Bowhunting Longbeards with Levi Morgan
BY TRACY BREEN
When it comes to the sport of archery and bowhunting, many consider Levi Morgan to be one of the greatest that has ever lived. He consistently kills big animals and consistently finds himself on the podium at tournaments. Spring is right around the corner and Morgan is preparing for turkey season. “I love turkey hunting with a bow. It is fun and challenging. People think turkey hunting is easy, but it can be extremely difficult when you are bowhunting them,” Morgan said.
SHOT PLACEMENT IS KEY
One of the toughest things about bowhunting turkeys is they have a knack for disappearing after the shot. “You can shoot one and watch the arrow disappear into the bird only to watch as the bird flies or runs off, never to be seen again,” Morgan noted. Because of that, Morgan prefers shooting a turkey right above the drumsticks. “Some bowhunters love shooting them in the head. That’s a great option, but the margin for error is extremely small. I prefer shooting them two inches above the drumsticks. This takes out the chest cavity and takes out their legs so they can’t fly or run.”
MECHANICAL BROADHEADS
One way Morgan increases his odds of success is by using a broadhead that creates a devastating wound channel. “I like using the 2-blade Swhacker mechanical head that has a 3-inch cutting diameter. When that broadhead hits a turkey, it brings them down fast. Since it has such a large cutting diameter, even if my shot is off a little, there is room for error when a broadhead has a 3-inch cutting diameter,” Morgan added.
DECOY TRICKS
To increase his odds of success, Morgan prefers taking extra close shots at birds. One of his favorite ways to get close to birds is attaching a decoy to the riser of his bow and stalking birds. “Last year, I customized a Primos B-mobile decoy so it could easily be attached to my bow. I had a fan and everything on my bow. I had the body of the decoy cut just right so I could use my sight and rest without the decoy interfering with my setup. It worked great! Birds would charge me and I would shoot them at 10-15 feet. I love hunting longbeards this way; it is a ton of fun,” Morgan exclaimed.
Regardless if you hunt turkeys by stalking them or calling them in, getting them close before you take the shot is fun and increases your odds of success. This spring, shoot a large mechanical head, aim right above the drumsticks, and get close before taking the shot. Maybe Thanksgiving dinner will be served early this year.