How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

I will be turkey hunting this spring with my bow and was wondering how many of you have harvested turkeys with bow and what kind of set up you used.I shoot a Hoyt Razer-tech 70lb 31",ICS 340's,and only have fixed blades.Should I lessen the poundage,and get large expandable broadheads?Also I have never harvested a turkey with bow but have been close:(Is a body shot okay,and how about cleaning turkeys what would be the best way?I know this is alot of questions,but I am a rookie when it comes to bowhunting turkeys,and cleaning them:)Thank's for any replies.Bill D>

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

I have talked to a few people that went with a bow but nobody had any luck.

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

I have been fortunate enought to harvest 2 turkeys with my bow, 1 in the spring and 1 in the fall. Your gear is fine .. anything that you would shoot at deer will work. Turning down the poundage a bit may be a good idea, as I have found I tend to hold back at full draw a bit longer with turkeys than I would deer. The main thing I would recommend is practicing with your bow .. a turkey is a small target. A "body shot" will work .. but depending where on the body matters a lot. On broadside shots shoot slightly below the shoulder joint and slightly towards the tail, this spot anchors them well. It has been my experience that you'll get a lot of straight on shots, because unless you are in a tent/blind they'll probably notice you at full draw and look straight at you. Put the pin slightly below where the neck attaches to the body and center the shot .. and he won't be going anywhere.

If you have the luxury of setting up a spot, I find building a blind before the season helps a lot, and if you can set the blind in terrain where you'll be shooting down, all the better .. the don't run to far when they are anchored to the ground with an arrow.

As far as cleaning the bird, a quick slice from the vent (anus) to the breast bone will allow you to clean out the innards easy enough and cool the bird.. later you can decide to pluck or skin when preparing the bird for table.

Good luck! It isn't easy .. it takes practice to learn when you can get away with drawing your bow and when you can't. The good thing is if you do get busted there wasn't the blast of a shotgun, so I've found the birds can sometimes be worked from a different direction within a few hours.

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

it seems like every fall i get an encounter with a least one flock of turkey. i have gotten some shots off but no luck so far. The first year, one hen drifted to a 25 yard tree i marked but then my arrow hit a branch along the way. The next year, i lowered my face mask a bit to earlier and a hen picked me out of a tree about 22 ft up. The next year, last day of archery season, a flock comes in but won't cross this little trail so i fling an arrow at like 22 yards and it lands at the feet of one. This year i was caught drawing my bow back on the lead hen[:@]. so far nothing but troubles but i know sooner or later i am going to get a turkey with my bow! good luck, i would try rocket hammerheads for turkey. i heard they work great

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

I've got Toms two out of the last three years with a bow. Fact is, if your going to hunt them with your bow, make sure you have a good sense of humor or a great set up with a good blind. I just began using a blind last year on them and it helps a bunch but I just like it better when I'm not in a blind. Just a feel thing I guess.

The first I took from the ground with no blind. The set up and actions of the bird (or birds) have to work together for this to work. I say have a good sense of humor because without a blind, you will call in ten birds to get one shot. They realisticaly have a 360 degree view so you are never out of sight unless they walk behind something SOLID. I try to wait until a Tom fans and turns showing off. When the fan is between you and the bird, this is the time to draw. You have to watch other birds around too when trying to draw on the bird you're trying to stick. I've been busted by hens and other toms (not the bird I was trying to shoot) more times than I can count.

One other thing. Watch the spurs!!!!! I made the mistake of putting my foot on a tom that I'd stuck from the side. He got a spur into my pant leg and opened that sucker up! I was lucky it was loose and didn't take flesh with it.

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

Lets say-I have SHOTS at Turkeys every spring (8 years now) but don't alway bring him home. It is great fun but as a outdoor writer told me once-if you only hunt Turkeys with a bow, you must not like eating them.
We have tried it all BUT the BEST for us is from a blind. We use our Deer set up & 3 blade Rocky Mountain Broadheads, decoys.
If you get them in-it will be lots of fun-just make sure you can shoot from INSIDE your blind as if you have to stick the tip out-they will BE GONE!!!!
good luck.

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

what kind of broad heads should you use for turkeys? Do you just use regular and add that little attachement or is there a special broadhead?

