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Spring Gobbler hunting with a bow.

F

Flyerzfan10

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2018
Messages
447
Location
Wapwallopen, PA
For those of you that have been successful with or without a blind. Are you using decoys or no decoys? How far away are you setting up your decoy? I've killed them with a shotgun but really want to kill one on with my recurve with no blind. Thoughts?
 
I didn't quite get it done last spring but had 4 Jake's and a Tom inside of 15 yards with no blind. I set up the dekes about 15 yards out if I recall correctly.

I set the decoys out in the open and sat on my mission in cover. Screenshot_20240126_140346_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20240126_140332_Messages.jpg

Just use the trees/ bushes kinda like a blind. I'm a mismatched camo dip stick so I think you'll be fine lol
 
I'll be that guy, but I don't like turkey hunting with a bow period. We all hunt a big chunk of private for turkeys. I've sat with multiple guys in blinds, guys whom I'd consider very competent archers drill turkeys. And we never recovered the bird. They don't bleed for crap. Tracking is close to impossible.
After my experience, I just don't see a reason for it. If you want a challenge use a .410 with a cylinder choke.
If bow hunting is all that is desired I'd say go for a headshot and lop it off or nothing at all.
 
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Put your decoys as close as you can if you can not be in direct line of sight of the bird. Once they lock in on the deke is your best chance.
I've killed 8 birds out of the 9 I've hit. All with recurves. It's best to hit them low and back. They can't live through a gut shot or taking the legs out. They won't go far.
Aim for the top of the drumstick.
 
I set decoys at about 15yds and use my saddle to hang at ground level (i.e. feet on the ground) behind a tree from the decoys. I use a big opening expandable broadhead (some old Vortex broadheads I have left over) for shooting at turkeys, albeit from a compound. I also aim back just above the drumstick. They don't go far with that big of a hole through them. The danger is shooting them through the breast only, there's not any vitals there and you'll just punch a hole though meat.
 
bigmike23 said:
I'll be that guy, but I don't like turkey hunting with a bow period. We all hunt a big chunk of private for turkeys. I've sat with multiple guys in blinds, guys whom I'd consider very competent archers drill turkeys. And we never recovered the bird. They don't bleed for crap. Tracking is close to impossible.
After my experience, I just don't see a reason for it. It you want a challenge use a .410 with a cylinder choke.
If bow hunting is all that is desired I'd say go for a headshot and lop it off or nothing
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Phopkins said:
Put your decoys as close as you can if you can not be in direct line of sight of the bird. Once they lock in on the deke is your best chance.
I've killed 8 birds out of the 9 I've hit. All with recurves. It's best to hit them low and back. They can't live through a gut shot or taking the legs out. They won't go far.
Aim for the top of the drumstick.
Click to expand...
How many decoys and what kind (hen , jake or gobbler ) are you using?
 
I’ve killed them with and with out a blind. I’ve set decoys at 10 all the way to 20. It’s gonna a sound like a pitch. But a high end quality decoy was always the difference for me. Decoys like Dave smith draw and hold birds better than anything I’ve ever used and that time and distraction matters when drawing a compound or recurve. Hen faces away Jake facing toward me
 
@Phopkins and @boyne bowhunter , do you guys ever need a follow up shot? Can't get both the wings and the legs disabled with one arrow. And @bigmike23 is right, hitting that golf ball sized vital area is no guarantee. Be ready to run lol
 
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Horn said:
@Phopkins and @boyne bowhunter , do you guys ever need a follow up shot? Can't get both the wings and the legs disabled with one arrow. And @bigmikis right, hitting that golf ball sized vital area is no guarantee. Be ready to run lol
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I've had 1 bird I was able to do a follow up shot on and only because I cut a tendon to one of his legs and he couldn't hop away on 1 foot fast enough (he tried). The others just ran and never stopped. If your not confident shooting for the vitals you can always shoot for the thighs and try to break its legs for a follow up shot. I've thought about a head shot but upon watching turkeys their head is constantly moving
 
Horn said:
@Phopkins and @boyne bowhunter , do you guys ever need a follow up shot? Can't get both the wings and the legs disabled with one arrow. And @bigmikis right, hitting that golf ball sized vital area is no guarantee. Be ready to run lol
Click to expand...
I can't get a followup shot on a deer let alone a turkey. :tearsofjoy: They can be hard to track but if generally those huge expandables take enough out that they're done when I find them.
 
Dsabhunt said:
I've had 1 bird I was able to do a follow up shot on and only because I cut a tendon to one of his legs and he couldn't hop away on 1 foot fast enough (he tried). The others just ran and never stopped. If your not confident shooting for the vitals you can always shoot for the thighs and try to break its legs for a follow up shot. I've thought about a head shot but upon watching turkeys their head is constantly moving
Click to expand...
I'm .500 on arrowed turkeys. One with an xbow didn't end right. One with the compound was a success and dropped in 10 maybe 15 yards. I'm very open to adjusting shot placement
 
Due to our numbers being down, I’ve pretty much gone to hunting with archery tackle almost exclusively now especially over the last 4 or 5 years on one of the private tracts in which I do a lot of my hunting. Big take aways much like others have said:
1. I use a blind and set my decoys at from 8-10 yards max. I’ve set them out further in the past but have had so many stop at double the distance my decoys are set at so I try to snug them up super close.
2. Aim for the tip of the speculum (the shiny part at the base of the wings) which brings them to that top of the drumstick as has been stated. They consistently go down.
3. Use a wide expandable and turn the DW down a couple of turns to be able to hold at full draw for an extended time if needed.
4. Be Patient. I’ve had them come right in right at sunup and I’ve had them walk by 30 yards and completely ignore my setup for an hour and then for whatever reason either by ticking off the hens or just getting them fired up or whatever and have them “break” and come right in at a run! Talk about exciting ups and down hunting. basically deer hunt for turkeys now.
 

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Horn said:
@Phopkins and @boyne bowhunter , do you guys ever need a follow up shot? Can't get both the wings and the legs disabled with one arrow. And @bigmike23 is right, hitting that golf ball sized vital area is no guarantee. Be ready to run lol
Click to expand...
Never needed a second shot except the one that got away. Couldn't get a second shot, but I wanted one. Shot through the breast like @boyne bowhunter mentioned.
You don't need to disable the wings if you break the hips. One would usually be enough. If you hit them there you should hit guts as well. That'll do it in short order.
 
I'll also mention that I like big broadheads. Tree sharks work well.
I haven't killed a turkey in a good bunch of years for a lack of a good place to hunt.
I may have solved that this year. I've got permission to hunt a place with good turkey numbers.
I'll be using a 3 panel blind and 2 to 4 decoys.
 
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