Anyone Bowhunting Turkeys?

[Bowhunter57]

I've done it, once, in the past and enjoyed it. I'm going to attempt it again, this year.
I'm a sore loser, when it comes to giving coyotes a free pass. I tried bowhunting turkeys a second time and had a coyote run in and attempt to grab one of my decoys. As fast as I could put my hands on my bow, draw it and swing to take a shot, the coyote was gone. I hope that never happens again.

The only time that I shot one with a bow, I had 2 toms run in to see my decoys (2 hens and a jake), from across an open field 200+ yards away. I couldn't believe it, even as it was happening. As soon as they reached the decoys, they went into full strut....at about 15 feet from my blind. I had the blind parked in an open corn stubble field, along a state highway and they ran to it like it was an ice cream truck. The toms were both long beards, so I picked one and took the shot. I was shocked at how quick it happened and I'd like to repeat that performance this year.

Anyone else bowhunting turkeys, this year?

 

[triple_duece]

I’d love to but, it’s tough on public and most of the time I’m runnin n gunnin.

 

[Stressless]

Yup, me, my neighbor and my buddy Chris all handicap ourselves with stick and string for birds, We hunt different farms. No Ag or big openings around us, when they pop out of the woods they hopefully see the decoys set in plots. I've been fortunate to harvest a number of them, 9 I belive, since I started 10 years ago, funny no one, except *an admin*, gives me shit for taking a headshot at game. Since there's issues with seeing animals getting shot in the face on here, and seeing there bodies muscles spasm afterwards I'll just post the link to some of my shots I was very lucky to get at turkeys with my bow and get on film. The link is a thread on this forum.

Stressless "Why do both Picture and Video captures ?" -> 153" Droptine harvest ... and more!

Beaver chases a damn racoon off his damn dam... lol Cool, Red Tailed hawk came in and scared a beaver under.

theohiooutdoors.com

Nothing like hearing them drumming within 18' and getting multiple toms fussing with decoys 9 paces from where you're trying to hold your bow and breathe...

 

[5Cent]

Hoping my oldest wants to go tomorrow. He's too small for a shotgun, so crossbow it'll be. Have 2 hammering in the woods behind the house right now, hope they stick around. Good luck all!

 

[Bowhunter57]

@Stressless
First of all....awesome videos!!!
As cool as the head chopping videos and broadheads perform, I'd rather use a large mechanical and take a body shot. I'm not against them and perhaps I'll try them one day in the future.

Are you using a compound bow or recurve or longbow for your turkey kills?
Currently I don't have the confidence in my recurve shooting skills to hunt turkeys. I'm setup and good to go with my Elite Ritual 30, at any distance.

 

[Stressless]

@Bowhunter57. Using cables and pullies with my stick and string.... like you I'm just not confident with the recurve, trying to get there for deer season, watching and trying to learn from some masters on here. Brock, Creamer, etc... I take a broadhead

Thx, on the videos, I shot one in the body with and expandable during fall season while turkey hunting some years ago and wasted, what I thought, was a bunch of meat so after that just made the switch to bullheads.

I do take a fixed blade broadhead with me, in case one gets hung up beyond my ~13-14 yard limit with broadheads but never pulled it out yet.

Don't know if it came thru on that first video but that's the first bird I ever nicked with a bullhead, he and the other Tom came right back in all pissed off, that was his mistake. He bled all over my decoy trying to figure out how that Jake got the better of him and giving it back.

So much fun at 15'!

 

[Bowhunter57]

@Stressless
"I shot one in the body with and expandable during fall season while turkey hunting some years ago and wasted, what I thought, was a bunch of meat so after that just made the switch to bullheads."
Are you saying that your large mechanical destroyed a lot of the meat?

I just purchased a 4 pack of Grim Reaper 3 blade heads, that are 100 gr. (It's all the pro shop had in stock, weight wise)
Last fall, my setup was with a 150 gr. tip weight, so I'll have to check out my arrow flight and sight pin settings with 100 gr. field tips, BEFORE I go hunting.

 

[giles]

Yup, me, my neighbor and my buddy Chris all handicap ourselves with stick and string for birds, We hunt different farms. No Ag or big openings around us, when they pop out of the woods they hopefully see the decoys set in plots. I've been fortunate to harvest a number of them, 9 I belive, since I started 10 years ago, funny no one, except *an admin*, gives me shit for taking a headshot at game. Since there's issues with seeing animals getting shot in the face on here, and seeing there bodies muscles spasm afterwards I'll just post the link to some of my shots I was very lucky to get at turkeys with my bow and get on film. The link is a thread on this forum.

Stressless "Why do both Picture and Video captures ?" -> 153" Droptine harvest ... and more!

Beaver chases a damn racoon off his damn dam... lol Cool, Red Tailed hawk came in and scared a beaver under.

theohiooutdoors.com

Nothing like hearing them drumming within 18' and getting multiple toms fussing with decoys 9 paces from where you're trying to hold your bow and breathe...

Do you hear your own voice when you type? Or is it in someone else's voice?

