broadheads for turkey

[joekeith]

I've gotten a couple with these BuckBlaster usin' my compound.  
They never went more than 10 ft.
This year didn't wanna try a mech with a recurve so I used a 125 Razorback.  I think I hit 'em a little high and right, he was runnin' away.  
  It rolled him, but by the time I got outta the blind he was gone.

[Marty]

Joebuck and Guru, great politically correct answers to the numbers question! I wish you both good luck this season and may feathers fly!

[Doug S]

Guru,
 
I see guys starting turkey hunting who think they have to have a different setup cause thats what they heard. I heard it too when I started. That's why I tell em use what you your used to. It's more important to hit em good. I was trying to stress how acurate you have to be on a turkey.
I think it takes special powers (ability) :)to get those danged big snuffs to fly great. I'll have 2 good at 20 then a weaver and bobber then a slider. I look like a major league pitcher. I don't release perfect every time.
From my observation most trad shooters don't. Those big heads can take over. They seem  a little noisy too. I think it's alot of work to get them tuned. I am not willing to do that for the gain, So I use smaller heads and kill stuff quietly. I absolutly beleive you have them mastered though.
I know what you mean when you say you thought that bird was done. Now when I shoot a bird and it lays over quick I think "your not dead you %^$&" and it becomes a whole new hunt. Then I shoot again or crawl up out of sight and grab the sucker. Their sneaky

[Biggie Hoffman]

I switched my set-up years ago to a 3&1/2" magnum w/#4 shot. there's a bowhunting challenge and then there's pure frustration. Hunting turkeys with a longbow is pure frustration to me :-)

Joebuck has been tried and true on this turkey huntin with a bow when all those around him have given up. I'm proud of him for that.

Joey, if you wanna come before my guests, you can always join the club, there is an opening ya know.......

[mark land]

I have lost 1 and my buddy lost 2 before we decided to find out why, what we thought were "perfectly" hit birds, were running off, never to be seen again.  We did field autopsy's to examine the vitals and determine where the vitals actually were and where they should be shot, not where most of the "experts" and targets were telling you to shoot them.  Several birds later, I can attest that our experimenting has been a success and I always try to share this knowledge to all those getting into it so they do not experience the frustration and sorrow of loosing an animal.  
All targets and most people will advise a shot to the wing butt as most effective, granted, I can add that if you hit that 1/2in spot perfectly, it is devestating, but shoot a little high, low or forward and there is nothing vital there and you will loose that bird.  The vitals on a turkey are much lower and back then most people realize and their heart actually sits just above the hips on a broadside turkey.  I always try to shoot just a little above and just forward of the hips on my birds and I always place my jake decoy around 10-15yds away so I know I will have a close shot.  If you hit a little higher or lower you will still get the bird and take out his hips or legs and he will not be able to fly away, at least until you can catch him.  If you thump a bird right in the spot, let him go and lay down, even if he does not die immediately, he will be close and by not chasing him, you will allow him to remain in the area and not run or fly where you cannot track them.  Occasionally you will hit one that will just drop and lay there, only to jump up and run off, but normally you can still get after the bird and find him, but that is better then jumping up after him and watching them fly off 200 yds. away or more.  On straight away shots aim just below the butt and facing shots, just below the beard.  
I always recommend using a very large, multi blade head to do the most damage to the bird and do not use any stoppers or adders, your arrow will almost always stay in the bird and you do not need to reduce penetration anymore.  I almost lost my 1st bird I shot due to the adder catching the primary wing feathers and not letting the broadhead get into the chest.  
I am sharing this information so you can learn from others mistakes and improve your chances on bagging that bird.  Mark

[joebuck]

[joebuck]

[joebuck]

[RC]

Good photo`s Joebuck. The few I have got my hands on I shot above and forward the drumsticks.I recovered one bird not hit in the body cavity but broke one leg and cut the other off with a landshark . That was luck on a poor shot but it got me thinking too. I lost a bird I hit "perfect" I thought just below the wingbut. He flew across the river.My buddy Mudfeather almost cut ones head off with a Gobbler Gullitine. I personally think this is the way to go. It eliminates the fuss over the string tracker and cuts down on lost birds.You kill`em or you don`t. Anyway thats what my 2020`s will be sport`en this spring.And after those shooting lessons I gave Biggie a few years ago you`d think he could hit a Turkey.  

[joebuck]

[joebuck]

[Guru]

Joey, Those are great anatomy charts,and I agree that arrow in your decoy is perfect.I have some cut- away photos of my bird from last year that show the vitals pretty well...just gotta find them to post...

[joebuck]

[Guru]

I'm sure it will help others too....a lot guys really have no idea where to hit a turkey.

....I'm lifting the wing to show the entry hole.A little further back than I would have preferred....

   

You can see in this pic that it went thru the thighs.The tip of the knife is right at the wing butt. A hit between my shot and the wingbutt would be ideal(IMO)......

   

   

But it was behind the vitals.....you can see the liver,the heart stuffed up front,and the little lungs sitting right up against the spine.....

   

A little closer....Liver(dark red),lungs(bright pink),and the heart up front.....

   


This bird dropped like a stone when hit,but managed to flop/try to fly for about 20yds..I had to break his neck when I got to him.....Some folks say to aim for the drumsticks,but to me that would lead to a bunch of cripples getting away, or low breast hits.

[Guru]

You definitely can't shoot them "low in the chest" like most critters.High is way better than low.....

[Wild Russian]

I'd try ancient proven "halfmoon" head. It can be easily done from 9mm (.38 cal) cartridge and half of big steel washer...
Something close to "birdpoint" from Saxton Pope's book

[Guru]

WR, If I'm following......You mean something like the "snaro" bird points?

[Bowspirit]

Curt, I know the head he means. It pretty much looks like those old english and japanese warheads. You know, the ones that people used to say were designed to cut rigging on ships..

[Guru]

hmmmmm....

[bentpole]

Guru that is truely amazing.