Contributors to this thread:
what broadheads do you guys use for turkeys. Also where do you shoot one. Never done it and would like to.
I wonder why no one tried shooting a turkey with the game tracker line attached, and you can use what you state allows,
Currently I am shooting turkey tomahawks from trophy ridge. They have a huge cutting diameter. I aim for the small square patch of golden brown feathers on a non strutting Tom or Jake.
I have also shot bullheads and aim towards the base of the neck to cut the head off.
My preference is Rocket Hammerheads, but any large expandible will work well. I have also used Grim Reapers, but have killed several with a Muzzy. Used to carry a once used Muzzy as the last arrow in my quiver just to use on turkeys. The idea being the not-too-sharp head would hang up in the vitals and do more damage as the bird flopped and ran. The vitals on a turkey are pretty small and a wing butt shot is best IMO. Right where the wings join the body. Also had good luck on a straight on shot aiming at the point that the beard grows out of the breast. Shots straight away, try to put it up his...... Uh....vent, if he is in his normal stooped over position. If he is erect and alert, hit him between his shoulders. (If a turk has shoulders)
trkyslr's Link
The wing butt is about the worst place you can hit a turkey IMO. It's a very tough joint above and in front of the vitals. I would suggest aiming straight up the leg, center or slightly above center of the bird. In fact, I aim for center of the bird at most every angle.
Only bird I ever lost was hit in the wing butt. Knocked him down and he just layed there with his head up 5 yards in front of the blind. There were other toms there and I watched them beat him up a bit before he got up and ran away into a thick draw never to be seen again.
BTW, I use Jak-Hammers for turks.
I used a proto of the Trauma by deadringerhunting. It cuts 2-1/2 inches. If you want a bigger cut you can move the set-screw to a new location provided and get a I believe 3-1/4 inches. So you can use it for Turkey or jerky.
Have shot a lot of them with Magnus I, 4 blades and string trackers over the years. Now I mostly use Bullheads.
I like the Rocket Buckblaster with the 3 fixed blades removed, which makes it 110gr. Plus, this head will pass through netting because the ends of the blades don't flare out. It has a 3" cut and I shoot for mid body straight up from the leg, but I still get passthroughs because I shoot 80lbs.
Grim Reaper Razortips, I generally aim here
I like the Rocket Buckblaster with the 3 fixed blades removed, which makes it 110gr. Plus, this head will pass through netting because the ends of the blades don't flare out. It has a 3" cut and I shoot for mid body straight up from the leg, but I still get passthroughs because I shoot 80lbs.
Can you guys show me some pics please
I'm waiting for TBM to respond to this one. After all he is the worlds best hunter and nothing is correct unless he says it.
Midwest, after looking at your skeletonized turkey pic, if it is correct, I guess I just thought I was shooting at the wing butt. I only ever lost one turkey with a bow also, but haven't shot many broadside either. Seem to always be moving around or facing me. I don't have access to them anymore since I quit hunting Central Tx. , and I miss hunting them.
That boney turkey is doing a JJ Evans impersonation...Dynamite!!!!
Give our bullheads a try dead on contact aim for The middle of neck and it's a done deal. Plus it's So cool to see their head come off!
I like to aim for the largest vital area on a turkey one that is well defined and easy to locate, the head and neck of a turkey is the largest vital area on a turkey and you can focus on it very easy unlike the black blob of the heart lung area that if you miss by an inch the turkey gets away and mostly will die unrecovered, the best broadhead for shooting at and hitting the largest vital area is the Bullhead,
Mike I'm shooting a 46 pound recurve at my 27 inch draw length. The arrows I'm shooting with my Magnus Stingers are 35/55 Goldtip. What arrow, and at what length do you recommend for me to shoot the bullhead? And do you recommend the 125 or the smaller 100 grain for recurve shooters. Thanks, Arrowflinger
I have killed the majority of mine with the same broadhead as Ermine. For anyone that is not 100% sure on where to body shoot....Bullheads are the only way to go.
I like the 2" Grim Reaper expandables because I don't have to change my set up...otherwise...the bullheads are great too.
