...on turkeys
Whats your thoughts of intentionally going for the head shot with a normal BH not one of those intended for the head shot only.
dropping them on the spot or missing completely seems like a nice option just curious is all
If you can make the shot, go for it!
i dont know that would have to be one licky shot. the vitals area is small enough , don't you think? good luck with that if you do though
i meant lucky
Turkeys can move their head so fast. If I was going to try I would aim for the neck and look for a facing away or facing to shot that away you got all that spine and the head and if you are real low the vitals.
I figured it would hafta be facing away and also know the vitals are small as it is
head shot needs to be within an inch lft/rt and maybe a tad more up/down
vitals needs to be within 2"??? maybe 3 at best but probably less
Guess I need to worry about getting the shot first LOL then where to put it.I've taken a few sm game critters with head shots I was just thinkin is all Thanx
I haven`t bow hunted turkeys yet, but have thought a lot about it. To me i would think broadside at the wing butt would be best braking both wings an maybe the vitals,preventing flying away. i really would have a hard time puting my finger on the vitals of a strutting turkey if someone would hold him still:) On a neck shot u would need to brake the the bone or hit the head dead center, a nick wont cut it...Well maybe cut it but won`t get ya a bird...Its alot of guys on here with bow turkey experience, i`m not one of them yet...Maybe i can answer from experience in a couple of weeks...
I haven`t bow hunted turkeys yet, but have thought a lot about it. To me i would think broadside at the wing butt would be best braking both wings an maybe the vitals,preventing flying away. i really would have a hard time puting my finger on the vitals of a strutting turkey if someone would hold him still:) On a neck shot u would need to brake the the bone or hit the head dead center, a nick wont cut it...Well maybe cut it but won`t get ya a bird...Its alot of guys on here with bow turkey experience, i`m not one of them yet...Maybe i can answer from experience in a couple of weeks...
I go for the high percentage shot. You can always fill the broadhead hole with extra stuffing.
If you think his head will still be there when the arrow gets there, their always moving their head, kinda like shooting at a chipmunk.
Eric
Personally, I'm going to go with a head shot every time. The result is either a dead bird flopping around, or a clean miss.
I don't much care for trying to run down wounded turkey, or blood-trailing flying game.
Never killed one with trad tackle, but I have with a compound.
Even with the compound, I'd probably have as much luck herding cats as I would killing turkeys with head shots.
If you can anticipate where his head's gonna be.....and make that shot, though......I'll applaud your efforts.
I have taken a few intentional head shots and they do move their heads quickly and often but it can be done....whether luck or skill my avatar photo shows 2 birds I shot several years ago, the first a six yard head shot- that bird flopped around all the way out to 33 yards where I nailed his buddy that was jumpin up and down on top of him, peckin at him etc... I didn't know it was that far until I went to pick the first bird up turned around and shot the blind with the rangefinder. Turns out I hit the first one just under the base of the head across the throat- still counts! The other head shots all missed but I'd try again, especially at close range. I'll take luck any day.
If you can hit a quarter (that is slightly moving in an unpredictable manner) at 10yards, 75% of the time, then by all means -go for it. Otherwise, get real. The sensible way to shoot a turkey is dead on from the rear. This way arrow passes thru MORE Turkey and increases the odds greatly of hitting something vital, or a paralzing spine hit-- and if you should shoot high, maybe you'll get that head shot anyway. This is just the most basic hunting common sense. If you just choose to try head shots, that's fine-- your either gonna get clean misses, or clean kills--nothing wrong w/ either of those. If taking a turkey is something you really want to do-- forget the head shot approach for now--
IMO take out the legs/hips. A bird is no good without them shoot for right where they hit the body. ITs a bigger target and anything in the area will put the bird down. they can't run or fly without legs.
If your idea of success is in the challenge and not the harvest, then I'd say go for the head shot, like you said you'll either have a dead bird or a clean miss. If you do make the head shot, more power to ya, rock on.
The only turkey I ever shot at with a bow was a head shot. It was Missouri's first archery turkey season and I didn't really think much about it I just took the shot and centered his head. I was using a 50 lb. Bear 76er and Bear glass arrows with a RazorHead. My best recollection is that I aimed for his eyeball. I don't think I would try it again, in fact I heard so many stories of unrecovered birds those first couple of years that I just decided to use a shotgun. I'm about to get my nerve up again though!
If I were going to do head shots, I would use one of the Bullheads by Magnus.
Otherwise, I will be looking for a straight away or quartering away shot.
Good luck,
Paul
QuoteOriginally posted by BlacktailBowhunter:
If I were going to do head shots, I would use one of the Bullheads by Magnus.
Otherwise, I will be looking for a straight away or quartering away shot.
Good luck,
Paul
Exactly.. ;)
If you like tag soup go for it! It's hard enough to hit them in the head with one of those big a$$ head slicen deals never mind a reg broadhead. Dang birds don't stay still for very long at any time. Use a big broadhead and body shoot em far as i'm concerned. Good luck.
