Run-and-Gun Hunting Blinds for Spring Turkeys

When I hear the phrases "spring turkey hunting" and "run-and-gun hunting," that's music to my ears. Living the bulk of my days in the southern Great Plains where the April and May winds always seem to blow, those ideas define gobbler hunting as I know it, since I'm likely to be working along a prairie field's edge, a remote scrubby treeline, or a timbered creek bottom as I stroke the lid on a Lamar Williams long-box call and try and strike up the leader of the springtime gobbling band.

In past years, any time a prairie tom would sound off, that meant scrambling to find some place to hide, oftentimes a problem where there are only a few mesquite trees and scrub oaks present. But recent years have brought about a number of run-and-gun panel blinds tailor-made for the turkey woods in prairie country, the deep South, the Midwest, and even into the Rocky Mountain foothills. If that's your turkey hunting cup of tea, here are a few such blind options to consider:

Alps Outdoorz Dash Panel Blind

Aimed at on-the-move turkey hunters in the spring or even deer hunters in the fall, this hybrid-system blind uses features straight from Alps Outdoorz traditional pop-up blinds while still giving hunters high mobility possibilities. Using three-panel construction and three directions of ground-level concealment, this freestanding blind will hide one or two hunters who want the ability to run-and-gun hunt, hunt all day, or even take a nap! With a SILENT-TRAC window system on the center front panel, along with mesh window panels on each side panel, you can use shotguns, rifles, bows and crossbows while hunting in this Alps blind that comes in either Mossy Oak Obsession or Realtree Timber camo patterns. With 300D poly fabric, a weight of 5 pounds, 8 ounces and a height of 54 inches, this is a blind that is perfect for the spring turkey woods. alpsoutdoorz.com | $139.99

Ameristep 4-Spur Blind

The Ameristep 4-Spur turkey blind panel is one easy-to-pack piece of gear, including a durable shoulder strap that helps run-and-gun hunters easily carry it through the woods or out on the prairie. A two-person blind, this three-panel design features ZS3 fabric in Mossy Oak Obsession, which reduces both noise and gobbler spooking sheen from sunlight. With 3-D leafy die-cut panel construction, this blind is easy to set up with four stakes and accompanying tie-downs, easily keeping it in place on a windy spring day. It's also easy to take down and pack up, after you tag your downed turkey. ameristep.com | $21.99

Ameristep Throwdown Blind

With a compact footprint, the 1.8-pound Ameristep Throwdown blind can actually store inside your turkey hunting vest, which is made for run-and-gun turkey hunting. While compact, it offers surprising concealment power for two hunters; it's 87 inches long and 29 inches high. Add in the Mossy Oak Obsession camouflage and realistic 3-D leafy die cut ZS3 fabric that reduces both noise and sheen from sunlight, and the gobbler will never see you sitting there. With three-panel construction and a patented hub design with integrated stakes, you won't lose parts to the Throwdown blind in your on-the-go hunting adventures and when it's time to go back to the truck, an integrated strap keeps the blind closed for transport. ameristep.com | $41.99

Barronett Field Shield Blind

Rugged, quiet, sturdy, and easily paired with the Barronett Ground Gobbler Chair, this blind works well for multiple hunter set-ups. Using two-layer bonded fabric, this blind is adjustable in height from 24 inches to 40 inches and has a total length of 96 inches while still weighing only five pounds. Deploying in seconds with a pop-open design and two hub panels, the Field Shield pairs easily with other blinds for fall deer hunts or duck hunts, while still easily working for on-the-move spring turkey hunters. With adjustable heavy-duty ground stakes and two "Brush In" stubble straps, this Barronett blind has camo on both sides and is a breeze to use on uneven terrain. The same kind of uneven terrain you find when you’re searching for a quick place to hide. barronettblinds.com | $89.99

Cabela's EZE Portable Ground Blind

Is a big tom calling loudly and inbound quickly? You're in luck if you've got the Cabela's EZE Portable Ground Blind ready to go, thanks to its weight of 3.15 pounds, quick-set-up nature due to the pop-out hub design, and the ability to fold down to 24 inches in length, perfect to slip into the back of your turkey hunting vest. With a durable polyester fabric shell over the blind's three-connected hubs, the EZE blind comes in TrueTimber Strata camo and has multiple brush straps to help the blind blend in even more. With four ground stakes and an integrated transport strap built in, this blind is perfect for the run-and-gun turkey hunter. cabelas.com | $39.99

