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Turkey; it's what's for dinner.

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Fall turkey season in Illinois. Probably not many hunters using a flintlock, but I was sitting against a tree Saturday afternoon, when a couple of nice young turkeys wandered too close. The shot didn't even scare the rest of the flock. Guess they thought it was thunder.

photo (10) by okawbow, on Flickr
 
Cool. Congratulations! Can you tell me more about your flintlock and load?
 
Ben, I used my self made 12 gauge. 30" barrel, full choke, Hawken shop lock.

My load was 80 grains, 2f black powder, 2- 1/8" over powder wads, a 90 grain measure of copper plated #6 shot, and another 1/8" card wad over the shot.

I get tight patterns out to 40 yards. Took this turkey at 15 yards.
 
Spike,
I bowhunt for deer until about 11am, then exchange the longbow for the flintlock for the rest of the day.

In Illinois, we can hunt turkeys the entire 3 month bow season, with archery equipment. The gun season for either sex turkeys, runs 9 days at the end of October. Shotgun only, and you can draw 2 permits. Must hunt the county drawn.

I usually try for a young, tender turkey in the fall. My spring goblers have been tough to chew.
 
Awesome!
Fall flintlock turkeys are fun!
Here they will come to the call.
Prefer a mid-sized bird for the table.
Keep after them....Good Luck!
 
I usually try for a young, tender turkey in the fall. My spring goblers have been tough to chew.
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I know what you mean. The biggest fall turkey I have killed weighed 28 pounds, and was as chewy as shoe leather. Its 10 pounders for me from now on.......robin :wink:
 
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Do you think you could cleanly take a bird at 40yrds with that rig? I'm looking at going flintlock for spring gobblers. Thanks
 
mbs, I'm probably wrong here but I would think that taking 40 yard shots kind of goes against the intent of hunting with a primitive weapon. One of the fun aspects of hunting with these guns is that you have to get in close. 25 yards is about as far as I'd want to test my 12 gauge flinter.

Darren
 
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