Live From The Woods 2022 Turkey Edition

[BizCT]

In CT the hunting hours for Turkey are until sunset instead of noon like NY. Are afternoons worth trying?


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[wolc123]

I am gearing up, just swapped out the “deerslayer” barrel for the modified choke, on my 16 gauge, Ithaca featherlight.   Hopefully, the weather will cooperate for some range/patterning time this weekend. 
 

I looked at my ammo supply.  I have high brass lead shot # 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7-1/2.   I will dial it in with the 6’s at 25 yards (I have the most of those), then check the others.  
 

I only have a few of the # 5’s, which is what I used in 12 gauge, 3” from an extra-full choke on my only turkey, several falls ago.  

I am going to guess that I will use a # 6 for the first shot, a # 5 for the second, and follow those up with (3) # 4’s in the tube.  I will bring along  a couple # 2’s , in case a finisher is required. 

Edited April 7, 2022 by wolc123

[518BowSlayer]

Saw 3 strutters in a field with maybe 7 - 10 unidentified turkeys yesterday while driving. Getting excited now

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[DirtTime]

How did the new turkey slayer pattern for you @blackbeltbill?  Post up some pictures here.

 

 

Seeing some tracks in the mud and been seeing them in the fields strutting already. On the way home from a hike last week, I saw a tom chasing a jake across the road. Thier heads were as red as could be.

[wolc123]

On 4/7/2022 at 1:13 AM, blackbeltbill said:

Post up your targets here after you shoot

 

I patterned the Ithaca 16 ga model 37 Featherlight with it’s modified choke barrel today.   As far as I know, this may have been the first or second time that barrel was used.
 

 No scope adjustment was necessary, as the first few shots with big paper indicated that the shot pattern was well centered on the 1.5 Weaver scope’s point of aim at 25 yards.

These Federal #4 high brass duck & pheasant loads came out on top, putting an average of 4 pellets into a 2.5” circle at that range, so they are what I am going with.  There is (15) left in the box, so I should be good for a few years of turkey hunting.

I will set my hen turkey decoy up about 20 yards from my blind and hope that a tom gets in closer than 25 yards. 

 I tried various others including high and low brass Remington # 6’s, high brass Win #5’s, all of which averaged less pellets in the circle at that range.  High brass # 7-1/2’s averaged 6 pellets in, but I don’t want to pick all them little lead pellets out of a turkey.
 

Only the high brass Federal #2’s put no pellets in the circle at 25 yards.  I will carry a few of those while hunting, in case a point blank “finisher” is needed.  

[wolc123]

40 minutes ago, blackbeltbill said:

   Wolc- with that Modified Barrel you should limit yourself to around 25 yards.  Point of Target,I go for is Mid Neck.  

That is my plan. 

[Water Rat]

Who in there right mind would use a 16 gauge shotgun with an modified choke for turkey hunting ? Sorry wolc 123 but that is the worst turkey patterning shotgun on paper that I’ve ever seen. 

[Buckmaster7600]

Who in there right mind would use a 16 gauge shotgun with an modified choke for turkey hunting ? Sorry wolc 123 but that is the worst turkey patterning shotgun on paper that I’ve ever seen. 

It’s an absolutely terrible turkey pattern both in gaps and lack of shot but it will kill a bird as long as he doesn’t try to stretch his range Its a much better option than his cockamamie plan of using the 410.


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[wolc123]

I sure as heck ain’t in it for the meat (even “farm raised” turkeys taste like dry cardboard to me) and I have already killed one with an extra full choke 12 ga & 3” #5 load, not finding much challenge in that.  If I can punch one of my spring tags with that 16 gauge, then I will try for the other one with a crossbow.  
 

I am ok with limiting my maximum range to 25 yards.  Part of the challenge is getting them in close.  I think I did use that modified barrel for grouse one time, about 40 years ago, firing about 15 shots at about 10 birds and not so much as knocking a feather off of one of them.  It is high time that I gave it another chance.  
 

The Weaver 1-1/2 power scope ought to help with a turkey.  That gun, with it’s deerslayer barrel and that scope has never failed to put a deer that I have shot it at, into my freezer.  All those missed grouse were with the bead sight on the modified barrel and one missed buck was with the open sights on the deerslayer barrel. 

1 hour ago, Water Rat said:

Who in there right mind would use a 16 gauge shotgun with an modified choke for turkey hunting ? Sorry wolc 123 but that is the worst turkey patterning shotgun on paper that I’ve ever seen. 

 

[Water Rat]

On 3/22/2022 at 12:33 PM, wolc123 said:

Sometimes there’s more to it than simple math.  I think my odds of a quick clean kill would be considerably higher, with my scoped 16 gauge and modified choke, than it would be with my single bead 12 gauge, with extra full choke.  

I think you got it ass backwards especially after how I saw the 16-gauge pattern for you.

[wolc123]

1 minute ago, Water Rat said:

I think you got it ass backwards especially after how I saw the 16-gauge pattern for you.

I guess we might find out after May 1st.  I had to put two of those 3” 12’s into a hen to kill her a couple falls ago.  I am think that the scoped 16 might be able to take out a tom this spring with one shot. Just a few more weeks to go and I am ready.

[Water Rat]

On 4/6/2022 at 9:43 PM, wolc123 said:

I am going to guess that I will use a # 6 for the first shot, a # 5 for the second, and follow those up with (3) # 4’s in the tube.  I will bring along  a couple # 2’s , in case a finisher is required

Is this part of the challenge you spoke of ?

[Water Rat]

8 minutes ago, blackbeltbill said:

Pattern a bit more. Think Neck- not Head. Part of the Pattern will always fly high.

Patterning a bit more won't do anything. Blackbeltbill..... how can you of all people condone this set up. Would you ever consider hunting with a modified 16-gauge shotgun for turkey hunting ?  

