Turkey hunting with a rimfire?

[antiqueguy]

You should actually try some turkey loads and chokes before making such a ridiculous comment about these being gimmicks. There is an enormous difference between standard shells/chokes and turkey specific combinations in terms of pattern density, even patterns, and effective range.

How long has it been since you tried turkey chokes and loads, 20+ years?

Never tried them never will my gun has an adjustable it’s also 65 years old and only has a 2 3/4” chamber.

In my testing with patterns and loads over the years I find that an overly long shot Columns make for holes blown in patterns fox for this go to a bigger bore with the same weight of shot. A choke that is too tight can also hurt more then it helps deforming pellets also causing holes in the pattern plated shot helps. Recoil is another factor in 12ga most turkey loads are 3” or 3 1/2” inch with 1 3/4 to 2 oz of shot moving pretty quick(and having long shot columns).

We have to remember that these birds were and still are taken with smooth bore muzzleloaders that don’t have a choke.

To me it’s not necessary to own a modern shotgun and it turns a lot of new hunters away from the sport. I paid a total of $150 shipped to my door for my old stevens 58 it patterns well and does the job it needs too. I have less then $250 in my equipment for turkey hunting my decoy was in the surplus department at princess auto my blind is made from camo burlap also from princess auto and my calls were on clearance at Canadian tire.

It doesn’t need to cost a whole lot to go hunting biggest issue around me is finding a spot to do so.

 

[unstableryan]

Years back I thought I'd get into it and bought a Savage 93R17 BTVS and put a Vortex Viper 4-16x44 HS LR on it. Dialed in, you could clear off a rack of empty shotgun shells at 200 yards with it easily if it wasn't windy. I went out a few times but haven't taken turkeys seriously though. It makes a boringly effective gopher gun and as long as you only hit the head, a decent snowshoe hare gun too.

 

[jjohnwm]

... Nothing cheeses me more than guys who choose to bowhunt and then are lobbing arrows at distances unreasonable for the equipment and their skill level...

I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, my skill level with a recurve doesn't approach the capabilities of my equipment...or likely any equipment ...so rather than sitting in a pop-up blind on a beautiful spring day, I'll choose another turkey-slaying device.

Never tried them never will my gun has an adjustable it’s also 65 years old and only has a 2 3/4” chamber.

In my testing with patterns and loads over the years I find that an overly long shot Columns make for holes blown in patterns fox for this go to a bigger bore with the same weight of shot. A choke that is too tight can also hurt more then it helps deforming pellets also causing holes in the pattern plated shot helps. Recoil is another factor in 12ga most turkey loads are 3” or 3 1/2” inch with 1 3/4 to 2 oz of shot moving pretty quick(and having long shot columns).

We have to remember that these birds were and still are taken with smooth bore muzzleloaders that don’t have a choke.

To me it’s not necessary to own a modern shotgun and it turns a lot of new hunters away from the sport. I paid a total of $150 shipped to my door for my old stevens 58 it patterns well and does the job it needs too. I have less then $250 in my equipment for turkey hunting my decoy was in the surplus department at princess auto my blind is made from camo burlap also from princess auto and my calls were on clearance at Canadian tire.

It doesn’t need to cost a whole lot to go hunting biggest issue around me is finding a spot to do so.

I like using old shotguns as well; taken several toms with a cherished Brno ZP49 with the factory mod/full 2-3/4 inch chambered barrels as well as a couple with an older Ithaca 37 that my father gave me when I was about 14 (which I consider priceless...no PolyChoke either...). Those guns demand a little more care and caution when taking shots, and don't allow the 40+ yard shots that seem to be the goal of many turkey hunters today.

So I agree that it isn't necessary to have the latest and greatest super-choked magnums and depleted-uranium shot and red dot sights and all the other toys...but I have played with those as well and I must say that there is no way on Earth that the old-timers can hold a candle to the new-tech when it comes to killing birds. The old guns have their charms, their nostalgic appeal, and this combined with the added challenge of using them makes them wonderful...but the new are capable of much longer shots and tighter patterns than the old. If you hunt for the hunt, then this doesn't make the new better than the old, per se...but if your goal is just to kill birds (as it is for a lot of hunters), then no amount of rationalizing changes the fact that new trumps old.

Oops...didn't mean to add to the thread derail...I'll be good now.

 

[hoytcanon]

I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, my skill level with a recurve doesn't approach the capabilities of my equipment...or likely any equipment ...so rather than sitting in a pop-up blind on a beautiful spring day, I'll choose another turkey-slaying device.

All my bow birds have been with a compound, but I am using a recurve this year. I started bowhunting with a homemade long bow 46 years ago, moved to various recurve bows for 15 years and then switched to compounds, but have gone back to mostly recurve bows over the past few years.

