Turkey from a tree stand??

[Al Bundy]

Good idea or bad idea? Nice ladder stand in the middle of the woods. I am thinking about going to sit there.. I notice nobody seems to post about hunting from a tree. Not sure why??

[Steuben Jerry]

I've also wondered about that. I see them from the stand during deer season.

 

I've tried squirrel hunting from stands. That certainly works!

[WingNut]

If you are lucky enough to find a bird roosting close enough to a tree stand, go for it.  Nine times out ten you have to find them and set up for where they are.

[Al Bundy]

My woods are so small if they are there the stand will be perfect. I may spook the birds coming in though. Need to be careful of that. I hadn't seen birds on my land in years but saw them a month or so ago.

[Chris B]

I was thinking about that the other day while working on my food plot. The couple things that concern me are:

 

1) being spotted by a bird on the roost while you climb into your stand

 

2) sounding like you are on the roost while calling, instead of sounding like you are on the ground

 

3) When taking the shot, you're aiming down at the bird. I believe it would cause you to put many more pellets into the body and breast meat

Edited April 27, 2016 by Chris B

[ants]

I was thinking about that the other day while working on my food plot. The couple things that concern me are:

 

1) being spotted by a bird on the roost while you climb into your stand

 

2) sounding like you are on the roost while calling, instead od sounding like you are on the ground

 

3) When taking the shot, you're aiming down at the bird. I believe it would cause you to put many more pellets into the body and breast meat

What he said. Plus I like to be able to get up and move quickly, if I need to. 

[jjb4900]

I was thinking about that the other day while working on my food plot. The couple things that concern me are:

 

1) being spotted by a bird on the roost while you climb into your stand

 

2) sounding like you are on the roost while calling, instead od sounding like you are on the ground

 

3) When taking the shot, you're aiming down at the bird. I believe it would cause you to put many more pellets into the body and breast meat

#3......I don't think it's a great shot angle as far as I see it.

[The_Real_TCIII]

Ive found they pick me out much easier in a tree than they do on the ground

[G-Man]

I do in the fall, spring is about getting close, and sneaking in

. Can't do that with stand. .

[turkeyfeathers]

I've never heard of anyone shooting a bird during spring season in a stand. Not to say it can't be done. Unlike deer I think birds may look up. Wear your scent lock ????

[dbHunterNY]

done it.  birds move after they pitch down and might not be pitching down on your property.  they can be patterned if a hunter or hunters don't convince them to take another route.  I've got spots where they always come through.  some in timber and others in open strutting areas like fields or logging roads.  some locations it's hard to see very far sitting but not in a stand.  especially if it's at a field edge with a view and a spot to dust.  toms will pop out strut for anything that can view them and then disappear back into cover.  problem is by now trees start to leaf out.  10 to 15' is all that's needed.  any higher and visibility and shot opportunity sucks.  I've got a ladder stand I guarantee I or someone else if I tag out will be in this spring.

[dbHunterNY]

.... the ladder stand is in a spot to kill a bird but it doubles as an observation stand that allows me to see over the knoll and down into the valley full of fields.  spot toms working in a direction you can then get ahead of them by runnin' and gunnin'.  that's also worked for me.  killed my first bird years ago that way and spotting it from that spot.

[G-Man]

May work good if you have a caller sitting under you. But most treestands are set.for.deer hunting and you can see 100 yards or.so..so then can the turkeys as well..

[jjb4900]

I would think you're losing a lot of the neck area to aim at as well, especially at close range......shoot high and he gets a full load in the back and shoot low and either hit breast or miss completely and get ground, sitting at their level gives you a little leeway as far as that goes.

[wooly]

I think turkey are very aware with everything going on above them, sometimes more-so than what's happening down on the ground at their level.

I was watching some birds out in the field the other day when a vulture shadow suddenly appeared to be chasing them to the edge of the woods.

Those birds had their eyes glued to the sky until they identified it as harmless and made their way back into the open.

 

From a hunting point of view. I've been picked off in a stand by MANY fall turkey while bow hunting.

Spring turkey hunting from a stand just doesn't appeal to me in the least. I'd rather have them gobblin' and spittin' in my face no matter how much harder it is to remain motionless and hidden.

[dbHunterNY]

May work good if you have a caller sitting under you. But most treestands are set.for.deer hunting and you can see 100 yards or.so..so then can the turkeys as well..

 

no caller was under me the few times I've had success with it.  treestands were more of a bow stand setup.  some openings to see a ways out.  2 of the setups the stand was facing away from where the turkeys were coming in.  I agree though with any situation that if you can see the bird the bird can see you.  i'll strike birds with other stuff but i mostly just use mouth diaphragm calls.

 

...forgot decoys out around 15 yards.

Edited April 27, 2016 by dbHunterNY

[maytom]

Ive found they pick me out much easier in a tree than they do on the ground

 

 

Ditto!!! I get busted every single time up in a tree!!