Selecting and Patterning a Shotgun for Turkey Hunting

Selecting and Patterning a Shotgun for Turkey Hunting A Beginner’s Guide Note: The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author’s.

Your mission as a responsible turkey hunter is clear: • Know the absolute range (in yards) at which YOUR PERSONAL shotgun can consistently: – Put 6 or more pellets in the turkey’s vertebrae (spine) and brain… – And/or put 100 or more pellets in a 10” circle. • This will ensure a quick, humane kill.

Why pattern your shotgun? • Establishing a gun’s maximum effective range is critical because: – Ethical hunters know their limits. – Ethical hunters avoid needlessly crippling birds. • Other benefits of patterning: – Gain confidence in your skills. – Range practice helps eliminates mistakes in the field.

Why are spine/head shots important? • A shot to the bird’s nervous system drops him in his tracks (he’ll flop, but won’t go anywhere). • A turkey’s wing feathers are tough and thick. – Pellets will bounce off at farther distances! • A turkey’s vital organs (heart and lungs) are deep inside the bird, making them hard to penetrate. • Wounded birds don’t leave a blood trail, making them hard or impossible to recover. • Less damage to the tasty breast meat!

Key shotgun patterning variables • • The shotgun choke. Shot size, pellet count and pellet energy. Turkey-specific shotgun sites (front and rear sites or scope).

Shotguns for turkey hunting: • You don’t need a fancy gun to kill turkeys! • A 12 or 20 gauge shotgun with a plain, unfinished wood or black synthetic stock works just fine. • Guns with a “Parkerized” finish are best. – This is a non-glare (not “blued”) finish that also withstands field abuse. – Use camo tape or a “gun sock” to minimize glare from stocks and barrels.

Shotguns for turkey hunting: • You don’t need a special turkey barrel, pistolgrip stock or permanent camo. – Not that those are bad, but they’re not critical. • A standard 26” or 28” barrel (21” for a youth gun) works great. – Guns that fire a 3” length shell give you more flexibility than 2 -3/4” only guns. • For best results, use a shotgun with a “screwin” choke design.

Some popular pump shotguns costing less than $450: • Remington 870 Express (3”) or 870 Express Magnum (3. 5”) – Available in 20 ga. youth models • Mossberg 500 • Benelli Nova – Available in 20 ga. youth models • Charles Daly Field Grade – Available in 20 ga. youth models • Stoeger Industries P-350 – Also makes an affordable semi-automatic shotgun • H&R (Harrington & Richardson; includes guns from New England Firearms) – Available in 20 ga. youth models – Also sells very affordable single-shot guns – Takes chokes compatible with “Browning/Winchester/Mossberg”

Popular shotguns-2: • The author personally believes that one shotgun can be use for almost every type of game bird: – For about a decade, he used a Remington 870 Express Magnum (26” barrel, black synthetic stock) for turkey, geese, pheasants and the occasional duck, grouse and rabbit. – Good fortune recently enabled adding an auto-loading shotgun that holds shells up to to 3 -1/2”, which also gets used for all game, plus sporting clays. – The author also added a 20 gauge 870 Express youth gun specifically for loaning to beginning hunters.

Screw-in chokes: you want one! • A shotgun choke constricts, or narrows, the bore of a shotgun to a specific diameter. • Chokes adjust the shot pattern so that it is wider or narrower at a given distance. – By just changing chokes and ammunition, you can get optimum performance from one gun for many different types of game.

Screw-in chokes-2 • Chokes specifically designed for turkey hunting provide tighter patterns than factory “full” chokes. • A turkey choke for a 12 gauge constricts the bore to a diameter of. 660 -. 680”. – A 20 gauge turkey choke has a diameter of. 570 -. 582”. • Turkey chokes cost $20 to $100. • More expensive is not necessarily better.

