[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/guide-to-bow-hunting-turkeys\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/guide-to-bow-hunting-turkeys\/","headline":"Guide to Bowhunting Turkeys","name":"Guide to Bowhunting Turkeys","description":"\u201cTurkeys are made to be shot in the head with a shotgun!\u201d A hunting buddy once told me when I...","datePublished":"2016-04-11","dateModified":"2018-10-24","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/author\/hagosto\/#Person","name":"Hector Agosto","url":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/author\/hagosto\/","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7bfedbdc5ef3ed8f8df91eb37e1ffbe?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7bfedbdc5ef3ed8f8df91eb37e1ffbe?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Legendary Whitetails","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/logo-legendary-whitetails.png","url":"http:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/logo-legendary-whitetails.png","width":522,"height":226}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/turkey-hunting-with-abow.jpg","url":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/turkey-hunting-with-abow.jpg","height":1080,"width":1920},"url":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/guide-to-bow-hunting-turkeys\/","about":["Hunting"],"wordCount":1142,"keywords":["Deer","Hunting","Tips","Turkey"],"articleBody":"\u201cTurkeys are made to be shot in the head with a shotgun!\u201d A hunting buddy once told me when I asked why he never\u00a0turkey hunted with a bow.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s what deer season is for,\u201d he said.\u00a0 I laughed and gave him hard time. A few years later, he\u2019s now chasing birds with a stick and string bow during turkey season . . . something must have tripped his trigger. Bowhunting wild turkeys is an exciting way to challenge yourself this spring.\u00a0 However, there\u2019s a lot to know before you go ahead and trade in that 12 gauge for a bow and arrow.The SetupThe biggest difference between hunting turkeys with a bow compared to a gun is the amount of movement required before the shot.\u00a0 It\u2019s not the distance of the shot, but rather the movement required to take the shot.\u00a0 Thus, a blind is essential.\u00a0 With a shotgun you simply have to flick the safety and pull the\u00a0trigger.\u00a0 With a bow, you have to find some way to conceal your drawing motion from a turkey that\u2019s strutting just yards away.\u00a0 A popup blind of some sort is typically the most practical solution.\u00a0 Sometimes a large obstacle like a big oak, evergreen, or downed tree can be used to conceal your draw, but you\u2019ll have to know exactly when to draw on the approaching gobbler.A well placed blind is essential for turkey hunting success with a bow.One thing you can basically throw out the window if you plan on carrying a bow is your ability to actively pursue a gobbler.\u00a0 It\u2019s more of a sit and wait game.\u00a0 Scouting beforehand is essential for a successful turkey hunt. \u00a0Know where to place the blind and when you need to be in it.Decoy PlacementIt\u2019s not so much what decoys to use that\u2019s important, but more so where to place them.\u00a0 It\u2019s never fun trying to move around and get into position for a shot on a bird that came up on your strong side, especially if you\u2019ve got another person in the blind with you.\u00a0 With a gun you can shoot roughly 120-degrees pretty comfortably with just a slight twist of the upper body.\u00a0 This is certainly not the case when you\u2019ve got a bow in hand.\u00a0 If you\u2019re right-handed, make sure you favor the decoys more towards your left shoulder, or at least position your chair that way \u2013 vice versa if you\u2019re a lefty.Perhaps, the most important aspect in play when bowhunting turkeys is the distance the decoys are from the blind.\u00a0 Don\u2019t be afraid to set them up close . . . real close.\u00a0 5-10 yards out may seem too close, but that\u2019s my preferred range when I\u2019ve got a bow in hand.\u00a0 The last thing I want to do is have my decoys 20 yards out and have a gobbler get skittish at the 35-yard mark.\u00a0 If you put them in close you\u2019ll likely get a shot off before the gobbler figures out they aren\u2019t real.Shot PlacementI\u2019ll say one thing \u2013 turkey anatomy can be very tricky to understand, especially on a tom that’s in full strut.\u00a0 Rather than trying to describe in a paragraph where you should be aiming on a turkey, watch the video below.\u00a0 This is a great instructional tool that every turkey hunter should watch.What Broadhead?Fixed? Expandable? Decapitators? They all do the trick, but some are better in certain situations. Fixed blades are my broadhead of choice when it comes to arrowing turkeys for a couple of reasons.\u00a0 First, they slice through feathers without getting plugged up, leaving zero chance of an incorrect deployment.\u00a0 Secondly, you can shoot through the mesh windows on your blind. \u00a0Lastly, it\u2019s the tried and true choice of broadhead.Expandable broadheads will work on turkeys, but they are mainly designed\u00a0for big game.\u00a0 Feathers are different than fur and sometimes the feathers can influence how an expandable broadhead will open.\u00a0 One of the main objectives and benefits of expandable broadheads is the oversized cutting diameter.\u00a0 This may lead to better blood trails on big game, but turkeys don\u2019t have much blood to begin with.\u00a0 Couple that with dense layer of feathers and it\u2019s safe to say if you don\u2019t see them flop, it\u2019ll be a tough recovery \u2013 that goes with any broadhead though.\u00a0 For the most part they do fly truer than fixed blades out of the package, and that\u2019s critical as you could\u00a0see in the video with the small vitals of a turkey.Decapitators are a specialty type of broadhead made specifically for taking the head clean off a turkey.\u00a0 They add a unique challenge to bow hunting, in that you can only take a head shot.\u00a0 If you hit, they\u2019re extremely effective as you can imagine.\u00a0 Typically, they have a cutting diameter in excess of 3 inches.\u00a0 These are designed for close range head shots only.Here’s an example of broadhead specifically designed to take the head off a turkey.Favorable State RegulationsOne reason you may want to use a bow to hunt turkeys this spring is to take advantage of your states game regulations.\u00a0 Several states like Nebraska and Iowa cater to the bow hunter.\u00a0 For instance, Nebraska holds an archery only turkey hunt before the shotgun hunters get a chance and Iowa has an extended season if you choose to use archery equipment.\u00a0 Check your local state game regulations to see what applies in your state.Bow hunting is a fun and exciting way to up the challenge factor of turkey hunting.\u00a0 Be sure to scout before the season to know exactly where to be set up.\u00a0 Also, be sure to practice shooting on a lifelike turkey target or printout.\u00a0 Once you\u2019re confident with your shot, head to the field and show them toms what you\u2019re made of.Related: 6 Scouting Strategies for Turkey Hunters"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/#breadcrumbitem","name":"Legendary Whitetail's Blog"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/guide-to-bow-hunting-turkeys\/#breadcrumbitem","name":"Guide to Bowhunting Turkeys"}}]}]