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A turkey's vitals are about the size of a baseball.  They are located near the junction of the wing butts and house the heart and lungs.  It is of paramount importance that any shot taken will anchor and not merely hit the turkey.

Rutledge champions cause of precise shot placement.

"A marginal hit results in a turkey never recovered and that ends up being eaten by coyotes.  You cannot blood trail a turkey," he said.

As turkey hunters and conservationists, we owe it to the wild turkey to make clean, quick, humane harvests with whatever firearm or bow we choose.  Out of respect for these majestic birds and the sport of turkey hunting, simply nothing less will suffice.

Brad Harris of Outland Sports has taken several turkeys with a bow - most of them taken during fall hunts.  Like Steele and Rutledge, Harris prefers to aim for the wing butts when faced with a broadside shot or the area near the beard when a bird is facing head on.

Harris added, "If I miss the area above the beard, generally I mis the entire bird and no crippling occurs."

If the bird is facing away, all three experts agree that aiming for the backbone of the turkey is the best choice.  Steele and Harris admit to taking several strutting toms after drawing and shooting at the vent of fanned birds facing the other way.

Striking a turkey in the head with an arrow produces deadly results, but caution is advised:  this is not a high percentage shot.  Due to the erratic movement of the bird's head, any attempts to shoot a turkey in the head generally result in frustration.  The hunter's standard is best measured by an accurate shot to the vitals every time.