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Turkeys with your Traditional Gear?

Discussion in 'Traditional Archery' started by shed, Feb 20, 2009.

  1. shed

    shed Grizzled Veteran

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    Are you guys changing broadheads for turkeys? Curious as to what everyone is or has used for turkeys with their trad bows.
     
  2. Txjourneyman

    Txjourneyman Die Hard Bowhunter

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    I'll be using the same heads on trad and compound. Russ gave me some Outback XLs they are 125 gr 2-blades with a nice wide cut. i'll see how they fly next week when I get my new Rhinehart 18-1.
     
  3. BowHuntingFool

    BowHuntingFool Grizzled Veteran

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    I used the same set up as Whitetails! I have a Heritage 150 tipped with a 125 grain Snuffer. I smacked a big Ole Hen this past fall at 22 yards, rolled her and she was doing the curly shuffle, when I ran up to her she got up and ran into grass up to my shoulders surrounded by a bean field, I looked for 2 days but lost her, SUCKED. I am going to mess around with a 4 blade stinger and a bigger cutting diameter Snuffer in a few weeks once it warms up a tad bit to see if I can get more damage on the initial hit!

    I'm still bummed about losing that Hen.....
     
  4. rybo

    rybo Grizzled Veteran

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    I used the same heads. Muzzy phantoms.

    Jeff, don't think of it that way. Last year when I went out with my trad gear... the masses kept telling me how impossible it was. I'll never get drawn...Well when I had that big ol gobbler full strut at 10-12 yds completely focused on my dekes(NO BLIND) all that panic rushed in and I missed. I took as fast a panicked snap shot as one could take. A little gobbler fever if you will.
    Its hard yes, don't get me wrong, but not impossible.
     
  5. NY/Al

    NY/Al Weekend Warrior

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    Good advise Rybo! I dont look at hunting like a competition, but I do like it when people tell me that I cant do something. First its "you'll never kill that gobbler, hes too old and too wise" thats what my grandpa told me my first year turkey hunting. Well I went every day and finally the last day I walked out of that woods with that turkey over my shoulder, showed him! :d.

    This year my future father-in-law was bustin my chops about taking the recurve out on a late season deer hunt. Same story every day, "you'll never get drawn from the ground/ that bow is too slow, arrows will bounce right off it/ those things are impossible to aim, no way you'll even hit it" Well as luck would have it I did come out on top on that bargain as well.

    Im yet to tag a gobbler with any archery gear, but since everyone around home tells me I can, then well I guess i'll just have to prove them wrong too. :busted: If archery is 50% mental, then traditional archery is 75% mental.


    Oh yeah, im using the same broadheads I use for deer, magnus 2 blade :deer:
     
  6. woodsman

    woodsman Weekend Warrior

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    I've always looked at spring Gobblers as an ultimate challenge with a bow and spent many years trying before I ever took my first one.
    Don't sell yourself short when it comes to taking Turkey with Traditional equipment. When hunting without a blind, I've found that you're actually at an advantage... I continue to use Zwicky Delta 2 blade broadheads..


    woodsman
     
  7. woodsman

    woodsman Weekend Warrior

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    Thank You!!

    Yes, I'm very proud of every bird I've taken but that particular bird weighed 26#, 1 5/8 spurs and 10 3/4 inch beard, no blind. It's the largest I've ever taken and I'm very happy it was taken with a bow made for me by my neighbor.

    I have another bird that I took with a 1959 Bear Grizzly that an older gentleman, who can't shoot a bow anymore, bought new in 1959. He bought it directly from Fred Bear at one of his shooting clinics in Michigan. The bow has had the shelf modified, by Fred's own direction, to be exactly the same as Fred's own personal Kodiak. It meant a lot to me and the previous owner of this bow when I took a fine Gobbler with it..

    Seriously tho.. Turkey, coyote, Bobcat, Elk, Deer.. any critter you're calling while on the ground. It's coming in looking for the sound you're making and when it's very, very close you have to make a movement to draw the bow and shoot.... You don't have much time. I found Traditional equipment to be a superior hunting weapon in these situations.. Like anything else taken with a bow.. the 1st one is usually the hardest to get..

    woodsman
     
  8. BowHuntingFool

    BowHuntingFool Grizzled Veteran

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    I agree 100%, much quicker on draw with trad gear! You don't have to line up all the pins and then find the bird, by that time the bird is in the next county! Pick that spot early and when its in range, draw and shoot! I also agree with ya on the no blind, to me I just love chasing turkeys runnin and longbowin!: I can't wait until April!
     
  9. VA Bowbender

    VA Bowbender Die Hard Bowhunter

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    I have been trying for a turkey with a bow for many years now and never got one yet. I have cut feathers but not put one in the game bag.

    I am going to try some old LaFond Lighting 4 on my turkey arrows this spring.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. woodsman

    woodsman Weekend Warrior

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    I hear ya about cuttin feathers.. Two years in a row I called a bird in and both times he stopped in the exact same spot, full strut.. And both times I put an arrow thru the feathers, above the body. I seem to be jinxed when it comes to shooting strutting birds, guess all those feathers mess me up.. Maybe I need to shoot as his feet!!

    No doubt that broadhead will put one down. Looking forward to hearing some hunting stories.


    I've taken one turkey out of a blind. My Daughter had come home from college and wanted to go with me to take photographs. I figured the only way both of us had a chance of getting close to anything was to use the blind. Two mornings later it was raining hard when I got up and I hated to get soaked but wanted to go... so, I went to the blind until it quit raining. I was sitting in the blind drinking coffee, calling once in awhile.. looked up and two big Toms were standing in the decoys, heads turned up looking into the rain.. less than 10 yard shot.


    woodsman
     
  11. shed

    shed Grizzled Veteran

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    Thank you everyone that replied to this post, I have been so busy lately I have had very little time to get online. I think I will just stick with my big game set up for turks as well then, a 2 blade Zwicky. 340 axis with an extra 100 grains up front.. 125 heads.
     
  12. shed

    shed Grizzled Veteran

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    Thank you everyone that replied to this post, I have been so busy lately I have had very little time to get online. I think I will just stick with my big game set up for turks as well then, a 2 blade Zwicky. 340 axis with an extra 100 grains up front.. 125 heads.

    Big props to you guys that have killed a bird with your traditional bows! :cool:
     
  13. shed

    shed Grizzled Veteran

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    Thank you everyone for your replies, I havent had much time to get in and read these responses, so I apologize for not getting back to everyone on the responses. After reading everyones input, I think I will just stick with my big game set up ... 340 axis loaded hvy up front, 125 Zwickys..

    BIG Props to all you guys that have killed a bird with your Traditional gear. Thanks for sharing!
     
  14. shed

    shed Grizzled Veteran

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    I couldnt agree more in that in certain hunting situations, especially the "off the ground up close shots" with animals really trying to pin point you, the trad gear clearly has its advantages over a compound.
     

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