tealboy

It looks like hunting with a 22 rim fire in Florida is legal. Can you confirm? I have an 8 yr old who has an interest in trying to get her first turkey but at this age, a shotgun is too much to handle. A friend suggested a 22 rimfire. The regulations suggest weapons excluding semi auto centerfires with magazines larger than 5 rounds are ok. That would mean 22's are fine.

Does anyone know for sure.

mauser06

even if legal, where the heck are you going to have her aim???


a turkeys head is small and ALWAYS moving...

a 22 rim fire to the body will just lead to a wounded and never found turkey...

sure it MIGHT work with a perfect shot...but i would never recommend it...

lots of ways to make a shotgun not recoil much...

or at the very least you could pattern the gun, teach her how to properly hold it and shoot it..let her shoot some really light field loads...then put the real turkey loads in when shes hunting...she wont notice the recoil when shes hunting if shes holding the gun right and it fits her...(that would be with a youth 20ga...) the big thing with kids is the stock is usually too long (stocks are cheap enough you can buy one and have it cut down to fit her) and the gun doesnt fit the kid and the kid doesnt hold the stock properly and it knocks the snot out of them...same with adults...ive watched alot of grown mean get the poop knocked outta them from guns that they shouldnt have...holding it properly and having it fit properly is 90% of the battle....i watched a 20yr old guy get whacked in the face over a 243 this rifle season...bloody face and all...but ive seen him shoot before...hes afraid of recoil and doesnt hold the gun properly so in turn, he makes the matters worse by not holding it right...

superstrutter

Please don't let your 8 yr. old attempt to take a turkey with a .22. If she won't shoot a shotgun, then just wait until she is ready. Mauser makes a lotsense in what he said. Take our advice. I'm sure there will be more to follow.

tealboy

Ok. sounds like good advice. I really never thought about it before until my friend said that was how his son got his first turkey. Maybe he got lucky but he was 8 and the shot was placed in the breast, frontal, near the neck. Frankly, my plan was to allow her to shoot and I planned to follow up with an immediate shot with the shotgun. It's still risky I suppose.

I think i will look into getting a 410 and attempting a close shot. I have access to one designed for kids.

SwampCollie

The follow up blast from your shotgun will probably scare her a lot more than the recoil from a shotgun would.

A .410 is better than a .22, but I'd still go for a 20 gauge. I wouldn't let her shoot it until she is killing a turkey.... she'll never feel the recoil. Show her how to aim, practice with a couple dry fires, let her shoot her .22 in practice, and let her kill a bird.

OntElk

excellent advice given. Let her shoot a really light load and just put the turkey load in for the hunt. I hate recoil on the range but I think you could slip a cannon on my shoulder to shoot at the moment I'm killing a bird and I wouldn't notice the recoil. Your mind is just in a different place when you're actually in the hunt. My daughter is 7 but we can't let our kids hunt until 12 yrs old here. I think she's still a couple years away from being ready but it sure would be nice to have the option like you do. Enjoy!

kdsberman

Wait...did you say "hunting"?

the critter

man dont let her shoot a bird wiht a 22, its almost impossible to knock a turkey down with one. Get her a little 20. gauge or a if not a 410.

2 Lunger

Go with the 20ga. It really doesn't kick much more thana 410.

SouthernStrut56

I agree with the 20 gauge, they dont kick as much as you think they will. i took my remington 20 ga to a get together the other day and let a few guys shoot skeet, they were amazed at how little it kicked. Also if you're sittin behind her with the gun tight to both of your shoulders, so your shoulder takes some of the recoil too, it wont be bad at all. But as much as you would think earplugs would help her, dont use them. That would make the hunt that much more difficult because youd be tellin her to shoot and she wouldnt hear you. She wont feel the kick or really hear it during the hunt, too much adrenaline flowing and other things on your mind other than recoil and sound from the gun. I would not suggest a 22 rimfire either, theres a lot of feathers to get through, plus you would have to make a perfect shot like the others said. You definitely wouldnt get a head shot on a turkey without all the stars lined up and a lot of luck on your side. Look into a good 20 gauge. Its a good beginners turkey gun, plus she could use it for turkeys her whole life if she wanted to, with a good choke on it. Good luck!