Spring turkeys

[Beaver3365]

What caliber do you guys use for turkey? Or do you smooth bore with shot?

 

[Spikebuck]

In Minnesota we have to use #4 or smaller shot. I use a 20 ga smoothbore with 75 grs of 2F, two 1/8" lubed felt wads, 1 3/4 oz of #6's, and an overshot card. Cylinder bore gets me good to 25 yards and still keep multiple pellets in the head.

 

[Skychief]

62 caliber smoothbore!!! :thumbsup:

 

[Patocazador]

I use a 12 ga. SxS with 1 1/4 oz. of #5 shot in an un-split plastic cup. It holds the shot in a tight column, otherwise my cylinder bore shotgun would be a 20 yard gun.

 

[KHickam]

50 caliber rifle in the fall - spring requires a smoothbore

 

[Lonegun1894]

I'm the same as KHickam, with the restriction of having to use a smoothbore in the Spring, but being able to use a rifle in the Fall. So in the Fall, I use a .54 flint GPR, with a .530" PRB pushed by 80grs FFFg.. In the Spring, I am limited to a smoothbore with shot, so I use a .54 flint smoothbore that fires a single .526" shot in a cloth "shot cup", pushed by 80grs FFFg. :rotf: Both of these give me good patterns out to at least 60 yards for the smoothbore, and a bit past 100 yards for the rifle.

The few times I hunt land where they put a limit on what size shot I use to that small stuff, I use 70gr FFFg, 1 cardboard OP card, 6" jute cord frayed into a ball of fiber for use as TOW, 1 more cardboard OP card, 1 7/8 oz #6 shot, 1 OS card. This lets me reach out to around 30-35 yards, but my barrel is 15/16" straight octagon, so not a light fowler barrel, although there's been times I wished it was lighter.

 

[Lonegun1894]

Still using that .62 smoothbore you showed me when we met a few years back? That is a beauty!

 

[hanshi]

I use a .62 smoothbore but have been recently leaning toward my .36 rifle.

 

[rushlake1]

In Wisconsin ..no single projectiles period.
no shot larger than 4's
archery ok

This spring..10 ga. Robins Fowler half stock flint.

 

[Darkhorse]

.40 Flintlock

 

[Britsmoothy]

Great photo :hatsoff:

B.

 

[hrchotaw]

+1 on that photo! I use a 20 gauge caplock :grin: :grin:

 

[don hepler]

Pretty much have your choice in Virginia. Tradition calls for shotgun, but in locations where rifles are allowed, you could use the rifle or pistol of your choice.

My plans are to use my .36 or .40 rifle.

 

[Don Steele]

What's the preferred point of aim on a Turkey when hunting them with something like a 40 cal. PRB..??

 

[don hepler]

Shot right above where the wing joins the body. Not much meat on the back and the vitals are protected by the wing. The breast lays pretty low, when viewing from the side. On a head on shot, I like to shoot just above the beard. There's not much blood in a turkey and it won't blood shot like other animals.

Breast and drum sticks, are most of the meat anyway.

 

[gonpce]

Being able to use both in Virginia I've decided this year will be black powder only 32 tc or 12 ga. pedersoli.

 

[stantdm]

I am using a 62 cal. copy of a trade rifle. Working on loads whenever the weather is okay. I use #5 shot.

 

[Don Steele]

Thank you.
I'm surprised the wing offers significant protection from a roundball.

 

[Matt PA]

20 ga Elnglish Fowler with shot......

 

[don hepler]

No I didn't mean the wing would stop a round ball, but in general the wing protects the vitals. But if you shoot too low you will be below the vitals. A little ways back of the wing joint, will still hit the turkey in the back, making a clean kill.

Where the wing joins the body, is a good reference point. In fact if you look at the turkey engraved on the fowler above, you can see the point of the wing joint and looking from the front, just above the beard, it lines up with the same area.

Sorry, I made it confusing.