I mentioned this as a reply in another post, but I figured I would post it as a new topic to get some more opinions. Should I be able to hold on one specific spot of a turkey from anywhere from five yards out to 40 yards, or should I expect to have to compensate the further he gets out?
The reason I ask is because at the range yesterday, I was able to hold dead on at approx. 15 yards but had to hold a little lower at 40. Is this normal, or is there something I should adjust?
at 5 yards, i aim for the body. My poi is consistant from 20 to 40 yards.
So am I missing something? If I hold lower neck, I will be good all the way out to 40, so maybe I am good to go?
5-55 yards I see no difference. On very close shots I due tend to aim right at the base, only to give me a larger target not to compensate for distance.
I am using the Hi Viz Tri Viz sight. I do not know if you are familiar with it, but is it possible that I am not lining the sights up exactly how I should be? Also, if my POA and POI are dead on at 10 yards, should it be dead on at 20, 30, and 40?
I feel like I am just over thinking all of this, like I tend to do with everything else, and that I should just aim at the base of the neck regardless of distance.
Quote from: deerbasshunter3 on February 26, 2015, 07:59:29 AM
I feel like I am just over thinking all of this, like I tend to do with everything else, and that I should just aim at the base of the neck regardless of distance.
Yes, you are over thinking this. When the time comes to shoot, aim at the point where the fleshy red caruncles meet the feathers at the base of the neck. Squeeze the trigger. Pick up the dead turkey. Repeat.
Good luck.
FC
I am at the base of the neck no matter what the yardage is.
Quote from: FullChoke on February 26, 2015, 10:11:44 AM
Quote from: deerbasshunter3 on February 26, 2015, 07:59:29 AM
I feel like I am just over thinking all of this, like I tend to do with everything else, and that I should just aim at the base of the neck regardless of distance.
Yes, you are over thinking this. When the time comes to shoot, aim at the point where the fleshy red caruncles meet the feathers at the base of the neck. Squeeze the trigger. Pick up the dead turkey. Repeat.
Good luck.FC
What he said ^^^^^
I think its easier to use a consistent aiming point at all yardages than try to adjust for close vs farther. If you've got a good pattern an inch or two low at 10 or an inch or two high at 40 wont make any difference.
I pattern my gun by aiming in the center between the top of the head and the bottom of the waddles and have never had a problem with aiming here at any yardage between 5 and 45 while in the field.
Quote from: buck_hunter21 on February 26, 2015, 10:15:28 AM
I am at the base of the neck no matter what the yardage is.
+1
I just posted this on another thread.
Best way to find the POA for your gun is to utilize a turkey choke, put a small target on the paper, and shoot the same paper 3 times with light target loads.... I typically do this at 30 yards, but will move it out to 40 as well, and sometimes in to 10 or 15 yards.
Light target loads have three advantages:
1) Less expensive
2) High pellet count with smaller pellets
3) Less recoil (this is probably the biggest factor for me).
At really close ranges such as 10 yards or under, you probably would only shoot the same paper once or twice. But shooting the same paper multiple times, creates a really dense pattern, and makes it really easy to see where your point of impact is as compared to your point of aim.
I would add to Marc's suggestion to follow up in the end with your actual hunting load. My turkey loads shoot a couple of inches higher at forty yards than light target loads, probably because of the greater recoil and larger, denser shot in my turkey loads.
As for the drop effecting point of impact, a #5 lead pellet will only drop about 2 to 3 inches at forty yards. If you sight in at that range, you are not going to be off by more than an inch or so at any range under 40.
I know that I have a tendency to aim for their eyeball but I really wouldn't get too worked up over the whole deal. Shoot him in the head-ish area and carry on.
Quote from: FullChoke on February 26, 2015, 10:11:44 AM
Quote from: deerbasshunter3 on February 26, 2015, 07:59:29 AM
I feel like I am just over thinking all of this, like I tend to do with everything else, and that I should just aim at the base of the neck regardless of distance.
Yes, you are over thinking this. When the time comes to shoot, aim at the point where the fleshy red caruncles meet the feathers at the base of the neck. Squeeze the trigger. Pick up the dead turkey. Repeat.
Good luck.
FC
Perfect answer.
So, if I am zeroed in at ten yards, I should be able to hold where the feathers meet the neck and get a kill shot out to 40?
Most likely, but I wouldn't zero in at 10 yards. Zero in at the upper end of your shooting range and don't worry about adjusting for anything in range.
I hold where the feathers meet the neck out to about 75 yards then I aim a little over his head... :OGturkeyhead: JUST KIDDING :OGturkeyhead:
I always just aimed at the base of the neck
I went to the range today. I aimed at the base of the neck and had kills (based on the turkey target) from 10 yards out to 40 yards. I even shot at 60 yards, for grins and giggles, and had 96 pellets in the 10" circle.
Quote from: Rapscallion Vermilion on February 26, 2015, 09:18:32 PM
I would add to Marc's suggestion to follow up in the end with your actual hunting load.
I would add the same thing...
Last thing I do after I figure out where and how the gun is shooting, is put one or two rounds of the actual loads I will be shooting on separate papers... Make sure I have a good pattern and that the load is shooting where I want.
I cannot decide if I want to try to adjust my sights or leave it be. This is today at 40 yards:
And this is at 10 yards. Same POA.
Leave it alone...
Quote from: Marc on February 28, 2015, 01:30:45 AM
Leave it alone...
:agreed:
You're good to go with that set up. Now scout and practice calling!
Why adjust that pattern???
Quote from: turkey buster on March 01, 2015, 08:40:44 PM
Why adjust that pattern???
Based on all of the posts that I have read on OG, the bulk of my pattern is slightly to the right of the center of the neck. Also, it is to the right of the center of the neck on the 10 yard shot. I don't know. Just see that it could be centered a little more.
