Advice on archery turkey?

[NativeRat]

Anyone here ever arrow a bird? What did you use for broadheads? Anyone ever use bait? What kind?

 

I am going to try my hand at Rio Grandes in Texas, and as I understand, the method commonly used is baits and blind. No shotguns -- just archery in the fall, but baiting is legal. (Hmm-- restrict the hunt to string and stick, but allow baiting. Why does that have a familiar ring?...)

[Benbrown]

I have never taken a turkey with a bow, but I have called in many, many Rio Grande birds in the fall. Many folks don't know it, but the Rio Grande subspecies (the one that is found throughout Texas and which has been transplanted to many of the Midwest and western states) goes through a display/gobbling period in the fall, pretty much like they do in the spring. During October and most of November, they will readily respond to a call and strut just like they do in the spring. There is really no reason to bait them. Just find a roost and set up a little ways away before daylight. When you hear them coming down off the roost, start calling and you will usually have one or more fraternal groups of gobblers come in to see what's going on. I have had them come to within 10-15 yds if I was camo'ed up and sitting still.

 

Good luck!

[NativeRat]

Thanks a million! I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

There are feeders every quarter mile in Texas... ... even when you are trying not to hunt on the feeders..... you are hunting on the feeders! I shot my first Rio this spring on a 2 day hunt in SW Texas and the hunting was tough so I sat on a feeder part of the time.... it was as productive as sitting the water and stalking turkeys from the road on the way into and from the blinds.... all methods are good and success should be pretty high on feed or water this time of year, I would think. Also I used 100 grain Spitfires with great success on the bird I got.... but they do make a big hole..... also... FYI... think about the wind when you shoot.... it is always blowing down that way and it cost me a Huge Tom. Good Luck!!

[mattobertin]

I bagged a turkey in unit 23 two weekends ago but it was all luck(I was archery deer hunting). I shot it at 12 yards with a muzzy broadhead it was pretty cool!

[AZP&Y]

I almost bagged a hen @ 32 yards. Clean miss, no blood or feathers. Merriams are spooky... I actually heard one gobble and was motionless in my groundblind. Slowly grabbed the bow and drew. The small group of 5 was just on the downwards side of a small meadow. I was in the middle of small meadow, camo'd in my burlap camo ground blind. Great excitement! Swoooosh... just missed by 6" - which in the turkey game is the difference between Thanksgiving and Arbys.

 

Best of luck- drawing and getting close to turkeys (twice) this fall with the bow - was more than worth the 25.00 tag...

 

Here is a pic from elk season ( 1 day after fall turkey season closed). One of my favorites in the field. Tells it all...

 

Hunting TURKEYS over feeders seems boring to me (IMO)...

 

AzP&Y

[bowhunter4life]

I have taken 7 with a bow, 6 were with a fixed 3 blade muzzy. it is all about shot placement and having confidance in your shooting ability.

[CouesWhitetail]

I almost bagged a hen @ 32 yards. Clean miss, no blood or feathers. Merriams are spooky... I actually heard one gobble and was motionless in my groundblind. Slowly grabbed the bow and drew. The small group of 5 was just on the downwards side of a small meadow. I was in the middle of small meadow, camo'd in my burlap camo ground blind. Great excitement! Swoooosh... just missed by 6" - which in the turkey game is the difference between Thanksgiving and Arbys.

 

Best of luck- drawing and getting close to turkeys (twice) this fall with the bow - was more than worth the 25.00 tag...

 

Here is a pic from elk season ( 1 day after fall turkey season closed). One of my favorites in the field. Tells it all...

 

Hunting TURKEYS over feeders seems boring to me (IMO)...

 

AzP&Y

 

 

Love that pic!!

 

Amanda

 

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

If the hunting is tough... sitting a feed source mid-day can be very productive.... At least it was for me.

[billrquimby]

>>>>>>Anyone here ever arrow a bird? What did you use for broadheads? Anyone ever use bait? What kind? I am going to try my hand at Rio Grandes in Texas, and as I understand, the method commonly used is baits and blind. No shotguns -- just archery in the fall, but baiting is legal. (Hmm-- restrict the hunt to string and stick, but allow baiting. Why does that have a familiar ring?...)>>>>>>>

 

 

I have shot only one turkey with a bow. It was a hen, and it was in unit 6A south of the Apache Maid Lookout back when they held "smorgasbord" hunts -- if you drew an archery elk tag, you could also buy tags for deer and turkey and also hunt squirrel at the same time. I used a Ben Pearson "Javelina" recurve bow with a Herters Port Orford cedar arrow that I had fletched myself with turkey feathers. The broadhead was a stamped "Bodkin" that I sharpened with a file. Wish I could say I made a great shot, but it was just dumb luck. My arrow went low and short, skidded a bit, then bounced up and hit the bird. I was young and fit then, and I ran her down and wrung her neck.

 

Bill Quimby

[bowsniper]

I have killed three turkeys with my bow. Every time time I used the expandable turkey tomahawk, 3 blades with a 3.5" cutting diameter. They fly like a field point, and make a devastating wound. The best broadhead you can use for a turkey:

 

http://www.redmondoutdoors.com/RocketbrSle...-P1180C405.aspx

 

 

 

Mark

[bowcrazy]

I arrowed a bird in 23 couple of years ago about 40 yards from a treestand, clean kill with a 3 blade expandable sitting water

[steward224]

I have harvested a few with my bow and prefer to shoot a three blade at the base of the neck; it is either a clean miss or a dead bird. I got one opening weekend this year, he did not take a step. I also prefer to shoot at them when they are walking away as their eye sight is amazing and they know how to dodge those arrows. Good luck.