Turkey with a Rifle
03-19-2008, 07:55 AM
#11
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,425
RE: Turkey with a Rifle
I don't spend too much time worrying about what is legal in other states...
Dog Hunting, Baiting, Turkeys with a rifle, high wire fences, crossbows, inlines, even bows with 80% letoff, releases, carbon arrows and mechanical broadheads, have no effect on how and where I hunt...
Wnen I lived in Virginia, it was legal to hunt turkeys with a rifle...It's not legal in most states because it can be dangerous if some idiot isn't sure of his target...
That being said, the first 2 turkeys I ever killed were with a rifle...The first was in 1979, I called him in with a wing bone call that I made and killed him at about 35 yards with a .45 caliber flintlock long rifle, using 50 grs of FFF Goex...That was one of my most memorable hunts I ever had....
The second was while deer hunting, on the same farm later in the year...About 25 turkeys come out into a wheat field...I took a rest on a tree and held where the neck joins the body from 100 yards, she went down, with very little meat damage....
I moved back to my native North Carolina back in 1983 and haven't used a rifle since...I have converted the .45 to a .40 and would sure love to use it once again...
Dog Hunting, Baiting, Turkeys with a rifle, high wire fences, crossbows, inlines, even bows with 80% letoff, releases, carbon arrows and mechanical broadheads, have no effect on how and where I hunt...
Wnen I lived in Virginia, it was legal to hunt turkeys with a rifle...It's not legal in most states because it can be dangerous if some idiot isn't sure of his target...
That being said, the first 2 turkeys I ever killed were with a rifle...The first was in 1979, I called him in with a wing bone call that I made and killed him at about 35 yards with a .45 caliber flintlock long rifle, using 50 grs of FFF Goex...That was one of my most memorable hunts I ever had....
The second was while deer hunting, on the same farm later in the year...About 25 turkeys come out into a wheat field...I took a rest on a tree and held where the neck joins the body from 100 yards, she went down, with very little meat damage....
I moved back to my native North Carolina back in 1983 and haven't used a rifle since...I have converted the .45 to a .40 and would sure love to use it once again...
03-19-2008, 11:10 AM
#12
Spike
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: lubbock TX
Posts: 23
RE: Turkey with a Rifle
I plan to let my 7 year old turkey hunt with a 22mag this season. No 200 yds shots are going to be taken by him but he is going to get a chance to hunt a turkey at close range without the heavy recoil of a shotgun that may scare him away from hunting in the future.
03-19-2008, 11:40 AM
#13
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,673
RE: Turkey with a Rifle
ORIGINAL: Born 2 Bow Hunt
It is funny people say that about hunting turkey with a rifle and I agree, but isn't it also funny there are all these shot gunners who shoot them at 60 yards and brag about it???
Ya i dont like it either. Too easy it seems. Whats the fun of calling them in when u can blast one at 200 yards. The turkeys aint got a chance.
ORIGINAL: kdsberman
Ya i dont like it either. Too easy it seems. Whats the fun of calling them in when u can blast one at 200 yards. The turkeys aint got a chance.
Ya i dont like it either. Too easy it seems. Whats the fun of calling them in when u can blast one at 200 yards. The turkeys aint got a chance.
Hope you aint quoting me for the purpose of saying that "I" shoot turkeys are 60yds and brag about it. I dont shoot past 40 yards and wont EVER shoot past 40 yards.
03-19-2008, 11:48 AM
#14
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Polk County FL.
Posts: 769
RE: Turkey with a Rifle
I live in Florida and I strongly disagree with shooting them with a rifle.
I think part of the challenge and the funis getting them close enough for and shot with a shotgun or a bow.
I think if you cant get him close enough its your falt.You didnt make the right call or have the right setup.
Rilfe hunting is more like killing than hunting.
I think part of the challenge and the funis getting them close enough for and shot with a shotgun or a bow.
I think if you cant get him close enough its your falt.You didnt make the right call or have the right setup.
Rilfe hunting is more like killing than hunting.
03-19-2008, 01:37 PM
#15
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Southwest PA
Posts: 816
RE: Turkey with a Rifle
I agree with others that using a rifle to hunt turkeys is a big safety concern, but I'm still not convinced that its easier than using a shotgun.
With a shotgun theres some room for error, but with a rifle, you either hit his head or you miss and itseems like a pretty small target to me.
With a shotgun theres some room for error, but with a rifle, you either hit his head or you miss and itseems like a pretty small target to me.
03-19-2008, 07:29 PM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Where the ducks don't come no more
Posts: 4,420
RE: Turkey with a Rifle
ORIGINAL: BowHunter46
With a shotgun theres some room for error, but with a rifle, you either hit his head or you miss and itseems like a pretty small target to me.
With a shotgun theres some room for error, but with a rifle, you either hit his head or you miss and itseems like a pretty small target to me.
03-19-2008, 07:48 PM
#18
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Pikeville, Tennessee
Posts: 592
RE: Turkey with a Rifle
swampcollie i know where you're coming from totally and with the patterns my shotgun throws i have no doubt in my mind about a very long shot BUT every "hunter" in the woods doesn't spend the time or money to get a decent pattern. . . ya know i was just giving myopinionon the majority of people who actually shoot at turkeys at that distance. . . where i come from rifle hunting isn't legal for turkeys but honestly probably ALMOST an equal number of turkeys are poached with a rifle. This may not be state wide but my particular county has serious problems with poaching and i've seen the effects of both too long of shots with a shotgun and rifle poaching
03-19-2008, 08:11 PM
#20
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Posts: 1,401
RE: Turkey with a Rifle
I shot a turkey this fall with my 7mm Rem Mag.Aimed right where I would have with my shotgun. Didn't ruin any meat at all.
I passed on several shots at 80 - 100 yards before I finally couldn't resist, it stopped right in front of my deer blind at 43 yards and craned it's neck looking around and pow... Turkey dinner!
Much more exciting calling them in the spring, but it still tasted good!
I passed on several shots at 80 - 100 yards before I finally couldn't resist, it stopped right in front of my deer blind at 43 yards and craned it's neck looking around and pow... Turkey dinner!
Much more exciting calling them in the spring, but it still tasted good!