Author Topic: Shot size for Turkeys  (Read 5269 times)

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Offline Pappy

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Re: Shot size for Turkeys
« Reply #15 on: April 25, 2012, 09:30:43 am »
I have an 870 and it likes 6s the best but getting harder to find around here ,so most time I shoot 5s,it has a Hasting 640 [I think ]after market choke and will knock the center out of a target at 10/15 yards,you have to be careful at really close birds or you will miss,it's like shootin a slug at that range. also shoot 3 inch mags. :)
   Pappy
Clarksville,Tennessee
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Offline Kpete

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Re: Shot size for Turkeys
« Reply #16 on: April 25, 2012, 01:52:47 pm »
Thanks all for the interesting posts.  One thing I have noticed is how enthusiastic some of you are about hunting turks.
50 yds is a long shot.
Pappy,  I guided some hunters for Merriams birds when I lived in Nebr.  They brought "turkey guns" with "turkey chokes". First morning one of them missed a dandy tom at 16 yds.   
When we patterned the gun at 16 yds the "hole" was smaller than a grapefruit.  They were astounded.  They had only considered the pattern at 35-45 yds and thought it would be 18 inches acrossed the pattern  from right out of the barrel to 45 yds.

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Shot size for Turkeys
« Reply #17 on: April 25, 2012, 10:02:10 pm »
I favor setting up so that as the turkey comes up the hill toward me he just plain can't see me until he is at the 20 yd mark.  Fewer turkeys seem to "hang up" when they can't see the hen, or lack of hen.  When they have to come across a large open area and they cannot find the hen that is calling they will park their butts at 75 yards and demand the hen to expose herself. 

I have no idea if my shotgun and shot shell choice would work on a turkey at 40 yds...never tried!  But at the 15-25 yd range it they think they been slapped with a Buick!
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline DRon knife

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Re: Shot size for Turkeys
« Reply #18 on: April 25, 2012, 11:34:30 pm »
3" #4's For Me! I took down a coyote with that load,he thought my decoy was breakfast ;)

Offline Bevan R.

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Re: Shot size for Turkeys
« Reply #19 on: April 25, 2012, 11:55:48 pm »
3" #4's For Me! I took down a coyote with that load,he thought my decoy was breakfast ;)

Is that what you melted the drawknifes for? more steel shot?
Bowmakers are a little bent, but knappers are just plain flaky.

Offline mullet

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Re: Shot size for Turkeys
« Reply #20 on: April 26, 2012, 12:14:08 am »
JW; Hills don't work for us down here. The last two weekends we were calling and watching birds come in from multiple directions across a pasture for a half mile. And then one would put the screw to you by coming through thick brush over you shoulder. :o They ain't supposed to do that.
Lakeland, Florida
 If you have to pull the trigger, is it really archery?

Offline FlintWalker

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Re: Shot size for Turkeys
« Reply #21 on: April 26, 2012, 10:11:57 am »
Just for clarificaton...50 yards is not a shot I normally take.  But on those occasions when a fella just nearly misses and the bird gets back up and makes a break for it ???...it happens.   That's when those heavier shot will come in handy.
Be thankfull for all you have, because no matter how bad you think it is...it can always be worse.

Offline Kpete

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Re: Shot size for Turkeys
« Reply #22 on: April 26, 2012, 11:35:06 am »
Flint,
Yep, sometimes it is helpful to know what   your gear will do when "pinched" into an abnormal situation.