(A) 14 Step Season Prep: Step 10- Hanging Stands

I finally have all of our tree stands up and trimmed in for this fall. There are a few more stands that I will have to hang in late summer, for various reasons, but everything else is up and ready. You may be asking yourself why I have my stands up already. Let me explain why I do this and talk about stand placement.

Hanging Stands- I usually hang or move approximately 25 stands every year. Over the last five years I found it frustrating to try and hang all of these stands in late summer. August can be very hot and humid in Kansas. The woods are full of vegetation, ticks, bugs, snakes, and poison oak (a growing nemesis for me). It took a lot of time to hang and trim in the stands, so by the time I finished them, I wouldn't have much time to hunt the early season. Three years ago I started hanging my bedding area stands in the spring to avoid tipping off the deer in the fall. This worked really well for me and I loved having the stands already hung and brushed in, come deer season.

Over the last two years I have carried this idea over into all of my stands. Every spring I hang my stands and brush them in. You don't have to worry about scent, bumping deer, running chain saws, or fighting thick vegetation. The stands that I don't hang are in areas that I think they can be stolen. However, I still hang and brush in the stand. I just pull the stand down when I am finished. I also pull down stands that don't have removable straps. I don't want the straps to weather or stretch out as the tree grows. All the other hang on stands and ladder stands are left in place using tie wire.

I use a simple process that I should have thought about a long time ago. Once I have a stand hung in place, I take tie wire and triple it (you can also use a heavy gauge single strand). I use the tie wire to secure the stand in place on the tree. Then I remove all of the straps that secure the stand. I leave the cable and lock on the tree stand for an added safety measure. As I remove the straps, pull up rope, etc.- I place all of these items in a gallon size zip lock storage bag and label it with the stand number. If the stand has ladder climbing sticks, I will remove the sticks and hide them under a nearby log. I place the straps for the ladder sticks in the same zip lock bag. As I leave the tree stand location I will mark my access trail with reflective trail markers. Once deer season arrives and I hunt the stand for the first time, I will head out to the stand a half hour early with the zip lock bag and secure all the straps for the remaining season. The stand is already hung and trimmed in. Sounds easy, huh? Well, it is with a little planning and organization in the spring.

Be careful hanging ladder stands. When I am hanging a ladder stand I secure one end of my hoist rope to the seat of the ladder. I will then lean it up against the tree (this can be very difficult for one person). Make sure to step on he lowest rung of the ladder to set it in the ground. I will have my assistant hold the other end of the rope tight to keep the ladder secure against the tree as I climb. As they hold it against the tree I will secure it with the provided ratchet strap.

Here is a basic list of the tools that I use when hanging tree stands:
Pole saw, chain saw, hand saw, pull up rope, safety harness, fanny pack, back pack, zip lock bags, permanent marker, reflective trail markers, orange flagging, screw in steps, wind checker, compass, toilet paper, etc.

Stand types- I use four basic styles of tree stands. They are ladders, hang-ons, climbers, and the Lone Wolf Alpha (separate category for this one). For permanent use I utilize ladder stands and large hang-on stands. I especially like the ladder stands for areas that my Dad hunts. They are comfortable, easy to get in and out of, and safer. Occasionally I will also use a climbing tree stand to access a new hunting area.

The fourth style of stand that I love to use is the Lone Wolf Alpha hang-on. This stand is super light and easy to hang. It is extremely portable and adjustable too. I like to use these stands in areas that I only plan to hunt once or twice a year. They are also good for areas where a permanent stand may be stolen. If you can't afford a lot of stands then buy just one of these stands. Here is what you can do. Pick as many stand locations as you like. Hang this stand and trim in your shooting lanes. I like to use screw in steps on these stand set ups because you can leave them in the tree. I will then pull down the stand. Now you have multiple set ups to hunt based on deer travel, wind direction, etc. Just throw this stand up in the tree that you want to hunt. The tree is already prepared for you. I absolutely love this set up!

You can also easily use the Lone Wolf to hang above an existing stand to film a buddy's deer hunt. You should have at least one of these stands in your arsenal. They give you the ability to really move around, keep the deer guessing, and cover your hunting area. I also use this stand with the Lone Wolf ladder sticks in the place of a climbing tree stand. They all weigh about the same but with the ladder sticks I don't have to find a tree without low hanging limbs. Keep in mind that deer movement changes through out the phases of the rut. This stand can help you do the same.

