Or is that not sporting in your opinion.

Absolutely, I use a .22. Shoot them in the head or neck. I would say it is more sporting to use a rifle.

I think this is a great question. I'm debating shotgun or rifle right now. I can shoot 12 gauge or 243. What do you think?

Shot one with a rifle once and will never do that again. Just was no thrill for me. I use shotgun or bow and get pumped every time i kill one and have killed a ton of birds. I dont think i will ever not get a thrill when turkey huntin.

Luv2hunt, why a mere .243? Those feathers and hollow wing bones are hard to penetrate, use at least a .300 Win Mag or .338. You want to bust them down and then get a couple more shots into the head before they charge and maul you..

I shot two a couple years ago with a .270 just hit em in the head. Wasn't turkey hunted they showed up and I hadn't seen any deer!

same thing happened to me same gun and everything.

I have killed a turkey with a 300 WinMag, it was just a puff of feathers. But I did get the beard

I'm going to bring my shotgun into the deer blind with me this year for sure. A huge flock of turkeys walked right by me last night ( I was sitting in the middle of some mesquites with my nephew watching the feeder). We were watching the deer on the feeder when they started looking behind us real hard. I slowly turned my head only to see a big flock of about 25 birds walking through the mesquites towards the feeder. They walked with in 12-15 yards of us in a long line. My nephew was fidgeting from all the excitement so I gave him the job of counting every single bird without missing one. He was so psyched about his job that he concentrated real hard...the fidgeting stopped immediately. It was great.

Going to bring shotgun and rifle this year.

Say, NMBlackGold, you reckon I could use 9 shot on the turkey's if they are that close and I aim for the head? What do you think? ROTFLOL. It's just a joke, a little comic relief. I'd never use 9 shot on a turkey. 8 maybe but not 9.

Shot one in the neck once with a 7mag. I'm still looking for the head but the rest of him was good!

shot my first with a .257, taken a couple with .22 years ago. didn't mess up any breast at all

I would not consider hunting turkeys with a rifle.

In the fall yes just for the meat and to remove some hens but not in the spring.

Is my new 308 gun enough for the big turkeys?

Should work just fine on them up to this size:

i would consider it, but not for spring hunting. but i would consider using a pistol for spring hunting.

As long as it's legal I don't care what people shoot turkeys with. With that being said I only shoot them with my bow but we have tons of them.

I don't see any problems with it. I take my brother spring turkey hunting with a rifle every year. He likes to shoot my 30-30 and he gets clean head shots. Whatever it takes to get him in the woods, I'm all for it. You talk to a bird for 1/2 an hour and he only presents with a 70 yard shot from behind a mesquite bush? That's still hunting to me.

Of course i have a 222 and it works perfectly

yep

Shot Several with 17HMR and 22 mag

Fall with a rifle yes, spring, shotgun for a while, but if they Rio Grandes don't come in, no problem with a rifle.

I was considering using a .22mag, in case a Coyote shows up.

Neigher I or the gun are accurate enough for a head shot...

can you kill them clean with a shot to where the nexk meets the body ?

will be my 3 time ever since about 2004 to try for a turkey

all the turkey i have killed have been with a mini 14 .223 I like to use the FMJ if you hit them high your good

I saw one shot this past weekend with a .243 shot went in the back and blam blow the entire breast out when it exited the front. Turkey + .243 body shot = yote bait.

I have not hunted for decades so for all practical purposes, I am new to hunting.

Yes, I want to use a rifle because I have never used anything else. I don't know how to use anything else. I have never used a shotgun nor bow and arrow. I have a SKS (& a 22LR bolt action) and plan on getting in real close (15-50 yards) because it is not too accurate. I don't know why using a rifle would not be sporting because it is harder to shoot a rifle that punches a tiny 0.22-0.3 inch hole into the head/neck rather than a shotgun that blasts a huge pattern. I will also be using iron sights because I have never used a scope before and have no idea how to use a scope.

Although I want to use a rifle, if I remember correctly, you have to use a shotgun or bow & arrow to shoot turkey? The Outdoor Annual says you can not shoot Eastern Turkey with a rifle. However, I can't tell the difference between Eastern Turkey and Rio Grande Turkey, so I think I'll have to suck it up, buy a shotgun, and practice with it. After all, they all just simply look like turkeys to me.

Hey, I would like to go turkey hunting on public land. I invite any SAFE (no alcohol, never point a gun at me, etc) hunter to hunt with me so that I may learn. I don't think it's safe to go hunting alone on public land. In case I get shot by some idiot, no one will call 911 for me. I am CPR certified and i will watch your back. I will even buy you lunch at IHOP (or similar family restaurant) in return for your experience and wisdom. I have just finished hunters' ed.

Thanks,


P.S. What turkey call would you recommend, if any? I heard that it is real dangerous to use a turkey call on public land. I will probably be hunting on a weekday morning to avoid getting shot.

How about a .22-250 with a 55 grain bullet?

I have only shot one turkey in my life and it was with a .270. It was fun. Just aim at the head or base of the neck and you should be set.

i shot a turkey this past weekend with a 7mm rem mag, and had ZERO damage to the breast, the trick is to imagine where the wing meets the body and aim there, I was way above the breast, another lease member used a .270 the day before, same placement, my dad used a 12 guage #4 and a head shot, all three birds died and none had breast damage, although there was some discoloration and a possible pass through the breast with the 12 guage, but no pellet found

There is a difference between turkey hunters and turkey shooters.

Turkey shooting is in the fall, turkey hunting is in the spring......both put meat in the freezer though!

of course i would use a rifle, shotgun and bowhunting is more of a challenge though

A butterball is cheaper...

Yea, I am a turkey shooter...no question, it is a bonus on the lease, and this year there have been a TON of turkey...I do want to go turkey hunting this spring though!