Bowhunting Turkeys

By Tony Basso

As I got my partner, Mike, settled into the blind, we could hear the tree calls of the flock of turkeys we had put to bed the night before. I eased back about 40 yards behind the blind and began "talking turkey." The old tom was ready and responded to nearly every call I made. In a little less than an hour, and several vocal exchanges, Mike arrowed his first bird. It was rather peaceful, with no shotgun blast echoing through the hills. That hunt was about as textbook, and easy, as it gets. Any turkey hunter with a couple years experience knows that this kind of hunt rarely happens.
There are numerous rumors floating around that the wild turkey has x-ray vision and can see through a steel wall. They have also been claimed to be nearly impossible to kill with a bow and arrow. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could be farther from the truth. Bowhunting for turkeys is more attainable now than it has ever been. The abundance, at times even the over-abundance, of these birds has made this the time to try for a bird killed with a bow.
Before you head out to the forests and fields, there are a few things that can greatly increase your chances of success. First, TOTAL camouflage is imperative. You might get away with bare hands and face with a whitetail, but that won't happen with the wild turkey. They may not have x-ray vision, but they will give old superman a run for his money. One thing to remember is that you need to become extremely aware of where the bird's head is before you attempt to draw your bow. Total camouflage only hides your silhouette; it will not hide your movement. I have found that it's best to wait until the bird is in full strut, with the head behind the fan. The eyes on a bird are set back on the head, which gives them incredible peripheral vision. Don't assume that because the bird is not looking at you it can't see you move. If you are comfortable hunting from a blind, there are numerous great choices available for the bowhunter. The "Double Bull" series are all outstanding. Since the turkey does have great eyesight, the blind will help conceal the movement required to draw your bow. If you choose to use a blind, you had better practice shooting from it. Mine has a blackened interior and it's nearly impossible to see the pins without some form of illumination. The newer blinds with the shoot-thru mesh seem to also work really well.
Decoys
Decoys are a must in the bow hunter's arsenal. I try to carry a feeding hen and a couple jakes all the time. Decoy placement is crucial when selecting your set-up. I have found that placing the decoys at a 45-degree angle to my left, and out exactly 20 yards, works the best. The angle is natural for me to draw and shoot my bow, and the yardage allows for pinpoint accuracy. Place the Jake decoy FACING the bow hunter and the hen FACING AWAY from the bow hunter. It's natural for a tom to approach a male bird from the front and a hen from the rear. This placement offers you the best chance to draw while the bird's head is behind the fan. Remember, you're not shooting a shotgun, so the decoy placement can be the difference between a perfect shot and no shot.
Bow Selection
Much has been written about what bow to use for the Wild Turkey. The real hard fact is this: use what you're comfortable with. The majority of bow hunters are most accurate with the bow they use to hunt deer. The only change I would recommend is to reduce the draw weight so it's easy to draw from the sitting or kneeling position.
Remember that movement is key and you should be able to draw the bow straight back and almost "HIDE" behind the bow. The new, shorter bows are definitely handy when hunting from a blind, but with practice any bow you're comfortable with is adequate to take a bird. The same can be said for arrow selection as it applies to turkey hunting. Your deer hunting arrows should be just the ticket.
Broad Head Selection
In today's archery market, there seems to be a special broadhead for just about everything we do. In reality, the best broadhead is one that is razor sharp and shoots well through your chosen set up. Some will say to use expandable broadheads in turkey because they hit harder. Don't you believe that for a minute. An arrow does not kill by impact; it kills by cutting. Razor sharpness is the most important factor. Another myth is that you must use a great big broadhead so you can cleave the head off. Well, there is a fly in that buttermilk as well. The bigger the head, the more flight issues. There is a product on the market that is designed for headshots, but that particular head requires special equipment and can't be re-used. Stay with your current broad head, unless you just feel the need to try something different. I prefer, as of this year, the new Muzzy MX-4 broadhead. It's rather small at 1 1/8th inch-cutting diameter. However, it makes up for its lack of size with its ability for exact shot placement. Mine actually impacts within 1/8" of my field points at 40 yards. I want that accuracy when hunting a smart old bird.
Shot Placement
Proper shot placement is key in bow hunting the Wild Turkey. The actual vital area is only the size of a softball, hence the references to pinpoint accuracy. Many a bow hunter has been left with a pile of feathers because they didn't know where the vitals were on a strutting bird.
When a bird is strutting broadside, it is the hardest shot to get right. The bird looks huge to the eye and the wind and feathers tend to hide the "sweet spot." The red dot indicates proper shot placement from the side.
This, in my opinion, is the perfect bowshot. The bird's head is behind the fan, so hopefully you won't get busted drawing your bow. The arrow will most likely break the spine, which means the bird won't fly off, and the vitals will be hit.
Here is a side shot when the bird is not strutting. The vitals are exposed and you will probably break the wing. Just be careful as the bird can and probably will see you draw the bow.
Now don't get me wrong, a headshot is not only lethal but also very possible. Why in the world you would want to aim for a gold ball when you can shoot at a soft ball is beyond me, though.
Calling Techniques
Assuming you already know how to "talk turkey," there are some tricks to tilt the odds more in your favor. First is learning to use a mouth call. They require no movement and won't tie up one of your hands when you need to draw your bow. Second is team hunt. If you employ the same tactics as Western Elk hunters use, you're in better shape. Have the caller set back about 40 or 50 yards from the hunter. This will allow the hunter to remain still and the bird will come in focused away from him, as well.
So, grab your calls and your bow and give the Wild Turkey a try. It's not as hard as you have heard and can be a lot of fun.