You should already know this but I want to remind you to purchase a quality tree stand cable lock for your stands. I prefer the bicycle lock over the traditional padlock style. They can easily cut the padlock with bolt cutters but the bicycle style is much more difficult to get through. I engrave a number on all of my keys and the locks to keep them straight.

Stand locations- First, lets discuss how high you should hang your stand. You can only hunt at your best if you are comfortable with your set up and feel safe. This means staying within your comfort level. Maybe that is 10 feet or it could be 30 feet. You will have to decide for yourself. However, you must utilize a quality fall restraint device to keep you safe. You owe this to yourself and your family! No excuses!

If you shoot a recurve bow, I would suggest that you stay under 18'. However, if you shoot a compound bow you can go higher. My ladder stands range from 17-21'. My hang on stands are usually between 20-25'. I like to be high in the trees for a couple of reasons. I want the deer to have to look up high to see my silhouette. I want to stay out of their natural field of view. I also like to be high to stay in the upper wind thermals. They higher you are the harder it is for them to smell you. However, the higher you are, the steeper your shot angle, especially on close shots. Go up as high as your comfortable in the tree. I know many successful hunters that harvest deer in stands that are under 15'. In fact, one of the biggest deer I have ever seen, walked under my stand at 12' and never knew I was there. If I have my choice though, I will be sitting in the tree around 22'.

Stand placement- I like to hang stands around feeding areas, transition areas, and on the edge of bedding areas to cover all phases of the rut. I also like to have two different set ups based on wind direction. My pro dominant wind direction is out of the south. However, the November cold fronts come out of the north, so my stands are set up accordingly.

When I hang a stand I usually have someone with me. Before I trim in the shooting lanes I climb up in the tree and ask my assistant to walk the deer trails for me. This helps me to decide if the the stand is in the right location and where I should start trimming in my best shooting lanes. I want to be able to shoot the deer trails in all directions. Sometimes bucks will walk 10 yards downwind of heavily used deer trails, so make sure it is clear to shoot a little past the trail.

Don't forget to take a hard look at how you can slip in and out of your stand without bumping deer. Use vegetation, topography, creek bottoms, wind direction, etc. to help hide your approach. You can hunt a stand numerous times if the deer don't know when you are using it.

I hope this information helps you. I am still learning, so if you have something that works well for you that I didn't mention, please let us know. Go hang some stands. It's not too late.

(A) 14 Step Season Prep: Step 9- Building Bedding Areas

When I first started bow hunting seriously I focused a lot on food sources. Although food is vital to deer, I didn't place enough emphasis on bedding areas. Now my early season deer hunting concentrates on food sources but quickly turns to bedding areas or transition areas as the rut nears. Some of the farms that I have previously hunted were only good during the rut because they had outstanding bedding areas. However, some farms had poor hunting during the rut because they lacked good bedding areas. The trail camera picture above shows two bucks checking the downwind side of a good bedding area during the rut. They do this day and night if they aren't already breading a doe. Hunt doe bedding areas during the rut. Not just the traditional buck bedding areas. Sometimes does are going to head for some thick cover to hide from harassing bucks this time of year.

By now you should have completed most of your spring work to prepare for next deer season. Hopefully during your post season scouting, you successfully located good bedding areas. On one of the farms that I hunt, the bedding areas are somewhat minimized once the vegetation is thin in November. We have identified most of the current bedding areas but they don't seem sufficient for the current deer population. So this spring I worked with the landowner to build and expand an existing bedding area.

One thing we did back in March was identify the current bedding areas that the deer were using. We wanted to expand on this. There is a large ravine that runs north and south and is located in the center of the hunting property in the middle of the woods. This ravine is protected to the north by a highway and has a pond for a water source in the north end of it. The south end of the ravine dead ends at the beginning of huge agricultural fields. For the last two years, we have agreed with the land owner to stay out of this ravine. We wanted the deer to have a safe haven where there would never be any human contact or hunting pressure.

