Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

Do you all see states changing the law on legal shot size now that TSS is becoming popular?  In Connecticut you can't shoot anything smaller than 7.5's for turkey. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Has anyone ever been checked for shot size turkey hunting? Just curious.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote from: neal on March 05, 2019, 10:46:40 PM
Has anyone ever been checked for shot size turkey hunting? Just curious.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Deep officers are spread so thin in Connecticut that I've never seen one while hunting but I'm willing to bet when I do see one on state land while turkey hunting they will most likely check everything. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I talked to a Federal rep about this last year, specifically with respect to Massachusetts and Maine.  They do have a program in place to petition states to amend their laws, but they can only work a few states at a time and those states with the highest numbers of turkey hunters naturally get priority. 

The only time I have seen a warden check a shell was during a duck hunt , and he was checking for lead shot , which could not be used,  the office used a magnet to do so and he check about 200 shells.... Iam not real sure how they would check shot size if it wast stated In the shell.

Shot size regulations in some, if not most states, has evolved from what was ethically lethal to kill a bird to now what is considered to be less lethal in a hunting related shooting incident involving another hunter.

In Maryland, they adopted the "no larger than #4 shot"  based on the lethality of accidental shootings. DNR doesn't necessarily care if a turkey is killed with #2's or 000 buck, but they recognized the inherent dangers of people being accidently shot with those larger pellets (although, a face full of TSS surely wouldn't be good).

It's a balance of safety measures and ethically lethal means of harvesting game (think deer regulations).

I would imagine a lot of states will start to allow the smaller actual shot "size" to incorporate the modern technology, eventually.

And yes, checking shot size stamped on the shell is a standard procedure - just like checking for a plugged shotgun (which is a whole other topic of wildlife conservation vs. an industry standard).

What about unmarked handloads? Would they make you empty it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote from: Big Jeremy on March 05, 2019, 11:51:18 PM
What about unmarked handloads? Would they make you empty it? Mark them as 5s or 4s. They'll never know.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote from: appalachianassassin on March 06, 2019, 12:53:17 AM

Quote from: Big Jeremy on March 05, 2019, 11:51:18 PM
What about unmarked handloads? Would they make you empty it? Mark them as 5s or 4s. They'll never know.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Might just be easier to stay w legal loads. Some people try so hard to "get over" when it's easier to conform. Unmarked loads would be problematic for em though.
If states did change sizes it'd be dizzying I bet the laws. I mean what would it say, w TSS you could use one size, lead or hevi another, than maybe w steel something else? Let's say some other stuff came out, would they need to amend that too?
Imagine some single mom trying to help her young boy buy his first loads n trying to decipher that. Might be tough

Unmarked handloads would obviously be an obstacle for enforcement in the field, but not a foolproof way to avoid detection. Keep in mind, in most instances, the "issue" was with LARGER shot, and the possibility of an accidental shooting of another hunter. There were enough hunting "accidents" in the spring season to prompt the shot size restrictions to begin with.

Maryland used to be "4, 5, or 6" shot in the spring. They eventually adapted the regulations to "no larger than #4" when heavy shot #7, and now TSS became popular. By stating just the lower end "#4..." in the regs, they don't have to legislate a change for every modern advancement of ammunition that would include 8's, 9's, etc. Ten years ago, the idea of trying to kill a turkey with #9 shot was not much of a consideration. I would imagine other states will follow suit, especially once the manufacturers start to lobby to sell their high priced ammo.

Quite frankly, I've investigated several incidents or "accidents" where a hunter took a face full of #5 or #6 shot of "standard" turkey loads and lived, whereas I'm not so sure if that would be the case if it were TSS 9's? The real fix to the issue would be to have hunters STOP SHOOTING other hunters - but they haven't found a way to fix stupid!

I hope so.  In Delaware; nothing smaller than #6.  7s are allowed if it's part of a duplex/triplex load containing larger shot. 

Maine has not evolved but NH has. Maine is nothing smaller than #6 shot unless it is in a multishot shell. Up here the wardens will dismantle handloads. Only happened to me duck hunting, I have never used hand loads for turkey's. I pester the Maine wardens when I see them about it. Hasn't helped yet, Lol

I've found most places will move at a snails pace on issues like this, the folks that know aren't the ones making the decisions.

Iowa just changed their regs this year. It reads...10-, 12-, 16- and 20-gauge shotguns or muzzleloading shotguns shooting number 4 through 8 lead or nontoxic shot.

2-8 here in NY, next year I would like to try some TSS 7's I have never seen it in 8's I normally use #6's or #5's if I can't find #6's I do not suspect NY will change their laws to allow #9's this states dictator is very anti-gun.

A 10-, 12-, 16- or 20-gauge shotgun loaded with pellets of size No. 4, 5, 6, 7 or 7½. Nontoxic shot is required while hunting turkey on some DNR properties. Call the property for additional information.
A muzzleloading shotgun not smaller than 20-gauge and not larger than 10-gauge, loaded with pellets of size No. 4, 5, 6, 7 or 7½. Combination loads using shot sizes other than these are illegal.
Bow and arrow
A crossbow
That's how Indiana's rule reads

Here in Va:
From VDGIF website.

No restrictions on shot size except for spring gobbler season when it is unlawful to have any shot in possession larger than number 2 fine shot while hunting.

Apex makes #8 TSS shot shells. I am trying them this year.

Was trying to look up shot size for NC. All I came up with is no rifle.

