It used to amaze me just how many turkey hunters had multiple--often several--guns dedicated to turkey hunting. For years, I had and used only one. As far as my wife knows, I still have only one. Truth is I now have a few that are set up exclusively for spring turkeys and few "crossover" guns as well.
How many do you have that you use only for turkey hunting and, more importantly, how do you decide which one goes with you to the woods on any given day? Is your decision based on weather? Terrain? Probable shot distance? Shot patterns and confidence? Need for variety? Superstition?...
How many do you generally use during the course of a season?
One. Makes my decision pretty easy
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For years I hunted with and only owned a Special Purpose 21" 870 in Realtree camo and Remington Premier 3" #5 ammo with factory extra full choke. Worked great. After I found this site 3 years ago everything changed. Now I pretty much have one for every day of the week. Some are set up for fields, some for woods, and some a compromise of both situations. The 835 gets most of the work on rainy days and an 11-87 with wood furniture likes the sunshine. With all of the choices in guns, ammo, and chokes how could anybody choose just one?
Also, since I watch the Truth videos a lot I have been thinking about setting up a 20 gauge 870 with wood stock and Bottomland barrel.
3 870's and 3 Berettas
4 with screw in chokes and i still have my first old full choke turkey gun.... after building a 20 gauge that's all i take, no matter woods or fields...
I have 8. Gonna retire one this year and give another time to my son. Have 6 left to choose from
Specifically for turkey hunting? Have a couple I guess. Mossberg 835 is strictly a turkey rig. Have something in the works. Once it gets here, it too will be strictly a turkey gun. In the process of setting up a 410 for my girls when the time comes and I plan to use it with the TSS as well. Can't wait until the day comes she's able to sit still enough to turkey hunt. Gonna try her on deer this fall I think.
I have 3. I have 3 sons who will hopefully grow into 2 of them in the upcoming years. Each one is a legend in its own way.
I have a Winchester 1300. Can't get rid of it. They are not made anymore and it was one of my first guns.
My 835 is going nowhere. Every gobbler hunter needs an 835!
My go to is an 870 with the shurshot stock.
Now I am down to 4 3.5" shells with no intentions of buying more so the 1300 will be coming back out a bit.
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Just one, my 870 Express 12 gauge with magpul stock & a 21" barrel.
So...back to part of the original question for those of you who have multiple turkey guns? How do you decide which one you're going to take???
Quote from: Spurs Up on May 28, 2017, 05:34:23 PM
So...back to part of the original question for those of you who have multiple turkey guns? How do you decide which one you're going to take???
Whatever feels right!
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Quote from: Swampchickin234 on May 28, 2017, 06:04:32 PM
Quote from: Spurs Up on May 28, 2017, 05:34:23 PM
So...back to part of the original question for those of you who have multiple turkey guns? How do you decide which one you're going to take???
Whatever feels right!
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Is that then a "gut" feeling or intuition thing? Is it based on field conditions?
I'll grab a different one just for a change of pace. Not so much a superstitious as it is a "little-stitious" thing. Usually couple that with a change of camo too...
I have 2 870 turkey special 12 ga this year set up 20 ga 11/87 like it because its light an patterns good
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What gun I take generally depends on terrain. I have a sbe2 and a 870 youth as my dedicated turkey guns.
hunted 10 years with my Remington 1100, 5 years with a mossy 835(sold it), 10 years with 10ga, NEF single shot, & the last 2 with an Ithaca Turkey Slayer, so I have 3 currently, the Ithaca was carried all season & its my preferred Gun. Mike
I have one dedicated turkey gun (SX3) and another (Benelli M1) being put together right now. The SX3 has an Aimpont red dot that I love so I will probably use the Benelli with Tru Glo sights if the weather is bad. I would prefer to keep that $400 scope from getting too wet. Other than that I will flip a coin and pick the gun for the day.
Depends how much walking I'm doing and my set ups I plan on using. The majority of the time I have the 887 Nitro Mag, but up in Nebraska I used the shorty 870 Special Purposes.... Shot a ton of turkeys with a Escort semi auto, stock full choke, 3" only, in both 12 and 20 ga. All guns other than the 870 SP are crossover guns.
I have 2 dedicated to turkeys setup and ready. An old woodlands camo 835 that I started out with in the '90s. I changed the 28" tube for a 24" and rattle can camo'd her and added a Knoxx stock and a fiber optic site. She isn't the prettiest thing, but I had her so long she's like that old pocket knife you leave laying on the dresser just in case you need even though you have a new one.