This March, the land owner and I decided to expand this bedding area. We fired up our chainsaws and cut down numerous trees on the north east edge of this ravine by the pond. We dropped almost every tree in an area approximately equal to half an acre. This really opened up the forest floor for more sunlight. We tried to cut the trees above waist high or higher. Our goal was to only make our saw cut deep enough for the tree to fall to a horizontal position. If the tree is still somewhat attached, it will continue to grow and sprout. Once we dropped all of the trees we had a very thick place for the deer to bed comfortably. There were some good deer trails already leading to this area.

A couple of weeks later I returned to this man made bedding area. I raked out a few bed locations removing the leaves, twigs, branches, etc. so the deer could be more comfortable. This is an area that we will continue to stay out of until next spring when we shed hunt. However, we will hunt the far perimeter edges as the deer leave this bedding area (200+ yards away). For this reason we built a big bedding area to hold a lot of deer at the same time. Numerous small ones are also a good option.

I can't stress to you how important it is to know where your deer are bedding. Once you know where they are sleeping and eating, all you have to do is hang a stand in between the two spots to improve your hunting success. Many hunters build new bedding areas or improve on existing ones. They can be large like the one I just described or very small. If you are going to build a bedding area, first think about how the deer will approach it, the direction they will face while in laying in it, how close can you get to hunting it, etc. The small bedding areas don't take much more time to build than it takes someone to hang a new stand location. Think about it. It is not to late to build or improve a bedding area and it could really improve your success for the next deer season.

(P) Robin of the Hood!!

My Dad has been shooting his original Winners Choice bowstring on his current bow for three seasons and I knew it was time for a new one. When I checked his old string I was shocked to see it almost cut in half. Apparently at the end of last deer season, Dad had his bow in the ATV bow holder, which is mounted on the front of his Polaris Sportsman. Somehow the bow rattled loose and the string came in contact with the machine fraying it. The bowstring looked pretty bad so I asked Dad not to shoot his bow until we could get him a new one.

A few weeks later was Dad's birthday, so I ordered him a new Winner's Choice string and cable. Now if you know my family, you know we are HUGE Green Bay Packer fans (especially Dad). I decided to custom order his string and cable to be the colors of the Packers. I knew Dad would think that was cool and make his bow unique.

The other day Dad finally found some free time to have his new string and cable installed on his bow. The archery technician was very helpful and did a good job setting up his bow. Once everything was set up it was time to shoot a few arrows and make sure the peep was in the correct place. Dad shot his first arrow which ended up hitting the bullseye of the target. Dad shot a second arrow that almost grazed the shaft of the first one, still in the bullseye. The technician said, "One more shot like that and you are good to go!" Dad shot a third arrow and placed it right down the center of the shaft of his first arrow. He had his first Robin Hood!

Another archery technician, located in another room, heard the shot and came running in the room. As he approached he kept asking if Dad had Robin Hooded his first arrow. He said it sounded like a Robin Hood shot in the other room. Dad was pretty excited and so were the archery technicians. Dad was probably more excited about the Robin Hood shot than he was about his Packer green and yellow bowstring. Can you believe that? Good shooting Dad!!!!
Notice how the field point pushed the nock inside of the shaft. Wow, that is cool!

(A) 14 Step Season Prep: Step 8- Planting Food Plots

Last week we finally finished planting our food plots. The timing was perfect because we had 4 straight days of rain which started the night we finished planting. Timing is everything when planting food plots. If we would have needed one more day to plant, it would have taken a minimum of 8 days before we could get back on the fields. When your planting, take advantage of the right weather when you can. If practical, I like to plant right before a rain.

My Dad and I currently plant all of the food plots on only one of the farms that we hunt (with one exception). This is the arrangement we have with the property owner. We plant 13 acres worth of gourmet foliage to hold the deer in the area. On one of the other farms we plant 3 acres of lush green clover. Our third farm is more of a transition area and isn't configured well for planting. The forth farm that we hunt is surrounded by crops until late November and the land owner has asked us not to plant food plots on the property.