Tennessee is no larger than #4.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Illinois has always been no larger than 4 and no smaller than 7, no .410


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Louisiana they check that the gun is plugged that's about it.

NC you don't have to have a plug for Turkey hunting because they are considered big game.  Don't know why you would need 5 shells.

Quote from: LaLongbeard on March 06, 2019, 08:53:25 AM
Louisiana they check that the gun is plugged that's about it.

Just checking , but that law is only for migratory game birds not turkeys. Is that correct?

Quote from: LaLongbeard on March 06, 2019, 08:53:25 AM
Louisiana they check that the gun is plugged that's about it.

Same in MD.

Illinois has changed this year.  Shot size states no larger than 4 shot.  They removed the minimum shot size.  Still 20ga smallest you can go.

Quote from: Dtrkyman on March 06, 2019, 08:52:44 AM
Illinois has always been no larger than 4 and no smaller than 7, no .410


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote from: Laloom83 on March 05, 2019, 10:44:50 PM
Do you all see states changing the law on legal shot size now that TSS is becoming popular?  In Connecticut you can't shoot anything smaller than 7.5's for turkey. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

They should but I highly doubt its on their priority list.

Threw this together. May not be 100% correct so feel free to correct me. Looks like there are only 13 states trailing behind on legalizing #9s.

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7877/46385398035_461400b46c_b.jpg)

Also in Ga. any muzzle loading firearm. However I don't know of but one person that uses a rifle. He finds feathers and guts but no turkeys.

Seems like your northern lawmakers like to make things WAYYYYYYYY to complicated.

That Fla thing is funny

Quote from: Bowguy on March 06, 2019, 11:47:15 AM
That Fla thing is funny

I liked Nebraska.. I'd like to see an officer measure some of that

Illinois use to be nothing larger then #4 and not smaller then #7, but this year it has changed to just nothing larger then #4 and no limit on how small. 

Quote from: TauntoHawk on March 06, 2019, 12:21:11 PM

Quote from: Bowguy on March 06, 2019, 11:47:15 AM
That Fla thing is funny

I liked Nebraska.. I'd like to see an officer measure some of that

Didn't notice that, funny

Quote from: bbcoach on March 06, 2019, 11:33:31 AM
Seems like your northern lawmakers like to make things WAYYYYYYYY to complicated.

100%

Quote from: TauntoHawk on March 06, 2019, 12:21:11 PM

Quote from: Bowguy on March 06, 2019, 11:47:15 AM
That Fla thing is funny

I liked Nebraska.. I'd like to see an officer measure some of that

HAHA I'll fix that.

Some states didn't allow .410s. Probably should have noted more of that information but when I started I was only looking a shot size regulations.

Quote from: Gobble! on March 06, 2019, 01:35:12 PM

Quote from: TauntoHawk on March 06, 2019, 12:21:11 PM

Quote from: Bowguy on March 06, 2019, 11:47:15 AM
That Fla thing is funny

I liked Nebraska.. I'd like to see an officer measure some of that

HAHA I'll fix that.

Some states didn't allow .410s. Probably should have noted more of that information but when I started I was only looking a shot size regulations.

I appreciate the work this is now something I have to check as I travel to states. I have to be aware that the tss I use in PA isn't legal on the next days hunt in NY.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Mississippi, no size larger than #2.

Quote from: zelmo1 on March 06, 2019, 06:08:12 AM
Maine has not evolved but NH has. Maine is nothing smaller than #6 shot unless it is in a multishot shell. Up here the wardens will dismantle handloads. Only happened to me duck hunting, I have never used hand loads for turkey's. I pester the Maine wardens when I see them about it. Hasn't helped yet, Lol

Would a blend of 6s and 7s be legal in Maine?  I think it would be, but the wording in their regs doesn't make this obvious to me.  It says blends including sizes 4 through 7.

Nice chart Gobble! - Nebraska and all!!!  :icon_thumright: That would be a handy quick reference on here.

7 1/2 for Nebraska.  I'll stick with my WLB.  They've always killed birds as dead as I need them to be.

Quote from: longspur on March 06, 2019, 11:04:42 AM
Also in Ga. any muzzle loading firearm. However I don't know of but one person that uses a rifle. He finds feathers and guts but no turkeys.

Thanks amigo - very kind of you to do.

I know I have violated Nebraska's $hit size requirements :funnyturkey:

Quote from: spaightlabs on March 06, 2019, 08:03:36 PM

I know I have violated Nebraska's $hit size requirements :funnyturkey:

:TooFunny:

I can tell you that the Massachusetts State Board of the NWTF will be working on a proposal to allow this.  Most likely won't have a resolution for this spring though. Federal is being very helpful with us. Hopefully we'll get a positive resolution.

Quote from: Gobble!


I looked up the Mississippi reg because I had never heard of .t part I think had to do with night hunting raccoons.  What I found was this.  "The hunting of turkeys during the spring gobbler season shall be restricted to shotguns only and with no shot larger than number two, compound, re-curve, Cross bow, and long bows. However, any quadriplegic may hunt turkey with a rifle."


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Quote from: spaightlabs on March 06, 2019, 08:03:36 PM

Quote from: longspur on March 06, 2019, 11:04:42 AM
Also in Ga. any muzzle loading firearm. However I don't know of but one person that uses a rifle. He finds feathers and guts but no turkeys.

Thanks amigo - very kind of you to do.



I know that's disgusting. Maybe if they hear enough about it they'll change it.