I was going to try and hunt some turkeys this year with my bow. I usually use schwackers for deer hunting. I'm wondering what everyone else is using and if, I might should switch it up.
whatever you use for deer will work fine for turkey. your swhackers will be perfect for turkey. if i decide to take my new crossbow turkey hunting this year ill be using swhackers
The few birds I have taken with a bow I used a big cut expandable....your Swackers will work fine. Make sure you look at a digaram of a Turkey's vitals. They are small and not really where you think they are.
Good luck with your adventure and Welcome to the forum!!
For turkeys, I suggest a large mechanical with 3 blades, not 2, want it to cut on different planes. When I used a compound the Rocket Hammerhead with 2" cut always worked great and they are pretty inexpensive. With a recurve I have been using a 150 Snuffer, 3 fixed blades that are almost 1.5" diameter and with long, sweeping blades they do a lot of damage. Of course shot placement is key with bowhunting turkeys.
I agree with CAPTJJ. I have taken turkeys with ShockWave, Shwackers, both 2 & 3 blade Rage, HyperShock with 1.99" & 2-3/4" blades, Grave Digger hybrids, Grim Reaper Carni-Fours and HellRazors.
I used to believe Shwackers and the similar opening HyperShock were an excellent choice until I nearly lost a big gobbler shot through the thoracic cavity with a 2" Shwacker. The gobbler was perfectly broadside at the time of the shot and the broadhead was at least half way through the bird BEFORE the blades began to open. Based on my experiences, I would encourage you to use a large 3 or 4 blade broadhead that is fully open before it penetrates the bird. Fixed blade or expandable, your choice.
Grim Reaper Carni-Fours worked great for me last seaon. My hunting partner had equally good results with Grim Reaper Whitetail Specials.
I am not trying to be argumentative, but Shwackers would not be my first choice for turkeys.
Keep 'em gobblin!
We use NAP spitfires with good success.
I use Montecs fixed blades for deer and turkey. You can get into those big mechanicals, but I'm pretty dead on with a Montec so I don't see a need to change. It's more about shot placement than anything else in my opinion. The nice thing about the big 3 blade mechanicals is that they could potentially turn a bad shot into a lethal shot. A small fixed blade usually needs to be on the money to recover the bird easily.
I use the Magnus Bullheads they have a huge cuting diameter and there a awesome head for head shots on the turkey
Quote from: CAPTJJ on February 01, 2019, 08:07:55 AM
For turkeys, I suggest a large mechanical with 3 blades, not 2, want it to cut on different planes. When I used a compound the Rocket Hammerhead with 2" cut always worked great and they are pretty inexpensive. With a recurve I have been using a 150 Snuffer, 3 fixed blades that are almost 1.5" diameter and with long, sweeping blades they do a lot of damage. Of course shot placement is key with bowhunting turkeys.
This...the new head from Swat would be a good one. 4 blade over the top like the old Rocket Sidewinder but it won't be out till April 1st. So I'm trying out NAP Spitfire Doublecross. Rage 3 blades have worked well too. Good luck.
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Shuttle T-Locs have always worked on deer and every turkey I have shot in the fall with them.
I've always used the Grim Reaper whitetail special on turkeys, but I'd love to use a guillotine broadhead. There's a couple I'd like to try out at https://southeasternbowhunting.com/best-turkey-broadheads/ (https://southeasternbowhunting.com/best-turkey-broadheads/). The Magnus is probably my top choice. Has anyone used one?
any BH you use for deer will work. study where their vitals are. high shots are no good. I have killed several with an old bear razorhead and a longbow.
They can be killed with any broadheads its all in shot placement. The big expandables would be what I would chose now.
I have used nap gobbler getter, they worked fine but if I decide to archery hunt again I will use my Magnus blackhornets.
If you are going to take head shots, the Magnus Bullhead.
If you are going to take body shots, the Rage X-Treme Turkey broadhead.
But much more important than what broadhead you use for body shots is where you aim for and where you hit. There are a number of fantastic videos on the inter web that cover shot placement. A few hours spent watching and re-watching these videos is time very well spent. Equally as important as the time you spend shooting your bow so you can reliably hit where you are aiming!
Good luck and let us know how it goes this Spring!
As others have said the NAP spitfires and Gobblergetters have done well for me as also. Taken turkeys ducks and geese with them without issue.
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Shaving sharp is the goal. Brand not so much.
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Look at the Rage Turkeyhead broad head, Rage Xtreme, Grim Reaper Whitetail Special 2" 3 Blade or a NAP Gobblergetter
Your Shwackers should shwork shwonderfully. Good shluck!
Biggest expandable that your bow shots accurately.
Any 2"+ expandable, preferably 3 bladed. I've shot them with g5 T3(now deadmeat), hypodermics, chinadermics, rocket hammerhead xts, and grim reaper whitetail specials. Of those the whitetail specials are my favorite as they actually hold up. I can think of one bird in the last 17 that made it more than 20yds.
Quote from: jwhunter on March 08, 2023, 02:20:12 PM
high shots are no good.
I'd argue most lost birds are shot too low and through the breast. The only way you can hit them too high is on a strutting bird in which case you shot feathers, not the turkey.
I always used a rocket hammerhead. They worked well. Buddy uses his NAP spitfires and does well. Anything archery is shot placement 1st and foremost.
I also carried a blunt in case they were "head up" after the shot. It would really knock em out and you could get on them.
Practice out of your blind or how you plan to sit....can really really feel different than just standing up and shooting targets.
Good luck!
Cranking down your draw weight on your whitetail setup would also be a good idea. 50-60lbs is plenty to go through a turkey and it will allow you you hold draw longer or draw from an awkward position more prominent in turkey hunting.
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IMO It all boils down to picking the right shot placement. A rule of thumb I tend to steer towards for quick reference points is top of bronze pad and in between the legs. Easiest way to insure you're aiming in the right spot during the moment of truth. That shot will grant you wing, thigh damage and ofcourse vitals. I like a fast and light setup one pin to 32 yards. As most have said you can't go wrong with a big cut mechanical. I tend to like a over the top deoloying hybrid style head featuring a big cut but nothing crazy. You can shoot a big cut mechanical and that's fine and dandy but if your bow isn't tuned properly or you're having a hard time getting the broadhead of choice to fly good out of said bow it defeats the point in a big cut mechanical.
Quote from: AndyN on March 09, 2023, 10:38:01 AM
Quote from: jwhunter on March 08, 2023, 02:20:12 PM
high shots are no good.
I'd argue most lost birds are shot too low and through the breast. The only way you can hit them too high is on a strutting bird in which case you shot feathers, not the turkey.
This right here.
Has anyone used a Rage Xtreme? https://southeasternbowhunting.com/best-turkey-broadheads/ (https://southeasternbowhunting.com/best-turkey-broadheads/) breaks one down.
Any big expandable seems to work well. I've had great luck with rage extreme and grim reaper whitetail specials.
Fixed blade, old school.