Broadheads for turkeys

Having the right gear is part and parcel to using archery equipment to take a turkey.

This may not come as a shock, but unlike other animals shot with bow-and-arrow, turkeys are a bit different. Hunters recover more turkeys when the arrow actually stays in the bird. Selecting the right broadhead is essential for success.

Fortunately, manufacturers have been designing broadheads specifically for turkeys, and they are much more effective than a standard big-game broadhead, which tends to pass through more turkeys.

Of broadheads designed specifically for turkeys, mechanical offerings excel over the fixed-blade variety. They fly well and open on impact to create a large hole and usually remain in the bird, which leads to greater recovery rates.

Broadheads designed for turkey hunting come in two types: those designed for head and neck shots and those designed for body shots. Those designed for head and neck shots carry long blades outside the center cutting tip, some extending as far as 2½ inches beyond the center, giving a killing reach of more than 4 inches. Head shots on turkeys are tough, but for those shooters who are extremely accurate, a mechanical broadhead that removes the head of a turkey is about as efficient as it gets.

Broadheads designed for body shots are made to cut a bigger hole. A big, strong broadhead is a great choice. The arrow needs to push through heavy feathers, thick muscle and bone to reach vitals. Broadheads that cut a minimum of 1½ inches are preferred over smaller broadheads.

Whichever you choose, practice is imperative to get the accuracy needed to make an ethical shot on a turkey. The kill zone is relatively small on a turkey, making the need for a deadly, ethical shot paramount, and that means practice, practice, practice.