I have deer, hog and bird hunted my whole life but for some reason never turkey hunted. We are on a new lease this year and I have seen about 20 turkeys at different times? I have a couple questions...

Can I shoot one right now? Is it best to take a 12 gauge with me for one? Could I sit in a bow stand to turkey hunt so that I'm closer or just sit on the ground? I know you can't shoot them while they're roosting, but when is the best time?


All help is appreciated...

Obviously if you want to kill one with your shotgun you will have to be close. So, if you can pattern them and find a place they pass by everyday like a particular fense crossing or such you can set up an ambush. Must be able to sit extremely still and full camo is extremely helpful.
You can also get the turkeys scattered (you choose how) and get in between some of them and wait 10 - 15 minutes or maybe longer and then call them as if it was spring. One or more may run right up on you.
Or you could just plunk one with your rifle. This would also scatter them and you could try your luck at calling one in. If no luck you would still have one to tag.
One last note. Turkeys can make you look so stupid sometimes so don't get too annoyed if nothing I have said works. To harvest turkeys regularly takes lots of experience and some luck.

Cr, you can shoot a hen or tom in the fall with shotgun or rifle or bow. Season is same dates as deer season. The spring season is toms only and only shotgun or bow. With shotgun I wouldn't want to be more than 30-40 yds away. Spring is the best time. That is mating season. That's when decoys, calling, come unto play

Quetion please... In the spring season 'shotgun only' comment apply only to Eastern, and not Rio?

rios are shotgun only or bow as well, you cannot use a rifle at all in the spring season

I'm probably missing it, but I only see that applying to Easterns?

Means and Methods
Firearms
• Game animals and game birds may be hunted with any legal firearm, EX CEPT:
• white-tailed deer, mule deer, desert bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope may NOT be hunted
with rimfire ammunition of any caliber.
• shotguns are the only legal firearm that may be used to hunt Eastern turkey during the spring
Eastern turkey season (see County Listings). Rifles and handguns may not be used to hunt
E astern turkey.
• pellet guns and other air guns are NOT LEGAL .
• fully automatic firearms are NOT LEGAL .
• firearms equipped with silencers or sound-suppressing devices are NOT LEGAL .
• a shotgun is the only legal firearm for hunting migratory game birds (see Definitions - Legal
Shotgun, pg. 68).
• Nongame Animals (Non-Protected): Any lawful firearm, pellet gun, or other air gun is legal.
• Magazine Capacity (number of shells/cartridges allowed): There are no restrictions on the number

talkturkey i stand corrected. You MAY use a rifle during spring turkey for rio gobblers. See below previous thread i found regarding your question

Texpppr,
You are absolutely correct in your interpretation and understanding of the TP&W rules and regulations when it comes to hunting Rio Grande gobblers (not Easterns) in the spring and the use of a high powered rifle to accomplish the task.

Now that being said, please see my original post on the thread “It’s here, It’s here!!” and please add this to the text at the end of the original post……


4.)
Do not use a scoped rifle! YOU’RE MISSING THE EFFEN POINT OF SPRING TURKEY HUNTING!!


I will eventually get off my soap box....probably about Aprl 2nd, when I will be in the field all the time and not posting on the THF....If potting one that's strutting in a field with a rifle is all your friend has time to do then by all means, get after it.......but calling one up close and shooting him in the face as he gobbles his effn head off is what Spring Turkey hunting is about. Like some others I've seen in other threads already popping up on the Turkey forum, I'm not asking to hunt...I will simply come call one up for you just so you can experience it! I gurantee you will be a turkey hunting addict when we're done....or a drunk....or both! Welcome to the Brotherhood!

I agree with that philosophy... NOTHING more fun and exciting than calling a tom up in spring with a bow or shotgun! Just didn't know if I was missing what was legal vs. preference. Thanks again.

I also thought hunting them over bait was illegal? They seem to like going to our deer feeder. I researched and could only find it illegal for Eastern Turkeys in the Spring. Am I missing a section?

Huntign over a feeder is legal in Texas for turkey spring or fall. Callign in gobblers is a lot of fun in hte spring. To me that is the most fun hunting there is

Thanks i will use this too

Spring turkey is around the corner. Be here soon enough.

You might want to be at Bass Pro Grapevine TX this morning at 11am. Free turkey hunting seminar for beginners and intermediates presented by NWTF, followed by state calling championship at 2pm. Good place to start.

Dang, I live 15 minutes from Bass Pro in Grapevine. I missed that seminar.