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There are many options when it comes to choosing arrows and broadheads for turkey hunting. If you already hunt big game, you can use the same arrow shafts for hunting turkey. If you’re new to bowhunting and buying arrows for the first time, select an arrow shaft made of a lightweight, fast-moving material like carbon fiber. An arrow that weighs about 6 to 8 grains per per pound of draw weight (on a compound bow) is a good guideline. This will maximize kinetic energy, accuracy and penetration. There are three styles of broadheads popular with turkey hunters: Expandable, or mechanical

Whether you ’re turkey hunting with a bow or shotgun, you’ll need to know when to take the shot. If you’re using a shotgun, the best shot will be at the head, preferably when it’s outstretched away from the bird’s body. Bowhunters will want to know something about turkey anatomy so they’ll recognize when they have a clear kill shot to a vital organ. Make sure it’s safe to shoot In addition to having a good shot at a bird, you’ll want to make sure there are no other hunters, livestock or other turkeys nearby that you could hit by

Turkeys are some of the best tasting game birds we hunt. The key to eliminating any “gaminess” in the meat is to take proper care of it in the field. After your shot, you’ll want to field dress your bird as quickly as possible. The goal is to cool the bird down by removing its internal organs and allowing air to circulate in the body cavity. Gutting a turkey All you need to gut a turkey is a simple pocket knife. Cut through the thin skin of the stomach from the bottom of the breastbone to the anus. Keep your

Turkey hunters using a shotgun face a very small target – the head and neck of a turkey. Combine that with today’s specialized turkey loads shooting very tight patterns, and making a clean kill shot might depend on a steady shooting rest. Turkeys are nervous-looking birds that seem to never stop moving. Because of their monocular vision and eyes set on the side of their skull, turkeys are often moving and bobbing their heads to try to decipher what they’re seeing. Consider a shooting rest If you’ve got your gun in a ready position, and are waiting for a turkey

These calls have nothing to do with calling in turkeys, but everything to do with finding toms. Owl, crow, peacock, woodpecker and hawk sounds all can elicit a reactionary gobble from a tom – sometimes called a “shock gobble.” These calls are usually used when birds are on the roost early in the morning or late in the evening. Using a hen call to locate a tom can put the tom on the move before you’re ready to set up. If a tom comes in too quickly, it can mean a blown opportunity. Locator calls encourage toms to gobble without

The modern compound bow is the most popular choice for turkey hunting, but traditional recurve and longbows also have their fans. Hunting with crossbows is illegal in Oregon. If you already have a bow you use for deer or elk hunting, it will work fine for turkey Many turkey hunters, though, like to reduce the draw weight of their deer/elk hunting bow to 45 pounds or less for turkey. Unlike deer and elk hunting, where you’re usually standing or kneeling when you take a shot, you’re likely to be sitting when shooting a turkey. In this case, a lighter draw