Turkey hunting with a rimfire?

[Suther]

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!

 

[351 power]

I know of a turkey taken with a cci segmented. Worked fine I heard

 

[cooey43]

No RF in Ontario . Certainly a shot in the head would be deadly , but maybe not in cte. of chest ?

 

[Bittereinder]

Interesting, I didn't know this is legal in BC. Presumably with the right rifle and a stable rest, this would push the max range for a head shot to about 100 yards if the bird isn't moving too much. I'm curious to hear what others say.

 

[cdn1canhunt]

Would certainly make for a challenge. Turkeys heads are constantly in and out of motion. And a head approximately the size of a hardball baseball. Steady rest and good optics would be key. Personally a load of copper plated #6’s to the face is my preferred and only legal choice here in Onterible

 

[Bittereinder]

Would certainly make for a challenge. Turkeys heads are constantly in and out of motion. And a head approximately the size of a hardball baseball. Steady rest and good optics would be key. Personally a load of copper plated #6’s to the face is my preferred and only legal choice here in Onterible

Good point. Consistent with the OP's question, it would be interesting to hear what rimfire turkey hunters consider to be their max ethical range.

 

[Suther]

Would certainly make for a challenge. Turkeys heads are constantly in and out of motion. And a head approximately the size of a hardball baseball. Steady rest and good optics would be key. Personally a load of copper plated #6’s to the face is my preferred and only legal choice here in Onterible

I figured shotguns are the popular choice for a reason, but if its legal SOMEONE is going to do it just to say the can/did even if there was NO advantage to using rimfire (which it seems there would be a range advantage if nothing else). So I figured I'd see what peoples' experience with it is.

 

[Shovel]

Never shot one with 22 but pretty sure a 22mag or 22lr would kill them with a good hit on vitals. I've arrowed a few never shotgunned them. Might try 22lr. Straight on head shot or a body shot. Side shot on a head I dunno hate to shoot the beak off

 

[Al Bear]

A 22CB body shot will kill a turkey no problem up 40 yds (although a head shot would be a faster kill) so anything bigger (short or LR) would be better IMHO. Clearly, target practice is key. If you can hit a golf ball at 25 Yds, you can take a head shot at at that distance. And take a body shot at 50 to 75. If you can do it with a bow or crossbow, you can do it better with a rimfire. Where legal, I would absolutely choose a rimfire over a shotgun .

 

[Arctic87]

https://www.ammoland.com/2017/06/be...-take-the-1953-world-record-grizzly-and-more/

It will kill it alright, hopefully it goes down. Those things are mean as hell

 

[Raton57]

it your going to use a rimfire why not a 22mg . Do they allow centerfire .

 

[Boombb]

Yeah screams 17HMR for the guy without a "birdgun"

 

[antiqueguy]

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!

Remeber to pattern your shotguns.

 

[mbogo3]

Back in the day the 5mm Remington magnum had it's following for turkeys.A cast bullet in a .22 Hornet would be nice.

 

[alpining]

... Clearly, target practice is key. If you can hit a golf ball at 25 Yds, you can take a head shot at at that distance. ....

You got it. With the right ammunition at the right distance, can you make the shot in the field conditions that you expect to have?

I prefer high velocity hollow points out of a scoped long barrel 22LR for headshots. A shotgun is a lot more forgiving, accuracy-wise, but 22LR is much quieter and gives you no meat damage if you do your part.

 

[Big Bad]

A nice thing about taking out gobblers with a .22 is that headshots would be an all or nothing proposition- either a dead turkey or a wiser one. Counter to that would be that shots might be taken to centre mass to avoid a miss, meaning a much messier kill and probably a lost bird, or that a headshot bullet would be a clean miss and whizz over and take out another hunter on the far side of the field or clearing, meaning me. I expect the second thing is why ON and other places ban the use of rifles, the fact that you're at all times aiming parallel to the ground.

 

[Al Bear]

A nice thing about taking out gobblers with a .22 is that headshots would be an all or nothing proposition- either a dead turkey or a wiser one. Counter to that would be that shots might be taken to centre mass to avoid a miss, meaning a much messier kill and probably a lost bird, or that a headshot bullet would be a clean miss and whizz over and take out another hunter on the far side of the field or clearing, meaning me. I expect the second thing is why ON and other places ban the use of rifles, the fact that you're at all times aiming parallel to the ground.

Wait a minute. The logical(?) extension of that argument applies to hunting any & all small game with a 22

 

[cantgetright]

Yeah screams 17HMR for the guy without a "birdgun"

17 HMR with a 20gr. hollowpoint is exactly what i'd be trying if it were legal to use for turkey in Ontario.

 

[boxhitch]

Have carried a 22 for turkey but have yet to get a good opportunity, maybe this spring
thinking a center of back shot to the vitals would be best, as said that head is constantly twitching around, tough to hold a poa on
Front poa would be base of neck, save that breast meat
in theory, so far.....

have never met another turkey hunter where I go, congestion is not an issue in BC imo

 

[Longwalker]

A head shot seems like a good idea, but difficult to consistently pull off under real hunting conditions. You must hit the brain, ( tiny and moves a lot) or the vitals. Vitals on a turkey are small, and right up front and just under the backbone. Aiming at "centre mass" would mean a shot through the breast muscle. Resulting in messed up meat with a high probability of losing a bird that would run away and die later. If I was to hunt turkey with a rimfire, I would only be with a .22 mag and 40-50 grain hollow point bullets. ( not hyper velocity lightweights) I'd aim for the base of the wing from side on, or at the fork of the wishbone from facing, and limit shots to well under 100 yds. A miss slightly high would hit the backbone, slightly low should still have enough shock if you hit the base of the breastbone. I would not consider a .22 LR adequate for body shots. My understanding is that some USA jurisdictions don't allow .22 LR but do allow .22 mag. That seems like a sensible minimum for consistent effectiveness.