Skip to main content

How to Bowhunt Turkeys without a Blind

How to Bowhunt Turkeys without a Blind

Hunting turkeys with a bow is a challenge. Heck, hunting turkeys with any weapon is a challenge. That’s why so many people become obsessed with hunting them every spring.

For bowhunters, the biggest obstacle to overcome is getting drawn on a gobbler without getting busted. This is made infinitely easier by the use of pop-up ground blinds with darkened interiors designed to hide your movements. However, you can consistently fill your tag without a commercial blind.

If you do go blind-less, make sure you are wearing a good spring camouflage pattern.

My go-to pattern happens to be Mossy Oak Obsession, which is built on a background of mottled tree bark and features limbs, leaves, bark, branches and other digitally enhanced natural elements, plus shadowing, color tones, and an inlay of the NWTF’s logo throughout the pattern.

Of course, you can’t just sit in the open and expect to arrow a turkey. Once you get a gobbler to respond, use natural vegetation (deadfalls, brush piles, clusters of trees, etc.) to hide behind while still allowing yourself room to draw and shoot.

I find decoys to be a big help, as they will often distract a strutting tom just long enough to enable you to get drawn.

I like to position my decoys relatively close, so a tom won’t hang up out of range, and facing toward me because if he’s strutting for my hen decoy he will usually dance around in front of her. That puts his fan between us, effectively hiding my drawing motion. Also, as soon as I can see a tom committing to my decoy set, I take the first opportunity to draw my bow, preferably when the gobbler’s head is completely hidden behind a tree or brush. Because you’ll often have to hold at full draw for an extended period of time, I recommend lowering your bow’s draw weight by at least five pounds.


Turkeys are a blast no matter how you choose to hunt them. But, in my opinion, if you want the ultimate bowhunting challenge, go after them this spring without a blind.

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

Curt Wells can't pass up this opportunity to hunt mountain caribou in the Northwest Territories.
Gear

Bear Celebrates 90 Years with a Takedown Twist

Curt Wells can't pass up this opportunity to hunt mountain caribou in the Northwest Territories.
Gear

Spot Hogg Fast Eddie Updates

Curt Wells can't pass up this opportunity to hunt mountain caribou in the Northwest Territories.
Gear

New-for-2023: Kenetrek Slide Rock Hiker

Curt Wells can't pass up this opportunity to hunt mountain caribou in the Northwest Territories.
Bowhunting

Bugling New Mexico Bulls

Curt Wells can't pass up this opportunity to hunt mountain caribou in the Northwest Territories.
Gear

New Arrow Rests for 2023: Vapor Trail Gen Integrate 8 and 8X Series

Curt Wells can't pass up this opportunity to hunt mountain caribou in the Northwest Territories.
Gear

New Browning Cellular Trail Cams for 2023: Defender Pro Scout Max and Vision Pro

Curt Wells can't pass up this opportunity to hunt mountain caribou in the Northwest Territories.
Gear

New from Bear Archery: Limited Edition Series Super Kodiak Recurve Bow

Curt Wells can't pass up this opportunity to hunt mountain caribou in the Northwest Territories.
Bowhunting

Great Elk Bowhunts of the Past

Curt Wells can't pass up this opportunity to hunt mountain caribou in the Northwest Territories.
Bowhunting

Mexico Coues Deer Hunt

Curt Wells can't pass up this opportunity to hunt mountain caribou in the Northwest Territories.
Bowhunting

Watering Hole Elk Action

Curt Wells can't pass up this opportunity to hunt mountain caribou in the Northwest Territories.
Bowhunting

Grizzly Spotting While Caribou Hunting

Curt Wells can't pass up this opportunity to hunt mountain caribou in the Northwest Territories.
Bowhunting

Mountain Caribou Hunt

Bowhunter Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Buy Single Digital Issue on the Bowhunter App

Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top Bowhunter stories delivered right to your inbox.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Bowhunter subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now