OK, so there are sporting endeavors that are more challenging than turkey hunting with a bow, but they are few and far between. If you want a challenge this spring that will test your skills and try your patience, head to the woods with stick and string and entice a love-struck gobbler into range.

Getting Started
Before you head out to try your luck, converting your favorite deer bow to a proper turkey-harvesting machine is a necessity. Start by turning down the poundage of the bow. Stealthy, smooth draws combined with long, full-draw holding periods are the norm while turkey hunting, and a lower draw weight helps. Beware of not decreasing the bow's recommended poundage by less than 10-15 percent, as performance and consistency may suffer and noise will often increase. To eliminate noise (and I do this to all bows for any game animal) use the entire line of Limb Saver products. A silent bow is required for all species, but if a turkey moves as little as an inch at the sound of the shot, the difference in arrow placement could be devastating.

Broadhead selection is the next item to consider and revamp. Different animals require different arrow performance, and the key to successfully "stopping" a turkey is massive tissue damage and shock – best accomplished with specialty turkey broadheads designed for this purpose. Expanding broadheads with extremely large cutting diameters work great for turkeys. A new broadhead that has revolutionized turkey hunting is the Arrowdynamic Solutions Gobbler Guillotine™ Turkey Hunting Broadheads. They are a fixed-blade broadhead with four blades extending out from the arrow. It is offered in two sizes. A 125-grain 4" x 4" broadhead and a 100-grain 2.5" x 2.5" broadhead. You can get the best results when you pair the Guillotine™ with the custom carbon arrows from Arrowdynamic Solutions. The 32-inch arrows help stabilize the large broadheads during flight. If you have lost a bird using other fixed or mechanical broadheads, I suggest you try the Guillotine™.

Putting it all Together
Once the proper gear is assembled and the equipment is set up for turkeys, it is off to the woods. The theory behind bowhunting for turkeys is essentially the same as with a shotgun, with a few minor modifications and refinements. Full camo goes without saying. However, I like camo paint instead of facemasks while bowhunting, as it does not interfere with my nocking point or kisser button. Decoys are widely used by all turkey hunters, but they are an absolute necessity for bowhunters. In order to draw and make the shot on an unsuspecting gobbler there has to be something to lure him into range as well as keep him in position with his attention off the archer.

Blinds
Pop-up, quickly assembled blinds are the single greatest advantage bowhunters have used in recent years to consistently harvest turkeys. They can be assembled in seconds, allow freedom of movement to draw on wary gobblers and are easy to pack afield. The Double Bull Titan 2 and the Double Bull IP-5 Prostaff are two of the best models on the market. The IP-5 has more room for an additional hunter, but they both feature pass-through shooting material, numerous windows, blackened interiors, and a silent internal framework that eliminates game scaring wind flap. Constructed of the first ground-blind specific camouflage pattern, Deception, they complete your concealment in the woods.

Another great blind for the budget-minded hunter is the Cabela's Full-Draw 5X Blinds. A hub-style blind that will fit you, a buddy and all the stuff you need in the field, plus it's built with water-resistant and scent-resistant qualities.

If you are looking for a real challenge this spring, get the proper equipment and be one of the few who know the joy of harvesting one of America's wariest game animals with a bow.