Shooting a Turkey

dragthor · 10-14-2004, 02:37 PM

I am using a 12 gauge...#6 shot. What's the max range for a good shot? 50 yards? Full choke.

mauser06 · 10-14-2004, 06:08 PM

depends on the shell and the pattern you throw......but id be willing to be its less then 40yds to be effective every time....learn your gun and its pattern so hunting time you know if a birds in range....you dont shoot to find out....i use a heavy magnum load for turkeys...3 inch remington nitro mags loaded with 1 7/8th oz of #4shot....and it patterns great....and i know i can cleanly take a bird at 40yds.....after 40yds the pelletes loose alot of energy and your #6 might not penetrate well....take it to the range and shoot some turkey targets adn find out how far you get alot of vital hits and go from there...dont shoot regular small game loads or any light loads......a 1 1/8th oz sport load of 6s is alot diffrent from a load id hunt turkeys with.....not sure how much you know so im just trying to fill you in....good luck...learn your limits and stay within them and you wont have a problem bringing down a long beard!!

dragthor · 10-15-2004, 06:03 AM

Thanks for the info... I am using 12 gauge 2 3/4 inch... 1 5/8 oz #6 full choke. I am fairly confident I can nail a turkey at 40 yards (or less). I was just asking because sometimes I read magazines and guys sometimes nail 'em at 50+ yards.

Here is my dilema.... I can hunt deer and turkey at the same time with a bow. However, if I take my shotgun for turkey...than just turkey. The NJ fall turkey is 10/25 - 10/30....which is a good deer time.

Rob/PA Bowyer · 10-16-2004, 08:47 PM

When turkeys are taken beyond 40 yards they are normally taken with a "turkey" gun. A shotgun with for 3" or 3.5" shells and chokes made to maximize patterns downrange. Personally with 2 3/4" 6 shot, I'd limit my shots to 40 and under.

buffle head · 10-20-2004, 06:19 PM

I agree with Rob/PA Bowyer and mauser06
I shoot 3.5"mag/#5 shot with a extra-full choke and I shot a turkey last week at about 35-40 yards. The bird had holes in it from head to toe, meaning that with an extra-full choke the pattern was turkey size at 35-40 yards. It was a clear unubstructed easy shot that dropped the bird but didn't kill it, it was sitting there with a broken wing. My point is that because the bird was still alive and the pattern was the size of a turkey, I would be pushing my luck beyond 40 yards (flying or not)So if you are using less than 3.5" full choke you may be pushing your luck at 35-40 yards.