Do I want pass thru or not for Turkeys ???

[John3]

Season opens in the morning here in Missouri. I am trying to decide if I should put a "claw" behind my broadheads to prevent a pass thru on a bird. What is the best way to go?
I have a blind this year and if the birds work out for me they will be on the same bluff in the morning. Any advice will be appreciated.

John III

[Sneakypete]

Maybe too late already, but ... if I lost big game as often as I lose turkeys, I'd have to quit bowhunting. I've tried penetration limiters and still get pass-throughs. Only birds I always recover are those where the arrow stays in -- like when I'm shooting downhill and the ground stops the arrow, or I pin 'em to a tree. I absolutely want the arrow to pass through but stay in, to prevent them from flying and slow or stop their running off. Other hunters I know, like Don Thomas, shoot their usual 2-blades and get pass-through and good recover. They must be better shots than I am, as a turkey has about a 3" heart/lung quick-kill zone. Every year I try something different in the way of heads, but I think the best bet is to use a lighter bow and really big multi-blade heads, if you can get them to fly well. Good luck, and thanks for being conscientcious. Dave

[TSP]

John, I'm not an expert (only 2 birds taken w/ bow) but for what ist worth...if you use shoot-through netting in the blind windows I'd recommend not using the claw.  It'll likely affect arrow flight through the netting, and a medium-weight shaft with a 3 or 4-blade head will probably stay in the bird anyway unless you shoot HEAVY bows.  

One item I would recommend is a string tracker.  Even with a lethal shot, unless you put the bird down immediately it may get airborne for a short time...and they can go a long ways in just a few seconds.

Re shot location, a shot lined up with and placed just above the drumsticks is a good one...more chance to hit vitals and with broken legs they can't run...which means they also can't fly (no 'liftoff').  May need a finisher shot but at least you won't be chasing down the bird a hundred yards yonder.

Good luck.

[twosheds]

I've shot quite a few turkey's with my compound and have noticed that when an arrow makes a complete pass thru, the turkey is less likely to get excited and run off. They usually stop to see what happened and tip over. From what I've seen, If an arrow is still in the bird he seems to want to get out of the area as quick as possible due to this foreign object that he can't shake. I would prefer a complete pass thru. Just my opinion.  Good luck in the morning.

[John3]

Thanks to all for the input.  We will see how it goes in the morning.


John III

[flinch]

The best turkey shot is the head or neck because they drop dead.  If your are shooting through netting, no claw, but string tracker is handy.  I haven't killed that many turkeys. ( A friend has over 40 by now; it's his thing?)  I like to really stun them if possible.  I like to hit them in the neck where it joins the body.  THat generally gets a flopping turkey that is easy to track.  You may have noticed turkeys don't leave a big blood trail; and an excited bowhunter doesn't track very well at first; so a string tracker is really handy.  So is a Muzzy fish arrow and AMS Retreiver Reel( Joking of course.). Try to get the bird close and distracted by a decoy or food source and get a good shot.   Good Luck.  "That Turkey Hunting is a Disease." from the late Ben Rogers Lee.

[Jason in Bama]

Ben Rogers Lee now there is a name I haven't heard in a while. Glad he hasn't been forgotten.