Hunter Specialties HS Strut Ground Blind

Coming eight- and 12-foot-long versions, this Realtree camo blind is made from durable, spun-bonded polyester that features die-cuts to enhance the camouflage effect. Using three-pointed fiberglass poles on the eight-foot version and five-pointed fiberglass poles for the 12-foot version, this blind is easy to roll up and carry, and just as easy to unroll and set up. And at 27 inches in height and with a price tag of less than $30, it's a breeze to have in the back of your turkey vest when you hit the woods and prairies this spring. hsstrut.com | $24.99 to $29.99

Primos Double Bull Surroundview Stakeout Blind

Constructed with two exclusive one-way see-through walls, the Primos Double Bull Surroundview Stakeout Blind in Mossy Oak Greenleaf Camo allows you to see gobblers coming, while the gobblers can't see you. With three shooting windows that provide perfectly spaced options, this two-hub design has sturdy walls that are easy to pop up and take down when the birds are gobbling and on-the-move. Made with Double Bull's legendary material, construction, and limited lifetime warranty, this blind stands 59 inches tall and weighs in at only 4.5 pounds, creating no-blind-spot hunting options for the turkey hunter on the move. primos.com | $99.99

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Rig 'Em Right HydeOut Blind

While Rig' Em Right is most often associated with their fine waterfowling gear, Texas-rig decoy weight system, and duck and goose hunting layout blinds, this HydeOut blind is perfect for turkey hunters (western elk hunters and antelope hunters, too). Checking in at five pounds, this hub-style blind offers two different camo options in Sitka Gear's Gore OptiFade Subalpine and Timber patterns. What's more, the camo is on both the front and the back of the panel blind, something that can help if a turkey or big-game animal approaches from behind. And with stubble straps on the front, you can add vegetation to your blind to enhance its hiding ability. With a durable camo carrying case, a heavy-duty shoulder strap, and metal tent stakes, this blind is easy to carry, easy to set up, and it will help you fill the freezer a little easier on your next hunting trip. rigemright.com | $139.99

Rhino Blinds Cut N' Run

A lightweight blind weighing six pounds, this two-part panel blind is ideal for one or two hunters and is easy to carry and easy to set-up on the go, as the longbeards are gobbling away and approaching quickly. Able to open up out to 105-inches wide, this blind is 54-inches tall in the center and comes with a backpack, stakes, tie-down ropes, and features Mossy Oak's Break-Up Country pattern. Ideal for spring turkey hunting or even bowhunting whitetails in the fall, this blind is treated with a durable water repellent and antimicrobial treatment to keep mildew and mold at bay. Finally, the blind has reinforced stress points, triple stitched corners, and other reinforcements that ensure that the rugged pop-out style hub system performs flawlessly without any rods finding their way through the blind's fabric upon deployment. The bottom line here is that the Cut N' Run blind ensures quick set-up and tear-down possibilities when seconds matter and a gobbler is inbound. feradyne.com|brands|rhino-blinds | $89.99

Tanglefree Flight Series 360 Solo Blind

Coming in either Sitka Gear's Optifade Marsh or its Timber pattern, this blind was created for waterfowl-hunting situations in either fields or marsh settings. It might have a few possibilities outside of the waterfowling world too—one of those is spring turkey hunting. For one reason, it has durable construction, weighing in at 16.9 pounds and having an aluminum frame, something that other blinds don't have. Offering a carry handle and a shoulder strap, and I can see this blind being tailor-made for quick-move hunting scenarios like a cut corn field, a wheat field, or a muddy field where gobblers are crossing but not a stich of cover is to be found. With stubble straps, 360-degree concealment, two interior storage pouches, and four stakes that also have a built-in stake pocket, when the Flight Series 360 Solo is deployed, the blind stands 44-inches tall. With a bottom diameter of 60 inches and a top diameter of 36 inches (both measurements are when the blind is set up), you can bring along a chair and wait comfortably on a longbeard to pass through. This blind is perfect for fall duck and goose hunts in field and marsh settings, so even with a hefty price-tag, this blind will last for years and keep hunters and their shotguns in the game, whether that's for spring turkeys or November greenheads. tanglefree.com | $339.99