Live From The Woods 2022 Turkey Edition

[wolc123]

Just now, Enigma said:

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. 

Keep pounding Jack.

[Enigma]

18 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

Keep pounding Jack.

Likewise 

[wolc123]

1 hour ago, Water Rat said:

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

No, only a hen in the fall.  I am not sure of the range, but I would guess about 35 yards.  I was not impressed with the performance of my Remington 870 12 ga with extra full choke and 3” #5’ lead shot and single bead sight.  She flew up into a tree, closer to me, after taking my first shot.  I was 8 ft up in another tree, behind a 3 ft barnwood wall, much like I plan on using this spring for toms.

She dropped  out of that tree, after about a minute, into a ditch, probably due to a few pellet hits in the lungs.  I shot her again in the head, from point blank range, because she was still flopping around in the water.  

I have had gobblers answer my calls in the spring and not come in, and I had one come into my call without gobbling.  He got to within 15 yards, but caught me by surprise, and I wasn’t able to get a shot off.  My first shot at a spring gobbler will most likely be with my 16 gauge.  
 

There is a slim chance it could be with my crossbow, because I have one blind location that is too close to a trailer park to use guns.  I will probably do 6 or 7 turkey hunts this spring, because I am not planning any May fishing trips with my boat. Our freezer is still very well stocked with fish, and gas prices are astronomical.  

My plan is to hunt every early May Saturday morning till 11:30 or so at my parents place, where I have two shotgun tree blinds and a “trailer park” pop-up crossbow blind.  There is a good population of turkeys over there.

I will also hunt most early May Sunday mornings at home for an hour or two before church, where I have been seeing coyotes but no turkeys.  
 
Finally, I will bring along my 16 gauge Ithaca, hen decoy, calls, and pop up blind, when we visit the in-laws, at their Adirondack retirement home over Memorial Day weekend.  I will only hunt there, if I hear turkeys gobbling while I am out on the lake fishing, in the mornings.  

On that fall hen, I never patterned the gun and I wasn’t sure of the range.  That won’t be the case this spring.  I know my limitations.  Good luck filling your tags.

Edited April 9, 2022 by wolc123

[Five Seasons]

Put in 2 blinds and 2 cell cams today. While putting in one and with George Strait going on the Bluetooth I had a hen clucking at me at like 50 yards lol


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[Five Seasons]

a few birds on the property lol

[SportsmanNH]

 

Belo , thats an awful excessive amount of decoys you put out  !  

 

27 minutes ago, Belo said:

a few birds on the property lol

 

Edited April 10, 2022 by SportsmanNH

[wolc123]

3 minutes ago, blackbeltbill said:

 

Wolc,I like you. If you are set on using the 16 with the modified Barrel, I would set your Decoy out close at 15 yards and try for a Kill at 20 yards or less. 

 I would use #4s for better bone or vertebrae  neck breaks. I don't  like 6s myself and won't  use that tiny shot as Gobblers are Tough Birds.

   You are set on this- so take that close shot.  

Decoy at 15 it will be.  I value your turkey advice Bill.  I like the bigger shot also, mostly because it’s easier to pick out of the meat. I can’t imagine having to pick 7-1/2’s out of a turkey.  6’s probably wouldn’t be that bad, 5’s were ok when I had to do it one time.   

[Buckmaster7600]

Decoy at 15 it will be.  I value your turkey advice Bill.  I like the bigger shot also, mostly because it’s easier to pick out of the meat. I can’t imagine having to pick 7-1/2’s out of a turkey.  6’s probably wouldn’t be that bad, 5’s were ok when I had to do it one time.   

7 1/2’s don’t penetrate the meat. That’s why I use them. I haven’t killed a bird with shot bigger than 6’s in years. Turkeys are easy to kill at my Turkey ranges.


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[BizCT]

a few birds on the property lol

Wtf? I’ve seen 8 or 9 together max in a pic. That’s nuts


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[Five Seasons]

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.  

