Who's gonna use a bow?

[Stratosman]

I am thinking about it for this year, as I think it would bring forth a whole new set of challenges, but sounds like a challenge I would like to attempt. You guys ever harvest one with a bow? I assume that a portable blind is mandatory?

[Guppy]

I didn't get drawn, so I'm going to buy an archery tag. Haven't tried it before, but I have been tempted so now is a good time to try!

[Hotspotter]

Once again, other circumstances take the bow out of my hand....and put in it the trusty shotgun (hopefully). Our first child is due April 15th.....I was drawn for season A, April 13th-17th! I'm currently working on my defense, and need some help...

"Honey, I'll be closer to home than when I'm at work by about 45 miles." But that's all I have. I'm done.

Joel

[Stratosman]

That's awesome though! We got drawn for the first weekend in may and my wife is due with our first on the 16th, if she goes early I'm hosed, my phone doesn't come it where we hunt.

Tell her now there will be 3 mouths to feed, that you need to get out and "provide for the family".

Good luck with all that.

[irvingdog]

I took my first ( and not my last) tom with a Gobbler Guillotine last year. I held a bow at full draw for darn near 2 days while those d&mn birds sat 70 yards away. They were walking in tight circles in a rain storm. They would not approach a field edge. On day 3, they messed up. That broadhead is the real deal, but beyond 20 yards, it gets pretty unpredictable.

Go with a bow! you'll never regret it.

On a side note, you WILL regret missing the birth of your first child. I'm just sayin'..............

[Borch]

Well Joel you don't need to actually purchase your liscense until the night before your season starts. Babies are rarely born on their due date. You might be proud parent's a week or two prior to that time or she may go a week or so late.

I wouldn't have missed the births of any of my kids for all the turkeys in the world. But if I could somehow fit them both in..... Well you get the idea.

[bigbucks]

Take the cell phone with. My son was due on fishing opener & wasn't actually born until the Wednesday morning after. I didn't fish as long as normal, but it would have been a bummer to sit around all day when nothing was happening anyway.

[Stratosman]

I don't know what I'll do yet, if I have to skip opener and turkey season, who cares? There will be other seasons and other years, but maybe never another birth of a child.

[TomBow]

Best of Luck to both of you with kids on the way and BEST OF LUCK TO YOUR WIVES, their doin' all the work! I'd say you've got your priorities straight, family is the top!

I will once again be chasing gobblers with a bow. Working to get over the bird I hit in the "pope's nose" last spring that flew off with my arrow, never to reveal himself to me again, after ALOT of looking.

I'll be spending at least one long weekend in NE, second weekend of April, then headed out with my wife for F-season in MN, both with bow in tow.

(cluck, cluck, cluck--GARRRROBBBBBBLLLLLLE-LOBBBBLLE!)

[Hotspotter]

Thanks guys....think I'm in the same boat with --> not going to miss the birth of our child for anything, but to do both.....man, the stories I can tell to get the inlaws worked up!

Great idea on the license Borch.....no need to waste $20-some bucks on a tag I'll never use. Might have to do that.

Joel

[Fall Morning Fanatic]

Stratosman,

I have been lucky enough to take a turkey with a bow each of the last 7 years, and will be attempting to do it again this year.

While it is not impossible to take a turkey without a blind, The blind makes it almost easy and sometimes a guy feels a bit guilty.

Turkeys have no concept of what the blind is and will come within mere inches if you stay quiet. Also you can set the blind up in the dark relatively close and the won't realize that it was not there when they went to bed the night before.

I use the Double Bull blinds. My feeling is, there is not a better blind. Plenty of room to shoot, plenty of windows and goes up easy and does not flap in the wind.

Practice with your bow for shots 3-15 yards cause that's what you'll have if you use decoys, and are an average caller.

Don't be shocked when a hen comes up and sticks her head in the window to say hello.

One other thing. Make sure that you can draw your bow without having to move to much and that it is silent. You should be able to raise your bow to the window, wait for the shot and draw your bow in one smooth motion.If you can't then lower the draw weight until you can.

If not using a blind. Sit with your back to a tree and create walls of braches and brush going out at angles.

The idea is to set it up with the bird coming from behind you and you can get your shot as he passes you and looks at your decoys. The shot should come when he goes into full strut and has his tush facing you. You can take him "there" or wait until he turns, you should be at full draw and take him in the wing butt.

Good Luck

FMF

[Stratosman]

Thanks for the tips FMF, I have looked into getting a blind but with the baby on the way I should be saving $ instead of spending more, but we'll see what happens.

What kind of recommendations do you have as far as broadheads concerned?

[Fall Morning Fanatic]

Call John at Double Bull. They are in Big Lake. They have blinds that are blemished or cosmetically imperfect there that they might sell you for a better price than you will find.

I have in the past used the same head that I use on deer. But last year I used a head called the Buck Blaster.It is an expandable head from Rocket. It opens to 2 3/4" and creates a heck of a wound.I use this head because I now feel that I should use the biggest head I can find because the shots are close and accuracy at that range should not be a problem, nor should wind planing, or penetration. However with that said, many guys will tell you that if you hit the turkey right in the wing butt itself, you may not get much penetration at all. Especially with expandable heads.Because of all of the cushion that the wings and feathers present.I have not had this happen but I do know that it does in some cases.

Any head will do the job if put in the right spot but my opinion would be something with a strong tip in case you hit some bone and at least 1 1/2" diameter.

One last thing.If price is an issue on the blind and you decide that the Double Bull isn't in the cards right now. Then I would go with the Brickhouse from Ameristep.They can be had at Gander Mountain for around $125ish. Don't buy a blind smaller.You won't have the room that you need. Especially if you want someone in there with you to run a video camera.

FMF