16ga.com ~ View topic

Not posting my Turkey pictures over the past several years ( Skeetex , Stack 16 , an ole NY hillbilly Bill Shaw and a few others get to see them )

I am taking a few newer folks hunting this spring , with much debate about guns and shells , I simply said if anyone is learning from me that individual would be shooting high velocity #9's .

After some spirited debate about hand cannons and punt guns , lead shot larger than my air rifle pellets .

All have agreed to my terms as well as those pertaining to the individual calling in their own birds with me playing guide and if needed to coax the bird in the rest of the way " didn't disclose that info to them" .

We even discussed the use of # 12 shot as I have taken 4 birds in the past with such loads , I recently came across the bag of # 12 shot the other day , still pondering 🤔

Should I show these folks that even # 12's will bag gobblers by shooting my birds with them ?

I will post the new folks birds just for the fun of it.

Have to get loading some #9's up in 16 ga. and 12 ga. 3/4 oz above 1400 fps will accomplish the task.

Will show the results in April.

Best regards , Nick

Member Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 1863 Location: Wisconsin

Hi Nick, small shot are great when they move fast enough to break a neck or enter a brain. I like a load of 7.5’s in my mod barrel and sixes in my full. I use the mod for inside 30 yards and the full out to 40. I’ve killed several birds with the TSS 9’s but I no longer own that gun and won’t shoot TSS out of my old guns. I’m trying to remember what trigger you pulled on a sharptail at 70 yards with fast 9’s; a range I would not have tried with 4’s.😉 even at 1,400+ fps, I don’t imagine 12’s would be effective past 30 yards, but I’m sure you would fool me again just for a laugh!

Reno

*Last edited by skeettx on Thu Feb 29, 2024 9:06 am; edited 1 time in total*

WHAT y'all do not know is that Nick loads turkey magnets. Of YES, #9 turkey magnets.
Very effective Shocked

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3178 Location: NCWa

The First Hunt Foundation is a group that organizes hunts where experienced hunters are paired with first time hunters. So far I have been involved with deer and turkey hunts. I've mentored on the deer hunts but am just "staff" aka cook for the turkey hunts. the mentors have had a wide variety of shotguns ranging from .410 to 3.5" 12 ga- but they all shot 6 or smaller shot and had X-Full, Turkey chokes- head/neck shots.

Hello Dave:

Was a good time indeed , the look on your face was what made the whole trip .

The key is to hit the head and neck with sufficient blunt force trauma to kill the bird .

Velocity and shot count on neck and head wins the day.

All other shot that doesn't connect with head and neck is simply money shot all over the hillside.

Do an autopsy of the heads of the birds one shoots with the various loads , it is quite revealing.

Golden BB does not create a trend , when the outcome is predictable then one can say it is effective.

Living on the farm and doing this stuff every day has taught me to appreciate the ways that are effective.

Now back to my air rifles , have a few pcps that I am working a bell curve up for , oh Mike I am 27 for 30 head shots on sparrow out to 40 yards with the latest .177 cal BAM B - 51 , the others jumped as I pulled the trigger.

Now if I can just get the two BAM B - 51's in .22 cal to shooting half as good ! Lapping barrels , polished everything and seasoning barrels is coming along but aways to go yet .

Regards Nick

well done - Grasshopper

Smile

Member Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 1863 Location: Wisconsin

Nick you long legged ridge runner you! Looking forward to listening in on this experiment. I’m a small shot guy that’s afraid of high pressures in my old winchesters so I limit my shot to factory nines for small ones. I still use tiny shot in one barrel if I have two in the same gun. If I’m limited to one barrel, I like plated sixes moving 1,300fps+. My issue these days is killing the bird before he sees me because I can’t hear them when they’re close. I got busted twice last year by birds less than twenty yards away due to the technique I used. Gonna change it up and two-step my birds this year. I’m also working on plans to add comfort for long sits which should help too. I might be inspired to share a story this year if I have an interesting one. My eyes are still good so my chances are too if I see him before he sees me!

Reno

There are three times I think of turkey hunting: Before, during and after the season. Gil

Went after turkeys opening weekend with my recurve bow. Brought my shotgun, but left it in the truck. I got a shot at one walking away at 30 yds but just missed. So much fun! I'm going to try a turkey fan decoy mounted to my bow and see if I can sneak up on them. They call it scoot 'n shoot. Works with a shotgun too. Anyone tried this?

Hello Mark:

The decoys approach is the easiest way to kill Gobblers with a bow,

I have taken 17 gobblers with the bow , all but one was taken with cardboard cut outs painted up , best as I could with a metal clothes hanger stuck inside the corrugation , not an artist.

I wouldn't shoot past 45 feet always shooting for spine , head or just above the legs.

I think often about my 🏹 but have moved on to my air rifles , just about all I think about is air rifles and 🐿️.

Will post 🦃 pictures soon after season is over , rented a 150 hp tractor and 15 foot brush hog and busy with that , 120+ hours riding and lots of mechanical time not to mention 17 flat tires but just finished yesterday.

Back to having fun now that work is over , got a funny 🦃 tail to share will share the past few years unusual tails as well , although Skeetex and a few others already know about those.

Regards , Nick