I use corrugated cardboard as a backer for my "big paper" targets when patterning shot loads. No matter what size shot, or combination of shot size load, or choke tube, there are always shot that do not penetrate one layer of the cardboard at 40 yards. Normally the center core pattern penetrates completely and the outer core does not. At the end of any day, there will be hundreds of pellets trapped in the corrugations.
As the distance increases, the patterns spread out, regardless of choke or shot and the central core becomes much larger. Beyond 40 yards a turkey is much more likely to have some pellets that hit him but are not lethal...immediately. Many of us who have hunted for a few decades have shot at least one turkey that had evidence of being hit but not killed. I've seen gangrene in legs and thighs of turkeys that I've killed that were carrying shot for enough time to cause this condition.
I try to remember that turkey hunting is a sport and not something that I must do to survive. I set limits upon myself for how far I will take a shot and I've spent a lot of time learning to judge distance. I'd rather pass up a shot than take one, if I'm not sure that it's within the 40 yard limit that I've placed upon myself.
I don't spend any time attempting to figure out how to shoot at longer ranges. In fact, I spend most of my time, whenever possible, trying to lure a turkey closer to me before shooting.
I have 2 grandsons and I hope that the wild turkey is going to be available to them as a huntable species for their lifetimes. I want to pass along to them the ethics of hunting as much as the skills of hunting and shooting. I want them to remember what was important to me in all areas of my life and hunting is but one of them.
I don't and wont' try to impose my personal standards on others but this is why I limit my shots to 40 yards or less.
Thanks,
Clark
Great post, Clark!
Well said!
Very well said Clark
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Excellent post. If only the ammo companies wouldn't advertise this 70 yard nonsense.
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:agreed:
Great post Clark, Aperricate all the information
Quote from: buzzardroost on April 01, 2017, 11:46:42 AM
Excellent post. If only the ammo companies wouldn't advertise this 70 yard nonsense.
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I actually sent a big long nastygram to Winchester about that in their ads on XR's. Did I pattern them at 65 yards just to see, yes I did. Would they smash a bird , yes they would. Will I ever shoot a bird that far? Never.
Well said.
Amen and amen
Great post
I totally agree. :agreed:
90% of my gobblers have been at 40 yards or less, and 80% have been at 20 yards or less. Not only are those ranges more ethical, but the closer the gobbler, the more exciting the hunt is.
To me turkey hunting is a game of yards. I remember how I was taught. Getting them in close is and has always been my goal. I do not have to pull the trigger to have a great hunt. A man told me a long time ago that if you kill him you wont hear him gobble again. The gobbling , spitting and drumming is the reason I get up and keep chasing them.
Amen, Clark.
I think that many guys' perspectives change once they've killed a few birds and realize how much more exciting and satisfying it is to call the bird in close.
Quote from: Spitten and drummen on April 01, 2017, 03:35:41 PM
To me turkey hunting is a game of yards. I remember how I was taught. Getting them in close is and has always been my goal. I do not have to pull the trigger to have a great hunt. A man told me a long time ago that if you kill him you wont hear him gobble again. The gobbling , spitting and drumming is the reason I get up and keep chasing them.
This^^^^^^^^
Says it all right there!
Well said
That's a good post, and long range shooting is stupid, and unethical. I've found, that the highly skilled Hunter, calls them into 15 yards. You should not miss, at 15 yards.The biggest turkey I've ever seen, presented a shot to me at 75 yards, and I didn't take it, and I'm glad I didn't. It was neat seeing a 35 lb. bird.I wonder if he's still out there?
Ya hit the nail on the head, Clark! Great post!
Totally agree I killed a bird one time that had #4's and #6's in him and I killed him with 5's lol
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Excellent post Clark -- I always pay attention to your post on shooting they are very informative and helpful!!! Thanks !!!
Agreed Clark! Thanks for keeping us all grounded as always.
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Good post. I often think back to all the birds I've called in and watched put on a show gobbling and strutting their heads off only for me to sit and watch them lose interest finally and move on. Some of them were the most intense hunts Ive had but also for some reason I didn't feel 100% good about taking the shot. Whether they were a "little" over 40 yards or 30-35 in thick tangled greenery and brush it didn't matter to me at all. I realize honestly I probably would have killed darn near all of them considering the ranges they were at and the gun and ammo i had, however if there's ever a miniscule amount of doubt or even a slight possibility of wounding one then I'm not squeezing the trigger. I'm the kinda guy that'll lose sleep many nights over a "hit and run" scenario for what ever reason, especially if I knew deep down I shouldn't have shot and did any way. I've also been carrying a rangefinder with me for a long time and it really helps. Now it's not always possible to put it into action on every situation or setup but most of the time it is. Simply range four or five trees surrounding you in a semi circle in front of you and you'll know when that gobbler is in range.
The second bird I killed last year on public land was a nice bird by my standards. Sporting 1 1/8" spurs, he also had plenty of 4 shot and 6 shot in his breast. I killed him with heavy weight 7's. It amazes me what they can take and still survive.
40 yards is my personal limit too! I prefer closer but if I have to, I consider 40 an acceptable distance. Yes years ago I played around to see how far my gun would hold a pattern. I really don't remember how far but I believe it was over 50 yards. That's good to know should I make an error in judgement. I'm a bowhunter and take pride in being to judge yardage accurate even though I have a rangefinder. I agree, it's all about getting critters close! That's why I hunt to get up close to deer and turkey.
I had a guy in a gun shop who tried to tell me he killed a gobbler at 89 steps last year. I just excuse myself as he had several tall tales. Not sure if it's popular all around the country but around here we have "turkey shoots". Shooting at paper from long distances. Seems like that's the venue to show off your shotgun and shooting skills, not the woods.
Great post!
"Close" is the name of my game, can't even think of a bird I/We have killed over 20yards in the last 20 years...
We hunt/kill birds in the 15 yard range with the shotgun and 10 yard and under range with the bow!
MK M GOBL
I appreciate all of the positive comments.
Thanks,
Clark
Well said Clark.
Like you and many others on here, my setup will take a bird down beyond 40. But why? Where's the "hunting" aspect in that? Where's the fun? I always tell people if a bird is 40.1 yards away I'll pass. I try to get them as close as possible. That is the thrill of turkey hunting.
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Quote from: Rzrbac on April 01, 2017, 11:11:07 PM
I consider 40 an acceptable distance. Yes years ago I played around to see how far my gun would hold a pattern. I really don't remember how far but I believe it was over 50 yards. That's good to know should I make an error in judgement.
x2. Not that I would INTEND on shooting that far, but it is nice to know that within a small margin of error, being off by 5-10 yards (not hard to do in some of the terrain and brush around here) is not going to be the end of the world. I don't think about shooting til 40 and even though I've patterned out to 50ish, I have yet to shoot one over 30-35 yards.