 

[brybenn]

I've used crossbows for turkeys and have killed them out to 40 yards. Just used what I use for deer and sent the tri blade mechanical thru the wing joint. The only one that didn't flap was pinned to the ground. As for shotguns I've used a large variety of guns and loads from 3/4oz 2.25" shells to 7/8oz loads in 2.5" and 2.75" shells all the way up to 10ga 2.25oz 3.5" shells. Send a decently dense pattern thru thru face and neck and they die. I rarely ever use more than an oz of shot anymore and factory full chokes work just fine. I do have a Mossberg pump set up with a custom made choke and a 4x scope which has taken many birds to. I would love to have the chance to use rimfire in Ontario. I have friends south of the border that use 22lr with stingers and CCI mini mags and say they're great for body shots to 75 yards. Shoot them thru the back or thru the wing joints. The other popular shot is the base of the neck right where the feathers start as it don't move as much as the head. They also say the 25/20 with a cast 60gr lead bullet is perfect for turkeys

I wouldn't change how I hunt but I'd love to take my 17mh2 or 22lr and snipe them in the bush. I think it would add an element of challenge

As for using rimfires shooting at birds on the ground being unsafe in my area there are coyote hunters with centerfires shooting across the fields and no one has ever had an issue. Not to mention the poachers that use buckshot. Likely still safer than the guy who recommended shooting rifles up into the trees lol

I've seen domestic turkeys drop to a single 22 short so it is more than ethical to use a rimfire

 

[badgreenbird]

Late to the thread, but possibly with info the OP is looking for. Yes, I've hunted turkeys in southern BC with both .22LR and 12 gauge shotgun. Depending on where you hunt them, in some of the more agricultural areas they are often seen way out in the middle of fields. If they catch sight of you (and they have spectacular eye sight) they are off & running in the opposite direction. For that reason, lurking at the edge of the bush and sniping them (body shots at 100m+ with .17HMR) is fairly popular. More conventional/sporting tactics employ a shotgun; often with calls & decoy. On my first turkey hunt down there, I brought both my Browning A5 and Remington 572 pump .22 with Weaver 3x9 scope. First day I carried the shotgun; no luck, though I did see some birds at distance. Second day I set up to intercept the birds when they came off the roost. Not knowing which way they would go, I brought the .22. As it turns out they marched right past me! I had a hen bust me at <5 yards and I hurried the shot. My rifle was sighted in for 75 yards and the big tom was at <20. I shot right over it. I corrected, and went for 'top of body' shot and when I pulled the trigger, the bird jumped. I could tell it was hit. It ran about 30 yards behind some thick bushes and didn't come out the other side. When I cleaned the bird, the bullet entered top of body/bottom of neck. No loss of meat. Since then, I've just carried the shotgun and have had some encounters but no success. Carrying the .22 wouldn't have changed anything. In more open terrain where your shot is likely to be >50 yards, the .22 makes sense. And no hesitation going for a body shot. Don't kid yourself that you'll hit that moving toonie at that distance with any regularity.

 

[Waterfowler]

You should actually try some turkey loads and chokes before making such a ridiculous comment about these being gimmicks. There is an enormous difference between standard shells/chokes and turkey specific combinations in terms of pattern density, even patterns, and effective range.

How long has it been since you tried turkey chokes and loads, 20+ years?

Out to 30 yards, pretty much any 4,5, or 6, 2.75" shell out of a full choke will kill a turkey.

Sure, turkey chokes and shells can extend the range, if you put the time and money into patterning etc. But I think many turkey hunters idea of patterning is buying the fancy shells and chokes and thinking they can kill birds at 50 yards because somebody on FB said they can.

Same as morons shooting Savage 220s on deer at 300 yards because some clown on youtube did it.

 

[Waterfowler]

As far as using a rimfire....figure out what range you can shoot accurately at with your gun, and then shoot the turkey in the same places you would with an arrow.

 

[Suther]

Out to 30 yards, pretty much any 4,5, or 6, 2.75" shell out of a full choke will kill a turkey.

Sure, turkey chokes and shells can extend the range, if you put the time and money into patterning etc. But I think many turkey hunters idea of patterning is buying the fancy shells and chokes and thinking they can kill birds at 50 yards because somebody on FB said they can.

Same as morons shooting Savage 220s on deer at 300 yards because some clown on youtube did it.

Except thats not patterning at all... And you act like as long as I keep it within 30 yards I don't have to check the pattern?


Regardless of what choke I am using I need to pattern it. I'm not about to just use 1 1/8oz #7.5 or #8 target loads or my steel stuff, so I need to buy ammo regardless. With that in mind it seems only reasonable to buy the stuff that will give me the best chance of killing a turkey, and I don't think anyone is going to argue that a 2.75" upland load is going to do a better job than a 3" turkey load. Sure, Turkey ammo is a bit more expensive (Or crazy expensive if you want to buy some fancy ass tungsten stuff but fk that) but compared to the amount I'll be putting into my gas tank just to get to where the turkeys live the cost of a few shells at the pattern board is negligible at best.

