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South Sound Longbeards


Turkey Tips - Bow Tips From The Pros

 

Jeff Steele loves to hunt turkeys with a bow.  In the past 15 years he has taken 41 turkeys from three states.  Steele's prowess with a bow has garnered several field and 3-D archery championships.  In a nutshell, Steele knows bowhunting.

Steele adopts a "southern" tactic when bowhunting turkeys he calls runnin' and gunnin.'  He credits mobility as his chief advantage in harvesting turkeys.

"I have taken turkeys from a blind, but I prefer to be mobile so I can change setups if necessary and rely on my camouflage to conceal me," he said.  Steele's favorite setup is to kneel behind a tree or stump.

Rutledge often uses a decoy, which can divert the attention of a gobbler long enough to give him time to draw his bow.  Rutledge offered this piece of advice:  "The most important thing about taking a turkey with a bow is determining the right time to draw.  You have to be careful - most of the time, there are several birds watching you."

Harris said that hunters should know they are facing long odds when hunting with a bow.  His personal ratio is one turkey for every five attempts, so he encourages archers to be very patient.

"Don't give up easily, but understand things are not going to work every time," he said.