Turkey kill zone

[gordydog]

Disappointed to to say I did not recover my bow shot tom. After a long drawn out hunt, I finally had a full strutting tom come to my calling and jake decoy at 9 yards. Strutting broadside my arrow went right where I wanted, penetrating up to the fletch with a Simmons Treeshark. I have been viewing the diagrams of strutting Tom's body vitals, I could not have placed the arrow any better??? Off it ran, waiting over an hour to head for the wood lot to recover? An hour and one half later I jump it 350 yards away and it runs off like a healthy bird, a tiny streak of blood where it was bedded. In the end, no recovery. Bloody arrow pulled out at 60 yards. I had shot 3 fall birds, never wounding one until now. Thinking I should maybe go for the all or none head shot? Frustrating.  Any similar experiences?

[arrow30]

a strutting tom looks alot bigger than he really is, i have littered the woods with lots of feathers trying to hit the sweet spot. top of the legs is probobly the best place to hit one, im sure other spots are good to, but if he doesnt have legs he cant run away. a tree shark is what i use too.

[BAK]

They can be tough.  I nailed one broad side with a Wensel Woodsman out of a 50 pound bow.  Hit it right where I wanted to.  The bird was knocked off it's feet, rolled over and took off running.  I went and picked up my arrow.  It had a little blood on the tip.  0 penetration.   

[Sam McMichael]

I may be mistaken, but I seem to remember a statement attributed to Fred Bear that some animals would better be hunted with a firearm and that the turkey falls into that group. I don't know, but it seems that they are hard to take.

[Carcajou]

Typically, follow the thighs right to where they meet the body, and place your arrow there. It will break them down, crippling them from running off, and they cant get air-born. Also the vitals are fist sized, and are close to that same spot. The wing butt shot, typically results in a too far forward shot, allowing a bird to escape.

[Cory Mattson]

We bowhunted turkeys a long time couple of decades. Got a few - never lost one. I never paid any attention to what others said to do - other than when they turn fan towards you is obviously a good time to draw your bow. I shoot CENTER of Mass. Only. Always used the large Sharks.

[Wudstix]

I shot my ONE turkey broadside he stepped out of brush onto the trail at 18' and I went into autopilot, hit right where the legs meet the body.  He dropped and flopped, was dead by the time I got to him.   1 1/2 Year old and wasn't very cautious.  Was only turkey we had seen on that end of the property.

[Will Telluteyrd]

I shot a nice bird through the chest and he ran into a swamp and never found him. I started using a shotgun after that and went on a killing spree. I'm back to using a bow because I don't care if I kill another bird.

[woodchucker]

Used to hunt a "strutt zone" years ago...
Killed 2 Toms a year for 3 years in the same spot. It was the perfect setup.
When they're in full strutt, and they turn their back to you, draw and bury that broadhead right above the root of his tail. Never lost a one.

[Friend]

Have had plenty of poor experiences after believing I had made a good mark.

Shot a fine tom a couple of years ago facing me, while in strutt, at 11 yards. I intentionally focused on a small area 1" above the beard. The mark looked perfect as he made a delirious circle with the fletch  protruding just above his beard and the BH sticking out the back of the bird approximately 6"s.

He was about to fall then regained composure and trotted off. Tracked him for 250 yards...blood all the way...found my arrow as the broadhead must have caught on some brush and pulled thru...the arrow was completely bloodied...called in for some tracking support and not one drop or feather was found the next hour and a half....it has been said that you cannot hit them too high...

If you hunt enough, there will be wounded game that is not recovered.

[Wudstix]

Been said the vitals are small, about tennis ball sized, right at top of the legs. 

[Terry Green]

Look on the shot placement forum. Pics n all.