good head shot or don't shoot,body shots will most likely cripple the bird and he'll get away,remember his vitals are all real small,but one or two pellets in the head or neck and he's finished,good luck

I was watching Knight&Hales hunting show last night. And what do ya know. This young hunter kills his first turkey with a body shot while sitting in Harlds lap. I guess David and Harald are not worthy of hunting with any of you guys huh????.

Yea right

Also I brought this subject up once before and every body ripped me up for this one also. About hunters taking kids out turkey hunting that are in my opinion to young to hunt. How many turkeys do you think get mamed and body shot buy these young hunters. Not one person said anything about that.

If you think about it for just a few mninute. How easy do you think it would be to accidently body shoot a gobbler at 15 yards. What do you do if the gobbler bust you at say 15 yards and starts to run. Are all you guys going to stand up and say that you would not shoot a gobbler that is running away...

You people need to get a grip. I love turkey hunting but I dont worship these animals the way most of you people do...

charle p I'm 40 and I don't have a mentor. I have more respect for a hunter that dont have prime private property And can consistantly harvest Gobblers on heavily pressured public land...

What does that have to do with a mentor?

They told the kid to take a body shot?

Not if you have to take every shortcut in the book it won't.

When you say short cuts. What kinda of short cuts do you think I take I hate to burst your bubble dude but I've never said that I shot a WILD TURKEY off the limb before.. I just said that I dont have a prob with someone doing it if it's legal... And in the state of Md as long as it's legal shooting light it's legal

Charlie P- Hats off to ya buddy

Some people just don't get it! These forums can be a real eye opener to how other so called hunter think.

That statement right there's sounds like you'de do it in a heart beat to get your wall full of beards.

Charlie P you don't by any chance have a library full of hunting video's do ya?

I do and I just add a new (old video) turkey video the other day from WV. Now that you mentioned it, I don't recall on any of them any body shots or shooting off the roost Oh, I'm guessing they're mostly filmed on private land where they run in waving a flag and yelling shoot me shot me

Good point Bobgobble2 As I posted last time, "some people just don't get it!"

He's right on both statements. Yes, I edited the 2nd one, but just to clarify.

No, I've not intentionally body shot a turkey, but I've not intentionally missed one either. I do, however recall shooting over a bird that walked into a terrain depression just as I shot. The bb's whizzed right by and he was off! To add insult, I short pumped the slide and jammed the next round. My hunting buddy was 10 yards to my right and flat out thumped that Tom as he was running straight away. When the smoke cleared, it looked like someone shoved a grenade into a down filled pillow.

My point here is that he harvested that newly "educated" bird with a body shot. The distance was nearly 18 steps... closer to yards. The shell was just a 3" Federal #5, the gun was a basic scoped 1300 pump and I watched it all happen.

Now before you folks start tossing goonies my way, please know that I prefer to head / neck shoot turkeys. I would also never roost / limb shoot any turkey. I hunt only on public land and do know how tuff it can be. Public land in PA is notorious for more hunter sightings, often closer to "turkeys" themselves, than actual hunters.

#1 - You CAN ethically harvest a turkey with a body shot. Yes, I agree there are factors. Knowing your gun, shooting it often and being proficeint with it are key. Knowing your shell and what it can do at hunting ranges. Make good decisions and you'll prevail.

#2 - Contrary to what a couple people suggested in this post, turkeys feathers are not close to bulletproof. For those of you that shouted not to shoot a turkey in the body at 10 yards... Good Grief! Tell me that you don't honestly think a turkey shotgun with turkey rated ammo isn't going to destroy a bird at 10 / less yards? Wow... if you do, then think again.

For those that will jump on in here and say that they did it at 5 yards and the bird gave them the Clint Eastwood squint before flying off... well, simply know this... you missed. For those that have to say, "I got feathers off 'em!" Well know this... 90% of your pattern went by without so much as a hand shake or a smile.

Don't believe me? Ok... go get yourself all the feathers off of 2 full sized Toms and fashion them any way you like into a circle that will cover your behind. Now make a cardboard cut out of your butt and nail it to a stick that can be pounded into the ground in front of a suitable shooting backstop. Don't get funky now... this ain't no freak show.

Now, with your butt cover of magic turkey feathers taped to the cardboard likeness of your backside, shoot your fake 6 in the rump with a turkey gun. If you're 10 yards or closer, you're cardboard likeness is in a world of trouble. Had it been a real person, they'd be graveyard dead before the ambulance left the station. How do I know? Take a look at the cardboard and you'll see. The thought that some have little expectations from such a powerful weapon is scary. So the nay sayers say... Oh yeah? Who are you to say?

Nobody really. Other than I've seen less powerfull weapons kill real people at much greater distances. Ironically, I know of 2 within as many years that were shotgun related, both from low brass promo shells... one a #6 shot and the other #7, that killed real people at over 35 feet. The assigned medical examiner stated at autopsy, (the 2nd shotty death I was on scene for), that of all firearm related deaths in her 10 year career, a shotgun has proven the worst destroyer of life at close range bar none.

Ok... blah blah, yada yada... all that said for THIS reason... Respect the power of the tool you have in your hands in the turkey woods. Some of you have no idea of what it can really do. Don't get your feathers ruffled here peeps, that was not my intent, just think safety. If you do get bent, oh well... see death from a shotgun up close and you'll think again. Hopefully you won't have to.

Thank you!!!!!!