I hate turkeys...

[Mossy-Back]

Turkeys suck! Shot a big Tom at 30 yards this morning, broadside aiming for the top leg joint. Saw the arrow hit and heard it hit hard. It ran off with the flock like nothing happened. They all disappeared out the back 40 across two fields and then into the woods.
I never found my arrow. It either buried in the dirt/grass or was still stuck in the bird. Frustrating...

 

[Woodrow F Call]

Use a shotgun?

 

[406LIFE]

I've shot a few turkeys with my bow and unless you can decapitate it, they can run a long, long ways with an arrow through them. That makes recovery unlikely and death pretty certain. I switched back to shotgun only for turkey hunting.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Use a shotgun?

And wait until Spring, when it’s fun to hunt them.

 

[ShortAction]

I've shot a few turkeys with my bow and unless you can decapitate it, they can run a long, long ways with an arrow through them. That makes recovery unlikely and death pretty certain. I switched back to shotgun only for turkey hunting.

I've seen turkeys walking around with arrows in them. Can't seem to put into words the feeling it leaves.

 

[kansasdad]

I feel your pain.

Archery turkey hunting does not equal shotgun hunting turkeys. It’s levels of order more difficult.

 

[madtom]

They're so deceiving to arrow, and even worse when they're strutting.

 

[Mica Man]

Here are a few pics of a bird that my son shot a couple springs ago that was packing some extra jewelry. Both the broadhead and nock were missing and the wound was fully healed. The bird was with another tom when we called it in and was acting like nothing was wrong.

 

[madtom]

Here are a few pics of a bird that my son shot a couple springs ago that was packing some extra jewelry. Both the broadhead and nock were missing and the wound was fully healed. The bird was with another tom when we called it in and was acting like nothing was wrong. View attachment 123660View attachment 123654View attachment 123656

That’s crazy! Either wounded as a poult the previous fall or that wound healed really fast.

 

[Mossy-Back]

I was hoping to finish up my first year of bow hunting with a win. I passed up shots on does in the early season, didn’t see much in late season and couldn’t get quite close enough. Turkey is the last thing open and there’s a big flock 5 minutes from my house.

I’ll definitely hunt in the spring with a blind and decoys but thought I’d give fall a try.

 

[Mica Man]

That’s crazy! Either wounded as a poult the previous fall or that wound healed really fast.

My guess was the previous fall or someone tried to poach it over the winter. He shot it opening day of the youth season and the wound was well healed.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I was hoping to finish up my first year of bow hunting with a win. I passed up shots on does in the early season, didn’t see much in late season and couldn’t get quite close enough. Turkey is the last thing open and there’s a big flock 5 minutes from my house.

I’ll definitely hunt in the spring with a blind and decoys but thought I’d give fall a try.

A blind and decoys? Oh, good Lord. Lol

 

[Pucky Freak]

Definitely frustrating because had that arrow been an inch over you could very well have tagged the tom. I found pellets that weren't mine in one of the toms I killed this spring, so they get wounded and live by gunfire too.

Kill zone for archery is tiny. Not saying it can't be done but I'm confident to 20 yards, 25 absolute max. I'm considering switching to a decapitation strategy because it's either a miss, a dead bird, or a paper cut that will likely heal up.

 

[Mossy-Back]

Definitely frustrating because had that arrow been an inch over you could very well have tagged the tom. I found pellets that weren't mine in one of the toms I killed this spring, so they get wounded and live by gunfire too.

Kill zone for archery is tiny. Not saying it can't be done but I'm confident to 20 yards, 25 absolute max. I'm considering switching to a decapitation strategy because it's either a miss, a dead bird, or a paper cut that will likely heal up.

I think I’ll try that for spring season. Either Magnus Bullhead or try a big 2 blade mechanical.

I was confident in the shot I took. Range was right on, it was broadside, I aimed for the top of the leg hoping to break the joint. It may have hit forward into the breast meat. I found a good amount of feathers that were cut off by my broadhead.

 

[Hem]

This picture is legit...but can you spy something different?

 

[kansasdad]

Looks like there is a grey breasted bird in the tree with the turkeys. Just to the left of the middle fencepost. Seems Canada goose like, but that can’t be correct so I’m going with owl?

 

[Kharper]

White phase turkeys appear periodically in my area. Some are mostly white and some have a few white feathers.

 

[Hem]

You both are on track.
Yep, one white feathered turkey. Beginning to speculate the strain of this flock.

 

[BrentD]

I was going to say your fence is something different. Both the way it is made and what is made of. But that's all I noticed.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Turkey faced Owl...Owl faced Turkey?Ha!,Ha!