Can you hunt Turkeys from a tree stand?

I am getting into the Turkey hunting this spring Ive been Hunting deer from a treestand all my life now but wondering can I do this with turkey or wont it work?

I’ve had turkeys, single bird, pairs and multi bird flocks around both archery and gun hunting while in a ladder stand. I’ve shouldered either the gun or crossbow and was able to take aim to shoot if I wanted to without being detected. There were times where it seemed like a blink or breath and they spooked. 

This depends on your concelment  turkeys have very sharp eyes and any movement and they are  gone ground blinds is your best option.

I lived in Missouri and down there the fall turkey season last as long as deer bow season. I had turkeys come by sometimes twice in a day. They could see me but still came close enough for a shot 25yds as soon as I let loose, bird would jump or run. Never got one with my bow and all I can think of was they were very aware of me and any type of sudden movement they would jump or run. Maybe putt once and slowly continue on their way feeding. Very frustrating. With a gun could have done some damage. In the spring birds are harder to pattern fall, pattern is all about feeding schedule.

I have taken a bird with my bow while deer hunting from a tree stand. Mind you, this is NOT normal, as far as I know. Most of the time I have had birds coming towards me when in a tree stand, they have busted me from a long distance. One time I had a large (over 30 birds) from 10 to 50 yards of me. They were there so close and there for so long, that I finally had to stand up and make noise to get them away. I think the majority of the time this will NOT happen. I believe it is because there are so many predators that attack them from above. It is NOT impossible to take one from a tree stand. I think you have better odds on the ground surrounded by brush or stick blind or from a pop-up blind.

If you try it, good luck to you!

Big Mac

My experience is not really. Let me explain. In the years that I've gotten a fall turkey permit, I've been basically turkey hunting and bowhunting at the same time, from my climber. I've noticed that a lot of birds have picked me out, up in the trees and don't get close enough for a shot. Couple examples: on one hunt in the fall of '06, I had my climber in a tree that was overlooking/right next to a cedar swamp. I had a flock of hens walk in. Because I was higher than the 'canopy' of cedar and pine boughs, there was a barrier between the birds and myself. They walked up to me, BUT as soon as the one of the birds hit a gap/opening in the canopy..the bird instantly stopped, looked up, and game over..she started clucking and they all walked away. This past fall, I was in a different spot and just by luck, the birds all decided to roost with a 50 yard radius around me. One bird flew down from behind me, through the trees, noted me in the trees, suddenly changed direction mid air, veered to me left, hit the ground, and walked away at a hurried pace while 'eyeballing' me the entire time. THe next day I hunted off the ground in a blind, and had a bird walk in within range....unfortunately I wasn't paying attention. Bottomline, I think they notice the odd shape in the tree and become suspicious. I've had the same experience with grouse while bowhunting, also. Let's face it danger for turkeys and grouse not only are ground bound but, air bound, as well. Now, having some type of barrier around me MIGHT..MIGHT make a difference. Not sure.

This ? come up now and than. I'll hunt out of one of my enclosed gun hunting stands if it's raining, or SNOWING. Of course I'm not going to sit in a spot turkeys aren't using. If you sit in a hang on tree stand that's in the open, you'll get busted. No doubt about it. If you're in a thick swamp, or conifer woods, you could maybe swing it. Don't take a chance, sit on the ground.

Seems to me you need mobility to get within 100 yards or so of a talking Tom. Unless you know the patterns of the birds and they work your area I think you are better off with a ground blind. Just don't let some j@ck@ss stalk in on you and put a load of bird shot in you thinking you are a bird in the tree.

Sure you can. I was able to shoot a bird with my bow out of a tree stand. I have been in my tree stand with over 50 birds within 50 yards of me. I finally had to stand up and make a bunch of noise to get them out of my area & at other times you can't get one within 100 yards of you without seeing you. So I would just stay on the ground and hunt them. It is easier, probably more efficient, and you are moble.

Good luck and be safe.

Big Mac

I tried it in my earlier years of turkey hunting; it gave me a good view, but it gave a tom who came half way through the valley a good view of me as well. He disappeared. You're pretty exposed and you have limited movement. Some of the seminars I go to have answered that question too. They've said that the birds are used to looking up for danger, so we're busted even quicker. I still think it's more of a case of restricted mobility and being silouetted. They're not as high strung in the fall, and I've had toms within shooting range from my stand this past fall. EAB kept me busy, so I didn't try for a bird, not wanting to spook a possible doe coming in. After the doe was tagged, I was too pumped to get a big buck I'd been seeing to want to spook the woods for a bird.