easy, yet if you are a traditional run-and-gun hunter, you may need an anchor to stay in one spot.
Fortunately, you can pass the time by calling. Since movement is concealed, you can lay out your calls and sound like a flock of hens. Box callers, slate callers, and push-button callers require movement and you can use your best lures to bring birds to you.
Decoys Are Important
I’ve hunted from blinds for more than a decade, primarily to help my aging father remain still and to take birds with a crossbow. Dad and I hunted together into his early 90s, and we’d drive to a spot in darkness and unload our gear. Once set up, I helped dad get into the blind and get settled.
If you know of an open area near a consistent roost, a frequent strutting ground, or a small field where birds come to feed, you have an ideal place to pop a blind. I set mine up three weeks ahead and post a trail camera to capture turkey travel habits.
The day before the hunt, I take my decoys, a chair, and other gear to the blind so that I can slip in quietly on opening morning. Having hunted the same spot for 10 years, I know it will be difficult to hear gobbles in the distance and sometimes gunshots, yet my patience has paid big dividends. Last year I took a 22-pound tom as it came to my decoys at 9:30 am.
Scouting is important to pick the best spot and if you are hunting-friendly turf, the presence of your blind will discourage other hunters from approaching. The rounded dome of a pop-up is easy for a hunter to spot, while turkeys will completely ignore the blind as long as it doesn’t move.
Prepare In Advance
Multi-hub blinds are advertised as easy to pop up. That’s not been my experience. You’ll probably buy one in a box and it’s important to follow the directions carefully. If the instructions recommend a YouTube video, watch it before you erect the blind and do it first in your yard, not on opening morning.
Blinds allow you to hunt in greater comfort in rainy or snowy weather and take accurate precise shots at known distances. Turkeys have incredible eyesight, but they won’t spook from what they can’t see. Note: The New Primos see-through blind is ideal for turkey hunting. www.primos.com
