Turkey with a Rifle
 

I just spoke to my cousin that lives in Florida. Apparently they allow you to hunt turkeys with whatever you want in Florida. Seems stupid to me and not very fun.

What is the general concensus of shooting turkey's with rifle cartridges?

Why would Florida allow this?

Is there much left after shooting one?

Thanks

Tom

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

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.

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

You can shoot one in Wyoming with a rifle also. I dont know too many people who do it though. I think anyone can get with in 200 yards of a turkey more like shooting then hunting.

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

I think to try and shoot one in the head with a small caliber/rimfire rifle, say 50 to 75 yardsmight be fun. I wouldnt wanna take a body shotat oneat 300yds with a 7 mag, but I'm sure some people do.

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

x2

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

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???

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

ORIGINAL: Born 2 Bow Hunt[quote/]

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???
[/quote]
AMEN shooting one at that distance with a shotgun is quite possibly more foolish than shooting one in the body with a rifle. . . . you may kill them once. . . .you may even do it again. . . but eventually shooting at that distance+ mortally wounds so many turkeys that maybe could have been the gobbler that got a kid into hunting

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

That just seems wrong to me i would never do it. to easy.

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

That of course is dependant on whether or not your equipment is acctually capable of such a shot. If you have patterned your gun at 60 yards, and you know your gun can do it, what is the difference between 40 and 60? The bird still isn't in your lap. There are plenty of folks who take shots at 45 yards whoare carrying untested firearms that in reality have no business shooting beyond 35 yards. There are even more folks who cannot tell the difference between 45 yards and 65 yards, espeically in the heat of the moment when a turkey is strutting in front of them.

I'm playing the devil's advocate here, I've got a gun that will kill birds at 60 yards, and I've patterned it that far. I've spent hundreds of dollars on ammunition, testing and retesting, and driving to and from the range.... and after all this what do I have.... a gun that can kill turkey's at 60 yards, owned by a guy who won't shoot them until they are inside 35. Sort of like Washington's Ditch ain't it?

I'd agree that potting birds with a 22-250 ain't exactly what I've come to love as turkey hunting. Matter of fact in some places just being in possession (including your vehical) of a rifle during the spring season will land you a nice citation. I think it encourages tresspassing just by delievering temptation tooften otherwise honest folks.... Ohlook, a puffy one out in someone else's field... no cars coming.... hmmmmmm....... CRACK.... PLLLUFFFFFF..... 200 yard dash.... another wildlife crime committed and without consequence.

In my opinion, next to opening day public dove hunts, turkey hunting is one of the more inherently dangerous forms of hunting from a hunter vs. hunter standpoint. Hunters wear all camo,make noise like a turkey, low to the ground like a turkey, and often behind turkey decoys. With several of the very real looking full strut decoys on the market and being widely used now, I think that rifles for turkey hunting are a serious safety concern. Even law abiding and careful hunters may not see a hunter well disguised beyond what they innocently think is a real turkey. If a turkey cannot see a hunter, I definately don't expect another hunter 100+ yards awayto either.

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

Yeah I just don't get it. Seems stupid.

Tom

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...

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.

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

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.

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.

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.

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

Sadly that is not the case. In a best case scenario at close range it may very well be, however it is possible to aim for the head and hit the body. I'm quite sure of that.

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

Its generally not legal.... therefor... I don't care about it...

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

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

Yeah, doesn't sound very fun to me either... Sounds more like target practice...

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!

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

i dont have a problem with it but what would be left of a turkey after a centerfire rifle slammed it

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

Actually more damage is done to a bird with a shotgun IME. I've never personally seen anyone eat the neck of a wild turkey, that's the only thing damaged on the bird I shot with a centerfire rifle.

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

That is a very different scenario from what I referred to on page one. Several turkeys are taken this way in states with fall seasons. At a reasonable range (I'd say a 7 Mag can handle the job at 43 yards.. I don't think we'd have any arguements there ;)). Its a pretty sure bet if the bird holds still and you have a good rest.I think that fall hunting is a non-issue regarding turkeys with riflers. People shoot them with bows from tree stands, muzzleloaders, buckshot, all kinds of stuff in the fall. My big gripe is 1) safety regarding contemporary hunting practices 2) the all to frequent opportuinty to poach a bird.

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

Yeah, I plan on using a shotgun this spring. I actually thought it was against the law to use a rifle in the spring in Texas but just checked it out and it is only against the law to shoot an Eastern Turkey in the spring with a rifle. You can shoot a Rio Grande with a rifle in the spring or fall. All I have on my property is Rio Grande's.

With my shotgun I actually think 25 yards is about my max with my current setup. I patterned my shotgun last spring and was begging for my 7 mag recoil after about 8 shots with my lightweight over/under shotgun. I didn't feel it when I shot my first ever turkey from 14 yards last spring though! :D

RE: Turkey with a Rifle
 

The last turkey I shot with a gun was #30.... I haven't felt recoil on any of them! The day you do is the day you should quit!