Hello Cornfed,
I've had the big birds act nervous around my blind a time or three, sure. But I don't think it is because of the blind -- I think it's the lack of decoy movement over a long time span (sometimes turkeys will hang around for, literally, hours!) Or, in the case of a jake, it may be afraid of getting it's face kicked in by an old tom!
Once in a great while (once a year or so) a turkey will act nervous because, I think, they see me inside my blind. I have a thin-sided Underbrush blind (no black backing) and a turkey can see my silhouette inside if the sun is shinning bright and the blind is pitched in the open. For that reason, I keep my blind in the shade on sunny days -- but put it anywhere on cloudy days (I guess I need a Double Bull, huh?).
What if the sun pops out when a bird is around and I’m pitched in the open, you ask? I’ll just remain still, and move when he’s not looking. I’ve killed lots of birds this way -- but a blind with black backing definitely gives you the most leeway for movement.
Old Buck said something key: keep as many windows closed as possible -- especially those that line up behind you with the one you’ll be looking out -- you want the inside of your blind to be closet dark, if possible, so you can see prey but prey can’t see you -- like an old bass behind a stump.
The vast majority of the time gobblers act like gobblers are: just plain stupid! Some may beg to differ but I’ll stick my neck out and claim that old tom turkey is not the smartest creature in the woods. Note: I am not talking about instincts here! Turkeys surely have scalpel sharp instincts and the ability to avoid danger almost, seemingly, to the point of being clairvoyant!
The lack of turkey smarts allows the hunter an edge if he realizes it. He can place his blind wherever he wants and turkeys will normally walk right on by like it’s not even there -- brushed in, or not brushed in, in my experience. I frequently set up my Underbrush Bowhunter blind in wide open pastures and plowed fields and have yet to see a turkey seem intimidated or afraid of the blind.
On a hunt last year, for instance, a big longbeard came ½ mile -- in a heavy rain -- across a plowed field to get the decoys (my blind was set up in the wide open field). He ended up walking within 3 yards of the front window I was peeking out -- I shot him after he walked on past. On another hunt last year, a big gobbler strutted into view at 20 yards, toward some live hens that were feeding amongst the plastic look-alikes I had in front of me. I almost jumped through the roof when 2 other longbeards gobbled simultaneously from either side of the blind -- at a distance of a few feet! One of the birds actually brushed his tail feathers against the side of the blind! On still another occasion, on the last day of the 4th season last year in fact, a friend shot a big old war beaten gobbler -- he looked like he ran through the prop of a Cessna with so many feathers missing -- from my Underbrush as he waited in the middle of a plowed field. It was mid-day, over 80 degrees and bright and sunny; my friend had to remain motionless to avoid being silhouetted out in the open field but he timed his moves and shot the bird.
Those are just a few examples of some experiences using a blind. I think you’ll find it an indispensable piece of hunting equipment!
Good Hunting….Raven
I did not attend his funeral; but I wrote a nice letter saying I approved of it. Mark Twain
