Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

Bird is coming.  Is relaxed and everything is just right.  Where do you take the shot.  I find 90% of the time I take the shot at 25-30 yards, usually closer to 25.  I always pace if off after the fact for fun.  I let one walking/feeding away from me at an angle get to about 15 before made a cluck and I shot him.  He was about 5 steps when he appeared down my gun barrel!

I took my first with a 20 at 38 steps - he was following the hens and was not gonna get any closer.

Just curious on those times where it is your choice, what choice y'all make.

I'll let them get as close as they want to.  But once they start to retreat I usually squeeze of a shot at about 25 to 30.    Have shot them much closer, but I have also fired warning shots much closer.   In fact most of my warning shots are fired at less than 10. 

Depending on his attitude, as close as possible, but like you said most of the time 15 - 35 yards .. most are usually around 20 yards or so for me... I like to get his autograph if i can.. LOL..

I hunt heavy timber with lots of topo so it tends to be closer than I'd like. Most at about 20-25yds. And here I am like an idiot still wasting money to pattern at 40.


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I try to take my shots around 30-35yds, too many missed shots with the tight chokes at 25 and less. :z-guntootsmiley:

Gonna be shooting TSS in the 20ga this season and see how it does.

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30 and in is my preferred choice.  Shot them farther but the idea is get em close!!

Quote from: guesswho on January 19, 2021, 05:39:16 PM
I'll let them get as close as they want to.  But once they start to retreat I usually squeeze of a shot at about 25 to 30.    Have shot them much closer, but I have also fired warning shots much closer.   In fact most of my warning shots are fired at less than 10.

I try to kill them before they get inside 25 yards. Things get real dicey inside 20 for me. Nut behind trigger about rattles completely off from time to time. I dunno about warning shots but I've missed turkeys from around 3 steps to infinity.

20 to 30 yards is my sweet spot.

I have great confidence in my aim/shot spread/killing ability at 25-30 yards, that's my ideal range.

I love to drop the hammer at around 30. I have very solid, even, not too tight patterns at this distance. I carry a range finder and when one answers and starts coming, I have a range tree at 30. That's my marker. Be safe

25 to 30 yards is perfect. Just right, not too close or too far!

30 or less for me. 

It depends. I typically like 25-30 yards. However if I get a good clean shot anywhere inside 40 I tend to take it. I seem to get a little antsy if they crack the 20 yard mark. Last year I held off and let one get to 22 steps just to enjoy the show and prove a point to someone. Closest was I believe 6-7 steps.

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Depends on the hunt... but shotgun and from the blind we are at 15-17 yards, all the guns are scoped and dead on at that range, run & gun in the timber 20-25 yards and with the bow/blind 10 and under. It's what works for me/us.

"The Circle of Death"


MK M GOBL

Yup. 20-30 yards. And none of this watching him thump my decoy stuff. When he's in range, I'm shooting. Too much of a chance Murphy will show up.

Quote from: 2eagles on January 19, 2021, 07:38:18 PM
Yup. 20-30 yards. And none of this watching him thump my decoy stuff. When he's in range, I'm shooting. Too much of a chance Murphy will show up.

LOL  I did that once.  He was putting on a show in a field and he finally came over to check the hen out (me).  He strutted around looking and looking for her, gobbling and putting on a show.  He was my last bird for the year, so I decided to enjoy it.  He suddenly semi-spooked on something across the field (I could not see what) and ducked his head and was heading out. I shot him with his head stretched low, kind of sideways to me and I won't ever do it again. I killed him easily, but there were a bunch of pellets in the breast. 

I take the first good shot I have once he's inside 40.

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once he's within 40 i make my move first chance i can to get the bead on him without detection. then it's just a matter of a clear shot. most of my birds have been shot at about 25 yards

shot a few at 10 yards and closer but that was just luck of a kamikazee tom and by chance being hidden perfectly from them

i'm terrible at gauging distance so i hate hunting fields. my only misses have been shooting at a bird that was further away than i thought

a tom i shot last year was running in and going to keep running right on past me. i was squealing on my mouth call to get him to stop. i won't take a running shot. he stopped at about 10 yards thank god

I like them close. 20 is about perfect. I cant remember the last time I shot a birds over 25 yards. 02 maybe.

