Nebraska Archery Turkey Hunts
Dave Smith from Carlisle, Pennsylvania with a multi-bearded tom.
Having grown up in Nebraska, this hunt is very dear to me. For those of us that live in Canada, and endure our long winters, spring often can’t come quick enough. For me, I am able to get a month’s jump-start to spring when I head south to begin running archery turkey hunts in the Sandhills of Nebraska.
When your nearest Walmart is 2-1/2 hours away, you realize you won’t be hunting near a big city. Pound for pound, this hunt is a no-brainer for shear excitement and just all-around fun. Having numerous friends that have hunted all the big stuff…from sheep, moose, to other tall-order big game, they will often mention that this turkey hunt carries more mileage and more excitement than those high-dollar hunts. Having hunted the same landowners’ properties, some dating back to the early 90s, I have come to understand the birds on these properties and know how to get each of our clients into lots of action.
Just about everyone will get the chance to experience not just one or two gobblers coming to the call, but often a massive group of 30-75 birds making the play before the arrows begin flying. One of my questions to the hunters is “How many arrows does your quiver hold.” I’ve seen many hunters with a three- or four-arrow quiver sit stalled out as they are out of arrows.
Brody Comer from Danville, Indiana with a double from one of several bale blinds we use.
Nebraska has gone to a two bird limit beginning in spring 2023, and for those that are hunting with us in a current season, it is suggested to immediately download your non-resident licenses in January when sales open up. Nebraska is capping the non-resident licenses at 10K and in 2022, there were 15K sold.
Almost all of our hunts are conducted during the early archery-only hunt where average shots range from 12-15 yards. Hunters should be prepared to shoot birds as close as five yards and out to 30 yards, but the average shot ranges right around 13 yards.
Alexis Patterson from Mooresville, Indiana on an exciting morning hunt that produced these two big toms.
With long daylight hours, an average day finds us hunting long in the morning, returning back to the Bed and Breakfast that we operate out of for a late morning brunch.
Typically with a couple birds to clean, we head back out by mid-afternoon until dark when we return for a late supper. Thermos, drinks, and lunch are prepared for everyone during the day.
Nathan Somero from New Ipswich, New Hampshire with a double with one arrow.
I personally run this hunt, and operate between one to three persons on each hunt. We use either Double Bull blinds or Redneck bale or burlap blinds. They have carpeting on the bottom, as well as comfortable seating, with either DSD or mounted birds used for the decoys.
With over 600 archery-shot gobblers under our belt, we will continue to see those numbers move forward. These hunts begin in late March and run through mid-April.
