How Far Can You Shoot a Turkey: A Comprehensive Guide for Ethical and Effective Hunting

You’ve got a tom strutting at 30 yards. Should you take the shot or let him get closer?

A strutting gobbler appears deceivingly huge. When the feathers are taken off, his size is similar to that of a watermelon, and his kill zone is about the size of a baseball. That’s a tough target, especially at distances beyond 25 yards. by John Hafner.

In my overconfident youth, I killed two spring gobblers with a bow at distances greater than 40 yards: one at 43 and the other at 45. Both collapsed in their tracks, and the well-placed arrows didn’t hit their marks by chance. Back then, I shot my bow incessantly without adulthood distractions. However, I look back on those shots and consider them less than ethical.

Today, I don’t attempt shots like that at turkeys. In fact, it’s been years since I’ve bow-killed one beyond 15 yards. Just like every other game animal we chase, turkeys deserve our best. Thus, what is a fair maximum distance to shoot turkeys with a bow? There are a few variables that influence this, but even in the best-case scenario, a cutoff needs to be determined. We need to be able to make the decision, “I can make that shot, but I’m going to pass because I’ve set my limit.” ”.

That being said, let’s discuss a few points about shot distance on turkeys before I conclude with what I believe to be too far. Follow along.

Small Kill Zone

A strutting gobbler appears deceivingly huge. I can hit a watermelon from 100 yards with my bow, so how could you miss? If you remove the feathers, the bird’s entire body is about the size of a watermelon. But a turkey’s kill zone — the heart and lungs — is about the size of a baseball. Now, some folks aim for the top of the drumsticks, which stops the bird in its tracks and causes a bleed-out, but the fastest way to extinguish a tom’s lights is to slice his heart or lungs. That’s my target.

How far can you hit a baseball consistently while wearing hunting gear, sitting against a tree, or from a ground blind? Oh, and don’t forget to add a raised heart rate to the mix. Suddenly, what appears to be a very large target is unbelievably small. In other words, hitting the watermelon in no way guarantees a clean kill. You have to hit the baseball.

An Always-Changing Target

Turkeys rarely stop moving. Even non-walking turkeys constantly alter their angles when they charge or strut toward a jake decoy, making them a very difficult target for archery equipment. Tracking of all of those movements while you’re aiming is almost impossible. Even a few unaccounted-for degrees of angle change can reduce a lethal hit to a marginal one.

Also, a strutting bird presents a different target than a non-strutting bird. Therefore, if a strutting bird suddenly stops strutting because he smells fish, your target presentation may change drastically even though you are ready to shoot it as it approaches. Simply put, turkeys are almost always moving and shifting angles. That’s why long shots, even if you have the skill to make them, aren’t ethical.

Bowhunting turkeys is all about a close-up experience. If you want to shoot farther than 25 yards, take a shotgun. by Bill Konway.

Bow Poundage and Broadhead Setup

Turkeys are often dismissed as an animal that can be nabbed with minimal draw weight. It is true that when using a sharp broadhead at close range and at certain angles, not much draw weight is required to complete some tasks. Drumsticks and wing joints have prevented me from getting pass-through shots with my 75-pound Mathews bow, so just think of the consequences with a 35-pound bow. Pound for pound, turkeys are tough as nails.

With ultra-lightweight setups, I suggest not shooting beyond 15 yards. Moreover, since young people make up the bulk of shooters who use such a low draw weight, they should become used to shooting at decoy birds rather than birds that are hung out at a thirty-yard range. A strong setup like mine can shoot at any distance if your arrow placement is good, but weaker setups have more limitations.

Let Him Come Closer

When shotgun hunting, many turkey hunters shoot the moment he raises his head inside 45 yards. You can’t bring that same mentality to bowhunting. If the bird is coming closer, let him come. Don’t rush it; you could wait a few more seconds and hit him at 10 to 12 yards when he reaches the decoys instead of shooting 20 yards. Cleaner opportunities come from being patient.

The Bottom Line, Regardless of Skill

We’ve covered some ins and outs of how different scenarios can affect shot distance while bowhunting turkeys. Last, I want to discuss skill. Some shouldn’t be shooting farther because they can’t even bring down a tom in the decoys at ten yards. Others are proficient archers to 40-plus yards. But even as a skilled bow shooter, you must draw a line in the sand and base it on morality.

I’ve taken dozens of toms with my bow. As a result, I’ve witnessed nearly every possible situation, which has allowed me to estimate shot distance. I believe the maximum distance for the best archers should be 25 yards, and the maximum distance for the less skilled should be 15 to 20 yards. Beyond that is asking for trouble. If you don’t have the patience to wait for a close, sure-thing opportunity, hunt with a shotgun .

What About Crossbows?

These are becoming more and more popular among turkey hunters, and the most advanced models on the market today can shoot softball-sized groups at 100 yards while seated on a bench. Forty-yard shots can seem like a cakewalk. Still, even crossbow hunters are best to keep it close on turkeys. You’re still shooting one projectile, and you still have to nail that baseball-sized target that’s usually moving. If you can pull the trigger of a crossbow without flinching and have a firm rest on a bipod or tripod, you can shoot at distances of thirty to thirty-five yards; just don’t push it. Use your head, know your limits, and remember that 15 yards is still better.

Darron McDougal arrowed this gobbler from about 12 yards as it posed next to his jake decoy. He hasn’t shot a tom beyond the decoys in years. by Darron McDougal.

The One Time When You Should Shoot Long

When you are trying to finish a wounded bird after your first shot wasn’t quite accurate, the 25-yard limit does not apply. This will happen if you bowhunt turkeys long enough. If you have any chance of hitting the turkey in this scenario, shoot, whether it’s thirty or one hundred yards.

I shot a tom at ten yards in my decoys this past spring, and that’s what happened. I struck the bird at the base of the neck as he strutted facing toward me. Upon impact, my broadhead brushed the neck, completely avoiding the bodily cavity rather than entering it. It was great placement, but the glancing effect altered the arrow’s course. The blood loss was substantial, but the gobbler still made it to 79 yards before stopping. I nocked another arrow, ranged him and dialed my sight to 79 yards. I settled in and sent a long-range arrow to finish what I started.

Given the bird’s degree of alertness, I believe my first arrow would have taken some time to complete the deal, but by hitting him again, I was able to avoid dealing with a challenging tracking task. That incident highlights the importance of reducing shot distance because it shows that unanticipated events can happen even when shooting at close range. This is in addition to the value of having a backup arrow.

Final Remarks

When you go afield for turkeys with your bow this spring, don’t take ridiculous shots. Remember that, even if you’re a skilled bow shooter, turkeys usually have a limited, moving kill zone. It is always preferable to keep your shots within 25 yards because there isn’t a drill that can precisely replicate this.

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