Omg please don’t take that setup into the field, that’s borderline unethical.


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[Five Seasons]

I sure as heck ain’t in it for the meat 
 

Why are you hunting them?


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[Five Seasons]

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.

A lot of guys hunt with Winchester longbeard and there are even cheaper loads that can be had for around $20. That’s not a lot of money even for someone on a budget.


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[wolc123]

43 minutes ago, Belo said:

Omg please don’t take that setup into the field, that’s borderline unethical.


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Pound salt.

[Buckmaster7600]

A lot of guys hunt with Winchester longbeard and there are even cheaper loads that can be had for around $20. That’s not a lot of money even for someone on a budget.


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Not to defend him but I don’t think I’ve ever saw a Turkey load in 16ga. Never looked for one but can’t remember ever seeing one.


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[Kmartinson]

1 hour ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

Not to defend him but I don’t think I’ve ever saw a Turkey load in 16ga. Never looked for one but can’t remember ever seeing one.


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Guys are choosing to use .410, you can buy custom loads or load your own. I just wonder about choke? I'm sure it can be done but I want the advantage, I don't want to wound a bird so I'm shooting turkey loads out of a turkey choke

[Five Seasons]

8 hours ago, wolc123 said:

Pound salt.

WWJD?

6 hours ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

Not to defend him but I don’t think I’ve ever saw a Turkey load in 16ga. Never looked for one but can’t remember ever seeing one.


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that's fair. I've never looked either. He does have a perfectly good 12 though...

#6's

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/winchester-16-gauge-2-3-4-1-oz-super-x-game-loads-25-rounds?a=1589556

obviously TSS is the cream of the crop, but this could in theory last for years

https://www.rogerssportinggoods.com/Apex-TSS-Turkey-Shotgun-Shells_2

 

[Five Seasons]

5 hours ago, Kmartinson said:

Guys are choosing to use .410, you can buy custom loads or load your own. I just wonder about choke? I'm sure it can be done but I want the advantage, I don't want to wound a bird so I'm shooting turkey loads out of a turkey choke

those using small gauge guns are generally running TSS and not lead, but yes no reason a 20 or .410 with the right choke and load can't get it done better than that pattern posted above. In all seriousness, I hope he proves us wrong. Nobody wants to see a wounded bird, even if it proves us right. 

[DirtTime]

The season isn't even here yet and the threads already in the flusher.

[wolc123]

17 minutes ago, Belo said:

those using small gauge guns are generally running TSS and not lead, but yes no reason a 20 or .410 with the right choke and load can't get it done better than that pattern posted above. In all seriousness, I hope he proves us wrong. Nobody wants to see a wounded bird, even if it proves us right. 

The 16 ga #9 shot TSS ammo, that you just posted is not legal for turkey in NY, because the shot size is too small.  You best brush up on the rules, before handing out “free” advice.   Kind of like when you thought they changed the rules to require a blaze orange or pink hat AND vest for big game hunting last year, when it was really one “OR” the other.  

I suspect that the 1-1/8 oz 16 #4 Federal duck and pheasant loads that I will be using will get the job done just fine on a turkey, inside of 25 yards.    It looks like most of the more experienced turkey hunters here concur.  

For someone complaining about my ethics, How “ethical” is it to go hunting without knowing the rules ?

 

 

Edited April 10, 2022 by wolc123

[Pygmy]

I do believe that #9 shot has very recently become legal in NY...However, I would be very surprised if it were to be offered in 16 gauge in the specialty TSS loads...20 gauge and .410 are hot right now.. 16 is "too much in  the middle" and not many guns are being offered in 16 now.... Too bad.. It is an excellent upland gun and was a pretty damn good duck gun back when you could shoot lead... I currently have a Winchester M12  in 16 gauge that would flatten a gobbler every time at 35 yards ( full choke )  but I see no real reason to take it turkey hunting, since I have several 3" 12 gauge guns that will do the same thing at 45 yards...