There are a lot of variables that go into planting. Mainly the cost of fertilizer, seed, and fuel. The equipment that is available to you will also determine how far you can take this process. Over the last five years my Dad has purchased a disc, drag, plow, brush hog, and corn planter for his tractor. Dad reasonably purchased these items from farmers in the area that no longer used the equipment because it was too small for their big fields and larger tractors. Auctions are another good place to find cheap farming equipment but you will still need access to a tractor. We also bought a seed spreader and sprayer for the four wheeler. They make a lot of cool attachments for ATV's. Although they are expensive, this may be a better option for someone who doesn't own a tractor.

You may be asking yourself what should you plant on your farm. Well that really depends on your particular situation. There are too many variables to list in this article but I will give you some of the basic things to think about as I fill you in on what we planted. How you plant your seed will be dependent on the type of seed that you choose. It may need to be drilled or broadcast. We always spread 200-300 lbs an acre of fertilizer and then drag it into the soil of our food plots.

Field #1- This 3 acre field is bordered to the north by a treeline and a creek to the south. East and West of the field are good bedding areas. Thee years ago we planted half of the field in Whitetail Institutes Whitetail Clover. The deer love this stuff. The clover has come back so well each year that we haven't had to spray it for weeds. All we do is fertilize it in the spring and then mow it a couple of times during the summer with the brush hog. I have tried almost every clover out there and nothing has compared to Whitetail Clover! The second half of this field has been more of a testing plot in the past. The first year we planted it, we put in Buck Forage Oats with average results. Last year we planted cowpeas in the spring which the deer absolutely loved. However, the cowpeas didn't last into the fall so this year we planted standing corn. It has been our experience that the deer will hammer the clover from spring to early fall. As the fall season progresses they will switch to the corn during and after the rut. This should put deer in this field every day in all phases of the deer season.

Field #2- This is our largest field at approximately 5 acres. It is bordered by a treeline to the north and wooded creek bottom to the south. There is a pasture field to the east and CRP grass to the west. The deer usually approach this field from the south creek bottom and sometimes from the west CRP grass. Last year we planted this entire field in standing corn. The deer hammered it but not until late December and January. This was because the neighbor to the South had a 120 acre standing corn field that was too wet to harvest until December. Once his corn was harvested (which was abnormally late) the deer lived on our fields. This year we planted half of the field in standing corn and the other half in soybeans. The deer seem to love eating soybeans in the early fall. Then they stop eating them until late season. In the north east corner and south east corner of this field we placed 1/4 of an acre in Whitetail clover because this field is located so far away from fields #1 and #3, which also have clover in them. Again, this should put deer in this field almost every day.Don't forget to build cages for your fields that are at least 2x2 feet. That way the deer can't eat what is inside of them and you will now how much pressure you fields are receiving.

Field #3- This 2 acre field is in the shape of a horse shoe. We built it in the middle of the timber. There are bedding areas to the east and west of this field. To the north are all the trees we knocked down with the bulldozer. Sometimes the deer bed on the other side of these piles of trees. In the past this field has held a lot of moisture and been hard to plant. Last year we used Whitetail Institute's No Plow due to the excessive moisture. However, this field has drained well this year and isn't holding as much moisture. So, you can probably guess what we planted, it was Whitetail Clover. This field will be a gold mine especially in the early season.

Field #4- The last field we planted is 3 acres in size. It is bordered by CRP to the north and a creek bluff to the south. The east is made up of wooded fingers and the west is dense hardwood trees and bedding areas. Last year we planted most of the field in cowpeas. It held a lot of deer in the spring and summer but the plants no longer produced in the fall. So, like field #2, we planted half of this field in corn and the other half in soybeans to see how well they produced together.

With the exception of our clover fields last year, the deer did not hit our fields hard until late December. Many other hunters have told me they experienced similar results. This was because there were hundreds of acres of agricultural fields to the south of our property. Due to the wet fall last year, these fields were left standing all fall and became competition for our food plots. Would you go to a 5 acre corn field when you could go to one that was 240 acres? Plus the neighboring fields were full of milo and soybeans. This made it tough to hunt around our food plots last year. However, once the neighbor harvested these crops, our food plots were quickly consumed.

We don't necessarily plant food plots to hunt over them. Actually we try to hunt between the food plots and the bedding areas. You can quickly educate deer if you continually hunt over a food plot. The plantings are to keep the deer healthy and in the area. If you have a lot of agricultural fields in the area, then maybe you want to start by planting some Whitetail Clover. If you don't have much for crops in your hunting area, then you had better make your food plot as large as you can because they will probably eat them down before they can mature.

