Hello all, I'm new to this forum and am just starting to get more into the hunting and firearms world.

I was thinking that I would like to try turkey hunting come the spring season (live in KY) and I have a browning BPS 12ga that I use for dove and was wondering what it would take to set it up for turkey and anything else I need to know before getting out there would be helpful too!

heres a pic

First off you gotta leave that bottle of Jim beam on the table.Nice gun!Real shiny..and that's one thing a turkey will notice too.I'm sure you wouldn't want to put tape on such a beautiful gun.Maybe a sock or camo dress up kit.I'm assuming it has screw in chokes.You will need to get an extended turkey choke.Such as Kicks,undertaker,star dot...most any of todays chokes are good.Next you will need turkey shot.You will have to shoot several loads to see which one patterns best in your gun.I like WInchester High Velocity Shells.I prefer #4's because they are heavier and have more knockdown...down range than 5's or 6's.Hevi-shot is also a popular choice,but you need to make sure your choke is compatable with it.You might want to invest in a set of tru-glo metal fiber optic sights.That'll get your gun going.Then after you get all the calls,clothes,and run yourself ragged,read alot of books on turkey hunting,learn alot from these good 'ole boys,Hopefully you'llget a bird after alot of hard trying.Ease back to the house,and crack that Jim beam open.'Cause you will deserve it.

I gotta agree with ranchand99 He hit the nail on the head.

Well said!!!

I have a BPS 3.5'' and the best choke combo that I have found for it is a COMP-N-CHOKE XXX FULL. Comp-n-choke is a sister company of KICKS. I really likes the Winchester 3.5'' XX 2 1/4 oz #6's.

As mentioned, the STAR DOT amazed me on my Mossberg 835, to be a $20 choke. You really need to get read of that shine. The key to a turkeys eyes are movement. We are going to move, period. So, you don't need the sun glairing off of your barrel when you do move.

If you have the extra money, buy you a shorter barrel, I like the 24'' myself. It is hard lugging around a 28'' barrel all day and it kills the arms if you have to hold it up for a while. Finding a gun/choke/load combo may take a lot of time and money, but normally just about anything is good enough to kill a turkey at 25-30 yards, we just want the "Best" out of everything.

Although reading books and listening to other people is good, nothing can count for actually getting in the woods.

The first turkey I killed:

A friend of mine tried to drag me turkey hunting for years, but like others, I assumed that turkey hunting was like dove or duck. You just shoot them off a limb or something.

So, he lent me some of his turkey hunting videos and I got interested. I went out and bought a call about a week before our opening day. It was the Knight and Hale alumistrut. Couldn't really call. All I could do at this point is yelp.

Opening day came and my friend has a ritual of hunting his own property on every opening morning. So, I went to a place that I knew had turkeys and called myself.The first time I heard a gobble, I thought it was a dog barking. It kept getting closer and closer as I called. Long story short, 15 minutes after day light I was walking out of the woods with my first long beard.

I have been hooked ever since. It is adictive.

ive got a 12 gauge bps with a modified choke. would that work for turkey??

Yes it has screw in chokes. I use a modified choke for dove, so I am guessing that I should get a full choke or something to get the pattern tighter?

Yeah hopefully soon I will be able to get myself a beater shotgun if you will, I would like something in camo since I have read how turkey's have great eyesight. But right now I am shopping for a rifle. By next season though.

Yeah turkey seems really fun, not to mention I love turkey, especially deep fried! Anyways my dad got me started with dove and now I want to branch out and try some deer and turkey!

Get you a "better gun". Dang, that BPS you have is one of the finest guns made. I love mine.
Maybe you are talking about getting you a gun "better suited" for turkey hunting? The camo stuff is good, but I don't really like camo guns. I like the black ones. All of my turkey guns are black. I am not sure why, I just never really liked the camo stuff. Like I said before, the key to a turkeys eyesight is movement.

RATMAN-
I would buy a turkey choke. If money is a problem, save up $20 and buy a STAR Dot.

my bps doesnt take screw in chokes. but i have and over-under that does and i have a couple chokes for it. could i use an over-under?

Ratman:

It must be an older BPS. Yeah, you can use an o/u for turkeys. Theres no "must use" rule of thumb. There have been plenty of turkeys killed with a Mod. choke, but I wouldn't like using one. They are mostly for wing shooting. A turkey is a hard critter to kill, so it is better to have a little tigether pattern than a wingshooting gun.

A turkey choke tube and some turkey loads and you should be good to go. It doesn't hurt to throw some truglo rifle sights on it and pattern the thing.