Popular aftermarket turkey chokes: • • • H. S. (Hunter’s Specialties) “Undertaker” Primos Jelly Head Kicks Industries Carlson’s Rhino Chokes M. A. D. Calls chokes (now owned by Flambeau Outdoors) Comp-N-Choke Patternmaster Black Cloud Truglo Pure Gold Hastings

EVERY shotgun has a personality • Two guns from the same manufacturer can shoot completely differently with the exact same choke and brand of shell! • This is why patterning YOUR GUN with YOUR CHOKE TUBE and YOUR AMMUNITION is an absolutely essential part of becoming an ethical turkey hunter!

Turkey ammunition-1 • What’s the right ammunition? – It’s the shot shell that produces the best pattern in your gun, and… – Producers a recoil level that you can manage, and… – Retains sufficient downrange energy for a clean kill, and… – Fits your budget.

Turkey ammunition-2 • Generally, use shot size #5 or #6. – Larger size shot has more energy per pellet, but fewer pellets per shell. – Smaller shot provides more pellets per shell, but less energy per pellet. – If you can keep shots to 15 -20 yards or less, it’s OK to use #7 shot • Be aware of state regulations – in Wisconsin, #4 lead/lead substitute or #2 steel is the largest shot size permissible.

Turkey ammunition-3 • Lead pellet size and pellet count: – Size 4: 135 pellets per oz. – Size 5: 170 pellets per oz. – Size 6: 225 pellets per oz • • • HEVI-SHOT® Size and Pellet Count 7342 6237 5180 4107 277

Turkey ammunition-4 • Use shells designed for turkey hunting; they have more pellets and pattern better. • You do not necessarily need the most powerful turkey load. – In fact, one of my guns patterns better with a lower velocity 1 -7/8 oz. load than with a high-speed 2 -1/4 oz. load! – Lower-powered loads have less recoil and may be better suited for youth and small frame hunters.

Turkey ammunition-5 • About copper- or nickel-plated lead shot: it penetrates better than plain lead. – If you’re keeping shots to 30 yards or less, start with #6 shot. – If you’re shooting a magnum load at longer distances, go with #5. – If you’re shooting a modified or factory full choke at less than 20 yards, go with #7. • Remington, Federal, Winchester, Fiocchi, Kent and other major brands all work well.

Turkey ammunition-6 • Consider high-density (“HD”) or other “heavier -than-lead” alternatives. – HD turkey loads tend to pattern well. – According to Federal, its #7 HD shot retains the same downrange energy as #5 lead shot out to 40 yards. • You’ll get more pellets per shell with #6 or #7 shot, creating a denser and more lethal shot pattern. – HD ammo costs more, but it’s really worth it for 20 gauge guns or lighter 12 gauge loads. • Really consider #7 HD if you’re shooting a low-power load.

Turkey ammunition-7 • Popular HD and heavier-than-lead ammunition is available from Remington, Winchester, Federal, Hevi-Shot and Nitro Company Ammunition.

Sights for turkey hunting • The typical factory shotgun sight is a metal bead or small fiber optic dot. • These sights are designed for “wing shooting” birds on the move. • With turkeys, you need to AIM your shotgun at a SPECIFIC spot (the turkey’s head/neck).

Turkey sights-2 • To consistently hit a specific target, two reference points are much better than one. • For turkey hunting, fiber optic “open sights” – a front bead and a rear “V” sight – increase shooting accuracy. • At a minimum, use rear sights that allow you to make “windage” adjustments. – Who wants the confusion of remembering to hold 6” to the left or right when you’re gripped with “gobbler fever? ”

Turkey sights-3 • If your shotgun shoots more than 6” high or low, consider a sight with elevation adjustments (up/down). • Note that it is easier to hold a few inches high/low vs. “guesstimating” air space to the left or right of a bird, as you can pick a consistent aiming point on the bird’s body.

Popular fiber optic turkey sights • Truglo - probably the best known brand with the most options • Hi. Viz – quality products • Williams – quality products

Scopes for turkey hunting-1 • Scopes might not be best for beginners: – Hard to make a quick shot. – Scopes can fog up if you breathe on them. – The possibility of a “scope eye” cut exists, and that’s a negative experience for a young hunter. – They cost about $150+ for the scope, base and rings. – Easier to damage that basic sights.