I encourage you to contact me if you have questions about planting food plots. I can only offer advise based on my experience but I would like to help you get results the first time you try this. Let me know if you have any suggestions, recommendations, or questions. If you are going to do some planting and you have kids, try to get them involved. I took my two boys with me to seed a field and they had a blast. Good hunting!

(P) Where Did the Turkeys Go?

Well, it was the third week of turkey season here in Kansas and things got a little tough. Shotgun season opened this week so we planned a guys weekend down at the farm to chase some birds. My brother Jeff and I were going to try a take our second bird with our bows. However, our priority was to get my Dad and our other brother, Dustin, their first bird of the season.

Jeff and Dustin hunted Saturday morning in a ground blind on the edge of a historically productive field. As usual, the gobblers were sounding off at day break almost surrounding them. They were pretty optimistic that in a matter of a few hours, a bird or two would be on the ground. We had called in a mature tom on almost every outing this year so far, so it was easy to feel confident. However, they hunted until noon without success. They saw a few birds but nothing to shoot at.

I met up with Dustin in the afternoon and we hit it again. We called in a jake but no toms. We moved to a couple other spots with out success. Then we checked a small field that always seems to produce for me. However, we arrived too late and birds were already in the field. We tried to circle and get ahead of them but they went in a different direction which was not their typical pattern. Oh well, we knew where they roosted so we could get on them the next morning.

The next morning Jeff and Dustin went back to where they started the previous day. Most of the toms seemed to be on the neighbors property. I almost took my Dad to a spot that was three fields over from them but elected to try the field that Dustin and I were in the previous night as we put the birds to bed. As luck would have it, the birds flew out of their roost to a field in the opposite direction. Dad and I struck out by not seeing one turkey. Jeff and Dustin said that there were a few toms in the field that I almost chose to hunt that morning which was three fields over from them. Sometimes the birds just get lucky.

We took a break during the mid-day and headed back out in the early afternoon. We split up again and chose to set up our ground blinds on two productive fields that were being visited almost every evening just prior to dark. We had seen the birds in these two fields the night before, feeding before they headed up to roost. Once again we were disappointed as only hens showed up. Dustin and Jeff could see numerous birds and toms in an adjoining field which was one of the areas Dustin and I hunted the previous night. It was like the birds new where we were going to be. Dustin and Jeff attempted to make a stalk on the birds in the field but they had to walk almost a half mile to circle around the field. By the time they arrived, the turkeys were gone.

Jeff and I really wanted to get Dustin and my Dad a bird over the weekend. We had talked up our successful season from the previous two weeks. It was important for me to get my Dad a bird because he has never shot one before. He hasn't shown a strong interest in turkey hunting but I know that may change once he shoots one. I was frustrated but I also knew what was hurting our hunting.

The first two weeks were successful for us because the hens weren't being bread yet and the toms were still establishing their dominance. However, this week we were seeing a lot of lone hens and no toms. After day break, nothing seemed to be responding to our calls with the exception of an occasional jake. I am confident that the hens are now on their nests and laying eggs. Just like the lock down period of deer hunting when the mature bucks have have found their does to bread. Nothing is moving and it feels like the woods are empty.

Well, we are going to give the birds a couple of weeks to finish their breading cycle and then the toms should be on the move again and responding to our calling. I know a couple of good turkey hunters who don't start hunting hard until the last week of April for this reason. Hopefully things will pick up again later. So, in the meantime, I am going to concentrate on finishing our food plot plantings and spend some time with the family.

I ran into a co-worker (Dustin M.) today who advised me that he recently purchased a Killer B decoy by Primos. He said that he shot two mature toms with his bow while using the decoy. I am telling you that this thing really works and you need to get one. Good luck chasing the thunder chickens and let me know how your doing.

(P) Strike 2

Well, I called this posting Strike 2 because I missed my second turkey of the season. Let me tell you the story and then I will need some input or advise from all of you. Yesterday morning I took a friend of mine, Monty, turkey hunting. He has very little exposure to turkey hunting but is an excellent deer hunter. In fact, I talked Monty into hunting with me after he finished attending a hunting expo in Madison, Wisconsin this week.

