Aiming Points on Turkeys

by
posted on April 29, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
mehall_ah2015_fs.jpg (18)

There are two schools of thought when it comes to where to aim on a turkey with a bow: a head shot vs. a body shot. If you’re going for its head, let the bird get super-close. Fortunately, when a spring gobbler is excited and his head is pumping with blood, the head is as big as your fist. This shot can work wonders, especially if he’s in full strut and spinning slowly around your decoy. Broadheads such as the Guillotine, for example, are specifically designed for humane head shots with the intent of severing the turkey’s head on impact.

undefinedFor a body shot, a broadside shot is ideal as it is for other species of game. As a tom approaches, focus on where his legs adjoin the body. Aim for the upper half of the body just in front of that point to hit the heart. A slightly higher shot hits the lungs. If the bird’s facing away from you, shoot him where the wing adjoins the body. If he’s strutting while walking away, aim right for the base of the fan—his butt. If the tom’s facing you, the frontal shot is a tougher one that I’d personally pass on because not only does that mean his laser-like eyes are directed toward me, there’s little margin for error. If something goes wrong and you don’t hit the bird just above the beard, you risk wounding him.

Latest

Scope Reticles For Hunting Lead
Scope Reticles For Hunting Lead

Scope Reticles for Hunting from Practical to Complex

Today’s riflescopes hold zero reliably, take adjustments precisely and transmit more light than has ever been possible. But if you can’t hold a precise point of aim, all is for naught, and with the wide variety of reticle options on the market today, hunters can tailor the reticle to his or her needs.

Recipe: Italian Boar-lognese

Check out Chef Holly Hearn's wild take on an Italian classic.

Hardware Review: Nosler Whitetail Country Ammunition

Frank Melloni gives an in-depth review of this new whitetail slayer from Nosler.

NRA Now Accepting Applications for Public Range Grants

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is pleased to announce the reopening of the NRA's Public Range Fund. Established in 2009, the NRA Public Range Fund is a grant-matching program that encourages city and county governments, along with state or federal agencies, to work with the NRA to build and improve public ranges across the United States.

#SundayGunday: Browning Citori 825 Sporting

This week on #SundayGunday, we’re checking out the Citori 825 Sporting shotgun, from Browning. A classic over/under, this is a scattergun designed to shine on the sporting clays course.

In Memoriam: Frank R. Brownell III, June 24, 1939 – June 18, 2025

American Hunter sadly marks the passage of a legendary businessman, marketer and friend of hunters, gun owners and the Second Amendment: Frank R. Brownell III, who with his father, Bob, and son, Pete, placed Brownells Inc. and its products foremost in the minds of gun owners everywhere, passed away on June 18, 2025, after a lengthy illness, just six days away from his 86th birthday.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.