Shot Placement on Turkeys

Making a lethal shot on a wild turkey is one of bowhunting’s biggest challenges.  Even though the range is close, your aim and performance must be precise.  Strutting gobblers are more than 50% feathers and the kill zone is barely the size of a softball.  During the next few weeks, we’ll look at decoys, broadheads, callers, and other hunting techniques, but shot placement is the place to begin.

Skeletal Image

This image is available through the Bowhunting Education Program and dramatically demonstrates how small a wild turkey’s kill zone can be.  Bowhunters often prefer shooting at the broadside of a strutting turkey, yet a hunter must be able to visualize the vitals of a wild turkey through the feathers.  Here’s a quick video that shows various shot angles and is a good starter for the season.

Proper Shot Placement