Official 2019 Wild Turkey Thread

C

Cameron SS

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
11   0   0
Location
Ground Zero
Who has got Turkey on the brain? 10 days and counting for the Ontario Wild Turkey Hunt.

Let this be the thread for photos, stories, tall tells and delicious new recipes.

Went and walked the acreage where I will be hunting today. Didn't have camera, didn't see any birds, but lots and lots of sign. Hoping they get a bit more active as it warms up.
 
Last edited:
brybenn said:
It opens the 25th right? My google fu is only bringing up 2018s date
Click to expand...

Yes 25th. Its confusing because spring 2019 is covered under the fall 2018 regs, but the dates in the book dont specify the year, so when you look at spring turkey in 2018, its actually spring 2019.
 
gobble-gobble-i-will-find-you-and-i-will-35765396.png
 
Cameron SS said:
Yes 25th. Its confusing because spring 2019 is covered under the fall 2018 regs, but the dates in the book dont specify the year, so when you look at spring turkey in 2018, its actually spring 2019.
Click to expand...

With all the changes going on i wasnt going to risk using my 18 summary. Thanks for the info though. I just booked the 25 and 26 off

Guess i gotta get off my butt and test a bunch of loads through my new carlsons turkey tube for my a400. Good excuse to play
 
brybenn said:
With all the changes going on i wasnt going to risk using my 18 summary. Thanks for the info though. I just booked the 25 and 26 off

Guess i gotta get off my butt and test a bunch of loads through my new carlsons turkey tube for my a400. Good excuse to play
Click to expand...

Ive been focusing on practicing my calls. Letting my 5 year old think a turkey had gotten into the house was a great April fools prank
 
Cameron SS said:
Who has got Turkey on the brain? 22 days and counting for the Ontario Wild Turkey Hunt.

Let this be the thread for photos, stories, tall tells and delicious new recipes.

Went and walked the acreage where I will be hunting today. Didn't have camera, didn't see any birds, but lots and lots of sign. Hoping they get a bit more active as it warms up.
Click to expand...

seen a few toms trying to tempt the ladies on this past weekend while out coyote hunting. hopefully they are still around on the 25. good luck and good hunting
 
The breeding groups are forming, toms have left the jakes to hang w/ the ladies, redhead teenagers are hormoned up cruising the woods in groups of three or four. Seeing lots of strutting toms with hens during the AM commute.

The snow is nearly gone here, in another week, patterns should be set. Then I will scout for my opening day setup. Looking forward to opening morning.

I still have a box of 4x6 Duplex in the locker, my goto ammo which was discontinued. For anyone looking for a multi-size load, Three Beard is on the shelf at Cabelas, 4-5-6 in one load.
 
All the mixed loads do is thin the pattern... straight #6's for me. My buddies in the US all use #7's... pattern density is what kills birds... even at distance. The whole "large pellets carry more energy" is a defunct argument, because before the extra energy matters your pattern is too thin to reliably hit the target.

Decades of peppering pattern boards, 15 years of those with Turkey silhouettes, shows what works... large pellets at distance requires luck to bring home the Turkey jerky... I don't want to rely on luck.
 
This year I’m going to mix it up and try and take one with the compound bow. With the property I have permission to hunt on, this will be a very significant challenge but it’s time :)
 
I have the last few rounds of a box of number 4s that have been doing me just fine.

So far Ive been able to get all the birds into 10-15 yards so I dont think the ammo will make too much of a difference.

Never was convinced by the mix loads. Seems like a solution looking for a problem.

Ive certainly had my fair share of opportunities to take a risky long shot. My told me once in a YODA teaching moment that Good hunters aren't good cause they can make hard shots. Their good cause they dont have to.
 
hoytcanon said:
All the mixed loads do is thin the pattern... straight #6's for me. My buddies in the US all use #7's... pattern density is what kills birds... even at distance. The whole "large pellets carry more energy" is a defunct argument, because before the extra energy matters your pattern is too thin to reliably hit the target.

Decades of peppering pattern boards, 15 years of those with Turkey silhouettes, shows what works... large pellets at distance requires luck to bring home the Turkey jerky... I don't want to rely on luck.
Click to expand...

My experience is different than yours. My test patterns are min 8, more often 12 pellets in the vital portion of the head/neck at 30yds consistently. 23 birds so far with 3" 4x6 duplex... most killed at 20-25yds. (7s were only recently added as legal in Ontario). I don't take long shots on turkeys, ever. I have on occasion shot through cedar branches concealing me, and the 4s do a great job of clearing a path for the 6s. (#4 is ahead of the #6 in the duplex load)
 
Buck_Up said:
My experience is different than yours. My test patterns are min 8, more often 12 pellets in the vital portion of the head/neck at 30yds consistently. 23 birds so far with 3" 4x6 duplex... most killed at 20-25yds. (7s were only recently added as legal in Ontario). I don't do long shots on turkeys. Ever. I have on occasion shot through cedar branches concealing me, and the 4s do a great job of clearing a path for the 6s.
Click to expand...

A #4 pellet does not "clear the path" for a #6 pellet... for all intents and purposes they are functionally useless going through brush, not to mention the pattern splitting and shot stream disruption that occurs. I am not saying that your choice won't work... clearly it can and does... I am saying that it is an inferior, self-limiting choice to the denser pattern of smaller shot. Yes, #7 was given the go ahead last year in Ontario, but you will note that I said "US"(A) friends, #7 has been legal in most states for decades... and that is because it is highly effective... pattern density is the killer, anything that reduces pattern density also reduces your effectiveness... I will stick with #6's until I run out and then switch to #7's... also, I get 20-24 lethal hits at 35 yards with #6's.
 
3 inch #6 combined with regular Remington full choke has never let me down on turkeys, knowing your range and limits of your pattern are important....good luck all
 
I use 7/8 oz copper plated #6 most of the time. I just run the hopper dry on my skeet loads then top it up with the copper plated shot and load till the hopper is empty again. Its a proven load in all of my twenty two12ga guns. My 3" beretta a303 is a single shot with them and the only gun i havent patterned woth it but it wont be used for turkey anyway. My average shot id say is 16 yards roughly. I have taken birds further and have custom made chokes designed for certain loads.
Last year is the only year i havent cut 2 spring tags amd a fall tag as everything seemed against my last year and i didnt buy a fall tag for the first time. I did however get 5 coyotes.
This year ill try again for a big bird with an 1880s damascus hammer gun with blackpowder 2.5" shells

I really wanted to try them new tss shells till i saw the price of $69.95 usd for 5 shells

I agree with hoyt pattern density kills better than a larger lucky pellet. With 6s even a mod choke at 20 yards is extremely effective as the feathers stop the pellets from getting into the meat and left enough holes in the head and neck that i didnt bother to count. Other then reflex kicking and flapping theyve all dropped. I prefer full chokes of my sxs guns and turkey chokes for any threaded guns just because. Some guns federal flite control wads work better with a full than a turkey choke. I enjoy shooting so i still play with loads and chokes
 
21 years this year and I have slung a lot of lead at both birds and targets over the years and I agree with smaller is better on the shot size. Little easier on the shoulder pushing 2 oz loads through the tight chokes. 12ga I have used #6 for years and will as I have probably have a lifetimes worth and this combo has taken birds from 2 -56 yds. 20 ga #5, mod choke, just due to the fact they don't make Hornaday Versatite in #6 that I could find, this one to 40 yds works as good as my 12 ga.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom