Covehnter Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 Well, it's been a rough day. No longer will i bow hunt turkeys with intentions of making body shots, thats the decision i have made so that means the bow will be cased until i can switch to the controversial "guillotines" next year. Many are against them but i believe they should rethink the chances of wounding a bird using these broadheads versus the others. Hit = Kill, Miss= hunt'em another day. This morning is why. . . Had a couple hours this morning before leaving home to head back to school and because it would just be too great a sin to not be in the turkey woods at daylight on every given opportunity i slipped in a hunt this morning close to home. I lugged bow, blind, chair, and scrappy to the top of a hill on a farm close to home. Owled and had a bird gobble several hundred yards away across the property line. So i made my way down into the bottom cow pasture and set up with intentions of attempting to pull the boy out in the open but didnt have high expectations since he was so far off. I got set up just after daylight and my first calls aggravated a nearby hen but the gobbler didnt respond until close to flydown. He only gobbled 5-6 more times but it did seem as if he was following the ridge my way. I looked out the back window of the blind to see 3 hens about 250 yards away and watched the longbeard sail off the steep ridge and land with them. They made their way up on a hill in the pasture about 150 yards away. There ended up being 5 hens, 3 jakes, and the man. They would stretch their necks eyein' Scrappy and his companion but wouldnt take the bait at that distance. After videoing them for about 20 minutes they moved down the hill to about 80-100 yards. With a little calling i had the group moving toward me, all started moving back up the hill at 60 yards except a single hen and the longbeard that had now gotten a good look at the intruder and wasnt likin' him. The longbeard strides by my ranged 25 yard mark in the pasture before i could draw and proceeds toward Scrappy. I come to full draw when both the hen and gobbler move between blind windows and he comes beak to beak with Scrappy in full strut at 16 yards. I settled the pin a hair too low and on the shot i could tell it was a solid hit just a fuzz low and maybe a touch frontward but still a good hit from what i thought. My heart dropped when i watched him run 450-500 yards across the pasture and disappear into the thick woods. I searched from 9:00 til noon and even using my lab in despiration but with no luck. Unfortunately, the arrow passed through and had blood clean to the vanes and there was blood where i shot him. I was even able to trail the bird 80 yards across the field on blood so i'm almost positive the bird will not make it. That makes me SICK!! To me, a turkey is FAR to much of a prize to be unable to find and for this i will not body shoot them anymore b/c the chances of wounding them is just too great. I know if you put the arrow where is counts the bird pays the price, i put the first one where it counted on March 30th. But i get too excited when working big longbeards and the smallest flinch puts you in a situation i'm in now and the birds deserve much more than that in my eyes. I respect all game animals, but none gets more respect than the wild turkey and the risk of wounding such as animal making body shots with archery equipment even for someone who prepared as much as i have this year for those exact circumstances is just too great. So, for the remainder of this year. . . . it'll be the Remington and next year it'll be the Mathews and Gobbler Guillotines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest okla_bowhunter Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 I think i will try the guilotines next year also, but i wouldn't nesesarily count him out of making it. I shot a bird at the beginning of this season with my bow, and was aiming for his head, but hit a little low, and stuck about five inches below the base of his head. The arrow was sticking out both sides of his neck, and he ran up on top of the hill, and started to gobble. We searched until dark, but couldn't find him, so we were counting him a gonner. I took my wrestling coach hunting the next week, and the bird he shot had broadhead holes on both sides of his neck. So i wouldn't count him out for sure, turkey are constantly surprising me. But good luck on the rest of your season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 Sorry to hear about you loosing that one Cove....a real bummer. I understand how you feel and why. Don't blame you for feeling that way either. I'd feel the same way for the same reasons. I'd have a heck of a time trying to keep my compose with turkeys. Deer are a lot easier. Head and neck shots are virtually always going to be clean kills or misses. Now break out your turkey gun and go put one in the bag. If not for yourself, do it for Scrappy. Scrappy sure won't care what weapon you're using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntinguide Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 ive heard it from too many people, if you hit them too far foward then they will prob be going on there way. Theres just too much meat up there in front. Id rather be too far back than foward, they cant fly with out there legs plus if you get the legs or thighs then your more than likley too get vitals. I shot one a couple of weeks ago with my bow and hit him right at the wing joint and he was quarting towards me. The arrow exited behing his hip and he went right down, come too find out i hit ever vital in there. Killing a bird with a bow take 110% of you capabilities to harvest him cleanly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted April 24, 2007 Report Share Posted April 24, 2007 Sorry you didnt find you bird. Those reason you state are the very reason I dont like to turkey hunt with a bow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Covehnter Posted April 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2007 I wont have to worry about hitting the vitals from now on, because it'll be a decapitation or a well turkey. I was thinkin' the same thing being too far toward, but with the amount of blood i found on the arrow and half way across the field i obivously and unfortunately hit some kind of innerds that was recieving blood supply. I thought i had the advantage b/c i was able to watch him for so long after the shot thinkin' he would bleed out in sight or close to it, i was wrong. No telling how close i came to him during all my searching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAMABUCKS Posted April 24, 2007 Report Share Posted April 24, 2007 sorry to here about this. I feel the same as you...every turkey deserves our very best to harvest him cleanly. I know folks enjoy bow hunting...but for me...a wad of winchester extreme 6's to the head leaves no doubt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Covehnter Posted April 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2007 sorry to here about this. I feel the same as you...every turkey deserves our very best to harvest him cleanly. I know folks enjoy bow hunting...but for me...a wad of winchester extreme 6's to the head leaves no doubt. Well i will definately continue to hunt turkeys with a bow b/c in my mind that is the ultimate challenge. But I will be using equipment that calls for an all or nothing result to insure another bird will not go unfound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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