Turkey Hunting with round ball

Anybody do any turkey hunting with round ball in states that allow it? Thinking about going to WV this Spring and try it.

As you say, not legal in many states. Good luck.

I have, a few times. Body shots work fine. I hold where the thigh enters the body. Shooting in the breast is pointless.
Here is the first time.

Bob, my best friend. No birdshot involved.

Bob has the luck of the Irish!! Two more turkeys... or is it FIVE! I miss you Dad!

Eterry said:

Bob has the luck of the Irish!! View attachment 208582Two more turkeys... or is it FIVE! I miss you Dad!

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Full disclosure.. the last 2 were taken with centerfire rifles, but no birdshot.

Turkey with a round ball. Well yes...kinda, sorta...

Back in the late sixties turkey became legal to hunt here. We had never done it and really didn't know much about it. Dad figured they being such big birds they probably needed big shot. So he loaded up some 20 ga. shells using split shot sinkers with the ears clipped off. We managed to flush a flock going into the woods, set up on a ridge and called them back in. Pretty soon a hen came into view, saw us and took flight. Dad shot and the hen's wings folded up like a Corsair. Just one of those split shot sinkers had struck her in the spine.

Are you aiming for low vitals to not blow up the breasts? I’m curious

Zutt-man said:

Are you aiming for low vitals to not blow up the breasts? I’m curious

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There is nothing vital to a turkey in the breast. Our neighbor, in my presence, shot a turkey in the breast with a 243 deer load. Pieces of turkey breast flew everywhere but the bird flew away. He said he needed more gun.

Next year he and dad were deer hunting. This time he had his 30-06. Again, shot a bird in the breast, about 80 yards. Dad said it looked like shooting a pillow, he destroyed the breast and broke a wing but the bird ran to timber and was lost. He was a city dweller who bought 180 acres which he thought made him a hunter. He was a superb shot, but a lousy hunter.

They are not built like a human whatsoever. Their vitals lay low in their body right about their thighs.

Eterry said:

There is nothing vital to a turkey in the breast. Our neighbor, in my presence, shot a turkey in the breast with a 243 deer load. Pieces of turkey breast flew everywhere but the bird flew away. He said he needed more gun.

Next year he and dad were deer hunting. This time he had his 30-06. Again, shot a bird in the breast, about 80 yards. Dad said it looked like shooting a pillow, he destroyed the breast and broke a wing but the bird ran to timber and was lost. He was a city dweller who bought 180 acres which he thought made him a hunter. He was a superb shot, but a lousy hunter.

They are not built like a human whatsoever. Their vitals lay low in their body right about their thighs.

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I understand where their vitals are. Hunting them with a bow offers deceiving opportunities. I guess what I meant is how do you shoot them with a rifle without destroying the meat?

It's impossible to shoot anything and not destroy some meat. I guess i try to save as much edible meat as possible.

Mom used to bake them just like a domestic bird. They tasted like liver, kinda like dove.
But we grew up poor and ate every bite.

After getting married I tried that a few times. Again, not happy with the results.

A friend taught me to hang the bird by its feet , skin it taking the leg quarters, the wing piece that connects to the breast and the breasts in a plastic bag. That's by far my favorite way to dress and eat wild turkey. Hardly any liver taste, especially with garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper

Sometimes you get lucky and the round ball goes in and out hitting vitals but missing the leg bone and the bird drops like a rock.

Sometimes you hit a thigh bone, leaving bone fragments in the meat and the bird drops. I've never hit both thigh bones, but anything is possible.

But either one has a higher percentage of killing the bird than hitting them higher, IMHO. My friend George shot many turkeys with his bow, but never recovered one.

I prefer to hunt them up close and personal with #6 shot, aiming for the neck. But sometimes your deer hunting and when these guys come by you can't help it.

Notice the pecking order.
The young birds up front, followed by 2 nice Jakes, then a dandy Tom bringing up the rear. He didn't get that size by being foolish.

We also grew up in poverty. Can’t tell you how many meals we have out of a cast iron skillet or a crockpot. Seemed like it was every meal. It didn’t matter if it was farm raised or wild game (which was most of our sustenance).

This last year I harvested my 39th gobbler. Can’t say I’ve ever had one come out tasting like liver (except for the liver of course). Giblets (heart, liver, gizzards and testicles) get fried. Legs get braised slowly with an hint of tequila and lime for shredded tacos. Breasts get fried in strips or nuggets, marinated & grilled in strips, or brined & smoked & sliced thin. Heck, I think we’ve even crockpotted a few of those and shredded them for varied meal types.

Truly a versatile bird for consumption.

Zutt-man said:

I understand where their vitals are. Hunting them with a bow offers deceiving opportunities. I guess what I meant is how do you shoot them with a rifle without destroying the meat?

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It was illegal when I did it. As I lived in Arkansas and shot only at the time was legal.
This would be 1985 or 6 I had just got in to my cabin from a day in the woods trying to get a bird. Took a couple of squirrels walking out and back to my place. Cleaned my gun and the tree rats when I heard clicking in the backyard. Smoothie wasn’t loaded but my CVA mountain pistol was.
I opened my window and shot a tom at fifteen to twenty yards.
Windowsill gave me a good rest. .50 right through the joint where neck fits body. Almost decapitated him right there
I was young and foolish and I justified it to my self as smoothbore range any way, it wasn’t ‘real’ cheating
I do believe in following game laws, and believed it then, but has a bit of Tom Fever.
If it is legal where your at and you sure of your shot base of the neck is turkey for dinner.

I remember how Alvin York did it.

A friend I had built a new.32 longrifle for , took the rifle out for a walk after work. The 2nd time out , he miraculously had a gobbler step out on a logging road in front of him at about 30 yds.. Danged if he didn't drill the bird through the wing pinions , and got life time bragging rights , that he was a turkey hunter , and got his bird w/ a m/l rifle. Here in Pa. , the Pa. Blame Comm. doesn't allow any turkey hunting , spring or fall w/a rifle of any type. (ketch me)

Tom A Hawk said:

Turkey with a round ball. Well yes...kinda, sorta...

Back in the late sixties turkey became legal to hunt here. We had never done it and really didn't know much about it. Dad figured they being such big birds they probably needed big shot. So he loaded up some 20 ga. shells using split shot sinkers with the ears clipped off. We managed to flush a flock going into the woods, set up on a ridge and called them back in. Pretty soon a hen came into view, saw us and took flight. Dad shot and the hen's wings folded up like a Corsair. Just one of those split shot sinkers had struck her in the spine.

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Corsair, cool that's my favorite airplane

Boomerang said:

Anybody do any turkey hunting with round ball in states that allow it? Thinking about going to WV this Spring and try it.

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i have killed 4 turkey with a round ball .62 cal. NWTG 70yards live turkey christmas shoots. head shots only turkeys are behind berm only head and neck showing.

Boomerang said:

Anybody do any turkey hunting with round ball in states that allow it? Thinking about going to WV this Spring and try it.

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Sure, head/neck shots only.

Tom A Hawk said:

I remember how Alvin York did it.

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Walter Cline tells of, and has photos of Alvin York and his Brother shooting competition with muzzleloaders in his book. If you haven't read it.. shame on you.

IIRC, the Brother was just as good a shot as Sgt. York, maybe better.