 

[Jackalope]

Nope. As long as I'm felony free ill keep blasting them in the face with #4s.

 

[Hedgelj]

Nope. As long as I'm felony free ill keep blasting them in the face with #4s.

TSS #9s for me

 

[Stressless]

@Bowhunter57 the broadhead, it cut the gut, went thru and thru and drug gut out one breast. Nicked the other. Tossed 1/2 of one breast - which to me is a bunch off one bird, still killed him got the meat I thought was good to eat so there's that.

Use what you feel comfortable shooting my guess, I'm no expert. They're on here thuo.

@giles ... just lol. PM if you want drama, this is really not the place.

 

[giles]

@Bowhunter57 the broadhead, it cut the gut, went thru and thru and drug gut out one breast. Nicked the other. Tossed 1/2 of one breast - which to me is a bunch off one bird, still killed him got the meat I thought was got to eat so there's that.

Use what you feel comfortable shooting my guess, I'm no expert. There on here thuo.

@giles ... just lol. PM if you want drama, this is really not the place.

Good to know. Maybe you should've used that option before calling out an admin. But that seemed okay without any backlash?

 

[Wiley E Coyote]

I love hunting turkeys with a shotgun. Feathers and shot shells just go together in my eyes! I have limited time to hunt in the spring on public land and I love the taste of wild meat I've killed myself! I always buy a fall tag and carry in bow season if I can get off a shot which is damn near impossible with a recurve and no blind. Nine years ago I tagged a hen with my recurve from a tree stand. Haven't had a shot at one since. Spring season is all about getting back to my hunting roots and using my old 12ga. Good hunting and be safe out there guys!

 

[Bowhunter57]

I love hunting turkeys with a shotgun. Feathers and shot shells just go together in my eyes! Spring season is all about getting back to my hunting roots and using my old 12ga. Good hunting and be safe out there guys!

I'm inclined to agree with your weapon choice!
It's always a good feeling to get back out in the woods, after the long wait from deer season.

 

[Bowhunter57]

Swing and a miss!!! I don't think I'm supposed to hunt turkeys with a bow. Over the years, this makes the 3rd time that I've had some sort of calamity while hunting turkeys with a bow. This one was clearly my fault, but I've had others that were not.
I had a pair of jakes come in to my decoys, I drew, took the shot and all the while thinking I was clear of the blind's edges. Upon release, the broadhead smacked one of the crossbars of the blind. I'd imagine that arrow is somewhere close to the arctic circle by now, judging by the way it launched. The jakes stepped to the side and decided to casually walk off.

I've always wanted to kill a turkey with an old family airlume, a Stevens single shot 12 gauge with a 2 3/4" chamber and a 30" barrel. I used dial calipers to measure the choke, which came out to .695" constriction. Most choke tube companies call that an Extra Full. I patterned it at 30, 25 and 20 yards. By the looks of the targets, as long as I keep the shot inside 25 yards, I should be in good shape.
20 Yards

25 Yards

 

[Dustinb80]

Swing and a miss!!! I don't think I'm supposed to hunt turkeys with a bow. Over the years, this makes the 3rd time that I've had some sort of calamity while hunting turkeys with a bow. This one was clearly my fault, but I've had others that were not.
I had a pair of jakes come in to my decoys, I drew, took the shot and all the while thinking I was clear of the blind's edges. Upon release, the broadhead smacked one of the crossbars of the blind. I'd imagine that arrow is somewhere close to the arctic circle by now, judging by the way it launched. The jakes stepped to the side and decided to casually walk off.

I've always wanted to kill a turkey with an old family airlume, a Stevens single shot 12 gauge with a 2 3/4" chamber and a 30" barrel. I used dial calipers to measure the choke, which came out to .695" constriction. Most choke tube companies call that an Extra Full. I patterned it at 30, 25 and 20 yards. By the looks of the targets, as long as I keep the shot inside 25 yards, I should be in good shape.
20 Yards
View attachment 177376
25 Yards
View attachment 177377

WTF are you bowhunting with?

 

[Left field]

WTF are you bowhunting with?

A bow & arrows sorry couldn’t help myself

 

[Stressless]

Neighbor Cliff scored. 1 for a Hoyt and bullhead.

Came in silent from the side. Picked up my bow, drew and shot. Nice, mature Tom.

 

[Bowhunter57]

WTF are you bowhunting with?

Elite Ritual 30 and some Grim Reaper 3 blade 1 1/2" cutting diameter. The same bow that I was using for deer, last fall, but with cut-on-contact 150 gr. single bevel broadheads.
However, after patterning this old Stevens, I may finish out the season with it. Definitely done with the bow....for turkeys. I picked up a box of Federal #6s and shot them at 25 and 30 yards. I don't think I can trust this shotgun past 25 yards, because the pattern isn't dense enough for my tastes.
30 Yard Tom Target

25 Yard Tom Target

 

[Stressless]

+1.
Well, it went thru his neck first, then tail....

Shot thru tail has 'character' lol.

Bullhead kept all three blades intact and you can see those flying guillotine blades where they went thru the tail fan.