TN_Hunter

Refresh our memory mauser06, just how many turkeys have you taken?

duckrivergobbler

Okay guys! Let me clarify a few things. This will be my third year to turkey hunt. So I am not a expert by any means. I have killed five turkeys in my first two years of hunting. Not bragging, just trying to let you know that I have exhaustively tried to learn alot from other hunters. The furtherest I have shot a longbeard is about 40 yards. Some of them were inside 20 yards. So I do think I shoot at ethical distances. I was not condoning shooting at 70 yards. I was trying to let you know how well they pattern. My idea of turkey hunting is not having to carry a dead one over my shoulder everytime I go. Believe me, this does not happen. Ask my wife. I go alot and go home empty handed. I think to scouting, and calling is alot more fun than the shooting. Above all the great times I have spent in the woods here in Tennessee with my son and my hunting buddy. Those memories have been the best. Like the times listening to my son making some of the most awful sounds with his diaphragm call. Laughing, but telling him that he was sounding okay. Or the time I was separated from my hunting buddy. There was a tom gobbling on the ridge between us and neither of us would quit calling and we had that gobbler going both ways. Of course, neither of us got a shot. We just wore him out. But the laughs we had with each other bragging that we both kept the big gobbler away from each other. So don't get the wrong idea. I am not that bad or unethical hunter or person.

I bet "Bear Bryant" would have been a "Turkey Hunting Warrior!"

VAhuntr

I don't mind paying for quality products. I purchased some Nitro ammo and a Rhino choke for my 3.5" Browning BPS last year. The instant I touched the trigger, I knew I had found something that I and my gun really liked! I don't mind paying 4 or 5 dollars a pop to get a turkey....and to say that it patterns so tight you might miss a turkey that is inside 20 yards....I totally agree that is very possible. It is also possible to do that with factory ammo as well. This is why you should practice with your weapon and ammo that you intend to hunt with at different distances so you will know what to expect. I'm sure we will be reading about some of those experiences in the not to distant future once turkey season gets rolling along. I take the same approach with my turkey gun as I do with my bows, rifles, and muzzleloaders. Just about everyone works with their bows, rifles, and muzzloaders to get the best possible performance out of them. Why would you not do this with a turkey gun?

I too think that the original intent of this post was misunderstood by some. I have not and would not shoot at a turkey at 70 yards with a shotgun nor would I advise anyone else to do it either. But to say that spending money for quality items is a waste of money is purely a personal opinion and nothing more.

Edited by - VAhuntr on 02/10/2003 21:44:48