This afternoon I was hunting a large swamp in Northern Kettle Moraine and noticed a turkey coming down the deer trail. When it got closer I noticed it was a very nice tom with about a 8"-10" beard. I thought since I have a tag I would attempt to take my first turkey with a bow. I waited until he was behind some brush and easily got to full draw and then aimed right at the base of the wing when he was broadside at 21 yards. The shot looked to hit right where I was aiming but he took off running. The swamp is very thick so I had a hard time seeing him beyond twenty yards from where I shot him but I could see the general direction he ran.
I climbed down to look for my arrow and noticed that it passed completely thru him and right where I shot him there was a bunch of wing feathers that were sliced off by my Muzzy blades. They were sliced off way at the end of the feather so I must have hit him right at the base of the wings. There wasn't any blood on the arrow and all it had on it was what looked like fatty deposit over the length of the arrow. I have zero experience shooting a turkey with a bow so I didn't know if they leave much of a bloodtrail or not but there was not once single drop anywhere. I searched the direction he ran and could not find him so I spent the next few hours doing a grid search for at least 200 yards with no luck finding him.
I'm sure I hit him good and he's probably dead but the swamp is really nasty and he could be just about anywhere and it would be hard to see him from just a few feet away.
This really bothers me since I hate losing anything I shoot but I did all that I could do to find this bird. I will look again in the morning but I don't feel real confident right now that I will find him.
There are a lot of fox and coyote in the area so they might get a free meal tonight.
This sucks because I have been trying to get a gobbler with my bow for quite a few years now and this was a perfect opportunity and the first arrow I ever shot at a turkey. I guess it's just not meant to be!
Turkey with bow.........almost!!
- Dewey
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Re: Turkey with bow.........almost!!
So sorry for loosing it!
Maybe try to find him with a dog (If you can).
Maybe try to find him with a dog (If you can).
"Huntingly",
L-H
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Re: Turkey with bow.........almost!!
Sounds like you got a good hit on him, so I hope you can find him today!!
- Dewey
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Re: Turkey with bow.........almost!!
No luck finding my turkey.
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Re: Turkey with bow.........almost!!
So sorry for you!!!
It's always an big déception...
It's always an big déception...
"Huntingly",
L-H
GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH!
L-H
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Re: Turkey with bow.........almost!!
You did what you could to find it... Get over it and go shoot another one.
Them things can really bury themselves and hide when they want to...
Them things can really bury themselves and hide when they want to...
- Mountain Man
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Re: Turkey with bow.........almost!!
Is it possible that even though you got wing feathers near the elbow that the shot angle was such that the arrow may have completely missed (i.e. went under) the lung area?
In my experience turkeys shot with an arrow did not have much of a blood trail to follow even with a pass through and they only travelled about 20-50 yards.
It sounds like you gave a good effort to try and find it.
In my experience turkeys shot with an arrow did not have much of a blood trail to follow even with a pass through and they only travelled about 20-50 yards.
It sounds like you gave a good effort to try and find it.
- Dewey
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Re: Turkey with bow.........almost!!
Mountain Man wrote:Is it possible that even though you got wing feathers near the elbow that the shot angle was such that the arrow may have completely missed (i.e. went under) the lung area?
He was standing perfectly broadside when I shot and I wasn't real high up in the tree. Turkey's have such a small kill zone so I guess anything is possible.
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Re: Turkey with bow.........almost!!
Sounds like you maybe hit him low and back if you found wing feathers. Add to that the pass-thru with a small fixed blade broadhead.....not good. Add a large cut mechanical head to your quiver if you want the best luck on turkeys.....they deliver the most shock and do the most damage, even on marginal hits..
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Re: Turkey with bow.........almost!!
Some tough luck there, Dewey- keep after 'em!
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