I have a 20ga 870 that I setup a couple years ago. I carry it most of the time, but do on occasion carry the old 835 for old time sake. No real reason why I switch, just an urge.
I did buy a 20ga Super Bantam for my son a couple months ago that I'm setting up now. I haven't shot it yet, but the more it look at the more I like it. If it wants to be shooter, I may have a real dilemma on my hands.
two. a 12 and 20 use both almost equally. Killed 3 with the 20 and two with the 12 this year
Quote from: Spurs Up on May 28, 2017, 05:34:23 PM
So...back to part of the original question for those of you who have multiple turkey guns? How do you decide which one you're going to take???
I usually carry the SX3 20 ga. If I think I may need a few extra yards I carry the 835. If I expect to be real mobile, I carry the single shot 20.
5, one of each camo of the original old school camos. killed a few birds with each. a 3.5 inch 11-87 that i haved toted 10 years. and this year all i used was my little 459 20 guage..
835. Lightweight, good mountain gun. I have backups also
Only have one,870 remington with a 26" barrei
Current dedicated turkey guns : 2- 10 gauges / Stevens and NEF
1- 12 gauge, 31/2" BPS
2- 12 gauge, 3" Ithaca Model 37's / Turkeyslayer & customized 37 w/ 25"
Bansner .665 sleeved barrel
1- 20 gauge Weatherby TR-459 pump , 181/2" w/ Sumtoy .562-5
Half of the guns have red-dot scopes which I don't like to carry in the rain. I reload and shoot TSS in the 20 gauge which will just about out shoot the 10's and 12's, but the two Ithaca's have killed over 150 gobblers, so they are usually the first I grab. Several years ago I hunted with and kllled gobblers w/ 5 different guns representing 3 gauges / 4 different shotshells until I started having nightmares that I got out of the vehicle w/ a gun and shells which wouldn't work in the gun due to gauge or shell length. It's something of a pain to have to swap shells for the gun and backups in the vest especially after a bunch of 4 am mornings, but it must be done to justify keeping different guns and gauges.
BPS 10 gauge. If you don't mind the weight its a good feeling lol. Ghost ring sight. It is ultimate for a well distributed pattern. IMO. Rock on
2 1/2...
Win NWTF 1300
Benelli M2 (multi-purpose)
Rem Youth 20 ga build
Built / carried Rem 20 this past season. The other guns will never hear another gobble...
7 Remington 11/87's
8 Remington 870's
3 Benelli's
1 Thompson center muzzleloading shotgun
It has been by old 26" barreled 12 gauge 11-87, but this year I picked up a 21" barrel with rifle sights for it for dedicated turkey use. A couple weeks ago I picked up several guns from an estate. One was a 21" 12 gauge 11-87 with full camo. I can't find the exact model online, so I need to take some pics and figure out what I have.
Quote from: Spurs Up on May 27, 2017, 06:25:53 PM
It used to amaze me just how many turkey hunters had multiple--often several--guns dedicated to turkey hunting. For years, I had and used only one. As far as my wife knows, I still have only one. Truth is I now have a few that are set up exclusively for spring turkeys and few "crossover" guns as well.
How many do you have that you use only for turkey hunting and, more importantly, how do you decide which one goes with you to the woods on any given day? Is your decision based on weather? Terrain? Probable shot distance? Shot patterns and confidence? Need for variety? Superstition?...
How many do you generally use during the course of a season?
One very old BPS 12 gauge with tru glow sights and a sling. I have upgraded to a kicks .655 choke and 4 through 6 LB. Have killed out to 47 yards twice in New Mexico although most shots are around 30 in woods and 40-45 in fields. I am very comfortable with this shotgun. Feel same with my rifles burn out the barrels and replace is my motto. Old can be better.
When I rifle hunted deer I switched rifles and caliber a few times with bows it was worse I'd hunt one or two seasons then change bows recurves longbows different styles grips etc. The year I started Turkeyhunting I bought a new 870 and have used nothing else spent a lot of time and $$ on testing chokes/ shells. The old 870 has seen a lot of miles but it fits and is 100% reliable. I'm not overly superstitious but I'd feel jinxed if I changed now never been skunked on home season or out of state hunt.