Tukey with Bow

[bowhunternw]

Is there any guys that chase Turkeys with archery? If so what is your recovery rate? Where I am going with this is I shot one with a bow 3 years ago and never recovered it. I vowed that I would never hunt them with archery again because they don't leave a blood trail like a deer. Well this year I had time constaints and with the archery tag you get to hunt the whole season. Well tonight I lost another one, I don't feel like they were bad shots. They run off and then it is like a easter egg hunt. I tried searching every brush pile I could find. Just wondering if I am having bad luck or if the recovery rate of archery turkeys is really low.

 

[Mortenson]

What tips do you use? Just curious. I hit one once also and didn't find him. Now it's nothing but 3.5". If I had an abundance of time in the spring I might might consider bow but honestly I just want a dead bird in it's tracks and it's challenging enough as it is where I'm at. I also don't like the thought of screwing around in the deer woods more than I need to, but that probably doesn't apply to everyone. Interested to see the replies.

 

[bowhunternw]

First time was nap spitfires-3blade mechanical and this time was rage-2blade. Regardless i feel like it will be shotgun or go without from here on out

 

[Red]

Turkeys are incredibly tough animals and it takes a surprising amount to bring them down. To add to that, the aiming point is often hard to judge correctly.
I’m no turkey expert but I have been lucky enough to take 5 or 6 with a bow and a number of different broadhead types. I’m still in the fence on which kind I like best. I still carry mechanicals and guillotines.
A few opinions from an amateur:
Guillotines are nice if you can get them in close. They are not magic though. I needed a follow up shot 2 years ago.
fixed broad heads zip through the bird and are not help if you need to track
Mechanical broadheads have not passed through for me and stuck really well in the bird. in combination with a lighted nock have been the difference between a recovered bird and possibly not finding which clump of grass or brush pile he died in.
Keep at it, study shot placement and you’ll wrap your tag around one.

 

[BlueSpruceOutfitters]

Rage makes turkey heads with hooks on them to stop full pass through. I've used them and my son used them the last two years, all birds center punched and went less than 50 yards. Just my experience

 

[ghilliehunter]

I second the Rage Xtreme broadhead. I shot 2 birds with a fixed blade, complete pass thru, and only recovered 1. This Rage does not exit the bird and all the energy is absorbed by the turkey. Knocks them down and kills quickly. Highly recommend.

 

[swat1018]

I have killed several and haven't lost one yet, probably just lucky. I've shot my birds with spitfire turkey broadheads, or rage hypodermic. A lighted nock and a mechanical is probably really good advice.

 

[VTer]

I have shot probably 20 with a bow. I use a blind and get them really close. Think 7-8 yards. I always use a string tracker and that makes all the difference in recovery. Use a big broad head, string tracker and get them close.

 

[ksgobbler]

Knock on wood I have never lost one shot with a bow. First one was a cheap mechanical. Bird stumbled 10 steps and died. Next couple were Magnus black hornets. One fell in its tracks? The other went 20 yards. Ive got the guillotine style just never had the shot I was looking for. None of my shots shots have been longer than 10 yards

 

[yoderjac]

Is there any guys that chase Turkeys with archery? If so what is your recovery rate? Where I am going with this is I shot one with a bow 3 years ago and never recovered it. I vowed that I would never hunt them with archery again because they don't leave a blood trail like a deer. Well this year I had time constaints and with the archery tag you get to hunt the whole season. Well tonight I lost another one, I don't feel like they were bad shots. They run off and then it is like a easter egg hunt. I tried searching every brush pile I could find. Just wondering if I am having bad luck or if the recovery rate of archery turkeys is really low.

My recovery rate is pretty good but I've only shot a few with a bow and have not lost one so far...knock on wood...

