Turkey hunting...

[dk17hmr]

Need a little advise here. I have turkey hunted before, killed a few gobblers with a shotgun. Its fun but they dont have a chance compared to my 12 gauge loaded with 3" 4shot Magnums.

This year my plan is to hunt them with my bow and arrow, more then likely calling into decoys, although one spot I hunt might be stalkin them. I am almost as good with my bow as I am with my rifle so hitting the target wont be a problem. Advise is needed in the broadhead department. For deer I shoot 100gr 3 bladed Muzzy with a 1 1/4" cut. Think that is big enough?

At a local hunting shop I say expandables with a 2 3/4" cutting diameter.

[Mk42gunner]

Doug,

This probably isn't much help, but here goes...

I have never shot a turkey with an arrow; but 25 years ago (before mechanical broadheads) they used to sell stamped turkey shockers. These were about an inch in diameter with (I think) five points on them that were supposed to go between the broadhead and the shaft to create more damage in the bird. How they would have worked I don't know, I went in the Navy before turkeys really got agood start around hear. I do know I would not want to try to grab a flopping turkey with a brodhead hanging out of it.

These days I can't seem to get up early enough to go turkey hunting. Maybe night school has something to do with it???


Good Luck

Robert

[Junior1942]

..., although one spot I hunt might be stalkin them....That is impossible, IME.

[MT Gianni]

string trackers are a must from a guy I hunt with. Gianni.

[357maximum]

That is impossible, IME.

Not impossible, just not very productive..


Doug

Use your TH 100's, aim for the very base of the neck if you feel confident....if not just dead center body shoot them...your deer broadheads will work just fine. Personally I use my 100 grainers that I bought before I found the thunderhead...they are cheaper and you stand a good chance of losing your arrow once it passes through the bird while hunting from the ground, I would not waste a TH100 on a turkey, and any 100 grainer that flies tru to your set-up will work just fine...Use a good blind either a portable fabric or a plywood permanent if you can.....the only defense turkeys have is their eyes as you proably well know.

I have killed one bird with a judo point and it worked well too but it destroyed a lot more meat than a broadhead does.. turkeys are NOT too hard to kill with a bow if you can hit where you aim, and you can conceal your movements from their vision. Their vision is the only thing they got going for them and they have that in spades...if it was not for their eyes they would be a fossil record animal only as they have no sniffer and zero intellect as you also know, but their eyes are keen.

I call very few turkeys...I deer hunt them....IE get between their roost and feed and let nature take it's course, calling them is fun too, but I normally get the late season tag and they are simply called out by then and the pop a squat technique is more effective at that point. A silent deke will still help position them where you need them though.....have fun...they die in spectacular displays when neck or head hit with a broadhead....

Michael

[redneckdan]

cabelas sells a broad head that is basicly two 4" long razor blades mount in a flat X, perpendicular to the shaft. I gues the idea is to pretty much removes the turkeys head

[dk17hmr]

I saw those 4" razors, guiltines (SP), there are some awesome videos of those on youtube. If you hit the neck the head flys off, but the price on them isnt very nice and I couldnt put them in my quiver.

[Jim]

Hey, Doug! Here's a challenge fer ya! Shot that some beach with a gluelit![smilie=1:

[KCSO]

Unless you are real old time like me regular broadheads will work fine. I use a larger than standard broadhead made from a barrle stave in my long bow. If you pin his wings together he will run some so if you can get up on him right away it will help. you need to get a turkey target and see where the vitals are from all angles as there is a LOT of turkey that an arrow through won't even slow them down. Heart they will run 50 -100 yards and lungs the smae or a little less. An arrow through the back and you won't catch them with a chase plane and they are coyote food. If you are good enough the head neck is the best shot. The spine if they are facing toward or away is another good shot but the spine is a 1" target on a 12" wide bird. I would say that over the years i have lost about 25% of the birds I put an arrow in because they eiter ran and escaped completely or they got onto someone elses property.

[woody1]

That is impossible, IME.

Unless I don't understand you're definition of "stalk", these were both stalked and shot (shotgun) last weekend by my son and grandson. I was in position to watch the stalk on my Grandson's tom. It was awsome! Oh yeah, I got one too but that's another story. Regards, Woody

[Junior1942]

To me, "stalk" means to sneak up on it.

[woody1]

To me, "stalk" means to sneak up on it.

Yup! Me too and those turkeys were "snuck up on." Right now, where we were hunting, if you can find the hens, the Toms are right there. If you can get in amongst them without the hens spotting you, it's pretty much a done deal. The turkey my 11 year old grandson shot was stalked by him and his Dad. The turkeys (a small group of hens and a couple of Toms were working a brushy creek bottom in otherwise fairly open, steep canyon country. I watched the stalk from a brushy ridge above them. It took them prob'ly 30-45 minutes to make the last couple hundred feet. When ya do this you're completely camo'd and if a hen makes you, it's all over. Regards, Woody

[KCSO]

For spring hunting I prefer to call them in. This year I am usig an 87 winchester with B/P brass shells and passed one up the other night at abuot 15 yards. We got my Dad one at about 20 yards, but he just wanted a bird and I'll either take a jake to eat later or I want 11" or better on the beard this year.

[carpetman]

KCSO---not only sneaks up on them he measures their beard on the hoof.

[Nardoo]

Although I have never tried it I bet I'd have no trouble at all in sneaking up on the people I work with. And they are real turkeys.

Nardoo

[dk17hmr]

Just got a great spot to hunt. My boss and I worked at this place for a few summers building an addition residing the old house and building a garage, I called the owner up and asked she said you are welcome here any time. During the summer it was nothing to see a hundred turkey in the field behind the house.

My season starts on the 30th and goes to the 6th, hopefully I can make it out a few days, with this college BS and working I dont know.