Bow hunt for turkeys

GATurkHunter · 11-03-2003, 11:25 AM

This year I' m going to try and take a gobbler with my bow. I shoot a Parker Hunter Mag 70# 30" draw. I' ve got a pop up blind set up on a food plot that gets frequently used and some good natural blinds built in other areas. I' ve studied pictures of a turkeys anatomy so I know where the vitals are. I' m practicing about 3 days a week on a turkey target and feel confident shooting out to 25 yards. I' ll be using a couple of Carry Lite decoys to hopefully keep the gobbler focused on them and not me. I hunt in Georgia where it seems the birds dont hardly ever gobble once they' ve hit the ground so I' m very used to setting up on a feeding or travel area for hours at a time waiting it out.
Anybody have any other suggestions or info that I need to know?

Red Hawk · 11-06-2003, 02:08 PM

I dont have really have any suggestions other then dont miss! [&:] I just saw this topic and wanted to reply. After I have gone turkery hunting a few times with an gun i am eventually going to try it with a bow [havent gone turkey hunting at all, yet] but keep us posted if you have any luck [:-]

Good luck to you [:-]

GATurkHunter · 11-06-2003, 02:51 PM

Thanx for wishing me luck RedHawk. I' ll need it! And so will you.....

I' ve only been turkey hunting for 3 years. First year I got skunked, 2 nd year I got a beautiful gobbler and last year I had 3 different opportunities but made stupid mistakes all 3 times [:' (] I did learn that turkeys are very unforgiving.
All I can say is dont discouraged if you dont get one right away. This definitely seems to be a sport where you have to pay your dues. Or you might be one of those lucky people that have one walk right in on you.
Best of luck to you too. Prepare to be addicted!

sprig25 · 11-10-2003, 11:31 PM

Turkey huntin' is tough.

Filmed my brother taking a nice 10 1/2" first year. Called to several and had them Gobble back but they never came in. This year, I killed two jakes. I really didn' t mean to kill the second one. He ran up in front of the one that I was trying to kill when I made a cluck to get the bigger one out of full strut. The good one got away. But I didn' t get my limit this year and learn a lot on calling.

I got me a tape and a mouth call 2 months before the season opened and drove everone crazy, but I really impressed my brother, because I am better than him now with it and he has been doing it longer.

I am planning to attempt a bow kill for mine next one this spring. I' m giving the camera duties to my brother this hunt.

I watched several fly down this spring, but never got a shot on them. Had to leave early and couldn' t wait them out. Or would get cut off by a live hen when the old Tom was coming back.

NC_archer · 11-16-2003, 07:48 PM

hey now Turk!! i' m also gonna try for my second year on a bow-turkey and i' ve really been waiting for this winter season to come in for a possible opportunity. i know you said you had a blind, but you may want to look into one of those " umbrella blinds" that are camo that screw in to your stabilizer. they are great for moving and setting up fast and also awesome for drawing with less movement being seen. i read a good tip in NWTFs magazine about bow hunting turkeys with decoys. if you' ll set up a hen and a jake facing you when the tom comes in he' ll face the jake to run him off, hopefully in full strut, with his feathers spread. with his back side to you this will make the perfect opportunity to draw, aim, and shoot right in the middle of the fan. of course, this is assuming its a lone tom and others arent with him. anyhow...just thought that might help if youre trying to use dekes. i hope you get one.

Adrian J Hare · 11-17-2003, 05:23 AM

Its a good idea to place small light weight washers behind your broad head. This will slow the arrow down from traveling through the bird and keep it in. Recovery of bow shot birds can be very difficult. BuckWing makes the Port-a-roof blind that is discribed above...BT

corey22 · 11-19-2003, 01:40 PM

This past fall season I got my first turkey with the bow. I wasn' t in a blind, I was just sitting up against a big tree. I heard a flock coming off the roost. They were clucking and purring as they walked right in front of me. I waited for the last bird to pass so that the others wouldn' t spot my movement. I drew back my bow and let the arrow fly and he flapped around a bit before finally taking his last breath. It was very exciting and something I' ll never forget! Good luck to all you hunters that are gonna try taking a turkey with a bow.

JeramyK · 11-19-2003, 05:26 PM

I' ve been trying for some time now to bag one with the bow. It' s just these darn turkeys won' t cooperate.

I' ve yet to get one within 35 yards for a good shot.

arrows only · 11-24-2003, 08:16 AM

I have been archery only for about 25 years, deer, black bear and turkey for the last 7 or 8 It' s been so long I can' t remember....
I have evolved into a Double Bull Blind with shoot thru netting, and will use nothing else! The shoot thru netting makes you invisable!
Yes they are exspensive but when you sit in a blind for 12 hours you need to be prepaired. I video as well so I have to much stuff at times, food & water ect. I have had good luck with motion decoys, ie. feeding & mating pair they add reality to the set up. GOOD LUCK!

PS aim for the middle of wing butt! if you end up low you break a leg & they can' t fly cause they can' t " jump" for take off. See if you can find a double bull video it will inspire you and give you some traking tips ect.