# POLL: Turkey with a bow or shotgun?



## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

What are you using for this years turkey? I am still undecided between Compound and shotgun.


----------



## mycoltbug (Jan 21, 2013)

Going shotgun as I don't have archery equipment myself.


----------



## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Getting a turkeys is pretty tough anyway so I would say if you want to harvest a bird and have the culmination of the hunt with you putting a bird in the vest, stick with a shotgun. I would guess that it is ten times more difficult to get a bird with a bow(any kind) than it is getting a deer or elk with a bow. If you notice most birds killed with a bow on the videos you see on YouTube etc are killed while hid up in a ground blind. Frankly, that is a pretty poor excuse for a turkey hunt. Really, it won't make you any less of a he-man to use a shotgun.


----------



## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Turkeys are birds. You shoot birds with a shotgun. Any questions?


----------



## archeryobsession (Mar 23, 2013)

As soon as i get my first bird with a shotgun im putting it away and going out every year after with my bow.....Until I get too frustrated and then il bring out the gun again


----------



## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

archeryobsession said:


> As soon as i get my first bird with a shotgun im putting it away and going out every year after with my bow.....Until I get too frustrated and then il bring out the gun again


It all depends on how you go about it. If you use a ground blind they're actually pretty easy to kill with a bow. Just place the decoy about how far away you want your shot to be and wait... The drawback is you're strapped to sitting in a ground blind and you cant move anywhere if you need to. If you want the ultimate challenge, shoot one with a bow on the ground with no cover except your camo and the natural surroundings.


----------



## ram2h2o (Sep 11, 2007)

Ditto to what TEX said. I've called in Gobblers for two bowhunters out here in Utah. The first was with the hunter in full camo and natural cover using a hen and a jake decoy. The Tom's full attention was on the jake decoy. The hunter was a veteran bowhunter and was able to slowly draw his bow and then hold it for an extended time until he had a good kill shot. The draw back is if you get more than one Gobbler coming in and you have more than one set of eyes on the lookout for danger. It is not unusal for Gobblers to travel in small groups with one being dominate and the other(s) a subdominate bird. 
The second was with a ground blind, not as challenging but with decoys and in an area that hold a good number of birds you can get lucky. I would go with a shotgun first, enjoy the hunt, learn Turkey and then go try with a bow.


----------



## Wind In His Hair (Dec 31, 2009)

I'm still a turkey virgin, so shotgun.


----------



## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

Really? Nobodys going after one using traditional archery gear? With all the trad hunters on here, that baffles me. I know its hard to harvest a turkey even with a shotgun in most areas, but seems like SOMEBODY would give it a try.


----------



## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

I gotta agree... I just shot my first turkey last year with a shotgun. I used a shotgun because I wanted to actually hold a tom in my hands after 3 years of hunting. So now that I've done that, I'm hunting with a recurve this year...4 more days!

There's an old boy in Logan who's been on a kick - he says hunting turkey with a bow is unethical because the target is too small. The *GUY* is one helluva archer, so I tend to pay attention when he says something. Of course, he's also full of crap a lot of the time, so take that into consideration, too. Still thinking about it...


----------



## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

outdoorser said:


> Really? Nobodys going after one using traditional archery gear? With all the trad hunters on here, that baffles me. I know its hard to harvest a turkey even with a shotgun in most areas, but seems like SOMEBODY would give it a try.


I've tried it... That's about all I did was try it. They're not easy to kill with a bow and they're *really* not easy with a recurve and a wood arrow. :evil: One of these days I'll get sick of killing them with a shotgun and try it again. Or not...


----------



## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

I tried it last year with a bow, and had an interesting hunt. Got into 'em, but didn't seal the deal.
I am going to do it again this year. Last year I drew the early tag. I won't have that this year which will make it a bit tougher. I have killed a bunch with a shotgun over the years, some of them good birds.
I have taken deer, elk and speed goats with a bow. I figure that a turkey with a bow could be my "grand slam".
I'll be out there just goofing off........... 8)


----------



## archeryobsession (Mar 23, 2013)

2full said:


> I tried it last year with a bow, and had an interesting hunt. Got into 'em, but didn't seal the deal.
> I am going to do it again this year. Last year I drew the early tag. I won't have that this year which will make it a bit tougher. I have killed a bunch with a shotgun over the years, some of them good birds.
> I have taken deer, elk and speed goats with a bow. I figure that a turkey with a bow could be my "grand slam".
> I'll be out there just goofing off........... 8)


Getting a antelope with a bow is impressive in itself....water hole or spot n stalk?


----------



## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

Played spot and stalk for the first week with decoy. Had a blast.........got charged twice !!
Haven't laughed like that for a long time, esp while hunting.
Finally sat on a water hole where I kept seeing a good one coming in with his does about 3:00 everyday.
He was trying to keep a couple of little bucks out of his does one afternoon, and did not even know I was there.
I got him at 36 yards and drilled him. Ended up being 14.5. Not big, but good for the unit I hunted. 
I was very tickled, and probably the most fun hunt I've done.


----------

