How many of you carry different turkey shell's with you hunting? Like say your hunting woods and most shots have got to be close, do you feel the need to shoot a high dollar shell or one of the cheaper shell's that will get the job done. Also what about field hunting, i want the best shell's in my gun that day .. I think you need to set your gun up for more than one shell..your opinions please...It's like wood's maybe you want a good 2 oz. number 5 for that day hunt to help with cutting throw those small sapling you didn't see...
Switched to Winchester XR's last year. Those are the only shells I carry in my vest after patterning them. Some shells shoot to a different point of aim, also they pattern differently out of different chokes. I stick with one choke and shell.
i carry 2 different shells, and 2 different chokes.
I hunt alot of fields and even before I fell in love with my Encore setup have always used the same shells when loading and not mix and matching. That's the reason I've patterned so much to find the combo (choke/shell)that works best for me and the way I hunt. I rarely shoot over 20yds but if need be 40yds is no problem.
Quote from: Greg Massey on February 07, 2017, 12:21:33 PM
It's like wood's maybe you want a good 2 oz. number 5 for that day hunt to help with cutting throw those small sapling you didn't see...
Huh? :TrainWreck1:
Quote from: 1iagobblergetter on February 07, 2017, 12:46:51 PM
I hunt alot of fields and even before I fell in love with my Encore setup have always used the same shells when loading and not mix and matching. That's the reason I've patterned so much to find the combo (choke/shell)that works best for me and the way I hunt. I rarely shoot over 20yds but if need be 40yds is no problem.
X2!!
One Shell, One Gun, Done
Kill them birds up close at 15-17 yards, can't even think of the last bird I killed over 20. The gun will kill at the 40 but just not my thing...
MK M GOBL
I carry different loads. I don't see shooting a hevi load theat cost $5 when a Winchester supreme will more than do the job in the woods. I know my gun and how it'll pattern the shells.
I normally put the high dollar in 1st then some lower priced backups.
I have a 3" 1-5/8 oz 20 ga tss in the pipe and chase it with 2 #7 hvy weights for back up.
Until I get the 20 loaded with TSS, I'll continue to use either the 12 with a 2 oz load of TSS or a 20 ga with Federal HW 7's. Not bouncing different shells in the same gun. One gun, one choke, one shell. Game over.
Quote from: dejake on February 07, 2017, 12:31:02 PM
i carry 2 different shells, and 2 different chokes.
I hope you are kidding
Shells would be the absolutel last place to skimp. It's like skimping on broadheads for bow hunting. Your shell ultimately does the killing. For all the time and other money tied up in turkey hunting, I could not imagine worrying about the difference in a two dollar shell and a four dollar shell.
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:camohat: Federal 3rd Degree, 3" 12 Ga, Period !!!
One gun, one type shell.
Like others have mentioned I believe simplicity is the best route! 1 shell, 1 choke, now finding that combo can get pricey.
I found for my last gun 3" magna blend 2oz 5,6,7 to be my shell. Now I have a new gun and the work begins! I don't pull the trigger much unless it's a good bird that being said a 5.00 shell is worth it to me. I don't even reuse a 20.00 arrow on another good buck! Hope this can help you.
One shell one choke all day
I kill a lot of birds that would be just as dead with dove loads as with magnums. But I can't see the future to know what shot I'll have on a bird and the darn things won't stick around long enough for me to switch shells once I do know. So I pick a load I have confidence in and stick with it. I have enough things to worry about, let alone making sure I have the right shell in the gun.
my mentor told me "Don't skimp on the shells son.."
Whatever you choose don't buy into the hype on the box. Pattern it and keep shots within its effective range both for pattern density and energy.
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I never know exactly where I'll strike a bird, may be in a field or may be in the woods...so I setup 1 shell and one choke, and know how it shoots from 5 yards to 55.... don't over complicate it!
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I am blowing way more in gas than I ever will in shells... I purchased about 4 boxes of 1 3/8 oz #6 Hevi-Shot, that will likely last me for years to come...
I look at like this, driving up and back probably cost me between $30-$40, and I am not going to worry about saving a "special" shotgun shell for a more difficult shot.
