Rifle Hunting Turkeys; Anyone here do it?

[Pulpwood]

Ok guys y'all shoot those toms with whatever you like but you are missing the true art of turkey hunting. If you have some many that they are a pest , please contact one of us good ole boys and we will help you with that problem

 

[puttnpurr]

I'm all for using a rifle if you are under 14 years old. It would be one way to get kids into hunting, easier to get their first or second bird. Center of mass above leg joint, makes a happy kid. How about shooting copper bullets at geese on a pond with a rifle? Or ducks? How would that be different?

 

[Pulpwood]

My dad had me shooting turkeys at 6 with a single shot 410 , loved it ever since (1968)

 

[swe123]

In Texas it is legal to hunt Rio grande hens and toms during fall dear season but not the Eastern Turkey. At one time no Rim fires were allowed. During the spring turkey season, tomes only with only one eastern can be taken with a shot gun only.

So we will try to get a hen during rifle season for Thanksgiving and occasionally a tom if he presents himself. I have heard some say that it was not sporting and my reply is what's sporting about using a shot gun at 20 or 30 yards compared to a rifle head shot at 300+yards.

We don't do body shots for a good reason. Most of the time we are hunting with a deer rifle and the damage is not acceptable. (At least in our camp).

J E CUSTOM

Same here.

 

[Pulpwood]

Same here.

The sport of turkey hunting is to call the Tom to within that 20-30 yds that you mentioned, shooting a Tom in the head at 300 yds with a rifle is a shooting challenge not a hunting one (yes I understand this is a long range shooting forum) most people don't shoot turkeys in the head at 300 yds .

 

[Brownth2]

I do, much checking than using a shotgun. I use a CZ 452 Ultra Lux in .22LR open sights. Range is only about 20-40 yds but it's a blast. Either clean kill or complete loss, lol. I mostly do fall turkey from a ground blind. As a side note: I know it's legal to hunt turkey with a rifle in Michigan so I'm assuming it's legal to use .22LR.

 

[just_jon]

I've taken a number of PA fall birds with 222 Rem (Tikka 512S 222 over 12 gauge) and 22 Hornet (Savage 24V Hornet over 20 gauge). Back in the day, you could identify the hard core turkey hunters because they carried either a Tikka or Savage O/U in the fall.

 

[swe123]

The sport of turkey hunting is to call the Tom to within that 20-30 yds that you mentioned, shooting a Tom in the head at 300 yds with a rifle is a shooting challenge not a hunting one (yes I understand this is a long range shooting forum) most people don't shoot turkeys in the head at 300 yds .

How is shooting a turkey any different than shooting any other game animal?

 

[wyowinchester]

Nothing. I can identify with the Adrenalin rush. Called in my first bow kill elk at 10 yds. You'll want to do it again.

 

[Pulpwood]

How is shooting a turkey any different than shooting any other game animal?

Honestly if you ask that , you really don't understand turkey hunting. It's like calling in a bull elk bugling at you from 15 yds . It's worlds apart from shooting anything at 400 yds with a rifle. Don't get me wrong I do that too , it's just not the same. If you have never done either there's nothing I can say that you would fully understand

 

[Gone Ballistic]

Illegal here in Idaho. Can't imagine what would be left of a turkey if you didn't hit its head with a bullet. Nothing to mount, nothing to eat and nothing to pack back to the truck!

 

[swe123]

Honestly if you ask that , you really don't understand turkey hunting. It's like calling in a bull elk bugling at you from 15 yds . It's worlds apart from shooting anything at 400 yds with a rifle. Don't get me wrong I do that too , it's just not the same. If you have never done either there's nothing I can say that you would fully understand

I've done both. Called in yotes, rattled bucks, etc. What I'm talking about is shooting turkey in the fall during deer season. I love spring turkey season.

 

[just_jon]

Do not confuse hunting love sick gobblers in the spring with fall hunting. Fall hunting in the East is all about breaking up a flock and imitating the sound of a hen recalling the flock. Easier said than done. I've tracked flocks all day only to have them all break in the same direction and assemble another mile out the ridge. When done right, you will have a target rich environment with shots ranging from 10 to 150 yards.

 

[wyowinchester]

Illegal here in Idaho. Can't imagine what would be left of a turkey if you didn't hit its head with a bullet. Nothing to mount, nothing to eat and nothing to pack back to the truck!

Don't shoot at anything but the head. It's dead or you missed.