Aim Small..... Miss Small..... :thumbsup:
Aim Small..... Miss Small..... :thumbsup:
Oops..... :confused:
When they are strutin their head is tucked into their chest, the only time their head is out is when they are on alert. Like was said before their head is moving 360 degrees and up and down. If you want a shot aim at the base of the neck, will kill just as quick. Hit low and you might spine him.
I have been thinking of using either the bullheads or quilotine. I have had to track a couple of turkeys with my dogs for archers who were a little off. One of them is the best shot I know. I figure a clean miss, or headless turkey is what I will try for.
shoot turkeys in the back, walking away from you.
The spine is the key to breaking a bird down and him not flying off anywhere. He's also not looking at you, becaue you are in his vision "dead zone" . George has a point about the legs, I did that once unintentionally shooting low on a broadside shot, which I will no longer take.
Just one man's opinion..but I have killed a few turkeys with my bow.
I don't mean no disrespect to anybody but the miss clean or kill em dead is a myth when shooting at the head with the big head chopping broadheads or a any kind of broadhead.There's always the possibility of an arrow going somewere other than it's intended target(example-hit the window on the blind etc...)I could elaborate on this but my fingers would get tired of typing....
Tom, I know you've spent time around turkey's.....so you know that a turkey's head isn't "always moving"....as a matter of fact, when they are keyed in and close to a deke, a lot of times they stand stone still...
I've seen ya shoot, and I think with your shooting ability, a head shot is very doable! Especially with a wide decapitation style head..
I've been toying with it for the last couple years, but can't bring myself to try......even though I know I can....
Breaking them down, one way or another, is definitively the key to success.....
very good point Mark...that's one of the reasons I've hesitated trying one of those.....
trouble with the heads designed for that shot is they only weigh 125 gr's and while I have a set of lite arrows that'll shoot that size head I kinda like the heavy set up with 250+ up front
I guess I'll hafta see what the moment brings Thanks again guys
Tom get some 100gr. inserts bud....that'll get ya close...and I'm sure you if anyone could make up something to make up some more weight....
One more thing my BH's shoot right thru the netting without a hitch I'm thinking those other heads won't go thru the netting on my blind so nicely :banghead: :biglaugh:
From what I understand of turkeys and blinds, you don't need the netting like you do with deer. They don't seem bothered by the black space in the blind. I know someone who has had to stand up to shoot at a tom that was strutting ten feet from a blind with no window nets.
I have been thinking along the same lines Tom...
I was considering the base of the neck...right where the feathers and skin meet. Atleast that area is a little more still...
QuoteOriginally posted by swampbuck:
One more thing my BH's shoot right thru the netting without a hitch I'm thinking those other heads won't go thru the netting on my blind so nicely :banghead: :biglaugh:
Yeah I know what ya mean,the only way to find out is to try....it made it through but it didn't fly to good..lol..
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/archery%20turkey/DB30.jpg)
Another thing to consider that a head shot doesn't really allow for a string tracker in case it's not an insta-kill. Just a thought.
I'm more likely to hit if the turkey is moving his head considering he could turn my obvious miss into a hit. I have taken a couple of birds with my bow and don't like the body shot because both times I had a lot of meat damage with stomach matter throughout the breast.
ofcourse I'd hafta try the shoot thru myself like I have already but I'd sooner take the widows out than try the oversized turkey heads
Want a string tracker but don't currently have one and I don't see them at 3 rivers.
Genrally I hunt with a partner who use's a louder weapon than I do so I do most of the time have back up and thankfully first crack
Lots of folks may not know this, but before the big turkey broadhead trend, a well-respected guy (Dick Turpin) in Nebraska Game and Parks Commission who also has helped with NBEP if I'm not mistaken...anyway, he promoted using hard rubber blunts for head shots on turkeys and got it legalized. At first many, including myself, pooh-poohed this idea. Eventually a large number of Nebraskans did just that. The result, either a dead bird or an unhurt bird. This has been perhaps 15-20 years ago, and I assume blunts are still legal.
The head/neck of a turkey in full strut are actually relatively steady, and when in the strut position probably not much smaller than the actual vital of the bird.
I still aim for the body just above where the legs join it. I know Nebraska is supposed to be turkey paradise, but I don't have that many where I specifically hunt. If I did have tons (and thus tons of opportunities) I know I'd try the head shot, but probably with a broadhead.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned (as it relates to shooting through blind netting)....is the relationship of OUR arrows when they get to the netting.
Wouldn't the archer's paradox (from a past center cut bow) mean that OUR (v. an arrow shot from a compound bow) mean that they would be more out of line? Wouldn't OUR arrows be impacting at more of an angle?
I agree with some of the others. I've never felt the need to put the netting down in my DB with turkeys. They seem to disregard that it isn't there and the black holes don't seem to bother them, at all.