As far as using a rimfire....figure out what range you can shoot accurately at with your gun, and then shoot the turkey in the same places you would with an arrow.

Well I don't bow hunt, so that 2nd part of your advise doesn't really help me out... But my Savage Mk II will put 5 rounds into a 2" circle at 100m on a calm day.

 

[skwerl]

So I noticed in the Regs for BC that it is legal to hunt turkey with a rimfire rifle. I've never hunted turkey before, but I've got a few friends also interested in trying it so we're looking to make a trip of it in about a month. We all own shotguns and that is what we plan to use, but seeing in the regs that rimfire is legal got me wondering does anyone actually use rimfire? All the turkey-hunting media I've consumed has focused on shotgun hunting (and a bit of bow), never rimfire. Is rimfire legal in other jurisdictions, or is BC an oddball in this regard? Have YOU tried hunting them with a rimfire, and if so how did it go?

Thanks!

I have not Turkey hunted tho I'm certain that I am not the only one
who grew up shooting the heads off Grouse , P. Chickens and other birds.

Never a body shot , if we flushed them the old man (Dad) wing shot them
with the Model 12 .

... skwerl

 

[Waterfowler]

Except thats not patterning at all... And you act like as long as I keep it within 30 yards I don't have to check the pattern?


Regardless of what choke I am using I need to pattern it. I'm not about to just use 1 1/8oz #7.5 or #8 target loads or my steel stuff, so I need to buy ammo regardless. With that in mind it seems only reasonable to buy the stuff that will give me the best chance of killing a turkey, and I don't think anyone is going to argue that a 2.75" upland load is going to do a better job than a 3" turkey load. Sure, Turkey ammo is a bit more expensive (Or crazy expensive if you want to buy some fancy ass tungsten stuff but fk that) but compared to the amount I'll be putting into my gas tank just to get to where the turkeys live the cost of a few shells at the pattern board is negligible at best.



Well I don't bow hunt, so that 2nd part of your advise doesn't really help me out... But my Savage Mk II will put 5 rounds into a 2" circle at 100m on a calm day.

If you go online, there are plenty of pictures/charts that show were to shoot a turkey with an arrow.

And yes, you should always pattern your gun/choke/shell combo. And I never suggested 7/5 or 8 shot. Bottomline is place 5-10 pellets in the head/neck of a turkey at a reasonable range and it's dead. At least thats how its worked for the 40 plus that I've killed.

 

[Suther]

If you go online, there are plenty of pictures/charts that show were to shoot a turkey with an arrow.

And yes, you should always pattern your gun/choke/shell combo. And I never suggested 7/5 or 8 shot. Bottomline is place 5-10 pellets in the head/neck of a turkey at a reasonable range and it's dead. At least thats how its worked for the 40 plus that I've killed.

I was just saying that target loads and steel shot is all I have on hand so I'd have to buy something anyways. Wasn't suggesting anyone was telling me to use 7.5s.

 

[Shovel]

I'll add something I found. I was zeroing a new scope on a 22. Had a great idea why not from the tree stand. That's where I'll probably be shooting from. Set up target. Climb up. Shoot. Adjust scope. Shoot. More adjusting. Shoot. Every few shots are way off. Figured it out. The tree was swaying. Take a way. Hard to hit a toony from a tree stand

 

[antiqueguy]

Except thats not patterning at all... And you act like as long as I keep it within 30 yards I don't have to check the pattern?


Regardless of what choke I am using I need to pattern it. I'm not about to just use 1 1/8oz #7.5 or #8 target loads or my steel stuff, so I need to buy ammo regardless. With that in mind it seems only reasonable to buy the stuff that will give me the best chance of killing a turkey, and I don't think anyone is going to argue that a 2.75" upland load is going to do a better job than a 3" turkey load. Sure, Turkey ammo is a bit more expensive (Or crazy expensive if you want to buy some fancy ass tungsten stuff but fk that) but compared to the amount I'll be putting into my gas tank just to get to where the turkeys live the cost of a few shells at the pattern board is negligible at best.



Well I don't bow hunt, so that 2nd part of your advise doesn't really help me out... But my Savage Mk II will put 5 rounds into a 2" circle at 100m on a calm day.

Who said anything about 7.5 or 8 1 1/8 loads. Personally I use either 4’s 5’s or 6’s in a 1 1/8 oz field load(you know the box with rabbits and squirrels on the box) .

 

[Suther]

Who said anything about 7.5 or 8 1 1/8 loads. Personally I use either 4’s 5’s or 6’s in a 1 1/8 oz field load(you know the box with rabbits and squirrels on the box) .

I did. And I clarified why I mentioned it a few posts later.