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

I harvested my first tom with a bow last spring. I used a Shockwave broadhead, it worked well. In order to be consistently successful with a bow you'll probably want to use an enclosed, portable blind.

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

A friend of mine took out some of his friends last year and 8 of them ended up with a turkey; all with a bow.

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

I normally use 100 gr. Muzzy 3 blade for everything. I just changed to a 75gr. and put an Adder behind it for smack power in an effort to keep the bird close. Last years didn't move more than a yard after takin one up the south shute, so to speak!

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

Bust them thru the drums, Turkey's need their legs to get themselves airborne. Don' mess around after you shoot one they are very hard to kill outright.

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

Drstalker, I have gotten one turkey with a bow and cleaned about 18 of them last year, no it was 19, 18 domestic turkeies and one wild one. Raised the white ones and 2 dozen chickens. I can clean them blind folded if need be. The way I would clean my birds is I would cut their head off and boil a tub of water to 150 f, (not hotter or colder), then hang them by their feet and start plunking as they come out very easy. I then pull out the esopagus (sp?) and windpipe along with the pallet, don't break this or you'll have a mess and then I then cut out the oil gland entirily, (this is that wod of fat that the tail feathers are in), then encircle the anus where you can reach up and grab the first hardest thing you feel, this will be the gizzard and then the liver and intestings will follow, its just like pulling on a cord, but don't pull with too much force. After the guts are taken out, a spoon works good in removing the lungs which will be fastened to at the top near the backbone and rib section. After your done you can actually reach your hand all the way through the bird and wash out with cold water and dry. I do not split the chest as someone esle said unless I want to freeze a half a bird at a time as sometimes 25-30 lb bird can be a lot of meat for one setting of two.
As someone esle said, be prepared to hold back at full draw for a while because if you wait till their in on top of you to draw back, then your busted, just remember one thing, we learn through our mistakes, good luck and I hope this helps, Bobby

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

I've got a hunting buddy that can't believe it -- I've taken three shots at turkeys with a bow, and have three turkeys to show for it. All of 'em have been as a result of turkeys being in the wrong place at the wrong time while I was whitetail hunting.

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

A buddy of mine, who I might mention is taking me turkey hunting this spring, has killed somewhere near 20 turkeys with a bow. He uses a Double Bull blind, Muzzy 125 grain three blades (same as he uses for deer), a 70 pound Mathews bow, a few turkey decoys and calls them in. He's telling me most shots are inside of 10 yards, and to shoot for where the wings and spine meet, or the base of the neck.

Sounds easy doesn' t it? We'll see.:) I plan on shooting Montec G5's broadhead.

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

Never tried it but would love to someday :D

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

I can tell you that Iv taken a "BUNCH" of turkeys with a bow......never hunted them with a shotgun! I lost track of the count a few years ago......the number dont matter anyway,as its not a competition!
I use NAP 100 grn. 3 blade mech. spitfires,Gold tip 55/75 arrows and a Q2XL.
I shoot for where the wing meets the body.......hit them there and you wont have to track them far! Shot placement is "KEY"! I practice from my blind before the season!!!!!!
As far as cleaning the bird.......I got tired of plucking them long ago and now take the breast meat and steak it out.......soak it in zesty italian salad dressing and grill it........Oh,yeah its sooooooGOOD!;)
Nesessity is the mother of invention and I build my own bowholders for use in the ground blind.
They break down into 2 parts are small, light and easy to pack along.......you can put them in a small fanny pack or even the leg pocket of your hunting pants!
They are more expensive than the others on the market......but they are easier to pack along and "Run&Gun" with if ya want to move around and setup alot! They are hand made...... built one at a time, powder coated for a lasting finish and are a quality product! I do build them in a lefthand version as well.
I use a "BOX" or "Slate" call and the bowholder is a must as 2 hands are required to run calls like these.
I do pluck one now and then and put it in the smoker........for special events! I mix a brine for this.......water,cureing salt and brown suger,soak the bird over night in this and your dinner guests will want to know when their invited back for more!
www.stealtharchery.com

RE: How many had success with bow/Turkey?
 

Thank you all for your replies.I hope to tag one this spring and will post pics:)Bill D>