Hunting turkey with a crossbow can add a bit of fun to your hunts. It can be so much fun if you can follow the tips provided in this post.
#1 - Choosing Your Crossbow
Choosier the right crossbow is the most important factor that determines how your crossbow hunting turns out.
There are different crossbows in the market, but they’re not all fitted for the best turkey hunting experience.
To start with, look out for crossbows that guarantee high levels of accuracy. You want a crossbow that will hit the exact target each time it is shot.
Also, you will require a crossbow that has lethal broadheads. Most broadheads in the market meet up this requirement, especially the TenPoint EVO-X Centerpunch Broadhead, which attains a high degree of accuracy when used with a crossbow.
#2 - Make Your Purchase Based on Preferences
After you have decided on accurate crossbows and the lethal crossbow broadheads, you will find many TenPoint hunting crossbows that fit.
The next step in making the purchasing decision is to focus on your preferences.
By this, I mean how much you can afford for the new purchase and other features that meet your needs, such as weight, speed, and ease of use.
Another thing to look out for is the ease of cocking and uncocking the crossbow. This will enable you to move through the field with better speed than what a shotgun allows.
A fine crossbow that comes with these features is the new Vapor RS470 model.
#3 - Steady Your Shots
Even with the best crossbows and broadheads, you could still experience lots of missed shots.
To avoid this, ensure to use steady rest for your shots.
A SteddyEddy Crossbow Monopod System will do just fine in helping you take steady shots.
You can also improvise on your rest by using shooting sticks that you set up yourself.
#4 - Keep Practicing
You know the saying that “practice makes perfect” is a valid statement that applies to hunt with crossbows.
Create a schedule for shooting practice and stick to it no matter the situation—also, practice shooting with your crossbow from different angles and positions.
#5 - Learn to Locate Turkey's Vitals
A single shot from your crossbow may deliver a lethal blow or may just be shrugged off by the turkey.
The single difference between both outcomes is the location where the turkey was.
To make your shots very effective, you need to know the different locations of a turkey’s vitals.
It will help a lot if you can do extensive research on turkeys to understand where their vitals are placed.
You will discover that the best places to target your shots are very small. If your shots land anywhere outside these places, you risk the bird running away even after shooting it.
#6 - Scout Before Hunting
No matter how experienced you are with turkey hunting, scouting improves your chances of success.
It’s good practice to come out earlier in the morning to scout for areas where you can find the birds. Sometimes it is better to scout before the hunting day to establish to best places to set up your hunting blind.
It is from scouting you will be able to tell what time of day is best to go hunting for the toms, and where you will find them.
#7 - Make Plans to Track the Turkeys
If you’re going to be using crossbows for turkey hunting, you’ll need to make plans to track them.
Shots fired from your crossbows may only injure your target at first, leaving a trail to follow. You should be able to follow up on the wounded turkey to wherever it leads you.
#8 - Use a Movable Hunting Blind
A movable blind offers you a great way to move around with your crossbow while keeping concealed.
This will help, especially in areas that are close to watering holes and feeding areas.
The movable blind is also useful if you need to video your hunting with a cameraman by your side.
You can have both the hunter and the cameraman huddled up inside the movable blind.
You can also get as close as possible to where the turkey is likely to show up without exposing yourself.
Video Credit: AnglerHunterTV
In Conclusion
A crossbow is great for turkey hunting, that’s if you know how to get the best from using it.
This post offers you eight tips that can help you with your turkey crossbow hunting.
These tips include choosing the right crossbows, making a purchasing decision based on your preferences and budget, and steadying your shots.
Other turkey crossbow hunting tips are practicing your shots, learning to locate a turkey’s vitals, scouting before you go hunting, tracking the turkey, and use of blinds.