And, more than once, I have been in tight quarters (where my shots would be close), and moved to head off a bird in more open areas... I do not want to mess with trying to switch shells and chokes at this time...
No, I'm not kidding. If I switch up, and am going to be set up in thick stuff, I don't want to use my HW7 with the flite control wad. If that wad hits anything in the first few yards, the whole shot pattern is thrown off.
Quote from: dejake on February 08, 2017, 04:27:19 AM
No, I'm not kidding. If I switch up, and am going to be set up in thick stuff, I don't want to use my HW7 with the flite control wad. If that wad hits anything in the first few yards, the whole shot pattern is thrown off.
So you are saying you carry an additional choke tube and shells in the woods when you are hunting ??
These type threads never cease to amaze me. ;D
:TrainWreck1:
I've already got enough to think about, having to change out shells based off of terrain is more than I want on my mind when I think I might be pulling the trigger. To each his own though!
Quote from: Cove on February 08, 2017, 09:53:17 AM
These type threads never cease to amaze me. ;D
:TrainWreck1:
What we need to remember not all people hunt the same type of woods or terrain. Some people may hunt a pine plantation, woods with no fields with very little pasture ground. Some people have to hunt mountain terrain. It takes a different strategy to hunt different locations and habitat. So let's understand why we may take more than one shell or more than one choke. It's no different than you taking more than one call . What you want to make sure of is how all your equipment is working and how to use it. So a train wreck is a persons with a closed mine on how all of us have to hunting across this country.
Well I can never tell if I'll be working a bird in an open area or in the woods. Ideally you could push a button like a safety and change your choke constriction at a moments notice without much movement.
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When I pick a shell to shoot, I am thinking about the worst case scenario. I put too much time, money, effort into turkey hunting to be skimming on the most important item for the moment of truth. I have one type of shell in my gun and it is for all situations.
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Federal Heviweight 3-1.5-7's, no matter where I hunt.
I feel very confident shooting 3 or 3 1/2 inch #5's with my gun/choke combo in any terrain I might hunt in.
One choke, one brand/style of shells in gun and in vest. May take a different gun the next trip with different shells though and have several set ups like many do these days. Outside that, they are all 40 yard guns with patterns to match a guy who gets excited. Plenty enough going on for me already with trying to get a turkey coming in to have to also worry about which choke or load is in the gun. It don't take but one "click" to humble you as it is.
One shell only, and learn how to shoot it for any distance within my max range. I use 3" 5s out of my 835 and 3" 1.5oz HW #7 out of my 20ga.
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One choke and one type of shell. After patterning TSS I have no desire to put anything else in my gun.
I hunt with longbeard 3.5'' #6's. But I do keep three just regular 2 3/4 #6's in my vest. For what purpose I don't really know and I've never used them but I got them! lol Just like in my quiver when I'm deer hunting. I shoot mechanicals but keep one fixed blade for finishing shots or for hogs and coyotes.
Always use the same shell and one choke. Turkey shells are for shooting and it is worth $5 per shot for me to get clean, efficient kills. My gun/ammo/choke will handle anything inside of normal hunting ranges & if it didn't, I wouldn't have it. If the bird is in range, I can kill it, anywhere I hunt.
I have a habit of carrying more ammo than I'll need, but if those ISIS paratroopers ever invade where I'm hunting, they're gonna run into a hot swarm of #6 or #7 Hevi shot. Just sayin'
Jim
Quote from: Cut N Run on February 09, 2017, 04:05:50 PM
Always use the same shell and one choke. Turkey shells are for shooting and it is worth $5 per shot for me to get clean, efficient kills. My gun/ammo/choke will handle anything inside of normal hunting ranges & if it didn't, I wouldn't have it. If the bird is in range, I can kill it, anywhere I hunt.
I have a habit of carrying more ammo than I'll need, but if those ISIS paratroopers ever invade where I'm hunting, they're gonna run into a hot swarm of #6 or #7 Hevi shot. Just sayin'
Jim
:TooFunny:
Quote from: Cut N Run on February 09, 2017, 04:05:50 PM
Always use the same shell and one choke. Turkey shells are for shooting and it is worth $5 per shot for me to get clean, efficient kills. My gun/ammo/choke will handle anything inside of normal hunting ranges & if it didn't, I wouldn't have it. If the bird is in range, I can kill it, anywhere I hunt.