[BizCT]

I’ll be bowhunting Turkey opening day in CT on 4/28. I assume my deer arrows/broadheads are fine?


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[wolc123]

Manner of Taking

• You must carry your hunting license and turkey permit while you hunt.
• You may hunt with a bow or crossbow.
  • You may not hunt turkey with a crossbow in the fall in the Northern Zone if you are using dogs.
• You may hunt with a shotgun or handgun only when using shot no larger than #2 and no smaller than #8.

 

-pasted from current NY state regs for those who are unsure of shot size etc and # 9 is smaller than # 8 regardless of what material it is made from. 

Edited April 11, 2022 by wolc123

[wolc123]

1 hour ago, Pygmy said:

I do believe that #9 shot has very recently become legal in NY...However, I would be very surprised if it were to be offered in 16 gauge in the specialty TSS loads...20 gauge and .410 are hot right now.. 16 is "too much in  the middle" and not many guns are being offered in 16 now.... Too bad.. It is an excellent upland gun and was a pretty damn good duck gun back when you could shoot lead... I currently have a Winchester M12  in 16 gauge that would flatten a gobbler every time at 35 yards ( full choke )  but I see no real reason to take it turkey hunting, since I have several 3" 12 gauge guns that will do the same thing at 45 yards...

Not in effect yet but pending.

There is a current proposal that would make # 9 shot legal starting in Fall, but you still need to stay with  # 8 - # 2 in the spring.

The math works out that a single # 9 TSS pellet has the same energy downrange as a # 5 lead due to its increased density and the cartridge has much better pattern density due to the smaller size and higher shot count.  Maybe I will switch to my full choke .410 next spring if this goes thru.    

As far as the 16 gauge modified choke goes, Two springs ago I called a tom into about 10 yards of my truck cap blind at home.   He came in silent and I wasn't ready with my 12 gauge full choke, so I never got a shot off.   In that situation and at that range, a modified choke would have been better.   I doubt I will get one within 25 yards this spring because they seem to have disappeared over at my folks place and I have not seen any at home in a over a year.   I will keep trying, until the bugs get too bad anyhow.    

Edited April 11, 2022 by wolc123

[Four Seasons]

41 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

Manner of Taking

• You must carry your hunting license and turkey permit while you hunt.
• You may hunt with a bow or crossbow.
  • You may not hunt turkey with a crossbow in the fall in the Northern Zone if you are using dogs.
• You may hunt with a shotgun or handgun only when using shot no larger than #2 and no smaller than #8.

 

-pasted from current NY state regs for those who are unsure of shot size etc and # 9 is smaller than # 8 regardless of what material it is made from. 

Now this sounds like something only Ny could come up with…..You may not hunt Turkey with crossbow in the fall in the Northern zone if you are using dogs…. Has anyone ever hunted turkeys with dogs using any kind of weapon?                             Typical for this state. 

[Pygmy]

43 minutes ago, Four Seasons said:

Now this sounds like something only Ny could come up with…..You may not hunt Turkey with crossbow in the fall in the Northern zone if you are using dogs…. Has anyone ever hunted turkeys with dogs using any kind of weapon?                             Typical for this state. 

Yeah....Back in the day I hunted fall birds with my springers and labs....The dogs scattered the flocks better than I ever could...Then the hunters would sit and call in the birds as they re-assembled..   My only problem was that my dogs were trained to flush/retrieve upland birds and waterfowl and were not trained  to sit while a turkey was called up and shot..

So that meant after the dogs scattered the flock, I'd have to take them home or at least back to the truck and then go back

and call up the turkeys...Usually there were 3 or 4 of us hunting together..  One time my dogs scattered a good sized flock..We were only hunting a couple miles from my house, so I took the dogs home after the break...By the time I got back, my 3 buddies had already called up and killed 3 birds...It took me another 20 minutes or so to call in and kill mine..