Although it was twenty-three years ago, I can still vividly recall the fall of 2001, bowhunting near my home in southern Missouri, and my frustration toward a particular flock of turkeys.
Having graduated high school that May and without a full-time job that fall, I had plenty of time to hunt. I spent every morning in October bowhunting for deer and turkey.
Like clockwork, a flock of turkeys would pass my tree stand each morning. If you’ve ever seen the movie Groundhog Day, you’ll understand how my early hunting season played out.
Day after day, the same flock of turkeys moved through at the same time and place. Yet, something went wrong each time, whether they spotted my movement, stayed just out of range, or had obstacles blocking my shot.
It wasn’t until late in the month that I finally connected with a two-year-old gobbler. Despite the challenges, the experience taught me a lot about the difficulties and excitement of hunting turkeys with a bow.
The key to success lies in understanding a gobbler’s body language and knowing when to draw your bow and when not to.
My learning curve came while hunting turkeys in the fall. Even now, when bow hunting in the spring, I often reflect on that fall and how critical shot timing is for determining whether the hunt is successful.
Here’s how to make the perfect shot when bowhunting turkeys.
Understanding Turkey Vision
Turkeys perceive the world much differently than deer and other game animals. Their monocular vision allows them to process movement with uncanny precision, even when they don’t seem to be looking directly at you.
As I learned early in my hunting career, a slight hand movement, a shifting foot, or even the slow rise of your bow arm can get you spotted instantly.
Before I found success, I even took the extreme measure of changing my fletching color from white vanes to brown to help camouflage my movements when attempting to draw.
I also tried tying an extra camo facemask over my arrow vanes to help keep myself concealed.
To beat their eyesight:
- Stay still until the right moment to draw; it is crucial that you remain motionless until the turkey is within archery range and positioned for your shot. Any sudden movement will cause a gobbler to flee.
- Position yourself in the shadows or near a large tree or blind to help break up your outline. Like turkey hunting with a shotgun, staying concealed in camouflage is essential. Incorporating the movement of drawing your bow emphasizes the importance of using shadows and surrounding landscapes to remain hidden.
- To create natural drawing opportunities, use multiple trees or brush in front of your position. When I don’t have a ground blind, I often look for fallen trees, thick foliage, or other large objects to hide until I am ready to draw for the shot.
The Perfect Time to Draw
Choosing when to draw your bow is the most critical decision of the hunt. Draw too soon, and you’ll struggle to hold your bow at full draw, which sometimes results in letting your bow back down, causing too much movement.
Draw too late, and the bird may spook before you can settle your pin.
Ideal times to draw include:
- When the gobbler steps behind an obstacle like a tree, bush, or decoy.
- When the gobbler is strutting and turns his fan toward you, a strutting bird has limited visibility, giving you a window to draw.
- When the bird drops into complete focus on a decoy, a gobbler attacking a jake decoy or locked in on a hen is less likely to notice movement.
If hunting from a ground blind, you have more freedom to draw because the dark interior conceals movement. However, if you’re hunting from natural cover, your timing must be flawless—use terrain, obstacles, and the turkey’s body position to your advantage.
How Long Can You Hold Full Draw
Holding at full draw for an extended period of time can be exhausting and may lead to a shaky shot. The average bowhunter can comfortably maintain a full draw for 30 to 60 seconds.
If you anticipate needing extra time before shooting, consider:
- Reducing your draw weight. Many turkey hunters decrease their draw weight by 5-10 pounds from their regular deer setup to enable longer holds and smoother draws.
- Using a back-tension release to maintain control and minimize fatigue.
- Practice long hold times at full draw to prepare for real hunting scenarios. A month or two before the season begins, I increase my bow weight and strength train my back and arms by holding my bow at full draw for over a minute before shooting.
Common Shot Fails and Mishaps
Remember that even the best bowhunters miss turkeys. Before my first harvest, it felt like whatever could go wrong would go wrong. Here are some common mistakes and how to avoid them:
- Shooting the blind window. Double-checking your window height before drawing ensures your arrow has a clear path. Bumping into the blind when drawing your bow and hitting the blind window with your arrow or the limbs of your bow has sadly happened to many hunters.
- Hitting brush or obstacles. Ensure no hidden branches, grass, or decoy strings are in your shooting lane. Keep a small pair of limb trimmers in your turkey vest. Before anything else, remove all obstacles before you start calling or set up for the shot.
- Not resetting your sight pin. If you use a slider sight, always return it to a close-range setting after every shot or practice session.
- Misjudging distance. Use a rangefinder before the turkey gets too close, and pre-range important spots around your setup. Before making any calls, clear your lanes, measure multiple distances, and then begin your calling sequence.
Avoiding Extra Eyeballs
One of the easiest ways to get caught is to focus too much on the gobbler while ignoring other turkeys in the area. When hunting fall flocks, you have lots of eyes watching for movement. Yet, the spring turkey woods can be difficult as well.
- Always scan for other birds. A concealed hen or a distant gobbler can detect movement before your target does.
- Stay patient. If extra birds are nearby, wait for them to disperse or create a distraction before drawing.
- Utilize terrain and obstacles. Arranging multiple trees or brush in front of you creates various drawing opportunities while keeping you concealed.
Final Thoughts
Timing your shot when bowhunting turkeys demands patience, precision, and an understanding of turkey behavior.
You’ll enhance your chances of securing a tag by positioning yourself with a natural cover, waiting for the optimal draw window, and avoiding common shot mistakes.
The next time you’re in the woods, concentrate on interpreting a gobbler’s movements and executing a well-timed, clean shot. You’ll leave with a well-earned bird and an unforgettable hunting experience.
