Crossbow hunting for wild turkeys is exciting, challenging, and rewarding. Each spring, many turkeys are shot with crossbow bolts, but some are never recovered. In most cases, poor shot placement is to blame, as a gobbler’s feathers hide the outline of the turkey’s body while it is in full strut, making it difficult for the crossbow hunter to determine exactly where the vital organs are located.
Knowing where to shoot a turkey with a hunting crossbow is critical — as proper bolt placement can make or break your chances of harvesting the bird. A turkey’s vitals are only about the size of a softball — much smaller than the basketball-like size of a deer’s vitals. Since the area that you need to hit is small, you need to know exactly how to select the ideal spot for your shot and that you can hit that spot accurately, with little margin for error.