ORIGINAL: younggun308
Of course,if I werehunting inthe woods here in TN,it would be thick enough that the farthest shot I would get would be at 30 yards, and most of the time, it's going to be much, closer, more like 15-20 yards. So I would be able to use the shotgun at close ranges, too, but many times when we're hunting on a field when the turkeys are heading for the roost, we have totake some long shots, becauseyou cancall all you want to at that time, but those turkeys are going to ignore you and go to bed, just fly up in theroost,that's why my uncle hadto shoot his turkey at 50 yards.
You never "have" to shoot. Thats the kind of thinking that cripples game. Turkey hunting, and hunting in general for me is not about how far, but about how close. I happen to shoot an 835 that will kill birds at 60 yards...and I have killed them at 56 before. However, the older I become the wiser I get. I limit myself to 40...and thats when I am not hunting with the bow...where the limit is 25. If you just want to kill turkey's...go get a .22-250...you don't have to worry about calls, or decoys or getting up early. Nay the price of shells.
I wouldn't mind getting a 10-guage, butthe ammois more expensive, less available, and the shotguns themselves cost much more, like the SP-10, it seems to cost more than the 11-87.
What stalking bear said about the ten gauge and the 3.5" 12ga is RIGHT DEAD ON THE MONEY. My 835 (which I have spent Lord knows how much time and money on, testing chokes, shells, etc etc) shoots better (as in tightness and eveness) than all buy ONE other 12ga I have ever seen. That gun belongs to my best friend...and it too is an 835. That said, I haven't seen too many 10 gauges dedicated to turkeys that can't flat out perform them. It might be close at 50...but I have shot 10 gauges in testing that will shoot a pattern at 80 yards like most guns will at 40.
My taste in turkey guns has changed over the years as well. I used to want just the tightest shooting gun around...and for the most part I have it in a 12ga. But, after barely killing a few birds at 15 yards or so with it (cause that pattern is about the size of a dixie cup), I started going back the other way again. Normally, if a turkey comes within 70 yards...he will come within 30 yards if you are set up right. More often than not....they will sneak in on you and you won't see them until they are already inside of 25.
Stop worrying about shooting birds a mile off. And also, a pump gun makes a better turkey gun, because it is less expensive and lighter in weight. Yes it kicks more...but you will never feel recoil shooting a turkey. And if you do..then you ought to quit hunting.