It was 6 am and the sun was coming up fast. Monty and I were speed walking a field edge to get to the far end of a huge field of cut soybeans. We finally arrived at our destination which was on a field edge, approximately 300 yards from a roosting site. Behind us was a finger of woods that separated two large fields. We were located on the edge of a logging road that was built in the wooded finger to connect the two fields. My cousin, Steve, had rolled a big tom on this logging road a few years earlier. Monty set up my Primos Vision Ground Blind for me while I unpacked the turkey decoys. If you read my previous posting from last week about the two birds that my brother and I killed, then you know I am a believer in the Primos Killer B decoy! I set the Killer B strutting tom decoy out in the field about 8 yards away from the blind.

The sun was coming up as we set up for the hunt. Once safely in the blind, we had birds gobbling all around us. For the next 30 minutes we were surrounded by gobbling toms and it was a very exciting morning. However, no birds flew down in the field or showed themselves. In fact, we did not see a bird until approximately 8:30. My brother, Jeff, was hunting another area with my cousin, Steve. They sent me a text message saying they were only seeing single hens. I thought the mating season must be kicking in. My experience (which is somewhat limited) during this turkey phase has resulted in the birds moving late. I assured Monty that we would eventually see a tom but it may not be until be 10 am. Over the next few hours, we whispered about deer hunting strategies, deer stories, family, etc. to get caught up on what was going on in each others lives. I enjoyed our conversations and hearing about his hunting philosophies.

At 8:30 we caught a hen feeding by herself on the other side of the field. Then we had a couple of hens clucking behind us in the wooded finger. I started clucking to the hens when I was able to get a couple of toms to gobble at me. It sounded like they were just out of view of my decoy, one a field to the west of us. I called to the two toms for approximately 10 minutes trying to coax them in. Finally, they showed themselves as they worked toward us, just inside the wood line. They hung up at 60 yards for an unknown reason. So, I pulled on the rope to my Killer B and moved the tail a couple of times. After two more clucks, the toms were committed and on their way across the field.

As the birds approached the ground blind I realized that Monty was between me and the birds. These two toms seemed a bit skittish so I wasn't confident that they would make it all the way to the decoy. I asked Monty (who was going to film the hunt) to change spots with me. This was a little bit challenging with a bow (arrow nocked) and two full grown men but we made it work. By now the birds were closing in fast which is what they usually do when they see this decoy. I drew back my Mathews Z7 and prepared to make the shot. I asked Monty to range the birds. "27, now 25 yards" he advised. By now the birds were moving from my left to right and I was about to lose my shooting lane. I kept the bow at full draw and moved to another window in the blind. The two birds were in my blind spot so I asked Monty to range them again. Before he could give me the distance I saw the birds and realized they were only at 20 yards. I settled my pin on the first bird because he had the longest beard. However, I decided to quickly check the second tom and noticed that he had two beards. I made him my new target and settled the pin on the double bearded bird. I had a quartering away shot so I let the arrow fly.

I drilled the bird pretty hard and watched my arrow pass right through him. The big tom was hurt bad and struggled to make it off of the field. Monty and I thought the bird fell down on the field edge but we watched him struggle to get back up and cross the fence. I was surprised to see him make it out of the field. Monty asked me if we should try to chase the injured bird down. I advised him that it was a good hit and I thought the tom would be laying dead on the other side of the field. I told Monty we should give the bird a little time. Besides, I have heard that turkeys can run 17 mph when chased. If you know me then you can attest to the fact that I can't run that fast. Monty never had the opportunity to film any of the hunt because it happened in seconds. I think he enjoyed the experience though. Next time I will probably try to use a tripod for the camera.

Monty and I picked up our gear and folded up the ground blind. We walked across the field and found my arrow. It had blood on the arrow shaft and vanes. I thought to myself, wow we pulled it off! I was pumped to show Monty what this turkey hunting was like while using a ground blind, decoys and a bow. Well, I spoke too soon because we found no blood trail from that bird. In fact, Steve and Jeff helped Monty and I look for that bird for 3 hours. We never found him. That turkey could barely walk to get off of the field but somehow he made it. Can you say DISAPPOINTMENT? I made what I thought was a great shot on that turkey. I saw the arrow hit him exactly where I was aiming and the shot looked great. However, this was my second un-recovered mature tom in a week after making two good shots. What was I doing wrong? Other archery-turkey hunters that I know have experienced similar results. I just want to do better!

