New Winchester TSS

[Gooserbat]

Kind of getting off of the topic a bit but here we are...

Quite honestly, it is a moot point to discuss what is ethical and what is not.  Each of us chooses the ethical standards we want to hunt by, whether it be turkeys or anything else.  For instance, whether we agree with it or not, some folks are just peachy-keen with shooting turkeys with rifles...and some states allow it.  Personally, I don't understand the desire to hunt turkeys that way. but it is what it is.

The same holds true for the guy who is sets up his gun where he can kill turkeys at ranges that many of us might find unacceptable.  Again, it is what it is.

Here is my concern: We have discussed the declines in turkey hunting opportunity ad nauseum here on OG. At least some of that decline is due to our increasing ability to kill gobblers with weapons and tactics that were not even imagined way back when turkey hunting...and especially spring gobbler hunting...became "a thing".

Gobblers that were safe when staying more than about forty yards away a few decades ago are now being mowed down at alarming rates because of such things as strutter decoys, fanning, and now...shotguns, chokes, and loads that will kill turkeys well beyond ranges that were considered acceptable back then.

The bottom line is that, as more folks turkey hunt and are willing to use methods...and shoot turkeys at ranges that at one time were unimagined...we are all going to suffer with the impacts of that.  Those impacts are less hunting opportunity and less quality of turkey hunting across the board. 

Sure, we all want to (justifiably) blame other stuff like "social media" for why the above is happening but, in reality, each of us needs to look right smack dab in the closest mirror and admit that we might individually be part of the problem due to what each of us finds acceptable in how each of us chooses to hunt.

I've contemplated this for quite a while now and have concluded that I believe TSS loads are actually GOOD for the population of gobblers on the landscape. We are about as close as you'll ever get to a perfect ratio of shots : dead gobblers at a 1:1 ratio.
20-30 years ago I'd hear tales all season long about guys "rolling" birds where they shot and knocked them down, but the bird recovered and got away. Some guys almost would make bragging rights out of it, "Rolled another one this morning!"
I much prefer a Bang-Flop to Bang-Bang-Bang-Flop.
I believe LESS gobblers are being killed with more guys using TSS because they are shooting at 2 birds a year and killing 2 birds a year........instead of shooting at 4-6 birds a year and getting 2 of them in their hand.
Shoot TSS, Save a Turkey!

Remember, hens make more gobblers. Save the hens. Our destiny is in our hens, not our hands!

Very true on all points.

[aclawrence]

Anybody shot these yet?  I was about to order a box of Apex and see these new Longbeards are only $1 more. The Apex is advertised at 1175fps and Longbeards are 1100 fps.


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[Dtrkyman]

Quite a few patterns on YouTube already.


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[dzsmith]

Anybody shot these yet?  I was about to order a box of Apex and see these new Longbeards are only $1 more. The Apex is advertised at 1175fps and Longbeards are 1100 fps.


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yes I posted a pic of 12 guage 9s on the 12g thread and tss thread . They did well. Better than much of the comp

[Missed mallards]

Shannon and Tom are SPOT ON in MY book!  BIGGER isn't always better.  Companies (advertising) will have us believe killing at GREATER distance is the PINNICLE of this sport.  Winchester ammo is a PRIME example with the Longbeard XR (Xtended range) and now jumping into TSS.  It's advertising hype and the ALL-mighty dollar running this Train.  For you guys running the sub gauges, the technology of TSS has brought the 20, 28 and .410 into Plain view for turkey hunting and is Great IMO.  Let's try to educate, that distance in turkey hunting isn't a Good thing in many ways.  But being able to call that bird to the end of your gun barrel and hear that thunderous gobble at 20 yards is the PINNICLE of this sport!  IMO it isn't about the number of turkeys I kill or the distance I kill them (BRAGGING RIGHTS) but the HEART POUNDING EXCITEMENT that I see and hear at CLOSE range. 

I just chuckled. Need to see me when I just hear one gobble on the roost. Been chasing them 20 yrs and it still gets me lol.

Yes i shoot tss in my olden guns for the performance. 40 and in is where I'm at and typically get too caught up and miss at 15 lol.


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[bwhana]

I shot these in 20 and 410 and they pattern well IF you can find them for a reasonable price. Stick with Verdict, Apex, or other customs otherwise.

[Dtrkyman]

Just saw a vieo of them putting 392 in the ten from a Win. SXP with a IC .562, that is crazy good, I have never seen close to that with handloads.