Draw weight to kill a turkey
Contributors to this thread:Turkey
From: C.Beck
20-Apr-17
My daughter turned 12 this year and got her hunting licsence here in NY. She is a great shot and shoots archery leagues with me. She has a compound bow and draws 25 pounds. Does anyone have experience or knows how much weight is required to kill a turkey. I would use a cut on contact fixed blade broadhead. Anyone with input? Thanks.
From: t-roy
20-Apr-17
Is there a minimum poundage requirement in NY?
From: Treeline
20-Apr-17
That draw weight would be more than enough. My son killed several when he was shooting 25-30# traditional bows using a big 3-blade Snuffer. I would even think an expandable would work well with her setup. He killed a whitetail doe with one of those light bows - set up with 200 grain 2-blade Grizzly up front and an arrow tuned to the bow - complete pass-thru ribs in and ribs out.
From: Wayniac
20-Apr-17
Check the regs.. it's 40 lbs in CT
From: Paul@thefort
20-Apr-17
For big game such as deer and bear, minimum draw weight is 35# in New York. Do not know if a bow of less draw weight can be used during turkey season, ie small game.
From: kellyharris
20-Apr-17
40 lbs. in Ohio but I had an old neighbor who son killed 3 white tail with a 28 lbs. pse compound kids bow
From: C.Beck
21-Apr-17
Thanks for the feedback guys.
From: Beav
24-Apr-17
My daughter killed multiple birds when she was shooting less than 25 lbs. I had her shooting a Simmons Shark head and penetration was not a problem.
From: Bowman
30-Oct-20
Would a 45-50 pound 29 inch draw length bow kill a turkey with a 100 grain rage expandable.
From: Bowman
30-Oct-20
Would a 45-50 pound 29 inch draw length bow kill a turkey with a 100 grain rage expandable.
From: Bowman
30-Oct-20
Would a bow pulling 45-50 pounds 29” draw length kill a turkey with a expandable
From: JohnMC
30-Oct-20
The other thing that has as much effect on penetration as draw weight is draw length or the power stroke. Everything else being equal at 25# bow with a 30'' draw vs a 24'' draw going to have a lot more power.
From: Will tell
30-Oct-20
Expandable would be good for head shots if the blades were out. I'm not sure a expandable would even penetrate a Turkey out of a light bow. Their wing feathers will stop a 3/12 Mag. out of a 12 gauge. A two blade broadhead is better out of a light bow.
From: Brotsky
30-Oct-20
Yes, your set-up will kill a turkey. Just don't shoot him in the wing butt and you'll be more than fine.
From: Cobie33
30-Oct-20
My son bow killed his first gobbler at 6 yards pulling 32# with a 24” draw length using a Diamond Infinite Edge when he was 11. He was shooting a 4 fletched 29” Axis arrow spined at 500 tipped with a 125 grain Magnus Bullhead. He practiced shooting in the basement from January to the season started on paper turkey targets out to 10 yards. He also shot some cucumbers suspended from the clothesline with the broadhead. Center of the arrow dead centered the neck at the wattles. Almost totally decapitated it but not quite.
From: Matt
30-Oct-20
I wouldn't use an expandable at that draw weight, either COC or a head lopper.
From: smarba
30-Oct-20
I would also lean toward a Magnus Bullhead. I like the 125 for increased cutting diameter. But I'm certain 25 pounds will do it no problem. Just place decoys close so shot is 5-10, maybe 15 yards.
From: Jaquomo
30-Oct-20
Bullhead 125. Just make sure he practices to find the right arrow spine. Shooting at a hanging pillow will absorb the shot without wrecking the blades (thanks, Bowfreak, for that tip!)
From: Too many bows Bob
31-Oct-20
Above all I would stay away from mechanicals. The manufacturers will tell you that low poundage bows like you are talking about don't have enough energy to make them work properly. I would suggest something like a Magnus Buzz Cut. I've had great luck with them killing lots of critters, even big ones in Africa with a recurve.
Good luck.
TMBB
From: Ziek
31-Oct-20
While turkeys are generally considered small game, they are not easy to penetrate. The combination of tough wing feather quills, and their relatively light weight that "pushes" them back with any impact makes mechanicals a poor choice for light set ups. I like a large mech. for turkeys, and only turkeys, but my wife had to go back to here COC big game head after we witnessed NO penetration on what should have been good shots on turkeys. She shoots a 45# compound at 24 1/2" draw. Even my set-up has left the arrow in a bird on occasion with a large mech.
I know guys want to get their kids out early, but 25# is really pushing it. You risk a bad experience on her first outings. At that weight the only ethical choice would be one of the heads designed for head shots only.
From: KSflatlander
31-Oct-20
“Seen whitetail taken with 12lb bow.“
Literally unbelievable.
From: Matt
31-Oct-20
Unbelievable that a deer was taken with a 12# bow or the obvious contempt for the word "saw"?
From: Ziek
31-Oct-20
"Seen whitetail taken with 12lb bow."
And a .22 short will kill an elk, but it's unethical to use one, even if it were legal. There are some people who will justify almost anything they "need".
From: Cobie33
31-Oct-20
The reason I chose the Bullhead was because we routinely get birds in under 10 yards and I didn’t want a wounded bird if it was shot in the body with a COC which would really be discouraging. My son had always held in together hunting them with a gun so I figured he would with his bow, which he did. I would much rather have a clean miss or a kill using that 125 gr Bullhead. I just felt it was the best way to approach it for us.
From: IdyllwildArcher
31-Oct-20
I've drawn a 15 @28 bow. I bet I could draw it to 31 and put a heavy arrow and a good 2 blade on it and I'd penetrate to the opposite hide easily. Not that I would, but I bet it's possible.
From: DanaC
31-Oct-20
Looked it up, NY does not specify minimum poundage. 3-blade head should be fine.
From: DanaC
31-Oct-20
Looked it up, NY does not specify minimum poundage. 3-blade head should be fine.
