"This is a young turkey, it was probably hatched this year, so only months old, not all its feathers were developed," WildRescue Director Rebecca Dmytryk said.
More than two weeks ago, a resident of a Hollister neighborhood called the rescue group after seeing the turkey with the arrow lodged in its right side.
"They don't travel far. I think the person that shot her is somewhere, or lives somewhere nearby, or was visiting that neighborhood," Dmytryk said.
Rescuers captured the bird and took it 120 miles away to Fairfield to the International Bird Rescue where a specialist cleaned its wounds and gave it antibiotics.
Eight hours later it was taken back to Hollister and released. It's now back with its family.
There are two seasons to hunt wild turkey in California -- about a month and a half in spring and two weeks in the fall. This turkey was shot off season and that makes it a crime.
"So if anybody knows the owner of this fine carbon fiber arrow, we'd love for you to come forward and give that information to the Department of Fish And Game," Dmytryk said.