First, I only take very short shots, 20 yards or less. Second, specialized equipment can help. When hunting deer, penetration is an issue, especially with larger bucks. This limits the size of broadhead you can use since larger cutting diameter broadheads don't penetrate as much all else being equal. For turkey, I want just the opposite. I want the arrow to stay in the bird if possible. It is harder for them to run away with the arrow still in them. So, using very large diameter expandable broadheads can put a big enough hole in a bird to keep it from going far. This also helps limit arrow penetration. You need to be careful and test these on the range. Given you particular bow and its draw curve, large diameter expandable broadheads may open in flight. Had a buddy who had this issue. He shot the practice heads fine. I finally got him to shoot on the range with the exact heads he was using in the field and his impact was 6" off at 20 yards. He tied those heads closed and they were spot on. So, he figured he would just add a second band to the broadhead to keep them closed in flight. Well, when he did that, they did not open on impact and went straight through the turkey making a small hole. My point is that you need to test on the range as you hunt and you need to make sure that your heads will open on impact.

With today's drop away rests many deer hunters have gone from larger softer fletchings to harder smaller ones since rest contact on compounds is no longer an issue. Most crossbows use this same type fletching. You get similar steering ability with a smaller stiffer fletching to a larger more flexible one. The reason deer hunters went to this was the increase in speed. If you limit shots to 20 yards, neither speed nor kinetic energy are important for turkey. Every modern compound or crossbow has plenty. So, using the largest stiff fletching that does not cause contact with your bow setup can help. It is harder for a broadhead opening in flight to steal steering from them than from smaller fletching. Also, larger stiffer fletching provide more resistance and can help keep the arrow in the bird.

You can also buy penetration limiters. They sit on the arrow behind the broadhead and slide up the shaft as the arrow enters the animal. I have not used them as they do add weight and can effect flight, so if you get them, you need to sight-in and practice with them on the arrow.

The only last piece of advice I can offer is to use a dog for recovery. If you don't have on, make a friend who does. Most hunting dogs, regardless of breed, can help track a wounded bird.

Good shot placement with the right equipment help, but turkeys are really good at getting out of sight and hiding. Do your best not to let them get out of sight.

There is one more option. I have not done this myself but I've seen others use it. There was a broadhead called a Gobbler Guillotine I saw years ago. Here is a video:

I don't know if they are still made, but other companies make broadheads intended to be used the same way: Xecutioner

I presume shooting large fixed broadheads like this would want to steer the arrow and would be hard to tune for consistent shooting. It probably takes a lot of practice to hit such a small target as a head or neck, but the beauty of this method is that you should not have recovery issues, either you hit the neck or your miss it completely.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[ksgobbler]

FWIW if they gobbler Guillotine leaves your bow in a hunting scenario you will be replacing blades. The Magnus bullhead does not share that issue.

 

[yoderjac]

FWIW if they gobbler Guillotine leaves your bow in a hunting scenario you will be replacing blades. The Magnus bullhead does not share that issue.

I've never used either as I don't go for head/neck shots, but I will say this. I never replace blades when hunting deer or turkey. For me a broadhead is like a shotgun shell, one and done. Early in my carrier, I had too many issues were a broadhead when through an animal and hit something hard, either below or above ground. I replaced blades but something on the ferrule must have had some slight bend for flaw that I could not see. It ended up causing errant shots. On others the blades did not deploy the same. I just gave up. I find it also helps me with discipline. I know when I release an arrow that deer is going to cost me $11 so I better make sure I want to shoot it.

Of course the same holds true with my shotgun hunting for turkey. I'm shooting Nitro heavy shot which is currently running $9.80 a shot. My buddy has he same 10 gauge and just upgraded from heavy shot with a Rhino choke like me to an Indian Creek choke with TSS. He is now paying $12.80 per shot! That is more expensive than my broadheads!

 

[ksgobbler]

Issue is the blades bend or break on the guillotine not so much with others in that catagory.

 

[bowhunternw]

On both of these Turkeys the arrow zipped right threw and then they ran off. Unfortunately i hunt around pretty nasty thick cover. Just from what i have encountered i will just gun hunt them, from now on. I was just ticked last night cause it ended just like last time. Guess from hearing from you guys i should have used a different broadhead.