I can deer & turkey hunt at the same time in the Fall & find it easier to use the netted windows.In the Spring I leave the netting up....
I have tried the headshot on turkeys. After missing at five yards three times on the same bird I decided that centerpunching the vitals was a much more effective way to get a turkey. Everytime I shot he ducked his head and grab another acorn to eat. I did have a real nice grouping in the dirt.
If your gonna shoot thru the screen don't take somebody else's word do it yourself so that ya know,heck if your gonna shoot thru an open window get in there and do that too LOL
I shot 3 times thru the screen and came to the conclusion that for "me" I don't need to even think about it being there it didn't effect flight at all
I've seen a lot of posts here saying head shots are a bad idea. Let me ask...what's the downside?
I guarantee there ain't no such thing as a wound on a turkey if you are taking headshots. The bird is dead in front of you or you missed.
Yeah, you will miss more. A clean miss doesn't leave you tracking a wounded bird, though.
Heres the wrap on mine and my buddies experience on blinds and head shooting.
Leave the netting up!! About 50% of our birds would skirt the setup when it was left down. The ones that came in still acted alittle shakey. I know the videos show them wackin birds w/ them down and you can but once you start watchin their behavior they are seldom totally calm when in close.
It seems they come in better if the blind is in the brush and not in the open. Again they will come in but sometimes they just dont like it in the open.
As for the head shots its not always a direct hit. After some coaxing from me my buddy took a head shot. We both swore he shot low after the bird ran off. No blood on the arrow. I found one litte speck of blood after picking up the arrow so we started looking. The bird ran about 70 yards before his death flop started. The blade of the 2 blade head caught him right behind the beak and just under the eye. That was it.
No more head shots for us unless their strutting straight into us. As for the blunt it sounds good, but if you hit him other than in the head and break a wing or ribs you still end up w/ a dead bird your not gonna get.
Think of all the angles a bird can turn, thiers alot more noninstant nonlethal body surface than anything else.
With all due respect Jeff, do you really think there's such a thing as "guaranteed" dead or not dead? Whenever I hear someone use that word, in any walk of life, but especially bowhunting, I have to question where it's coming from.....
How many turkeys have you killed? And how many by shooting them in the head?
What happens if you shoot his beak off...that isn't anywhere near a dead turkey. You may knock him off his feet, but I bet he'd be up and gone before you could get to him. Then what kind of shape would he be in?
How about if you just slice the skin and he ends up with a festering wound?
If you cut the hoses running down the neck, or break some bone(neck, skull), then yes,you've got a dead turkey. But there are always variables that "guarantee" nothing....
I'm not against head shots at all. Personally I just can't get myself to try it....
My Dad told me long ago that "there are no guarantees in life"....
I have to agree with GURU. I've shot lots of turkeys and have had a few that had cuts on their heads and necks. I'm assuming they were made from broadheads. These birds looked to he healthy except for the cuts. I'm not sure there is a perfect shot for turkeys. But I think the head shots should be left for the specialized broadheads and then have plenty of arrow weight behind them.
More likely the cuts are from fighting with other turkeys. They are a lot like chickens.
Point taken. Guarantee is way too strong a word.
Let's say the chances of a wound are greatly diminished with a head shot.
I aim for the base of the wing butt myself, those heads move to much for my skills! In fact this wing butt moved to much for me last fall!
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l87/adeeden/fallturkey001.jpg)
He still ran/flopped 20 yards with that arrow about 1" under the head!
I'm actually surprised all you traditional folk are hunting out of blinds---heck I couldn't even fit my bow into one if I tried! Where are all the Ishii's?
:archer:
Im not hunting out of blinds - but Im not getting any turkeys either.
Modern wild turkeys dont behave like the turkeys Indians hunted.
Ishi's dead dude... :rolleyes:
Izzy and I were practicing this shot at our last 3D shoot. Now Izzy is a pretty good shot, and even so, I don't think too many birds would have been tagged from that experience.... and they weren't moving.
I figure maybe 1 in 6 or so would have connected.
I still like the idea of a head shot though, but I think one of those big broadheads made for them would be in order.
I take only head shots also.At very close range,that baseball is alot easier for to concentrate on than the big blood of feathers.Killed a tom 2 years ago at 6 stepts.160 snuffer thru his eye.Cut a huge V out of the top of his head.
I dunno. I keep thinking about all the stories I read about a bird getting away after a bad hit...
Bad hits happen to all of us. I keep thinking about the birds I have killed with a bow(contraption)...NONE of them died easy. Tough birds for sure.
I think a GG or a magnus bullhead and a head/neck shot is what I will go with...
I took one two years ago with a 54# Liberty Chief and a cedar arrow w/HH Broadhead. Shot the base of the neck (less movement) it dropped like a rock and never moved. It was 15yds away. Tasted good too. White Ape
I agree with the base of the neck theory. It's worked for me. If you actually hit right where you're aiming, it doesn't mess up the meat either!