Question on bowhunting turkey

[notimlmit]

I know now where your suppose to hit a turkey with an arrow but what do most of you do right after the shot -- does the bird fly/take off and you chase it right then ( unless it goes down right in front of you ) or do you give it some time like deer -- I made the mistake some time back of waitting and lost a bird, followed blood till it ran out but searched for 4 hours and never did find it -- I hit it wrong to begin with ( facing me ) but 1/3 of the arrow was broke off in the bird -- like said I know now after watching countless videos on shot placement now but the shows either have birds go down right then or fly/run off and never tell how long they wait -- just curious because I plan on doing some bow hunts for the BBC

[turk2di]

Turkeys generally fly a straight path, or close to it, even when popped! Try & watch it go out of sight( im sure you are anyway) & listen for a crash. Otherwise, im not gonna BS you, crippled birds are tough to find!

[tgturkeytaker]

I attempt to harvest mine (after many discussions with my friends at Mathews) by shooting them in the hips just below the wing joint....many times, I have had the arrow pass through, and the bird spread its wings to fly only to just lean over on its belly. the arrow has passed through the vitals and death is quick and sure.

I have not lost any birds since attempting this....and I have taken several....If you do hit them high, you are above most of the vitals...

I posted a kill zone/vitals diagram on this forum in years past but I am unable to search and find it tonight. If anyone knows how to search for it...it might help someone looking for a vitals chart.

As stated earlier, a wounded turkey is really difficult to find. I bowshot a Gobbler in Pulaski County several years back and looked for over an hour - knowing I had surely killed him, only to find him 200 yards downhil and in a hollow tree.

Remember, the closer they are, the easier to hit em' in the hips.

[hollandhunter]

I would give it time to die if it were to get up and leave or fly or what not and try to like said see or here where it crashed if all possible. I wouldnt push it because like deer they can get gone quick if spook even if they are on there last breath. JMO gook luck a be safe. I will be after them to. There should be plenty of birds to hunt this year.

[CSS archer]

I've had birds hit in the hips and hit through the spine fly over 200 yards, the only place to shoot at a turkey in my opinion is the neck, it's visible and either a kill or a miss, period. I've taken over 20 with a bow. They definitely can fly with no use of the legs at all.

If you do body hit one, do not try to chase it, just give it a little time, it will try to hide under some nearby cover and die.

[SmokeyBear]

If you get them in the vitals they should go down very quickly. I have taken a couple with a bow and neither went more than five yards. But then again that may have just been dumb luck.

[bigpuddin43]

killed both of mine this spring with neck shots both birds dropped in their tracks niether even flopped just fell over im a believer in the neck shot

[top_sgt]

found this web page today! hope it helps!! aim points of gun and archery!!

http://www.wildturkeyzone.com/articles/makeshotcount.htm

[notimlmit]

Thanks for the tips guys -- went yesterday but no birds will try again today

[bigbowhunter90]

yeah i just took a bird with a 9 in. beard. But i hit him rite n the kill zone. arrow went all the way through and i watched him fly off. The best thing i found to do is give the bird about 30 min. and then where he went n the woods at just walk strate!!! they normally just go n a srtate path, thats how i find mine...

[Ballard County Bounty]

I attempt to harvest mine (after many discussions with my friends at Mathews) by shooting them in the hips just below the wing joint....many times, I have had the arrow pass through, and the bird spread its wings to fly only to just lean over on its belly. the arrow has passed through the vitals and death is quick and sure.

I have not lost any birds since attempting this....and I have taken several....If you do hit them high, you are above most of the vitals...

I posted a kill zone/vitals diagram on this forum in years past but I am unable to search and find it tonight. If anyone knows how to search for it...it might help someone looking for a vitals chart.

As stated earlier, a wounded turkey is really difficult to find. I bowshot a Gobbler in Pulaski County several years back and looked for over an hour - knowing I had surely killed him, only to find him 200 yards downhil and in a hollow tree.

Remember, the closer they are, the easier to hit em' in the hips.


This guy here knows how to kill a turkey! ;)