 

[SWIFFY]

I agree with above. Having sharp blades etc isnt really an issue because you dont want a razor sharp pass through, you want the arrow to tear and stop. The turkey heads are designed for that. Ive shot a few with bow and ive recovered them all... but i cant say its gone like id like. Its definitely upsetting to loose any game! Sorry, better luck next time.

 

[R C]

I don’t recall the exact number but have taken 4-5 turkey with a bow. The first time was without a pop up blind but for the rest, I have used a blind. A friend once told me that pop ups should be illegal for turkey hunting because you can get the bird to come in right where you want him. If you want to take a 15 yard shot simply place the decoy at that distance. I also use expandable jackhammer broad heads for turkey and I did lose one bird many years ago. As others have said, review shot placement/anatomy and make sure that you putting that arrow where you want it, good luck.

 

[yoderjac]

I don’t recall the exact number but have taken 4-5 turkey with a bow. The first time was without a pop up blind but for the rest, I have used a blind. A friend once told me that pop ups should be illegal for turkey hunting because you can get the bird to come in right where you want him. If you want to take a 15 yard shot simply place the decoy at that distance. I also use expandable jackhammer broad heads for turkey and I did lose one bird many years ago. As others have said, review shot placement/anatomy and make sure that you putting that arrow where you want it, good luck.

Not sure where you are located, but it is not that simple with easterns around here! Oblique angle passes on the edge of gun range and the norm here. Occasionally I'd get a dumb two year old to come right in. My experience with decoys is that 70% of the time, they are ignored, 10% of the time the gobbler will turn tail and run, 10% of the time he will hang-up and gobble waiting for the hen to come to him, and 10% of the time the gobbler will come to the decoys. Those are rough numbers and they change slightly depending on the specific decoy setup I'm using and the time of year.

Your buddy is either hunting a different kind of turkey than I am, or he is watching too many hunting shows on TV.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[R C]

I shot my first turkey with a bow when I was living up in South Dakota, a Merriam’s by hiding behind a tree and drawing when the bird walked in front of the tree towards my decoy on the other side. I have also taken eastern birds when living in Missouri. The majority of birds that I have taken since returning to Texas are the rio grandes and yes, I have personally seen most birds work directly to the decoys wherever you place them while hunting from a pop up blind. I like a close shot as it reduces operator error. Of all the three subspecies that I have hunted, I would say rio grandes are the easiest to decoy but you still have to make the shot. I think that using a pop up blind makes it MUCH easier to take a bird with a bow because it hides your movement when drawing back your bow which is the hard part when turkey hunting. I have done it with and without a blind and I will choose a pop up every time when turkey hunting.

 

[dogghr]

I’ve never lost one with the bow over last 30 yrs. All shots were close to 20 yds. Probably lucky. I have only used fixed broadhead. Sometimes just listening to the other turkey and direction they went will give u a key. I’ve even had the whole flock hang around until their buddy died. Key is to shoot aiming at base of wings. They shouldn’t go far.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[yoderjac]

I shot my first turkey with a bow when I was living up in South Dakota, a Merriam’s by hiding behind a tree and drawing when the bird walked in front of the tree towards my decoy on the other side. I have also taken eastern birds when living in Missouri. The majority of birds that I have taken since returning to Texas are the rio grandes and yes, I have personally seen most birds work directly to the decoys wherever you place them while hunting from a pop up blind. I like a close shot as it reduces operator error. Of all the three subspecies that I have hunted, I would say rio grandes are the easiest to decoy but you still have to make the shot. I think that using a pop up blind makes it MUCH easier to take a bird with a bow because it hides your movement when drawing back your bow which is the hard part when turkey hunting. I have done it with and without a blind and I will choose a pop up every time when turkey hunting.

That is probably the difference. I have no experience with Merriam's or Rio's. All my turkey hunting has been with easterns. Decoys are no panacea for them. There are situations where they work well, but they can hurt you as easy as help you. I only use them in situations where I really need them. Bowhunting without a blind is one. I may have to try other sub-species after I retire.