[Enigma]

5 hours ago, wolc123 said:

I patterned the Ithaca 16 ga model 37 Featherlight with it’s modified choke barrel today.   As far as I know, this may have been the first or second time that barrel was used.
 

 No scope adjustment was necessary, as the first few shots with big paper indicated that the shot pattern was well centered on the 1.5 Weaver scope’s point of aim at 25 yards.

These Federal #4 high brass duck & pheasant loads came out on top, putting an average of 4 pellets into a 2.5” circle at that range, so they are what I am going with.  There is (15) left in the box, so I should be good for a few years of turkey hunting.

I will set my hen turkey decoy up about 20 yards from my blind and hope that a tom gets in closer than 25 yards. 

 I tried various others including high and low brass Remington # 6’s, high brass Win #5’s, all of which averaged less pellets in the circle at that range.  High brass # 7-1/2’s averaged 6 pellets in, but I don’t want to pick all them little lead pellets out of a turkey.
 

Only the high brass Federal #2’s put no pellets in the circle at 25 yards.  I will carry a few of those while hunting, in case a point blank “finisher” is needed.  

Those patterns suck. Try again with something else or stay home May 1st.

[wolc123]

2 minutes ago, Enigma said:

Those patterns suck. Try again with something else or stay home May 1st.

Pound salt, I’m going with what I got.

[Pygmy]

I'm surprised the 6s or 7 1/2s did not outperform the 4s at 25 yards... 25 yards is a chip shot in turkey hunting....Most of the shotguns in my safe would kill a gobbler at 25 yards with skeet or trap loads...

[Buckmaster7600]

Patterning a bit more won't do anything. Blackbeltbill..... how can you of all people condone this set up. Would you ever consider hunting with a modified 16-gauge shotgun for turkey hunting ?  

It’s a terrible pattern that’s not arguable. But there isn’t a spot on that piece of paper for a Turkey head to be without getting enough pellets to kill it. I certainly wouldn’t hunt with it, hell I wouldn’t own a shotgun that shot that bad of a pattern at 25yds but it will certainly kill a bird. I’m not that old but I’m old enough to remember most everyone I knew hunting with mod or full barrels and heavy game loads and plenty of turkeys were killed.


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[wolc123]

31 minutes ago, Pygmy said:

I'm surprised the 6s or 7 1/2s did not outperform the 4s at 25 yards... 25 yards is a chip shot in turkey hunting....Most of the shotguns in my safe would kill a gobbler at 25 yards with skeet or trap loads...

I expected more from the 6’s, but I am glad that the 4’s did better.  All the 6’s that I used were Remingtons.  That’s what I have always used for rabbits. They have worked very well for them with my side by side.  Most shots at those are under 20 yards, and it is choked I/C and mod.  
 

Only the 7-1/2’s averaged more pellets in the 2-1/2” circle than the 4’s and just two more.  Those are what I use for grouse from the side by side.
 

 I am glad that I won’t be wasting any of my good rabbit or grouse ammo on turkeys, because I actually like the taste of rabbits (not as much as squirrels), and grouse (by far my favorite bird). 

I’ll do my best to limit my range to 25 yards on a turkey with that gun.  I will take my laser range finder and verify that my decoy is at 20 yards.   And yes Bill, I will center the crosshairs on the neck instead of the head.  At least those big #4’s will be easy to pick out of the breast, if any strike there. 

If I do any more “patterning”, it will be on “live targets” in May.  
 

 

 

Edited April 9, 2022 by wolc123

[Water Rat]

12 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

It’s a terrible pattern that’s not arguable. But there isn’t a spot on that piece of paper for a Turkey head to be without getting enough pellets to kill it. I certainly wouldn’t hunt with it, hell I wouldn’t own a shotgun that shot that bad of a pattern at 25yds but it will certainly kill a bird. I’m not that old but I’m old enough to remember most everyone I knew hunting with mod or full barrels and heavy game loads and plenty of turkeys were killed.


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No argument there. But why not pattern your xtra full 12-gauge shotgun instead of letting sit at home ? It's got to pattern better then the 16-gauge. Just because you don't want to buy ammo is no excuse for a quick and humane kill.

[wolc123]

1 minute ago, Water Rat said:

No argument there. But why not pattern your xtra full 12-gauge shotgun instead of letting sit at home ? It's got to pattern better then the 16-gauge. Just because you don't want to buy ammo is no excuse for a quick and humane kill.

It lacks a receiver mounted scope and that’s the deal breaker on that.   No living thing has survived my Ithaca 16 gauge when my crosshairs were on it when I pull the trigger.  

[Water Rat]

You don't need a scope at 25 yards. 

[Buckmaster7600]

No argument there. But why not pattern your xtra full 12-gauge shotgun instead of letting sit at home ? It's got to pattern better then the 16-gauge. Just because you don't want to buy ammo is no excuse for a quick and humane kill.

It’s wolk, nuff said….


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[Water Rat]

Excuse me wolc123 but have you ever shot a gobbler in the spring ?

[Water Rat]

Best of luck wolc123 , I just hope you have a good pair of track shoes. You might need them to chase after the gobbler when you shoot. In all seriousness , I hope your plan works for you. It's a bit unorthodox to say the least but stranger things have happened. You might find out eventually that experience is the best teacher. Good luck !

[Enigma]

1 hour ago, wolc123 said:

Pound salt, I’m going with what I got.

With all due respect, stick to what you know. Trolling the deer hunting threads here. Leave the turkey hunting stuff to those that are serious about it and give a shit. 

That being said, if you want to kill a bird 5.1, PM me. I have several turkey guns that shoot lights out and the places to kill birds. Be more then happy to sit with you. Just quit being a douche.