How many shoot for the hip when hunting turkeys?

[jonsimoneau]

I've read a lot of different threads concerning turkey shot placement including the excellent and detailed ones that Curt (Guru) have posted. I have to say, I can't think of a North American game animal that has so many varied opinions as far as shot placement is concerned. I have heard a number of bowhunters say to aim for the hips on a turkey. Essentially straight up the leg on a broadside bird. Can anyone with experience comment on this?

[Flingblade]

The only turkey I've killed with my bow was a jake and I hit him right in the hip.  Not where I was aiming but it worked well.  He only went about 30 yards.  The snuffer broke the far leg as it went through.  I will still aim for the heart lungs but the hip is a good shot and you don't mess up the breast meat.

[Guru]

Jon, As you'll see in the following diagrams, straight up the legs on a broadside turkey really doesn't put you into the "hips"(pelvis).

The pelvis sits back and high because the femur(thigh bone) angles back attaching the pelvis and drumstick.

Straight up the leg, at the right hight, is the place to hit though.

A hit there will put you just above or thru the drumstick/thigh junction(depending on the body angle, flat or more upright. Check out the difference in the two diagrams) and through the back of the vitals...hopefully breaking some bone so the turkey can't run or fly, and dying quickly with the bh through the vitals.

A little low and you still get the drumsticks, back a little and you break the femur, forward and you get solid heart/lung, and high you get the spine.

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Another good diagram that shows the bone structure really well...
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Just remember on an angled shot you just have to adjust front or back depending on quartering to or away....and most of all...."high they die, low they go"!!

[Robertfishes]

I don't turkey hunt but I have killed one with a self bow during fall bow season at a WMA..I have heard guys talk about shooting a turkey in the legs,I asked why?? Their thought was he can't run or fly off if you take his legs out..These turkeys were not harmed, I only had deer and hog hunting rights on this property..  

[m midd]

I try to let them turn away and shoot them right between the wing butts. If they are fanned i shoot right above the base of the fan. I have never had a bird go more than a few steps.

[Don Batten]

I shoot em up the leg. Joebuck told me about it and It's worked 3 for 3 so far for me. DB

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Jon, I'm a fan of getting turks coming or going, and shooting them in the middle.  I'm 6 for 6 on them that way, not so much on broadside birds.  I like the quartering-too shot between the neck and the "shoulder" if you see what I mean.  

R

[L. Perry]

The double bull blind video has an excellent diagram. Keith Beam shows you where to shoot at all angles. Hit em high and watch em die! Everyone that bowhunts turkeys should watch it. Comes free with blinds.

[jonsimoneau]

Thanks guys. I've only killed one with my bow. I shot him broadside at what looked to be a perfect shot. I recovered him but was astounded by how far he went with my arrow hanging out both sides across a plowed field. Had I not had a visual on him, meaning if he had made it into the cover, it would have been very difficult to find him. Just trying to be ready for this coming season. Thank you again Curt for the excellent diagrams.

[Mitch H]

I have hunted turkey a bunch with stick and string, and have been fortunate enough to take a pile of them. There is an old saying I heard years ago, and it has proven to be very true from my experience with bowhunting turkeys………"hit `em high, watch `em die……hit `em low, watch `em go.

On a broadside turkey I aim a couple of inch`s back of where the neck connects to the body, and maybe 3-4" below the top of its back.

Full frontal shot I aim for center just above the base of the beard…..and yes, I have clipped a couple of long beards off by accident.   :(

Facing straight away I try to drive it straight into the base of the tail if they are fanned out. If they are not fanned out I try to imagine where I need to hit in order to make the arrow exit out at the base of the birds neck.

Hitting a bird too low, or hitting them in the brisket usually results in a long chase, and often a lost bird.

[tradarcher816]

The one I've taken was straight on and I held right on the beard. But I've needed this article, to help clarify on the broad side shots. Thanks guys for posting this.

[Kevin Winkler]

Jon, Here are some pics I've had for over 25 years that show aiming spots on turkeys for different shots.
The one shot that is the hardest to determine the proper aiming point is a broadside strutting turkey, it is impossible to determine exactly, because the amount of strut that the bird is in can change the whole look.....they have a lot of feathers that are puffed up and makes it hard to visualize the body outline. If I'm take a broadside shoot I prefer that they are not in strut. I've shot birds in virtually everyone of those positions below, plus some quartering shots, it's naturally all about shot placement.

On broadside shots that are non-strut I do aim straight up from the leg and just in front of it.....it has worked for me.

 
 

[toehead]

It only makes sense to shoot for the guts on a turkey vs the golf ball sized heart/lungs that is surrounded by a massive non lethal breast and breast bone.  The guts (thigh) gives you a lot more verticle and lateral room for error.  Plus you can take out the legs if you hit it right.  

There is a spot in the wing butt tha can and will stop a broadhead if hit dead on.  

For me Ill alleays go for the biggest target that allows for the largest margin of error.

[lt-m-grow]

The best advice I heard was early on and has proven to be very true...

REGARDLESS

Pick a spot that is:
    from left to right - between the legs
    from top to bottom  - half way between the back and bottom

If you go back and look at Guru's and Kevin's pictures above...it works and it is spot-on regardless of the orientation of the bird and whether he is in full strut or not.  

Clearly one of the challenges of shooting turkeys is their constant movement  while going in and out of strut mode.  So something simple like this works for me.

I heard this early on from a young man that shot way to many turkey's with a bow for his age...Shows you can learn from young and old.

[Bowwild]

I go for Toehead's spot when broadside. My favorite shot is in the back when facing away from me.

[highPlains]

Originally posted by lt-m-grow:
REGARDLESS

Pick a spot that is:
    from left to right - between the legs
    from top to bottom  - half way between the back and bottom

X2

Makes it real easy to pick a spot when you go straight up from the legs. Also, I prefer quartering angles or face on/away shots compared to broadside shots and usually wait for them if I can.