Turkey Hunting Arrow Setup?

[Archer Dave]

Hey everyone. I am looking to hunt turkey for the first time with a bow next month. I am curious as to what would be the best arrow setup for a first time turkey bow hunter?

I have 1535 GT Trads I would like to use.

Should I uses a flu-flu?
What point should I use?
Arrow gpp?
Shot placement?

Thanks a lot,
Dave

[MO Bow]

Take this for what it's worth because I haven't ever connected on a turkey.

if you're a real good shot, you can try your hand at a guillotine-type head...i'd recommend against it if this is the first time trying it.

i use 3-blade muzzys when i hunt.  some guys will use those little attachments to prevent passthroughs...keeping the arrow in will slow the turkey down if you don't get a good hit on it.

As for where to hit it...I did a google search for 'turkey vitals' images and there are a ton of pictures for you...even a lady in a bikini...not sure how that got in there...

it's tough to explain where to hit, because there are a lot of factors that play into the shot...how it's facing, strutting, etc.  Roughly stated: Center mass front-ish part of the wing and a little high.

Be ready to chase it if it doesn't fall in it's tracks...

Adam

[TradBrewSC]

I use my standard whitetail setup with simmons heads , either treesharks or safaris.

I would not use flu-flu's though, as they will jump that.

I like to aim for a little higher than you will see on the target vitals and knock out both wingbones which will also grab those vitals.

[Carcajou]

Ive killed them with Snuffers, Woodsmans, Muzzys..never use a fluflu, as you need speed and kinetic energy to pass thru the bird or to bust thru the heavy wing primaries..Shot placement should be either thru the thigh bone, breaking it so that they cannot run to fly, or just above it, into the vitals.

[BAK]

Take this for what it's worth.  I drilled a tom broadside last fall from 10 yards.  I was using a 50 pound recurve (Bob Lee) 15/35 gold tips, with 145 grain three blade head.

I rolled the bird right off his feet, upon which he got up and ran away.  Upon examining the arrow, I had only 3/4 inch of blood on the broadhead.

I can only assume a wing butt hit, but I'll never hunt them with anything but two blade heads again.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by BAK:
Take this for what it's worth.  I drilled a tom broadside last fall from 10 yards.  I was using a 50 pound recurve (Bob Lee) 15/35 gold tips, with 145 grain three blade head.

I rolled the bird right off his feet, upon which he got up and ran away.  Upon examining the arrow, I had only 3/4 inch of blood on the broadhead.

I can only assume a wing butt hit, but I'll never hunt them with anything but two blade heads again.

How long are your arrows bro? and what kind of draw length do you have? I can't even imagine getting a 1535 coming out of a 50 pound Bob Lee RC.   :eek:   ...... I can't even get 3555's coming out of my 45# bow without folding them up....

[Archer Dave]

1535's shoot well out of my 45# Grizzly without a problem. I have some 3555's that fly well to, but the 1535's seem a bit better.

[Archer Dave]

OK guys so it sounds like I should use my regular arrows with maybe a 2 blade head. Sound about right? Would a 2 blade with bleeders (4 blade) be better?

[sbschindler]

Don't use a flu flu,, if you are hunting out of a blind and using decoys use the Bullhead, set your decoys close to the blind, 5 yards max, you will get good close shots, the head and neck area of a turkey is the largest vital area on a turkey,

[Archer Dave]

Thanks, I have a flock of about 30-40 wild turkey on my place. I also have a Ameristep Doghouse Blind my father in law gave me. I will probably use it just to get out of the wind and cold. Normally I would rather just sit against a tree.

[Orion]

It's tough drawing on a bird and getting a shot without a blind.  Not impossible, but tough.

As others have suggested, don't use flu-flus and don't put anything behind the point to retard penetration.  Turkeys are hard to penetrate, in part, because they're physically light and move with the shot when hit, and their feathers slow an arrow a lot more than you would think. And an arrow sticking out of them doesn't stop them from running or flying, unless you've broken a leg or wing.

I've killed turkeys with Woodsmans, two-blade Magnus IIs and four blade Zwickey Eskimos and Deltas.  Put it in the right spot and about any broadhead will do. Good luck.

[Ryman Cat]

Study the shot placement photos in detail Terry has shown you will do your best by studing them in depth.

Birds are easy to kill if you hit them right but if not your in for trouble and possible lost bird.

I'm in a blind for me its required with several dekes DSD's.

2 blade head very sharp works for me. I use either Bears or Ace. Last year 15/35's with 160 kinetics I tried worked well enough.

[RC]

I shoot mid body between the legs. I`ve killed 20 with a bow using simmons,woodsman,magnus I,muzzy pantom and last years bird with a badger.I prefer to stay away from the wing but and break the hips. He can`t run or fly. I`m not good enough shot for head shots. RC

I am using four blade Herters heads on 1918s, with a bush in a bag, while sitting on my Huntmor in a cedar thicket.  Last year I did not get to my cedar thicket. I was forced to shoot while walking to it, no set up, minimal camo.  Just goes to show that turkeys are not always invincible geniuses with feathers. Actually they are quite dumb, some things must trip their triggers more than others.

[KSdan]

My 2C. . . Shoot for the head- same size as vitals.

Honesty be known- from the circles/friends I know,recovery is FAR less than 50%. The honest number of lost birds to archery begs an ethical question.

Dan in KS

[BAK]

Well KirkII, I shoot the same 15/35 goldtip shafts out of a Centaur, a Border, the Bob Lee, a Shrew, and a Mamba.  They are all cut 29" BOP and weigh 480 grains with broadheads.  I bareshaft all of them and have no problems with them at all.

I've tried 35/55's but they won't fly worth a hoot for me without a half pound of steel on the front end, which I don't like shooting.  I am not a fan of high FOC.

When going for that head shot, it turns out that a square hit on the base of the neck works just as well.

[Bowwild]

I've been bowhunting turkeys a long time, in three states....but my success is limited (only two with a bow). I've shot at 5, missed 3 and never wounded one.

However, a very good friend, (posts here-TJ you know who I mean)recommended I NOT use the bullhead or facsimile's with my recurve. I bought them and was going to use them. My buddy told me just not enough umph from my 46-49# curves.

The advice above about just above the thigh is right on. That wing butt is a much more narrow vital area.

I just bought a string tracker from the TurkeyHuntingSecrets (they shipped surprisingly fast-although $40 was an ouchy!) website with two extra spools.  I'm going to use these with my deer hunting rig this year. 450-500 grain arrow (MFJ Deep Six or Axis Trads) with 155-200 grain, 2-blade single bevel helix broadhead.

[sbschindler]

Bowwild, your 46-49 pound bows are heavy enough to kill a bird easy with the Bullhead, it won't lop their head off but will break the neck and or cause enough hemorrhage to kill the bird, I've shot at least a dozen with the bullhead and I use bows from 50 to 54lbs, sharpen the blades as you would on any broadhead and it will work,

[Dirtybird]

Don't forget to check the vitals for turkeys in the powwow section here.  Very informative on where to place your arrow.