GR Heads Up Decoy
I've used the Buckblasters with the fixed blades (125 gr) with good results. I shoot 150 gr BH normally, and add 5 gr washer to the turkey head to get the weight up a bit more. For close range turkey shots, the weight diff isn't an issue. They are a one-and-done head though. Every shot results in a destroyed head, and dead turkey. However, my wife has had that head bounce off with her light set up. Both of us now use the Trophy Ridge Stricknines. A bit smaller but a bit stronger with a better tip. Turkeys are like a bag target - absorbing the shot. With a big head, you need enough energy to get good penetration. Also, BHs designed to NOT penetrate (spurs, blunt tips, etc.) are a poor choice.
I was never comfortable shooting those huge decapitating heads out of small blind windows. Just one more thing to worry about while setting up a shot.
Hit 'em high, watch 'em die. Hit 'em low, watch 'em go!.
I have been using NAP ShockForce Mech BH for years and really like their knock down power. On sale at Walmart, for <20$ for three. Many times I have just resharpened the blades and files the point sharper.
and then, where do you aim. I try to aim at a broadside target, and place the BH just above where the drumstick attaches to the body. Takes out their legs and/or gut pocket.
While very effective, I am not a fan of "off with their heads" BH.
Damn Paul that is a disturbing picture. I don't know why it freaks me out.
Not sure I'd want to be the boy dating your teen-age daughter, Paul, and bring her home with her sweater on backwards!
This was a teenager trying to get away.
Yea, without their "clothes" on they do look weird.
...errrrr, you talking about the turkeys or the teen-aged boys, Paul?
I like the Magnus bull heads. but I don't have the confidence in the heads to make shots outside of close range. 15-20 yds max.
I use silver flame XXL's for deer and plan to use them for turkeys as well. but I like to keep my arrow in the bird - these zip right through them.
also I am testing a modified NAP FOC mechanical. has a 3" - 3.25" cut. take a lot of energy to open, so I think it will stun a turkey pretty good and roll him over.
I have tested it on several different items. waiting for a fresh turkey carcass to really see how it works.
Mt. man's Link
Bullheads are great but if you shoot thru mesh, afixed blade through the dome at close range will gitter done! Not that tough a shot at 12 yds. or less.
I honestly don't think you need to use mesh in your blind for turkeys, especially if you are wearing black and the inside of your blind is back, personal choice of course.
with the bullheads you need a heavy spined arrow and either 4-4 inch feathers or vanes or 3-5 inch feathers or vanes. We have our bullhead arrows whichis for the bowhunters bow weight, they are full length, 300 bullhead arrow is for guys shooting 55 to 70 lbs, bullhead 350 arrow is for guys shooting 45 to 55 lbs and bullhead 200 arrow is for guys shooting 65 to 70 lbs who have a long draw length. LIFETIME REPLACEMENT GUARANTEE on our bullheads and blades, if you bend one or break one, all you have to do is email us a picture along with your name and address and we replace. thanks and good luck hunting everyone
Hey razorhead, I shot a recurve for 31 years and I took my first turkey with a 125 grain bullhead. bullheads fly great out of recurves, longbows, compounds and crossbows. thanks
Gotta love the Bullhead.. I've taken birds with expensive mechanicals , cheap mechanicals, expensive fixed blade and cheap fixed blades and one thing always happens.. A well placed shot will always kill a turkey no matter what broad head you got. But, if you want them DEAD ON CONTACT, you can't get it from anything else other than the Bullhead.. Ok, I get it, your broad heads have been working fine.. So were mine..put a Bullhead on a bird this spring and I'd bet good money they will be in your quiver for a very long time!!
Thanks guys, love this thread
Brett
Whatever I have the most of....usually zwickeys.....aim right where Pauls shot hit in that first pic and they're flapping all over!
Whatever I have the most of....usually zwickeys.....aim right where Pauls shot hit in that first pic and they're flapping all over!
riverbottom thank you for using our bullheads!!!
So I was looking at this thread and I am going to try a few different broadheads, although if I was going to try a bullhead, do I need to buy a different arrow other than my 30" draw carbons?
Yes. Just go ahead and buy the arrow from Magnus. Those guys have put forth a lot if effort to get those heads to fly and obviously found out whar it takes to get them to fly.
It is easiest to get the arrows Magnus sells with the Bullhead sets.
Tried them last year, and they flew great.
It is easiest to get the arrows Magnus sells with the Bullhead sets.
Tried them last year, and they flew great.