I have a habit of carrying more ammo than I'll need, but if those ISIS paratroopers ever invade where I'm hunting, they're gonna run into a hot swarm of #6 or #7 Hevi shot. Just sayin'
Jim
Tell it brother. I carry 10 rounds every hunt. This after previously carrying much less and having walked out of the woods with one round left a couple times and thankfully, a tom. Ditto for arrows. Have come close to emptying the quiver a couple times on deer. Most of that was in my youth but I took it to heart and have always been prepared since.
Back in the day I chased numbers for the ultimate shell...anymore I shoot whatever I have left...luckily my Benelli shoots straight and every load I've tested is good enough to 40. Hevi has always been best but when I run low I will try some longbeards. Bought some junk Rem. lead turkey loads at Wally World for home defense when I lived out west one summer...close out for like 5 bux and killed 5 birds with those loads...would have killed more but the buffer was leaking all over and I don't trust them.
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I carry a couple of cheap dove shells. I hunt public land. On occasion someone will walk in on me while I'm on a turkey. I completely realize it's public land and they have every right to be there, it's theirs as much as it's everybody else's. It's aggravating when they know that the turkey that they've heard has been heard by the guy that they parked next to....and is probably trying to kill it.
More than a few times I've put the cheap shells in and shot up in the air. Lay around a little while and that turkey will sometimes get going again.
I've got no problem if someone hears a turkey way off and walk into one that someone else's is already on, not knowing it. I get aggravated when people know that someone else is already in a spot and they just don't care, park in sight of another vehicle and go hunting. It's not safe, it causes anger, it's just not right.
Maybe I'm just old and crotchety
For me, it's a Pure Gold and 3 1/2 Hevi 7's for me. No need for anything else. Tried, True and Tested on numerous Heads! No floppage, if I do my job.
Quote from: zeke632 on February 10, 2017, 10:35:35 AM
I carry a couple of cheap dove shells. I hunt public land. On occasion someone will walk in on me while I'm on a turkey. I completely realize it's public land and they have every right to be there, it's theirs as much as it's everybody else's. It's aggravating when they know that the turkey that they've heard has been heard by the guy that they parked next to....and is probably trying to kill it.
More than a few times I've put the cheap shells in and shot up in the air. Lay around a little while and that turkey will sometimes get going again.
I've got no problem if someone hears a turkey way off and walk into one that someone else's is already on, not knowing it. I get aggravated when people know that someone else is already in a spot and they just don't care, park in sight of another vehicle and go hunting. It's not safe, it causes anger, it's just not right.
Maybe I'm just old and crotchety
Now there's a man who's done time in public hunting.
You may be old and crotchety zeke, but I hear ya. People will walk right in on you with no respect or safety in mind.
You remind me of my dad, I can't stop laughing now.
To add to the subject, pattern your gun at 40, stick with the best shell.
Set up where that bird can't see you till he's 25-30 yards if you can. Make him come in looking with his head up.
Same with bow hunting. Practice at 40-even 50 yards. Never shoot over 30. Anything under that is a chip shot.
If anything is worth your time, don't skimp on equipment ... trucks, wife, etc :)
always got some low brass shells with me for snakes and as in the above post, if you come in on me trying to work the bird that I'm already working, well you are not going to get him.
I carry different types, not for the price factor and they have to hit the same poi though .
Hw7 are always in the chamber it seems though no matter timber or field.
Backups snakes or zombies? Double barrel guns I would definitely have two different loads.
But throwing a lead load in for close quarters shooting situations makes sense.
If I used longbeard I would switch to double X or other brands for close stuff.
My set up shoots a volleyball size pattern at 20 yards and still prints 250-265 in the 10" at 40 yards. I am thinking I'll let it be.
Quote from: Gooserbat on February 11, 2017, 04:09:45 PM
My set up shoots a volleyball size pattern at 20 yards and still prints 250-265 in the 10" at 40 yards. I am thinking I'll let it be.
That's awesome as long as there aren't any significant gaps in the pattern