Turkey setup issues

brushape

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Do you guys like light and fast arrows or mid to heavy weights for your expandable broadheads on turkeys?

In the past I have taken a pile of turkeys with 380 grain gold tips and original rage 2 blade broadheads which for the most part we’re very dramatic quick kills, this past year I’ve moved over to the high foc heavier (480gr) setup since I was planning on chasing elk and these things are just not knocking them down like they did before


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Laramie

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I have never given special consideration to a turkey specific setup. I have always used the same broadheads and arrows that I do for big game. 425 grain arrow at 318 FPS. Seems to work well.
 
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brushape

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I haven’t either till this season I can’t seem to kill a big bird they just walk off after pass through shots


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brushape

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What broadhead are you using?

Killed lots (30+) with regular old 2 blade rage. So far I’ve unsuccessfully used rage hypodermic, rage extreme 2.3”, and today a qad exodus. This is in open cattle country where I can watch them for a long time after the shot as well


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damxam

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Dang that’s no good! Are you hitting them too far forward in the breast? Never used those expandables but an exodus should kill them quick
 
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brushape

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Dang that’s no good! Are you hitting them too far forward in the breast? Never used those expandables but an exodus should kill them quick

Ya I thought that exodus was going to do the trick since I wanted to leave the mesh windows up and shoot through them today. I generally square up on the leg and center the arrow vertically on the body trying to take out the thigh joint


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damxam

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Ya I thought that exodus was going to do the trick since I wanted to leave the mesh windows up and shoot through them today. I generally square up on the leg and center the arrow vertically on the body trying to take out the thigh joint


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Dang, yeah that’s pretty much where I go for. Sucks having a bird run away. Good luck next time!
 
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You certain your change in velocity isn't causing you high/low hits? Loosing 25-30 fps you need to pay attention to exact yardages a lot more.

Turkey is going to die if it's hit with a 250 grain arrow or a 500. Assuming a hit to the vitals.
 
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brushape

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I’m using an entirely new bow, arrow setup that’s fully tuned in and dialed with 4 big game and several turkey kills, here’s one of my most recent 30 yard groups with a mix of broadheads and field points. It kills turkeys but doesn’t kill them like my previous setup with cheap
441d242b4882946b318b0d1db4b0fde2.jpg

light arrows did. All the turkeys I’ve killed with this new setup have flown before dying


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brushape

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Ordered some of the 2” 4 blade grim reaper white tail extremes if don’t work i don’t know what will


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Steve1662

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I’m using an entirely new bow, arrow setup that’s fully tuned in and dialed with 4 big game and several turkey kills, here’s one of my most recent 30 yard groups with a mix of broadheads and field points. It kills turkeys but doesn’t kill them like my previous setup with cheap
441d242b4882946b318b0d1db4b0fde2.jpg

light arrows did. All the turkeys I’ve killed with this new setup have flown before dying


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Shooting like that must get expensive!

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TripleJ

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I think turkeys are a perfect case for expandable broadheads. Penetration is not usually a problem, you really don't need much at all to poke out the other side. The bigger the hole, the better chance you have of stopping that bird quickly...take out the legs, the wings, the CNS, or bleed them out. A bigger cut will help accomplish all of those more efficiently and a higher percentage of the time in my opinion.
 

MattB

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Sep 29, 2012
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Use a big expandable or a head lopper. I like the Vortex 125 gr 2 3/4" or 100 gr 2 1/2" for turkeys. They shoot fine through blind mesh (I would not use a head lopper and mesh).

Your issue is about shot placement and potentially compounded by BH choice and not arrow weight.
 
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