If a turkey walks away from that then he's bad!! Maybe a slight jerk or breeze of wind caused what your seeing. What I see is a d-e-a-d turkey
It looks good to me, but in the end you need to be comfortable and confident with where it shoots.
Flip the paper over and determine the center from the back. Images like that tend pull your eye. How many did you shoot at each distance? I doubt on my best day with a rest I can shoot three shots that center within an inch or two of each other at 40 yards, and that is with a red dot. It is harder with open sights. Was there any cross wind that day? Even a 10 mph cross wind can move the shot several inches at 40 yards.
Quote from: Rapscallion Vermilion on March 01, 2015, 09:19:52 PM
It looks good to me, but in the end you need to be comfortable and confident with where it shoots.
Flip the paper over and determine the center from the back. Images like that tend pull your eye. How many did you shoot at each distance? I doubt on my best day with a rest I can shoot three shots that center within an inch or two of each other at 40 yards, and that is with a red dot. It is harder with open sights. Was there any cross wind that day? Even a 10 mph cross wind can move the shot several inches at 40 yards.
One shot at each distance. I'm sure there were some winds, but I don't remember where from. I am most definitely comfortable with my gun shooting how it is.
I aim dead center of his head and wattles when patterning my gun. The only time I change my poa is when he's "danger close" usually between 0-15 yds. It's like shooting a slug at that close for me. There is hardly any pattern at all so I aim under his wattles just below the feather line. This is a slightly bigger target to shoot at and dont tend to bob around as much. That's probably not what most people do but the onlt bird I've shot that close never even twitched. He just rolled backwards and laid there. It works for me.
I always aim for the base of the neck. Right on the wattles.
The only time I don't is if they are about 15 yards and in. I then aim for the base of his wing like a bowhunter would do.
:OGturkeyhead: I say know where your hunting load hits at 30 yards and squeeze the trigger, it should be good from 4-40. Just my 2 cents
My guns poi is off so i have to aim about 4 in below base of neck and 2-3 inches to the left
Quote from: deerbasshunter3 on February 28, 2015, 12:48:28 AM
I cannot decide if I want to try to adjust my sights or leave it be. This is today at 40 yards:
Deerbasshunter3, if this is load you hunt with, dead bird every time. Now, don't forget this, aiming any higher risk putting many more pellets over top of his head...probably dead turkey...but still many wasted pellets. Now this is what is important, if you save the breast, you have destroyed it if you aim any lower. Don't believe it, try it sometime...especially if shooting #6 Heavy Shot. My point of aim is always the waddles...can always see them out to 40..even little further...and dead turkey if you squeeze trigger, don't flinch. Shoot couple little further and see where your pattern begins to drop and then you will have your confidence dialed in as well as your gun.
Quote from: Cullenhunter on March 07, 2015, 11:41:17 PM
My guns poi is off so i have to aim about 4 in below base of neck and 2-3 inches to the left
Cullenhunter, get you a Truglo Pro Series Mangnum Gobble Dot sight and your problem solved forever. Made of all steel...mounts to your rib and full windage and elevation adjusts. Has dots that line up with front sight and once you have it sightened in, good to go. Midwest has them in there catalogue...looking at it right now..$46.95...best $ you have ever spent if you are serious about hitting where that pattern is. I ordered spare pack of the tubes in different colors...believe it comes with green/red.
I have some for a Mossberg that's listed on the classifieds
So would one not want to aim at waddles close up and out at 40 yards and farther aim for head? I've always heard aim for the ballcap at your guns max range distances.
Quote from: Trappey on March 08, 2015, 03:30:14 PM
So would one not want to aim at waddles close up and out at 40 yards and farther aim for head? I've always heard aim for the ballcap at your guns max range distances.
I've started "zeroing" mine for 40 yards where the center of my pattern is where I aim. At 20 yards if I'm off I'm off an inch maybe. At closer ranges I do seem to aim a tad bit lower just because I have more room for error.
At 30-40 I'm aiming just above waddles where my pattern covers head, kneck, waddles.
20-30 it's mid kneck
20 and in its waddles
I concur with FullChoke. I always aim at the base of the neck no matter the distance.
Quote from: Trappey on March 08, 2015, 03:30:14 PM
So would one not want to aim at waddles close up and out at 40 yards and farther aim for head? I've always heard aim for the ballcap at your guns max range distances.
I have not seen enough drop in my shot to warrant different aim points. I figure that for the distance my shot dropped far enough to need a higher poa, my pattern would be too open for a reliable shot. I am shooting Hevi-13 2 oz #6 if that matters. :OGani:
Looks like you killed the dang thing to me.
:z-dizzy:
:OGani: Fullchoke hit it, base of the neck.
Quote from: deerbasshunter3 on February 26, 2015, 07:16:14 AM
So am I missing something? If I hold lower neck, I will be good all the way out to 40, so maybe I am good to go?
Concur!
I am surprised that nobody has stated the obvious yet. That is, if the turkey is so far away that you feel you need to compensate for pellet drop, he is too far away to be pulling the trigger.
I aim at the waddles. I like to see his head. Gives me an idea how I'm holding left/right. 20 and closer I pull down a little
Quote from: FullChoke on February 26, 2015, 10:11:44 AM
Quote from: deerbasshunter3 on February 26, 2015, 07:59:29 AM
I feel like I am just over thinking all of this, like I tend to do with everything else, and that I should just aim at the base of the neck regardless of distance.
Yes, you are over thinking this. When the time comes to shoot, aim at the point where the fleshy red caruncles meet the feathers at the base of the neck. Squeeze the trigger. Pick up the dead turkey. Repeat.
Good luck.
FC
Couldn't have put it better myself!