turkey head loppers

[Mark Colangelo]

I still think its a bit strange there arent any glue on guillotine style broadheads for turkey. The vitals on a turkey are so small to begin with, why not eliminate possible tracking of a big bird that isnt fond of bleeding? Plus, having to get all up in a longbeards kool-aid screams something that would intrigue a Trad hunter. Anyways, I am going to try installing a 40 grain broadhead adapter to screw on a 100 grain Magnus bullhead to try and put the lights out of a ole grandaddy longspurs himself. This will bring my point weight to 140 instead of my 145 I typically shoot for big game BH, stump/small game heads and field points. I don't see that being a problem. Is there anyone who has used trad tackle to de-snood a Tom?! Interested in how arrow flight is and where does the limitation of the broadhead begin for a reasonable good shot?

[BlacktailBowhunter]

Unless you're shooting heavy weight, I would avoid it and look for a spine shot between the wings and if you hit low you're in the organs.

I watched a guillotine bounce of the bird at the base of the neck. A broad head would have dropped it.

[Mark Colangelo]

yeah thats actually what draws me to aiming for the head a little...very little chance of a wound with that giant cutting diameter

[trubltrubl]

Although I have not shot at a turkey with the magnus bull head you speak of I have shot at grouse with it..it flies great...I use them on carbon arrows though..not wood so I just use the screw-ins that come with the carbon arrow ..and if you want extra weight there are brass inserts of 100 grains you can use...
I have taken two turkey with 3 blades...with recurves but someday would like to try the bull head...this year I will try and take a turkey with a longbow..I have hunted longer with a longbow but found the recurves convenient as they are generally shorter...but the fellas I hunt with all use longbows or selfbows and are successful with 3blades and two blades...good luck

[katman]

You would have a hard time paying me enough to use one now. Hit a bird in the neck last year at 12 yards and all I got was a broken blade and a pissed off gobbler. Beat the heck out of my decoy after the shot. 600gr arrow 54# hybrid.

[30coupe]

I killed two turkeys with a 125 grain Bullhead last year. My cousin has killed about 4-5 of them with Bullheads and trad gear. Neither of us shoots heavy poundage bows. I had a frontal shot on my a tom last spring. One blade split his beak vertically while another cut his throat. He did run about 20-25 yards before tipping over and flopping. I watched the whole thing, but believe me, I could have blood trailed him if I had to. That never happened with a body shot!

I was shooting my Bama longbow #48 @ 28" and I draw about 27". The other was a fall hen that was broadside and it cut her head in half. She never took another step.

My cousin Frank, aka FAV52, shoots a 45# Kodiak Magnum. He also draws about 27". Neither of us has had one bounce off! You either miss or kill...quickly.

I've only shot one with the guillotine. I missed low and hit him in the thigh. We named him Hopalong, and he was very easy to distinguish from the rest of them after that! He lived on our place for at least the next 4 seasons, and I never could get another shot at him. I love the idea of them, but there is just too much sticking up in my sight picture for me to shoot them accurately.

Bisch

[30coupe]

Originally posted by Bisch:
I've only shot one with the guillotine. I missed low and hit him in the thigh. We named him Hopalong, and he was very easy to distinguish from the rest of them after that! He lived on our place for at least the next 4 seasons, and I never could get another shot at him. I love the idea of them, but there is just too much sticking up in my sight picture for me to shoot them accurately.

Bisch

Bisch, I turn them so that I'm kind of looking through a V with one blade sort of hidden behind my riser. Works for me. I don't really even notice the other blade.

[FAV 52]

2x  what 30coupe wrote !!! hit them in head , neck dead turkey , no tracking .

[kleine]

I bought some last year after I seen 30 coupe and fav 52  using them but haven't tried a turkey yet.
I did ruin two sets of blades practicing though and they shot real well out of my kanati out to 15 yards with my regular hunting arrows. Didn't really notice the blades bother me, but I'd say to take some practice time with them.
Shooting a loose bail of straw worked well for a the practice.
Pop cans on the ground not so well.

[30coupe]

kleine,

FAV 52 shoots at old pillows for practice. I'm thinking no on the pop cans as well, lol!

I just made sure my arrows shot well with 125 grain field points and practiced on a couple turkeys!  

   

I just sharpened up the blades and I'm still using the same Bullhead even after slamming into the dirt after hitting the birds. I'm actually surprised at how tough they are.

[Pointer]

I'm with Bisch...I generally shoot my bow vertically with little, if any, cant. I shoot two blades and orient then to be parallel to the ground so they don't enter my sight picture at full draw.

[gvdocholiday]

Yeah, just suspend a pillow or pillow case and shoot at it.  It'll give quite substantially.  

For fun I'll take an old arrow and stick a banana or cucumber on the end and shoot at it.  Mimics a turkey head quite nicely.

[Bowwild]

Interesting to read these posts. I bought some of these Bullheads and have never used them for fear my recurves wouldn't have the umph needed.

[30coupe]

Originally posted by Pointer:
I'm with Bisch...I generally shoot my bow vertically with little, if any, cant. I shoot two blades and orient then to be parallel to the ground so they don't enter my sight picture at full draw.

If you put one blade vertical, the other two will angle down and you won't even see them.

[30coupe]

Originally posted by Bowwild:
Interesting to read these posts. I bought some of these Bullheads and have never used them for fear my recurves wouldn't have the umph needed.

If you are shooting 45# or thereabouts, have at them.

[Mark Colangelo]

I was going to try it anyways...but now I am convinced. I am not touching my Beretta until I have a bullhead kill...and thats hard for a lifelong turkey geek like me

[FAV 52]

get em in close i like 8 to 12 yards , let them settle in til you get a none moving target , hit em in the head or neck , bird down on the spot . if there is one thing that has helped my turkey hunting IT'S DECOYS .

[Mark Colangelo]

FAV 52...where I grew up hunting in rural Connecticut we rarely used decoys. But ever since I moved the midwest and have a much larger bird density I have been using decoys. Last year, I used Avian X decoys, and I am a full fledged believer. I had hens strutting and attacking them, Toms try to mount them, and just generally I very good response from birds. I will never go out without an Avian X again, it was night and day compared to a cheap plastic spread I usually used.

[FAV 52]

Recurve Addict , Avian decoys are very good life like reproductions . I have a Dave Smith leading hen and a Dakota X-treme jake , made a big difference in the response i get also . Make my own box calls too , i think there better . LOL