PSA- turkeys are hard to kill with a bow

Sitting in a tree stand I was able to watch two longbeards make their way up to my buddy and his son on the other side of our food plot. Everything looked good when his 12 year old son smoked the bird with the arrow. For whatever reason they sat in the blind. probably knowing I was over here. well after 10 minutes of laying there that bird got up and ran off with an obvious broken wing. Hate to see it. IMO when shooting turkeys always get up immediately and huff it to the bird.

Hate to see one less gobbler for the spring, but I think they learned a lesson. My buddy has only killed a couple of birds.

Birds were gobbling too. Gets me excited for spring. Bummer that bird is long gone.

Georgia or Missouri?

Missouri. Insulting thing was the rest of the birds (20ish) came back and cackled, purred and gobbled for 15-20 minutes about 100 yards from me. Sounded like a bunch of Rios.

Last day of the season here so we decided to see what happens. about 10 minutes of daylight left. it doesn't look promising.

usually a wounded bird won't go far before it hides. Those other birds may of been where the wounded one hid, or was laying.

Yep, in a bush or something close.

Turkeys are meant to be shot in the head with a shotgun. I've never understood the bow hunting turkeys attraction

in my younger days I answered that question by saying because a gun was too daamn easy. I know better to avoid that jinx now. LOL

Yep, while there is no doubt killing one with a bow takes the challenge to another level, I just honestly don't think it would be as satisfying as shooting one in the face with a shotgun. It's like scratching an itch that you couldn't get to for hours and you finally get to scratch it....

Update: After my last post a group of jakes (about 10-15) came down the ridge from the opposite direction and I am guessing got in a brawl with the wounded bird. It just sounded like a big turkey throwdown. Then it seemed they ran it off that ridge to the top of another. Last I heard was them flying up about 30 min. later.. My friend and his son tried to find the bird by the direction they saw him run, not where I heard him being run to. Hate to lose a bird like that (the boy was pretty broken up) but at least that property has a healthy population. I think we conservatively have 80-100 birds wintering on those 400 acres and should be fun for spring youth season (I hunt a different place). I'm sure my friends son will be reliving that until we can put him on another bird this spring.

I was no help in the matter because I had an 8 pointer slowly making his way in and my friend left his phone in the truck. I had the buck at 30 yards and was fully drawn but decided it was just too dark for a shot. 10 minutes earlier or 10 yards closer and I'd likely be packing the freezer. Hope he survives all nature throws his way until next fall.

Oh, the kid also informed me that he didn't care about deer hunting anymore cause turkey hunting was way more exciting.