And for the record, Bullheads are not DEAD ON CONTACT unless you contact the head or neck. I bounced one off the chest of a three year-old, and killed him when he came back about 45 minutes later.
I killed one with a thighblaster....the Bullhead bounced off but not before it shattered the thigh. It was an interesting recovery that ended with a suicidal attack in a briar patch.
Tom O Hawk took on some damage buy nothing compares to the damage it did to the turkey.
When it comes to shooting mechanicals for turkey there are 2 basic philosophys. You can shoot a durable head that stays intact orca flimsey one that bends and breaks when it comes in contact with bone. There are pros and cons with each. The durable head cab be resharpened and reused over and over and it's heavy blades will demolish bone structure without damaging the head. The downside is thes heads are so durable that if they do come in contact with lots of tough feathers and bone they will not flex and continue to penetrate...and penetration can suffer enough that a lost bird is a possibility. To combat this we normally go with a smaller head or one with less blades such as the 2 blade Vortex. Even then it is possible to be short on penetration. The other philosophy is to use a head that has lighter blades that bend and break on contact with bone. This allows for a larger head to be shot and still get the appropriate penetration when heavy bone is hit. I did just that on my first bird of the season. I hit the thickest portion of his breast plate and passed throigh the center of the thickest part of his leg. It shattered one blade off even with the ferrel and bent the other tw. The entrance wound was fairly large and there was a lot of damage on the inside of the bird but by the time the head exited the hole looked like the size of a Muzzy. This had me questioning whether or not it would be better to shoot a more durable head that stays together and averages just as large a hole because it stays big throigh and through. After some thought I think the large less durable heads are better because they are large when you need them to be such as when you hit breast flesh only or guts...they stay large. The smaller more durable heads are what they are and sometimes that is not large enough for some hits. When the huge heads like the Tom O Hawk are bent or broken, there is always a dead turkey on the end of them.
Or you could shoot a coc head like mine and just be a better shot? :-)
Hey writer-thanks for your post, bullheads are only dead on contact with head and neck shots, definitely they will bounce off their bodies
How do you sight in a bullhead with their arrow, considering it may vary from your normal setup...spine being an issue with a longer arrow for one...
Well, I shot a few arrows with the 150-grain practice point.
Moved my top pin to that location.
Tried a few shots with bullheads into some soft foam and found they were spot-on.
I only shot to 20 yards, but they were very accurate from my Whisker Biscuit.
I will say "Dead On Contact" should really be down on contact as they go down right away and lay there like they are dead for up to several minutes then they will start flapping their wings and flopping around sometime moving 10 yards or so.
Razorhead, I shoot a Recurve and have killed many Turkey's with Bullheads (4 just last year). They work great as long as you can hit the head or neck. Here is one from this year taken with my phone so it is not the best quality.
In this photo it has been a few minutes since I shot this Turkey and he just started flopping. Notice how my Decoy is leaning 30-40 degrees to the side, the Turkey I shot along with 2 others had been working the Decoy over good prior to my shooting him. They actually bent the steel stake.
I just shot my first two with a Rocket Hammerhead (3-blade, 2in cut). The first bird was down on the spot (32yrds, top of both hips) and the second bird ran maybe 40 yards (top of one hip, out the bird and actually trimmed it a little). Penetration was good, the first arrow went 5yrd after exiting and the second arrow went about 35 yards after exiting.
The best way to site in on the bullhead with our arrows is, put a field point on, dial it in and than take a fixed blade broadhead of the same grain weight and make sure its not a shorty type fixblade, as a exsample one of our 125 grain 4 blade stinger if you are shooting the 125 bullhead, if you have both of those dialed in you should be able to screw the bullhead on and hit where you are aiming. The entire key to excellent flight is arrow spine, fletching and having your bow tuned. lifetime replacement guarantee. thanks
Sounds like some good shooting Joe. With that kind of penetration I would recommend moving up in size to the Buckblaster. You can shoot it without the fixed blades at 108 grains. Hammerhead is a good head though. Sounds like you are shooting a fairly string bow.
Thanks TBM, I'm shooting a Hoyt Alphamax set at 70lbs with a 29.5 in draw. I was shooting Goldtips 75/95 cut down too about 27.5 i think. I was worried with mechanicals at first since i had never shot anything with one but i think they worked fairly well! haha