| Search Articles: |
Steve Hickoff
4/07/2008
Let’s assume you spend so much time with your Hoyt bow that you refer to that tool of turkey demise as "good buddy."
Let’s also take for granted you’ve scouted for spring gobblers. You know where that big boy you want roosts. You know where his hens like to sleep on limbs.
You’ve sat and listened to them fly down, gather together, and move to nearby fields in the morning. You’ve seen that beast with the 10-inch beard strut his full fan.
You’re ready for game time.
Here are some proven ways to get that spring gobbler in arrowing range. The rest is up to you—oh yeah, and your good buddy.
Get that spring strutter close—real close.
You can plot his demise by watching and patterning turkeys on a regular basis. It’s really the only way to get inside that killing zone. Read the terrain. Is there a game trail that longbeard likes to take to a strutting zone? Also watch how sometimes turkeys like to enter an open spot (where hens can see them strut their wares) via the highest point on that expanse.
Be there the next time.
How can an archer get close to that gobbler the next time he strolls into a field? Use a manmade blind constructed from natural materials on patterned turkeys to conceal your movements (though it limits mobility), or hunt with a model that’s easy to transport, and assemble. You can also hunt turkeys on foot, and call them to your position, drawing that bow when the strutter turns away, or ducks behind a broad tree trunk.
It’s one thing to feel so comfortable with your bow that drawing it is as easy as riding a bike. To hit where you want, shooting practice using 3-D turkey targets on a regular basis to visualize your intended quarry is a must. Much of the game is mental, and if you factor in solid mechanics, you’ll kill turkeys.
Once you’ve patterned birds, and have a good idea where they’ll be, stake turkey decoys at your effective bow range to fix a spring gobbler’s strutting position. While some run-and-gun hunters may never tote dekes, the archer looking for solid arrow placement almost assurdedly relies on them. It’s safe to say that the outdoor industry has never provided more turkey decoy options.
Packing a punch at the business end of your arrow is standard fare for the gobbler-chasing archer. Choose turkey-specific mechanical broadheads for solid flight and serious cutting diameter. Yes, big-game broadheads work fine too.
When the moment of truth comes, time your shot on a calm, standing turkey in range with a sure draw and arrow release. That’s the beauty of hunting spring gobblers of course. They strut and turn with somewhat predictable moves. Study that bird, then aim for that single feather on the wing butt, at the bottom of the fan for the so-called Texas heart shot, or in the head or base of neck (hits or misses are generally 100% or nothing).
One trick to gain confidence as this goes is to hunt fall squirrels with your bow, as a bushytail is roughly the size of a gobbler’s neck and head.
Before the hunt, get a feel for the action of drawing on a turkey. Do so in your hunting clothes if possible. Practice arrowing targets from a hunting stool, a standing position, or on your backside to reflect live conditions. In all cases, wear reliable, comfortable camouflage to instill confidence and concealment in your game plan.
After anchoring a turkey, place your bow down, then quickly approach and step on the flopping bird’s head or neck before removing the arrow if it hasn’t passed through.
Hunt archery-only seasons to extend your opportunities, and for the intangible pleasures such outings offer during both the spring and fall turkey seasons.
Don’t stress too much over missed shots either, as it’s part of the archery turkey experience. Sometimes strutting spring gobblers will simply move aside of the annoying stick that flew their way and missed, and you’ll get another chance.
Take it.
—Steve Hickoff
Prolific book author, magazine contributor, newspaper columnist, and longtime fan of Hoyt bows, Steve Hickoff hunts wild turkeys all around the country, spring and fall.