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colorado turkey hunting

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colorado turkey hunting

Postby powderhogg01 » 10 08, 2015 •  [Post 1]

I have been trying to get a turkey with my bow. I have only turkey hunted once with my father when I was a small child. I know the basics, Do not own a blind, but am not opposed to building a natural one. I have had one hen within bow range but the tom and the rest never came out. 4 years now and I have only called one hen.
I typically hunt central colorado between I-70 and the south park area. There is a lot of room here and not many turkeys, and what turkeys there are seem to hole up in the private where people are feeding them. Can anyone suggest a better tactic, I am willing to drive a few hours this year, as it will likely be my last in CO for a few years. I do not need exact locations, I do a lot of preseason scouting, and feel confident locating birds.. I just feel like the area im in is not going to get it done.
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Re: colorado turkey hunting

Postby GobbleFarmer » 10 08, 2015 •  [Post 2]

I can't help you much, but I highly recommend lowering your bows draw weight as low as it will go, sometimes the only chance you get to draw is minutes before he presents you with a shot. Turkeys are fragile compared to deer and Elk, you don't need high poundage for 'em... I'm curious as to what broadhead you use, some people like the decapitating kinds and others just shoot them in the vitals with a regular BH. What do you use?
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” ~ Benjamin Franklin.
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Re: colorado turkey hunting

Postby powderhogg01 » 10 08, 2015 •  [Post 3]

good thought gobblefarmer, I actually shoot a different bow for the turkey hunt. I use my bowfishing setup. It is a bear grizzly II one of the first compounds bear produced. I think when its cranked its pulling around 65 but I have it set very light at around 30lbs. thats a bit less then my big game bow. I do not buy special heads.. I figure if I can kill a deer with one head I can kill a turkey with it. This year will be the montec in the vitals if he is past 30 in the head if he is closer.
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Re: colorado turkey hunting

Postby GobbleFarmer » 10 08, 2015 •  [Post 4]

Cool, and good luck to you.
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” ~ Benjamin Franklin.
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Re: colorado turkey hunting

Postby CurlyTail » 10 15, 2015 •  [Post 5]

You need to drive East to Nebraska or Kansas to hunt Turkeys. Turkeys are so thick here you would not believe it! You can go to the large Public reservoirs and do great. Very easy to get permission to hunt private land for Turkey. Most of the guys that have Turkeys think they have too many. If you insist on a Mountain experience, go to the Nebraska National Forest - very pretty Ponderosa pine forest just like the Black Hills, but with almost no people around. Great Turkey hunting there.
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Re: colorado turkey hunting

Postby powderhogg01 » 10 20, 2015 •  [Post 6]

I have a hard time justifying paying out of state license fees. While I love the hunt, the end of the day its about food/money value... I hunt because its better meat for a generally cheaper price. I could go to many places and harvest a bird, but the colorado miriams just has the extra layer of trickiness
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Re: colorado turkey hunting

Postby otcWill » 10 21, 2015 •  [Post 7]

Curly's advice is solid. You'll spend more time in the area you're huntn currently than you would if you drive to NE or KS, only if you drive out of state you'll kill a few. If you're dead set on CO then head down to unit 61. Its absolutely full of turkeys. Good luck!
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Re: colorado turkey hunting

Postby CurlyTail » 10 22, 2015 •  [Post 8]

Lets not talk about out of state license fees. They are indeed outrageous. But 100 bucks for a Turkey doesn't seem as bad as 600 bucks for a 14% chance at an Elk. Just chaps me that Colorado hasn't raised its resident elk hunting licenses to at least 100 bucks. I just don't care for unequal treatment based on residency status. Who made up the rule that wild game are State owned and not Federal? Just seems capricious....

Sorry about the rant
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