Bowhunting Wild Turkeys Tip: Kill ‘em Like Cash

Johnny Cash didn’t wear black because it would help him kill more wild turkeys, but it would have.

If you have a field where turkeys are feeding regularly, but it’s often too windy to keep a pop-up style ground blind in place, then hide in plain sight. Be the bird.

For this system to be effective, you want turkeys to see you — at least part of you. Wear a camo hat, facemask and pants, but a black long-sleeve shirt or jacket. Sit butt on the ground. A predator-style seat with back support is mandatory. There are several models available; one that has worked well for me is the ALPS OutdoorZ Backwoods stadium seat. Set up your ambush right where you most often see turkeys mingling/feeding.

Stick two strutting decoys facing away from you (I use Primos B-Mobiles), one right off your right foot, one off your left foot. Off your right shoulder (as a right-handed shooter), set up another male bird; I prefer a Flextone Funky Chicken jake decoy. Leave just enough room with the decoy to your right to draw your bow to the left. The plan is to shoot between the two strutting decoys as a pissed-off tom or jake comes over to investigate.

Don’t worry about being hidden to draw, even at point-blank range. The turkeys expect to see movement from a cluster of three toms/jakes, especially on a windy day. With your black shirt, you’ll look like the body or tail fan of another strutting turkey. Draw slow and steady when your target bird is walking toward you at 10 yards. When he gets to 5 to 7 yards, drop the hammer, which for me is a 125-grain Magnus Bullhead to the bird’s head or neck.

Generally, the three decoys do the work and calling isn’t necessary, but I always have a shaker call sitting beside me just in case. I rely on a Primos “The Gobbler,” but any loud gobbler call will work.

The Johnny Cash system enables you to hunt effectively without hauling a heavy blind, the wind is your friend and not your foe, and best of all, you have an unobstructed view of the world around you.

Important safety note: I use this technique on private land and only when I can see a great distance all around me, and never within sight of a road. I don’t want a trespasser with a shotgun crawling up on my setup and taking a 60-yard poke.