Ive shot several turkeys with the shotgun and want to try my hand at shooting one with a bow. I have a blind i used in the past but im more of a run n gun kind of hunter. My question is are those shoot through mesh windows for arrows or is that just for shotguns? Will it throw off the shot?

They say you can do that bit I always move the mesh window material over to shoot

I got into archery turkey hunting a few years back and did a little research on the question you are asking. The consensus seems to be you can probably shoot through the screen with a fixed blade with minimal accuracy issues however it can really be detrimental to the accuracy of mechanical broadhead. With that being said because I shoot mechanical boradheads, I always have the windows open. I am also a notoriously terrible shot with a bow and set my decoys 7 paces from the blind and have yet to have a turkey bust me in the blind with the windows open so I'm not sure what you're gaining by leaving them closed at least in SD. Our turkeys aren't overly smart.

I’ve had good luck shooting through the mesh with fixed blade and feathers only. Blazers or the stiff type has seemed to throw off the shot a bit and I definitely wouldn’t shoot expandable through mesh.

I do like 330 and Tone, just leave the mesh down.

no need for the screen to be closed with gun or bow unless you are trying to hunt with all windows open. decoys close and big broadheads. i used to guide and i have come to hate bowhunting turkey. every year there was 12-15 lost birds with bows and in my 5 years there was only 2 with a gun. close high percentage shots and aim small miss small.

With a bow Texas heart shot will put them down best.

Screen hasn’t affected my fixed blades or judo tips. I’d do a practice run if using guilotines or bullheads.

Im still gonna go shotgun hunting out of state, but shotgun tags are lottery here and county specific. Bow tags are guaranteed and statewide. So i guess this isnt something ive been set on doing because of the challenge, its more out of necessity. Ive know a couple VERY good shots with a bow that wont go anymore because of the birds theyve lost. Im thinking of using those big broadheads, cant remember the name, and keepin it close.

It sounds to me like you are trying to get Minnehaha, Lincoln, Union or Turner as your first choice but aren't always successful. Just out of curiosity, why are you choosing to hunt out of state over getting something like Clay, Yankton, Bon Homme, or Hutchinson all of which could be gotten as a second choice or in most of those cases in the second and third rounds? Don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing your decision as I hunt out of state as well, but I'm always curious as to why most South Dakotans don't seem to ever turkey hunt out of their one little county.

First thing you need to know about bow hunting turkeys is you can’t hunt like you do with a gun. I talk to lot of beginning turkey bow hunters and they all think they can shoot out to 30 yds. I strive for 10 yard shots and don’t take any shot over 15. Turkeys are always moving and the kill zone is small. I prefer a head on shot on a stuffing Tom with a broadside non strutting shot the next. Google where to shoot a turkey with a bow the vital zone might surprise you.

We get any zone all 5 or 6 seasons if we buy Archery turkey ....with shotgun we have to choose one weeklong season

I might try my new excalibur or I might use my Turkey gun

I never shot through the mesh. I always placed my decoys close and the jake or strutter decoy facing the blind and a hen facing away(in theory, the tom is going to face up on the jake/strutter and well...he is gonna come at the hen from the back). I kept my shots at less than 20yrds. Depending on your blind, it is possible to "run/gun" if you practice popping your blind up as much as shooting. I'd practice shooting off of a stool out of a blind also. I was able to stab a deke in the ground, take a few steps back and drop gear in a pile, and pop up blind pretty quick. There was a few times where I had a birds in range while I was still trying to get an arrow nocked.

Good luck. It is pretty exciting.

I have never tried shooting through the mesh, but have taken several turkeys with a bow. I use a standard NAP spitfire broadhead with the adder springs like on a kudo point. I was a run and gunner so I had setup several natural blinds before season which worked ok. My preference is a pop up blind with some good decoys. I keep my shots under 20 yards. I have found once the gobblers get in the decoys I can get away with murder in a pop up blind.

Practice from the blind for sure.

Hey now. There is some outdoor secrets that should never be posted on the interweb. Like where the fish are biting, a public land deer or elk honey hole, and possibly secrets to acquiring tags. This is getting borderline unacceptable.

Im around central lincoln county and i would like to be able to go quick in the morning before work. Ive been goin to the Maskel NE area (just south if Vermillion) for around 12 years. We have a couple thousand acres to ourselves. I had a honeyhole in Yankton co but the guys kids, who dont live there or turkey hunt, told the guy they dont want me on there anymore. I always drew my tag there tho. At least with a bowtag, i can go anywhere in the state