Benefits of scopes • Scopes do allow for precise windage and elevation adjustments. • A 1. 75 – 4 X scope may provide a clearer sight picture, especially when the foliage gets denser later in the season. • “Red Dot” scopes are also an option. – They’re lighter than regular scopes, but they also require batteries.

Benefits of scopes-2 • Scopes for turkey hunting MUST have at least 4” of eye relief (and 6” is better) or you WILL get scope eye. Popular and affordable choices include: – Bushnell Banner 1. 5 x 4 x 32 mm – Tru. Glo (scopes and red dot options) – Aimpoint (premium red dot scopes)

Shotgun patterning steps • • Install the sight of your choice at home, but be sure to bring tools to the range if you need to make adjustments. Install the screw-in choke at home, but again bring your choke tools to the range. Consider testing several different types of turkey ammunition (brand, shot size, shot type). Team up with a couple of friends to share the cost. Bring a box of ordinary target or small game loads. – Turkey loads create a lot of recoil. The game loads will help you “get on paper” and save your shoulder.

Shotgun patterning steps-2 • To tame the recoil and prevent flinching, wear a thick jacket. – – Even better, use a special recoil absorbing pads, such as those from PAST, Limbsaver. Or go with a “lead sled. ” Or, use a low-powered load, pattern you gun and know your maximum range. Whatever you do, you don’t want to flinch. • To ensure a steady shot, shoot off a bench or use crossed “steady sticks. ” – Make your own crossed sticks with two dowel rods, a bolt/wing nut and camo tape. Cost: less than $5.

Shotgun patterning steps-3 • Bring at least 10 turkey targets that show the bird’s brain and spine. – Remember to aim at the base of the head/neck. • Bring a pen to write down ammo/distance details on each target.

Shotgun patterning steps-4 • Take a shot or two at 10 yards using the small game loads. This should show you if you’re hitting hi-lo/L-R. • Make any major sight adjustments at short range with the low power loads. – Note that these loads will probably hit lower than your high-powered turkey loads. • Take your first shot with your turkey load at 10 yards – close shots happen! – Consider making sight adjustments if obviously needed.

Shotgun patterning steps-5 • Move back to 20 yards, shoot, analyze the pattern and adjust sights as needed. – Consider quickly cleaning the barrel between shots (1 or 2 wet patches followed by 2 dry patches) to maintain consistency. • Try to get a good pattern out to 20 yards. – If you don’t get one, consider a different size shot or brand of ammo.

Shotgun patterning steps-6 • If you have a solid pattern at 20 yards, move back to 30 yards and repeat the process. • If you have a solid pattern at 30 yards, move back to 40 yards. – If the pattern is getting spotty (but still a “kill”), only move out to 35 yards.

Shotgun patterning steps-7 • If you have a good pattern at 40 yards, stop. Don’t shoot beyond 40 yards. – 3 -1/2 shells MIGHT be good out to 50 yards with the right choke. • Turkeys are big birds, so many people think the birds are closer than they actually are. – – You may think the bird is 30 yards away, but it’s probably closer to 40. Pace off your maximum effective range when hunting; jam a stick in the ground or use a good landmark, like a bush or tree.

Summary • You can kill a turkey with any shotgun, IF you know its maximum effective range. • Consider investing in (or borrow) a shotgun, choke, ammunition and sights designed for turkey hunting. • No matter shotgun you use, you MUST pattern it prior to hunting. – You will be able to CONFIDENTLY take a shot at a maximum known distance.

Summary-2 • Turkey hunting without patterning your shotgun is irresponsible, unethical and leads to needlessly wounded birds!

Gun Safety Above All Else Remember TAB-K: • Treat every gun as if it were loaded. • Always point your gun muzzle in a safe direction. • Be sure of your target and what’s beyond. • Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until you’re ready to shoot.

And Hunting Safety, too! • Never shoot at sounds, movements or patches of color. • Only shoot after you have identified your intended target with 100% certainty. – In the spring, this means NEVER shooting until you can positively identify the tom’s beard. • Only shoot if you have a clean shot (not obstructed by brush) at the animal’s vitals: – On a turkey, you only have 1 possible shot: the head/neck area.