I started to think about what adjustments I could make to be more successful. Practice wasn't my problem, it was philosophy. I narrowed it down to three things. Broadhead selection, shot placement, and bird recovery. I am shooting a G5 Striker which did a number on the first bird I shot this year. However, I wonder if I should be shooting the Gobbler Guillotine or Magnus Bullhead Turkey broadhead. What are you shooting? Both of these large bladed broadheads are designed for head or neck shots rather than body shots. What about mechanical broadheads like the 2 " Rages? I am thinking about giving these a try since I won't have to change my arrow shaft length or spine.

This leads me to my second issue, shot placement. Where should I be shooting a turkey if I stick with my traditional fixed blade broadheads? I have heard the back is the best place to hit a turkey as he is facing away from you. Being a deer hunter, I continue to keep going for the vitals. If you study the location of the vitals on a turkey you will realize that they are relatively higher on the bird with the heart located just slightly forward of the leg. Maybe my two un-recovered birds were shot just below the vitals. What works for you? I maybe finishing out this turkey season with my shotgun until I can sort all of this out. I always liked using my fixed blades on turkeys to gear up for deer season. However, turkeys are a completely different animal than deer so maybe my equipment should reflect that.

Lastly, when do you run down a turkey that has been shot? I have read that you should immediately go after a turkey when shot with a shotgun (obviously not actually sprinting with a round in the chamber) so you can shoot it again if a second shot is needed. However, I have also read that you should not chase a bird shot with an arrow. How do you find these extremely tough birds when they get away from you? I search the area and check every log, piece of brush and ravine. If I can make a great shot on a turkey but not recover him than I need to make some changes. What are you guys doing different as far as broadheads, shot placement, and recovering your turkeys? Give me some feedback and let me know how your turkey season is going.

(A) 14 Step Season Prep: Step 7- Hunt the Turkey

Okay. As you can tell from my last posting, we are in turkey season and I have been spending most of my free time chasing thunder chickens. In Step 6 of our 14 Step process, we discussed how to talk to landowners. I actually talked to a couple of new landowners, or land managers, the other day and they were very accommodating to the idea of letting us bow hunt their properties. Once you obtain permission to hunt a new property, fall back to the previous steps we have discussed like post season scouting, etc...

Well, we have been working hard the last couple of months on our hunting property, so I like to break it up by turkey hunting. I am a die hard deer hunter but I enjoy turkey hunting more and more every year. The cold weather is over and it feels good to be outside in the warmth. I get the itch to start hunting again in the spring so chasing turkeys can be a lot of fun. During the first few weeks of the season, I typically will hunt field edges by productive roosting sights. I will bow hunt out of a ground blind and set up a few decoys. Then around 10 o'clock I will start scouting, shed hunting or working on deer stands again. In the afternoon, I will switch back to turkey hunting and try to get on some birds. As a minimum, I should be able to locate them by sunset to put them to bed on their roost. This will tell me where to set up the next morning. This system has worked well for me during the first part of turkey season. I also feel a sense of accomplishment as I get other jobs done during the middle of the day.

After the first three weeks of turkey season, I will usually pick up my shotgun to chase turkeys. They will be mating by now and I like to cover a little more ground to find them. There is a lot of vegetation on the trees so you can get away with a little more of the run and gun style. However, this may not be the best approach for you if your birds receive a lot of early season pressure. I have experienced good success in the mornings after 9 am and in the early afternoons this time of year. I will admit to you that I have only been turkey hunting for about 4 years, so I am still learning a lot about it.

Turkey season can be a lot of fun and is a great opportunity to sharpen your archery skills. If you get the chance, take someone hunting with you. Take your one of your kids, your wife, a friend, brother, etc.. Sitting in a ground blind will allow them to stay fairly comfortable and your calling should keep them engaged. You may hook someone else on hunting or at least justify to your spouse why we seem crazy about hunting. So, take a break from working for a couple of weeks and start chasing the THUNDER CHICKEN!