This year will be my first for turkey and i shoot a mosseburg 20ga with 3in shells. i havent pattered my gun yet but i was wondering what distances doI need to bird to be at to kill em?

How Far?? It's not how far, but how close can you call them in. Partner, 30yds is 90ft. Go and measure and mark how far an object isat 90ft!I don't take shots over 40yds (120ft),95% of the time they are under 30yds.
IMO, there's a difference between a Turkey Hunter and a Turkey Shooter. To each his own!

Yea that makes a hole lot of sense. I know you wanna get them close i was just wondering in case one hung up or sumthin thanks alot tho.

l2h good ?... For some one just getting into turkey hunting and not knowing much about turkey guns / chokes / turkey loads...

A 20ga is prob the minimum I would use for a turkey...

you really need to get your self some decent turkey target... Primos has some of the best... They are actual x-rays of a turkey neck... so it's like shooting at the real thingI usually burn copy's of them so I don't have to buy a lot...

Next you need a decent turkey choke... Tru-Glo, H&S Strut Undertaker are a few decent ones... Next you need some good turkey loads... As far asI'm concerend Winchester are the best!!! I would recomend 5's or 6's

MAKE SURE THERE TURKEY LOADS not upland game loads

Now for how far... I would set my first target up at 20 yards...(use a tape measure)Shot at 20 and count the hits you get in the vitals(brain/neck vertebra)

You'll hear a lot of controversy about this but I say at least 4 or 5 hits to virtals...

Try this at each yardage(20,30,35) until the number of pellets you get drop below 4 or 5... That will tell you how far you can shoot your 20 gauge

now remember you need to shot more than one target at each yardage... I like to shot 2 or 3 at the short yardages and shot maybe 4 or 5 at the farther yardages... Do a average.

Say at 30 yards you take a shot and get 4 hits in the vitals and then set another target and shot and get say 7 hits, then set another target and shot and get 1 hit you could say your averaging 4 hits in the vitals which in my opinion is the minimum

I hope this helps you not wound turkeys this springGOOD LUCK!!!

you got some good advise there. just stick to it and you will know how far.

me ; I don't shoot past 30 yards.if they hangup, just wait to another day.better that than a wounded bird to die that night.if he dies that night then you want get a chance at him tomorrow.

just make you calling so sweet that he will come in running and you can shoot in selfdefence.

I would say no more than 30 yards

Hey thanks alot everyone i agree i DONT wanna injure and bird at all thats the worst feeling in the world. Thanks once again for the advice.

my longest shot was 31 yds... and i really thought it was closer.i wouldnt of taken it if i had known, but i'm glad i did, , he's one my wall just take your gun, see what it's capable of.....dont take high risk shots or rush a shot.....take your time, if the bird hangs up, they'll always be anpther day , another bird...wounding a bird is not an option , at least for most of us...i'm sure you want it that way too......but you betterhurry , turkey season is sneaking up fast .....wooooooooooohooooooo