Most turkey bowhunters also hunt deer, so why not use the same tactics to fool turkeys as whitetails? Since turkeys often feed in agricultural fields and in oak flats, you may be able to use stands that are already in place. Ladder stands, like the one shown above, are ideal because they allow quick, silent access and have ample room for a comfortable seat. You may even call in a coyote or other predator that you can ambush without spooking a gobbler just over the ridge.
Hone Your Deer Hunting Skills
Be sure to take a few practice shots from an elevated position. If you don’t control your draw, you can easily shoot over a turkey, the same way you would a deer. This isn’t a concern for crossbow hunters, but practicing is still a good idea. Also, a tree stand for turkeys is just as dangerous as for deer. Make sure you wear your safety harness and follow all tree stand safety rules.
Stands are Safer in the Late Season
Gobbler decoys are very effective, especially for those with a real turkey fan. They are also very dangerous since you carry a replica that an excited hunter can easily mistake for the real thing. As you will see in the following video, Tim Wells uses a tree stand and decoy to bag a mature gobbler. If the bird strutting beside an arrow in the ground looks odd, Wells missed the headshot with the first arrow. The tom was so enraged by the decoy that it couldn’t resist returning for the fight. Like all Tim Wells videos, this one is amazing.
