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Get a group of turkey hunters together and discuss loads and one can hear as many different opinions as there are hunters. Two in the freezer is certainly ample evidence that ¾ oz. of lead at 50+ yards killed those two birds, but one would be hard pressed to find anyone with considerable turkey hunting experience to agree that such a load is a desired or reliable turkey load at that range. At 50+ yards, it is too easy to wound a 20 lb. bird with any load, and certainly easier with 7.5s. I would hope that new turkey hunters faced with the challenge of killing a turkey using fair chase techniques would not complicate it further by taking risky shots with such a load at long range, and 50 yards is long range. With turkeys, make it a clean miss or a clean kill. A wounded turkey will not flutter on the ground like a wounded dove for a hunter to pick up and pop its head off. Pass up a shot with a 16 gauge or take the bird home with a 12 gauge? Either choice is admirable.
Gil

Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 972 Location: Keller,TX

Turkey hunting has evolved into a rather separate segment of the regular upland hunting scene. It is my opinion that technology has affected the thinking on the range that turkeys are harvested. I would rather call a turkey in close, than risk crippling and losing the bird by shooting at ranges longer than 35 yards. The closest I have taken a bird is 17 steps- the longest at 41 yds( lazer range finder). Only you, as an ethical hunter, are bound by your equipment and your confidence.

I have a new 12ga. x-full NEF turkey cannon, which is WAY too much gun in my opinion, and which I will probably leave at home. Anyone want to buy it? The turkey's I've killed have been no more than 25 yds., and I could have killed them with a .410, although I did use baby magnum copper 6's out of a 12ga. bps. A full choked 16 at normal ranges should be absolutely fine.

I like the self bow idea too. I hope to try that this year. Getting my long bow drawn back at 20yds. without spooking a tom would be tough, but not impossible.

The only way I've ever had a chance at a bird with my bow has been out of a "Double Bull" blind. The turkeys don't seem to mind a blind at all and it gives a fella a chance to draw unseen. Some pals have used brush blinds and had good luck. You need to be covered so you can draw without being spotted.

Gil S- you are correct,
Each and every time I have hunted with my flinter or selfbow I've had gobblers strutting around and making faces at me at 35 -40 yards. One of these times I'll bring a shotgun in the blind along with the bow and really give the 'ole boy a suprise!!

rudyc

Well I'm about to ruffle some feathers. Turkey hunting is about calling and woodsmanship. It is short range affair if the game is played right you shoot the bird at 25 yards if not the bird wins and walks away. The real benifit of this is the 2 of you get to play again another day. People try to turn Turkey hunting into a long range affair cheapen the spirit of the game. I like to hunt Turkey's and that doesn't mean I have to kill one everytime. In fact I remember more of the Turkey's I didn't shoot than the one's I did. I know its more important for some people to kill something everytime than to embrace the true spirit of spotsmanship. If you set up correctly and call that bird to 25 yards you will kill him with a Sixteen everytime. I really admire you guys that are chasing Tom's with the stick and string. I really can't wait for May. I do relize some places out west in the big open lands it may not be possible to get within 25 yards.

Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 972 Location: Keller,TX

Gil, I use hevi-shot in my Remington 870 20 bore. I would use it in any 16 bore single barrel single shot such as Silver Slayer suggested in his beginning post. I believe he was refering to the NEA and H&rR single barrel guns. I don't see the problem. Even if he did get "scouring" he wouldn't have a problem. Have you observed scouring in your gun? Does it cause any pattern problems?

Look, all I 'm saying is that in the single shot guns he mentions, hevi-shot is OK. What I didn't say is that it's OK for use in your A-5, Model 12, or your vintage double. As for 16 bore guns using hevi-shot- 870, BPS, 1100, and M 37.

I have yet to see any signs of barrel damage in my 870 and while I don't shoot hevi-shot in volume, Laughing

, It has maybe 200 odd rounds over the last 6 years.

I used an 870 Supermag on this one on Saturday--but maybe it would have been more fun with my 16 ga. Citori Superlight! (:

Not a huge gobbler (it's an Osceola, after all), but the 1 1/2" spurs were pretty impressive--at least to me.

Joined: 20 Mar 2008 Posts: 18 Location: washington

A couple potential 16 gauge turkey loads I found:

-Federal Premium Gameshok High Brass 1 1/8 ounce #4 or 6 lead shot at 1295 FPS

-Federal Premium Wingshok 1 1/4 ounce of #4 or 6 lead at 1260 FPS

-Fiocchi Golden Pheasant Load 1 1/4 ounce of #4 nickel plated lead at 1310 FPS

-Remington Express Long range 1 1/8 ounce #4 or 6 lead at 1295 FPS

These all seem like they would reliably kill turkeys out to 35 yards if not further. What are your guys' thoughts on these shells?

Every gun is a law unto its self. Pattern all those loads with the gun you want to hunt with, and let the gun tell you what it likes, and how far it will do it. Then be sportsman enough not to take the shot if the bird is not within those perimeters.

Griff

Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Posts: 694 Location: MN

Fall turkey--broke them up with the dog and called this bird in....30yds with the 16 and No 5 shot...let the dog on the right retrieve