Jollyarcher

Since it's common to see a boat load of info geared to patterning shotguns, I wondered just how many of us don't bother to pattern at all?

Is it safe to say that's a trait of the uninformed hunter or are their veterans that choose not to test pattern as well?

How many can say that they ever took to the turkey woods a combo that's not been checked on the pattern board? Just curious...

buttonbuckmaster

I did once....killed a bird, too. Had to borrow my dads Ithaca 37 because my shotgun got "lost" when my ex wife was moving out of the house. Me thinks she took it.[:@] I got an 870 to replace it and pattern it every year.

OntElk

Man, patterning is only half the equation. What about practice! I pattern and then shoot some Pepsi cans in feild situations. I like Pepsi 'cause it has those turley colors and is about the size of a turkey head. Stick 'em on a stick and put them popping up over a log, just beside and behind a tree, in some thicket, and at all different ranges.

I not only trust the pattern, I trust I have squeezed the trigger in whatever situation I might be in.

Not patterning would be a little nerve racking for me. Nerves are bad enough out there

Jollyarcher

I agree 110% and actually enjoy the patterning process. Along with the side benefit of trigger control / gun handling familiarization. Taking it to a field level scenario like OntElk is the ultimate practice session.

I can recall being a brand new, wanna-be turkey hunter with no one in my family hunted turkeys. I had little to no guidence outside of my own shotgunning, which I pretty much did all on my own as a youth. Seemed like when I was old enough, no one wanted to go.

I took to the woods at 16 with a never before patterned gun. Age 16 was the "legal to go alone" age in PA. Looking back, I'm glad I never got shot, as I suspect a wounded bird may have resulted.

Washington Hunter

I rarely ever go out and pattern my gun. It's not that I'm lazy or irresponsible, I just don't feel the need to. I shoot the same loads each year out of the same gun using the same choke. I've taken 5 birds in 5 years and only patterned my gun the first year when testing out differen't chokes.

Rebel Hog

If you're using same gun,choke and ammo every year
I don't see any need. If I change choke or ammo, I
would. I try to buy 1/2 a case of ammo that gave me a
good pattern so I'll have the same lot #'s to keep shooting
for a couple of years.

knifemakerbill

i pattern and practice each year, as i don't want to miss again! missed one at 10 yards last season because my doctored up 870 wingmaster shoots a slug at that range! tried to get him on run off, but i short-stroked the pump and caught the ejecting shell. time i cleared it, he was over the ridge. [:@] first miss in 12 turkey and 2 coyotei try all the new shot shells that come out and compare them to the ones i shoot now, and would swap if anything beat the Federals i am now shooting, but that would take some doing. best pattern last year , with witnesses!, at a measured 40 yards was 192 shot in 8x11 turkey head target

Aught Six

I don't pattern much. I use the same shotgun, choke, and ammo as always, so before each season I'll fire one or two shells at 25 and 35 yards each and be done with it. I shoot my shotgun a lot, and I feel pretty confident about my handling.

Mr. Longbeard

I pattern my gun every year faithfully!!!!! I'm always trying new chokes and different ammo... The turkeys I hunt don't come easy!!! If i miss one I know what to blame it on and it wont be my gun

Rebel Hog

Mr. Long, It's not the gun , it's the gunner.