I am going to give Turkey Hunting a try 1st time ever

[PlayTheWindMike]

I have made the decision to turkey hunt this year. I have read some posts on other threads and I believe that I could have some fun doing this.

I have a Wingmaster 20 ga. Is this gauge big enough? If not I will just use my bow.

My brother bought a 75 acre farm and I deer hunted a few times and could have killed many deer but chose not to....first year on property wanted to figure out the heard before we start killing. When I went out I saw turkey almost every time. Mostly the turkey I spotted would either work their way down the back west side of a 40 acre field or work their way through the open hardwoods on the north side of the field. Usually there would be anywhere from 20 to 40 turkey together. Correct me if I am wrong but I am going to set up my blind along the field where they go through cause the tree line is very thick. The property is surrounded by hundreds of acres of mostly woods, very few small fields here and there. They roost mostly just to the west down in a bottom next to a power line. They work their way up the power line to the field so maybe 20 yards off the power line on the field edge is where the blind will go./?

If anyone has any other type info please let me know.

[Seeker Bp]

All I can say is once you try it , you will probably be hooked. Its fun as heck. They have awesome eyesight, just remember that. There are many on here much better at giving advice on hunting these birds, but if I were you,if you know where they are roosting,I would set up on them as close to there bedroom as possible. I got my first bowkill last spring by getting in really close.....close enough that at daylight we could see the Toms calling out to a hen from up in there tree. We copied the calls of the hen on the opposite side of the field, and low and behold he chose us. It was a rush! Believe me, its not easy, and you have to stay persistant. My first gobbler I took with my Grandfathers single shot full choke 20 gauge....so you should be fine....practice with your gun and test your bb pattern to see if its what you want. good luck and have fun.....Hint......Get a Thermacell!! Reason: Mosquitos are terrible in the spring.

[Bowstring mafia]

There's nothing like turkey hunting. You will love it

[mrbb]

my suggestionis that a week or two before the season starts to go out and try to roost the birds and even come back in the morning and see what there really doing
NOTHING beats up to date info on birds
pending on green up and food, they can be there or else where
and just setting up on hope is a LOT of luck
some folks like to call them in prior to the season, I don't I think it just makes for smarter harder to kill birds
if you plan to use a blind
setting up as far away as you can see will help a week before the season, and then set up based on that
but I never was a blind guy for turkeys
liked to be able to run and move if need be
as for if a 20 gauge is enough, sure it is
just patteren a few loads and see what where they hit at 30 and 40 yrds and stick to what ranges they hold the best pattern
if you have the ability to add a scope, I personally feel there a super tool , be surprised how much more accurate and fun it can be too
and just have fun

and practice calling as much as you can take, no one has to be perfect, turkeys will come to some wierd sounds thats for sure, but being able to repeatwhat they like can help!
hunting is all about having a good time, not just a kill!
but good luck

[PlayTheWindMike]

Thanks guys, I definitely am listening. Appreciate your wisdom

[Bowstring mafia]

Yes I love roosting. I also see many first timers over call. Sometimes less is more.
Definetly start practicing now.
Need any pointers email at Pdw94@aol.com
Or fin my face book got some birds on there I've taken

[Big_Holla]

Some great advice above^^^ The 20 ga. will be plenty, key is to pattern it and see how tight of a pattern it shoots at different yardages. That will tell you your maximum distance. That maximum distance can then be paced off and some sort of marker, stick or branch, can be placed so you can quickly reference it to know if they are close enough. Might be best to give the shotgun a try for a year or so and then if you decide bowhunting is the way you want to go then you can transition your knowledge over to that as well.

[mrbb]

also on the 20 gauge, there are many aftermarket chokes that can really tighten up a patteren if you want to try too, some are pretty cheap too
MANY mant times, cabela's in there bargin cave have them too at a discount price too!

[00buck]

i am going to give turkey hunting a shot this year also what are good calls to try i have tried the diaphragm calls and cant get them to work they sound funny really looking for something simple to use and do you always use decoys or can i go with out them

[hortontoter]

Turkey hunting is all about head shooting IMO. My best advice is to use 3" shells with 7 1/2 shot in your 20 gauge. I'm hunting them this spring with the .410 I threw together in December. They are going to have to be close with .410. Should make for some fun encounters.

One warning, you will be hooked.

[longdraw]

Turkey hunting is all about head shooting IMO. My best advice is to use 3" shells with 7 1/2 shot in your 20 gauge. I'm hunting them this spring with the .410 I threw together in December. They are going to have to be close with .410. Should make for some fun encounters.

One warning, you will be hooked.

They are making hevi shot for 410 now,you should try it for a little more knockdown power

[mrbb]

a good read for .410 turkey loads

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=203025

[blackbeard]

Just remember that what turkeys were doing in the fall during bow season on the property you plan to hunt may not be what they will be doing in the spring. Same as with deer, it's all about food and breeding. Best way to kill turkeys is to find out where they roost, where they like go after fly down, then get between the two or at the place they are going to. i personally will probably never hunt turkeys with anything other than a shotgun. Why? Because I find them to be fun but very challenging even with a shotgun, I don't like hunting out of blinds, and when I get them in range I want to kill them and that usually happens with a shotgun. Now you'll have some people say that killing turkeys is too easy with a shotgun, and maybe some birds in some places are easier to kill. Do I occasionally run across a bird that is easy, yes, but not every year. The birds I hunt are often difficult to get to, like most birds they have a mind of their own, and they are unpredictable. Turkey hunting is fun because a lot of times it's about making quick decisions, outsmarting them in ever changing situations, etc. Be ready for it though because it is addictive and once you start you'll love it.

[hortontoter]

a good read for .410 turkey loads

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=203025

Interesting reading. I would have never considered #9 shot would penetrate better than #4 shot at any distance. I'll stick with my 7 1/2 shot and see how things work out. I know when I used a .410 when I was 16 years old that 7 1/2 shot was the ticket for most game I hunted. I did use 5 shot for jump shooting wood ducks as most shots were at the backs of ducks flying away. I'm wondering now if the 7 1/2 shot would have worked just as well, or maybe better.

[mknerem52]

Could anyone take me turkey hunting because no one in my family hunts.

[mrbb]

Interesting reading. I would have never considered #9 shot would penetrate better than #4 shot at any distance. I'll stick with my 7 1/2 shot and see how things work out. I know when I used a .410 when I was 16 years old that 7 1/2 shot was the ticket for most game I hunted. I did use 5 shot for jump shooting wood ducks as most shots were at the backs of ducks flying away. I'm wondering now if the 7 1/2 shot would have worked just as well, or maybe better.


yea size of shot is like arrows weights, speed really effects things, heavier doesn't always mean more energy, deeper penetration
some times being lighter has a plus to it, same as with drop too
and why I like to read about different test like this one, makes you think a little about set ups

[mrbb]

Could anyone take me turkey hunting because no one in my family hunts.


well I live in PA, and odds are too far or I would be willing
that said, if no one here makes you an offer, I would maybe suggest going to a few archery stores and or gun stores
and asking there, never know who would be willing to help out, and maybe even make a new hunting buddy along the way
many hunters enjoy taking new guys out, HOWEVER, many like to do that after they kill there birds so, can ask maybe that way,
if they would, after they kill, or just let you tag along while they try to
still will gain some good info

But even still, its not a hard game to pick up, sure you will make mistakes as you go
but I learned how to by just going out there and trying, and that was yrs before video's and so much info was known about turkeys like today
your local game warden too will be a great tool to ask
Good luck