Bowhunting Spring Turkeys: Proven Tips to Beat Their Eyes and Make the Shot
Killing a turkey with a bow is one of the toughest challenges in bowhunting. Turkeys have incredible eyesight, they spook at the slightest movement, and they rarely travel alone. Drawing a bow unnoticed—let alone making a clean shot—can be extremely difficult. But with the right setup and strategy, you can drastically improve your chances this spring. For reliable bowhunting accessories to complete your setup, visit Pine Ridge Archery.
Before the season starts, practice shooting from a seated or kneeling position. Many bowhunters take shots from the ground or from inside a blind, where mobility is limited. Preparing ahead will help you feel confident during the real moment of truth.
Use Decoys—The Right Ones
Decoys are one of the best tools for bowhunting gobblers. Using two or three decoys helps draw attention away from you and onto your setup.
Many experienced hunters—including industry veteran Joel Maxfield of Mathews Archery—swear by using a strutter decoy with a real fan. “A strutter decoy with a real fan looks extremely realistic and does a great job of pulling in mature toms,” Maxfield says. Blinded by aggression, a tom focuses so intensely on the strutter that it gives you time to draw your bow.
Pair your decoy spread with accurate arrows equipped with NITRO Vanes from Pine Ridge Archery for better control in tricky shooting angles.
Perfect Decoy Placement
Shot opportunities improve when toms approach your decoy from the right direction. One easy trick: face your tom decoy toward you. When a real gobbler moves in to challenge the fake bird, he will circle around to square up—giving you a perfect broadside or quartering shot.
Place hen decoys far enough away so the real tom has room to strut and move. Crowded decoys can make him hesitant to commit.
For quick, adjustable bow support during setup, use a Kwik Stand from Pine Ridge Archery.
Use a Blind for Better Concealment
Pop-up blinds have long been a bowhunter’s best friend, but recent lightweight, three-sided blinds may be an even better option. They offer:
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Shoot-through mesh
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Wide visibility
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Portability
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Fast setup
These blinds hide your draw motion, which is often the most difficult part of turkey bowhunting. If you run mobile gear, keep accessories light and dependable—such as stabilizers, slings, and arrow wraps from Pine Ridge Archery.
Aim for the Drumsticks
Shot placement is critical. The most effective aiming point on a turkey is just above the drumsticks. This hits both the chest cavity and the legs, preventing the bird from flying or running off.
Turkeys have incredibly small vitals—about the size of a softball—so practice often and stay patient.
Choose a Large Expandable Broadhead
Because turkey vitals are small, a large-cutting-diameter mechanical broadhead (2 inches or more) increases forgiveness. Big blades help create massive internal damage, shorten recovery time, and make marginal shots more effective.
To help ensure your arrows fly true with large broadheads, tune them with the Arrow Inspector and other tools from Pine Ridge Archery.
Final Thoughts
Bowhunting turkeys is difficult—but that’s what makes it exciting. With realistic decoys, smart placement, a reliable blind, correct shot placement, and the right broadhead, you can dramatically increase your odds of success this spring.
For vanes, stands, arrow tools, and other bowhunting essentials, visit Pine Ridge Archery today.