25-30.
Love watching the show before I feed'em a hot load of TSS 9's!


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With todays loads and chokes, I'll say 30.  Old school lead and older chokes, I would say 20 to 25.  This is with a 12 gauge comparison.

Honestly now that I'm shooting tss I usually shoot them between 30-40.

First shot I have and preferably between 25-40 yards.

First clean shot between 25 and 35 yards is my sweet spot.  I have missed too many giving them warning shots inside 20 yards or so.

Quote from: 2eagles on January 19, 2021, 07:38:18 PM
Yup. 20-30 yards. And none of this watching him thump my decoy stuff. When he's in range, I'm shooting. Too much of a chance Murphy will show up.

^^^^
Same with me.

I would say that 30 yards plus or minus is optimal for the gun and loads I shoot.  I will confidently shoot them both much closer and farther away, but that approximate range suits me just fine. 

Now, if I was shooting a gun with the 40-yard patterns that I have seen from some of the guys on here, I would never let a gobbler get closer than thirty yards,...and would most likely be shooting when he got to forty.  I personally do not believe I would be much good at shooting a gobbler at very close range with what amounts to a rifle. With my abilities, I need a little "leeway" provided by a more open pattern.   :) :o

I have shot them farther than I like but my perfect shot is less than 30 yards. I like them up close and I am careful with my really tight guns. Most of mine have been 20-25. Closest shot I ever had was 18'.

My pattern with Winchester Double X HV and a .665 IC is best at 30 yards. Starts getting too tight for comfort if he's bobbing his head around much closer that that. Can't imagine I'd choose to let him get closer than 30 after I pattern the Win Longbeards I picked up.


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Guess I'm an outlier. I take the first shot he gives me once he comes within range. Too much can go wrong too quickly when you let them keep coming.

Last year my average distance was 41 yards out of a bunch of birds. Closest was 22 yards. Four were 25 or less.

2019 season average shot distance was 35 yards. Closest was 17. Four were 25 or less.

I normally setup so he's 40 yards when I'll be able to see him and that close enough.

Anything inside 40 ( definitely nothing beyond ), but always set up for an ideal 20-30.

I'm a big fan of 30-35 yards. My pattern with my 20gauge  #7 TSS gives me a little wiggle room but still too many pellets to evade death.


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I try to get them around twenty yards but at times thirty yds. I try to get them as close as possible. I like to see  the show, and see their eyes when they realize they messed up.

I typically wait too long and kill em close, but if you can't hit a bird with a pattern the size of a grapefruit at 20 then you deserve to miss!

I had a 580 in my 20 and switched to a 555, at 20 both are manageable and I like the hot core at 30-40.

I shoot them as soon as I get a clear shot.  I'd say most are about 25-30yds

27

30 yds or less

Quote from: deerhunt1988 on January 20, 2021, 01:16:46 PM
Guess I'm an outlier. I take the first shot he gives me once he comes within range. Too much can go wrong too quickly when you let them keep coming.

Last year my average distance was 41 yards out of a bunch of birds. Closest was 22 yards. Four were 25 or less.

2019 season average shot distance was 35 yards. Closest was 17. Four were 25 or less.

What he says.


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Quote from: guesswho on January 19, 2021, 05:39:16 PM
I'll let them get as close as they want to.  But once they start to retreat I usually squeeze of a shot at about 25 to 30.    Have shot them much closer, but I have also fired warning shots much closer.   In fact most of my warning shots are fired at less than 10.

That very sportsmanlike to give them the courtesy of a warning shot!!!

When you've fooled em so well they're standing on your boots a warning shot is just the right thing to do.

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Same as everyone else.  That 20-30 is the sweet spot for the pattern.   

The combination of a tight choke and me shaking like an epileptic when he gobbles at me at 10 yards is a bad combination  ;D

Shooting custom Nitro HeavyShot 4x5x7 I like 35-40. I've killed them closer seems like they flop more the closer they are.

In the 90's 20-25 was ideal and 35 was max... The custom shells have came a long way...

I still love the hunt and just hearing the gobble makes my heart full of joy. Amen.

Good luck everyone