How To Hunt Turkey - Head Shot: Bowhunting For Turkeys

Sportsmen's Empire - Whitetail Hunting

Sportsmen's Empire Outdoor Network

Leisure, Wilderness, Hobbies, Sports, Technology

4.8 • 615 Ratings

🗓️ 30 April 2026

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Join us as Derek Craig shares over two decades of turkey hunting expertise, covering the transition from shotgun to bow hunting, the importance of decoys, shot placement, and the ethical considerations of predator kills. Whether you're a seasoned hunter or just starting out, learn how to maximize your success and respect for these magnificent birds.

In this episode:

Derek's journey from shotgun to bow hunting turkeys and his preferred gear setups
The evolving technology in turkey shotguns, including TSS and chokes, and their impact on range
The role of decoys in close-range bow hunts versus traditional calls and blinds
How to identify the best shot opportunity based on turkey behavior and position
Differences between body and head/neck shots, including equipment choices and ethical considerations
Insights into recording hunts with multiple cameras for high-quality footage
The significance of posting decapitation videos, social media's influence, and ethical debates
The historical changes in turkey hunting pressure, costs, and accessible hunting locations
Derek's ongoing season plans and reflections on the progression of turkey hunting

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction to Derek Craig and today's turkey hunting tips
(02:13) - The importance of decoys in bow hunting and shot distance expansion
(04:10) - Practice and shot placement: body vs. head/neck shots
(06:42) - Do decoys help hold turkeys in place for decapitation shots?
(09:17) - The evolution of realistic decoys and their setup
(11:14) - What to look for in a turkey's behavior to ensure a clean shot
(14:08) - Equipment differences: body shot vs. head/neck shot setups
(16:34) - Adjusting bow setup for turkey head-chopping heads
(21:02) - Reflecting on bow hunting versus gun hunting for turkeys
(25:24) - How to record multiple camera angles during a turkey hunt
(28:50) - The viral decapitation footage: context and social media aspects
(33:25) - Ethical debates about posting decapitation videos
(37:38) - The marketing use of graphic kill images in hunting industry
(42:02) - Respecting animals while celebrating hunting successes
(44:55) - The emotional thrill of successful shots and practice dedication
(46:43) - Closing thoughts: current season plans and future hunts

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode of the sportsman's empire is brought to you by Interstate Batteries.
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0:27.3	repairs. Interstate batteries outrageously dependable. All right, everybody, this is the
0:34.6	How to Hunt Turkey Podcast. I'm your host, Dan Johnson. And today's guest is Mr. Derek Craig. Derek, man, how are we doing?
0:42.9	I'm doing great, Dan. It is wonderful to be back talking to you again and especially so soon because we just spoke a couple weeks ago.
0:50.2	Yep, different podcast, but same host, same guest.
0:56.1	And we're talking turkeys today.
0:58.7	But how many states do you turkey hunt throughout the year?
1:03.8	Well, any more, any more just a couple.
1:08.3	I used to way back in the day, late 90s, all through the 2000s up until
1:15.2	probably about up until about four or five years ago, I would bounce around and hit
1:20.2	anywhere from three to five different states a year, depending on what my calendar, you know,
1:26.5	let me, you know, get out there and I was
1:28.9	blessed to do. And, and there's been a lot of changes. Obviously, we can talk about in turkey hunting
1:33.2	over the last 25, 30 years. But anymore, you know, you hear people say this, and I think this is when
1:41.4	you get older. I'm not as mad at them as I used to be.
1:44.3	So plus my life is so busy. But this year, just Indiana and I do have a Michigan tag. And so I'm just focusing on those two states this year. Indiana and Michigan. All right. I got you. Are you bow hunting both of those states? Correct. For turkeys? Okay. Correct. All right. How many years have you been bow hunting turkeys?
2:02.5	Oh, boy.
2:03.2	I think I started both of those states? Correct. For turkeys? Okay. Correct. All right. How many years have you been bow hunting turkeys?
	...

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