Being fairly new to both turkey hunting and this forum, I notice much discussion about throwing a lot of really small pellets at the head/neck area of a turkey. It seems reasonable that a good many of these small pellets will hit the body (and breast) of the turkey, especially at these maximum distances discussed. Having grown up around rabbit/quail/squirrel hunting, I am always concerned about biting into a pellet when eating game. An Aunt broke a molar doing that years ago. Has anyone had a problem finding and removing these small #7 pellets from their turkey prior to eating?
Quote from: Oconeeguy on March 06, 2012, 08:08:25 AM
Being fairly new to both turkey hunting and this forum, I notice much discussion about throwing a lot of really small pellets at the head/neck area of a turkey. It seems reasonable that a good many of these small pellets will hit the body (and breast) of the turkey, especially at these maximum distances discussed. Having grown up around rabbit/quail/squirrel hunting, I am always concerned about biting into a pellet when eating game. An Aunt broke a molar doing that years ago. Has anyone had a problem finding and removing these small #7 pellets from their turkey prior to eating?
The pellets give them flavor just added seasoning! :TooFunny:
You may have to pick a few depending on the pattern, distance and shot used. Also if you accidently body shoot them. If your shot placement is good you will end up with very few if any in the meat.
A turkey's breast is rather low on his body, so most of the time hardly any shot impacts it unless you aim for low neck. Like you said, it is more likely on long shots. I've found that most penetrate through the meat with various shot and sizes and the very few I've found in the breast were easy to pick out while cleaning the meat before cooking.
Since most of my turkeys are killed at close range and since I shoot them in the top of the noggin, I dont see many hits to the breast.
A few years ago, I had to have emergency abdominal surgery. At the hospital, they took an x-ray of my torso and the technician came back out and asked me if I had ever been shot before. I said of course not...wait...what did you see in the x-ray. He showed it to me and sure enough, there were about 10 bright spots which I laughingly explained were #6 copper coated lead shot. We had a meal of the breast of my last bird that I taken with a body shot and apparently a lot of the shot got past me trying to pick them out. The doctor looked at the x-rays and announced with quiet and firm authority that this too shall pass. It's hard to laugh with belly staples.
FullChoke
I've noticed that when I cleaned my birds there will be a spot of blood in the area the shot penatrated the breast. I just always check it/score it with a knife and it usaully pops out. Its been easy so far to get any shot out. I've never got any shot in my mouth like I do when I've shot rabbits, I do try to clean it good so that the people eating it don't get turned off to eating the game I've takin. I've always shot #4 & 5's and now this year #6 so its not a problem like you would get from 7,8 or 9's.
WOW!!!!!!!! SEEMS LIKE YOU NEED TO CHEW YOUR TURKEY MEAL ALITTLE BETTER ????
Small shot hurts like crap, when you're chowing down and bite into one!