7 Must-know Tips for Bowhunting Turkey

Time to gear up for the spring turkey season, and hardcore turkey hunters all over the U.S. are taking up bows to harvest these birds. For those of you who are passionate about chasing turkeys with a bow and arrow, here are 7 essential items/tips to step up your turkey game:

A Good Turkey Call

Turkeys are extremely responsive to calling, so make sure you have at least two turkey calls you are comfortable with, because having two calls not only provides backup but also, two pitches gives the illusion of multiple turkeys. A mouth call is always a practical, since it keeps both hands free to hold the bow steady. Once you have your turkey call set, get ready to feel your blood pumping.

2. A Dependable Rangefinder

The most consequential factor of the archery shot, arguably, is the distance to the target. Archers practice for hours just to be able to shoot at varying ranges and to be able to accurately judge the distance to a target. Having a rangefinder you are familiar with is critical and will set you up for the moment it is time to shoot.

3. A Couple Decoys

Decoys can act as both an attractant to tom turkeys and a distraction from you, since the turkeys have something else to focus on. Try to create a scenario with a decoy of an unwelcome “Jake” moving in on a tom’s territory.

“Ideally when bow hunting, a decoy can be placed inside of twenty yards from the shooter, offering the opportunity of a shot well within bow range.”

— Prime Archery

4. Face concealment

Bow hunting is hard enough without the proper camouflage – being able to hide yourself from the turkey is paramount to your success. You might also want to consider a camo ground blind.

5. A Solid Archery Setup

You may be one of those people that remains loyal to finger shooting; however, for those of you who choose to shoot a mechanical release to increase accuracy and provide a level of consistency, make sure you purchase two identical releases. Keeping up a good working spare in your pack will go a long way.

6. Broadhead

This is typically a matter of preference, because this has to do more with individual performance than anything else. In our opinion, the best broadhead is the one you can shoot into a small, vital area consistently where you can penetrate at least one wing, if not both. This keeps the bird from being unable to fly and will ensure a quick kill.

7. An appropriate blind/ground tactic

Again, it depends on preference. Keep in mind, however that setting up a ground blind requires a great deal of planning and effort. If you know where your gobbler likes to hang out, and you have the ability to set up a blind without him seeing you, the ground is a great option. This is difficult, though, because you have to get your turkey within a 20- to 30- yard range to draw your bow, requiring some major setup.

8. Patience

A common mistake for bowhunters is to be aggressive with their calling, but it is the softer calls that are necessary to bring the bird within those last critical 10-20 yards.