The Wasp Z-Force, A Great Turkey Hunting Broadhead

In general, turkeys are hard to hunt with archery equipment, but the birds in Southeast Alabama are notorious for giving archers fits, and putting a broadhead through one is the ultimate challenge, according to Justin Martin, host of Outdoor Channel’s “The Season” and world champion professional archer.

“The birds in South Alabama are dadgum hard,” Martin said. “They are a lot different than turkeys found to the north, and I guess that is why southern boys love hunting them. Sometimes I think they are able to smell just like deer, (laughing).”  

This year’s start to the Alabama turkey season brought the additional challenge of henned up turkeys running wild in the summer-like weather. Martin filmed a few hunts with a shotgun while the birds were so unpredictable. He was on the trail of the turkey for four days straight before finally closing the deal. As the season progresses and the birds fall back into a “normal” routine, Martin plans to pick up his bow and Z-Force broadheads for some archery hunts.

“After working with the Wasp Z-Force in the yard and seeing what it did to the deer last fall, I know it will work great for turkeys,” Martin said. “The huge cutting diameter is what you want because the kill zones – whether it is a heart/lung, neck, or spine shot – are so small on a turkey.”

The 1 5/8-inch cutting diameter of the Z-Force has a better chance of inflicting the kind of damage needed for a clean kill and recovery of a gobbler. It can be a huge benefit for bowhunters who do everything right until, for whatever reason, they release an arrow slightly off target. The flight characteristics of the Z-Force will not be to blame for a poor shot though.

“The Z-Force really shines with a bow that is not tuned perfectly.” Martin said. “Let’s face it, most hunters are not professional archers or spend as much time tuning their bows as they should. Fixed-blades can really mess with their accuracy, but from all my tests, the Z-Force hits identical to my field points. I do recommend taking advantage of the blade retaining system and extra blades provided that allow you to practice with the heads you will be hunting with – even if it is just for the mental aspect of the shot.”

Be sure to check out the results of his hunt on “The Season” airing on the Outdoor Channel this summer at noon on Tuesday. http://www.justinmartinoutdoors.com/