turkey with a bow

[bankwalker]

so this year i plan on hunting turkeys for the first time ever. im really excited to get out and get me a turkey. BUT im gonna go about it with a bow...
ive seen alot of turkey while archery hunting elk in september, so i know some good areas. and every single turkey i have seen has been well within bow range.

so i figure if im calling them in and im actually sitting and waiting i should have no problem getting one. every time i have seen them i have been walking, and they let me get in close.

so my question...

anyone else hunt them with a bow? and have you had any luck?

also some tips would be awesome.

thanks

[bowhuntin]

Turkeys have really good eye sight so you might want to find a natural blind where they won't see you draw or buy one and bring it with you. I have never personally tried it with a bow, but I am sure it is doable. My friend tried it with a bow a couple years ago with no success. Your best bet is going to be in the Northeast for gobblers because there sure aren't that many around Central Washington. Where ever it is you hunt for elk in September may not be accessible come April first either, so the turkeys may not be where you think they are.

[LongTatLaw]

Ive "tried" this before and plan to try agai this year with Head-shot...

You WILL NOT succeed without a decoy to distract it while u draw.

Getting within 40 yards isnt hard. drawing without spooking it is step one and hitting it when the damn birds seem to be able to see the arrow coming and MATRIX bend away from them...thats the problem.

but it can be done by all means.

good luck and Ill keep ya posted on my efforts!

dave

[LongTatLaw]

Here is a bird or 2 of mine...from North Carolina... taken with a shotgun.

[LongTatLaw]

Another

[bankwalker]

i hunt kittitas county for elk...and have seen alot of birds. 3 or 4 flocks a season...

but strange enough only one gobbler out of all the birds i have ever seen. my buddie gets a bird every year out of our elk hunting area though.

im gonna buy all the calls and decoys and stuff real soon. and start practicing my calling.

[bowhuntin]

I have also hunted in Kittitas County the last 4 or so years with little success. The number of birds you are going to see is going to be a lot higher up around Colville, which could help increase your chances of taking a bird with your bow. I get into birds every year out in reecer creek and I have heard there is even more over by liberty but have not seen any over their myself. My buddy elk hunts over there and sees flocks during the rifle season. I have seen a good amount of birds on private property as you drive up Cooke Canyon. I think the biggest reason you don't see a whole lot of gobblers is the fact people are poaching these turkeys all year long.

[jackelope]

the biggest reason you are not seeing a lot of gobblers with the flocks is because of the time of year i think. when you see them in the early spring, you will see flocks of many many birds..hens jakes toms, etc. then the breeding starts and they start to split up a bit and don't come back together in the big flocks till winter.  i think.
i'd be real impressed if someone could intentionally call a turkey in to bow range and draw a bow and shoot one without getting busted and without a double bull type blind. yeah it can probably be done 1 in 50 times...but good luck. you might want to get a couple less calls and a couple less decoys and get yourself a blind for starters...or try it with  a shotgun for starters.
just my .02

[wastickslinger]

I usually try for a day or two and then bust out the shotgun. It is very difficult!! I will give it a go again this year. I think what has already been said will help you.
1. use decoys
2. use a blind
3. make sure you can hit one at 40 yards (this is where i fail)
4. maybe even have a buddy call and you set up a ways from him?
5. draw in strut when they are looking away.

[bankwalker]

im very confident i can get one with a bow...up until i actually get some first hand experience with turkeys im gonna stay confident. lol

no really i will of course have my buddie with me who uses a shotgun.

ive seen alot of turkeys around the liberty area as well. the farthest west i have seen them was in cabin creek area a couple years ago. seen them everyday for 4 days of camping. then i have seen a few flocks in the teanum creek area.

but most of them have been north of i-90 going up blewett pass on the west side of the highway

if there is anyone who knows that area or wants to hunt that area and knows how to hunt turkeys, and wouldnt mind taking a newbie on his first turkey hunt that would be awesome. hopefully there wont be any snow...or much snow left in the area i want to hunt.

[klickriverchromer]

it's just like call'n up a bull elk, u and a buddy partner up works the best.  and use decoy's's's's couple jakes and a hen?

[bankwalker]

yeah i plan on hunting with a couple guys...

what my buddies do is locate the birds. then the 3 of them sit at different areas of where the birds are. and the one guy in the middle starts calling. with the 2 outside guys chirping a few times here and there. and they always get their birds.

it just sucks you are only allowed 1 bird out of that county...grrr

[ICEMAN]

of course always watching for crossfire... (duh)

[bankwalker]

lol no way man. chicks dig bird shot scars lol

yeah they usually setup about 100yds apart and set shooting lanes to make sure no one is in eachothers cross fire.

i know i sure would be making sure that im not. sence i have a bow i wont have any way to really shoot back if one of those morons shoot me lmfao 

[ICEMAN]

Yeah, since I started duck hunting, I havent been directly sprayed yet, with any force to it atleast. Shot can sure carry farther than I figured, especially a magnum turkey load thru a 2X choke....