A Beginner’s Guide To Bowhunting Turkey
An exhilarating hobby and a different way to pick up dinner, bowhunting turkey is a growing spring sport. Wild turkey population is swelling and more opportunities to hunt for this particular game are opening up. Also, industry experts state that bowhunting equipment and gear are becoming more specialized for shooting turkey. This all adds up to the perfect time for you to learn about bowhunting turkey.
There are a few different skills that you will need. How to find the game, attracting them within your range and then how to actually fire the arrow are all essential talents you must learn.
Turkey calling is a well-fleshed out expertise. Videos and audio abound that will direct you on exactly which turkey talk to use. You may find it incredibly fascinating to learn that you can say many different things to the bird and it will respond in various ways. Besides the gobble, find out about the cluck, the yelp, the cackle and cutting (that last one is a hen letting the Tom know she’s ready for mating, a popular one to say the least). Especially learn the purr, a sound turkeys make when things are going well - the sound you will use to draw them closer into your range.
Concealment is an important trick to learn. Camouflage clothing goes extreme with turkey hunting when the traditional flat pattern goes 3D. Suits have multiple layers to provide shadows and conceal the human shape. Some have a hood or face mask that offer complete coverage. Don’t forget camo gloves and if it’s not included in your suit, a face mask as well.
Beyond your outfit, pop-up blinds provide you with ample opportunity to get close to game. Bowhunting turkey is easy when they will saunter right up to your hiding spot. Look for a pop-up blind that sets up easily, without flaps that will scare off the birds and fairly good pack up size. Lots of space inside the erected blind and a silent window system are handy too.
Turkey decoys can be useful out there as well. Set them up in such a way so as to draw attention away from yourself. That way you can raise your bow without scaring the bird off. If you’re behind a blind this isn’t as much of an issue, so set up your decoy close to guarantee a good shot. Without a blind, it’s a good idea to set up a decoy or set of decoys away from you. That way the turkey’s attention will be drawn to the scene you’ve created and your movement won’t catch the bird’s eye. Some hunters go with single decoys and some with a group set up to create a response from roaming birds. Try a few different methods to see which you prefer.
Since the aim is a fatal shot the first time, go with ammunition designed to deliver every time. Experienced hunters claim that mechanical broadheads are the only thing to use when bowhunting turkey. Because turkeys have small target areas and are generally jumpy creatures, you need the wide cutting diameters of the mechanical broadhead. Look for heads with blunted tips and a cut wider than 1 ½ inches.
Practice makes perfect in bowhunting as well as everything else. Be accurate at 20 to 30 yards and you will do fine with wild turkey. Sit on your rear to shoot, try from behind your blind and also from your knees. Aim for a target the size of a tennis ball. If you can hit that consistently, you’re ready to gather your gear and head out hunting.
Enter the fascinating and challenging world of bowhunting turkey with training, equipment, ammo and practice. That way you have a better chance of bagging a bird every time.