are nitros worth it?

[gaswamp]

Shells are the cheapest expense for me by far.  Can't see skimping on shells when I've spent so much trying to get into gun range of a turkey.  My days afield are too few and far between.  But I can get much better performance than Nitros for less money, with no worries about over pressure shells.  So, I no longer use them.

I would think shells would be one of your most expensive gear as much as you test, pattern, ect.

No kidding gaswamp.  The way  talks he is the self proclaimed reloading expert and knows more than Nitro does.

I'm going to take up for hal knowing his stuff. 

[stinkpickle]

...The way  talks he is the self proclaimed reloading expert and knows more than Nitro does.

Ummm...I'm pretty sure that's not what he meant.

[knightrider]

Shells are the cheapest expense for me by far.  Can't see skimping on shells when I've spent so much trying to get into gun range of a turkey.  My days afield are too few and far between.  But I can get much better performance than Nitros for less money, with no worries about over pressure shells.  So, I no longer use them.

Thats my story as well. I couldnt see buying the most expensive shell on the market when I can get better performance for half the price. (Hevi) I also look at overall cost of hunting and save money in every area. But thats just me. I run across folks all the time that seem to be in some kind of contest of how much money they can spend on hunting. Guiding we call them GQ hunters, they show up looking like they just stepped off the pages of Cabelas magazine with every new gadget they can possibly find in their brand new 50 pocket vest shooting a 2,000 shotgun with 10.00 dollar shells. You ask them if they can call a turkey and they say "no" or " a little".  Strange behavior.

why does it matter what someone else spends on their equipment,you make fun of them not being able to call but you know, maybe thats why they came to you in the first place to pay you to put them on a bird is because they cant call.i bet you dont make fun of them to their faces since their paying your bills

[runngun]

Longshanks, do you require that your clients shoot lead?

[knightrider]

Shells are the cheapest expense for me by far.  Can't see skimping on shells when I've spent so much trying to get into gun range of a turkey.  My days afield are too few and far between.  But I can get much better performance than Nitros for less money, with no worries about over pressure shells.  So, I no longer use them.

Thats my story as well. I couldnt see buying the most expensive shell on the market when I can get better performance for half the price. (Hevi) I also look at overall cost of hunting and save money in every area. But thats just me. I run across folks all the time that seem to be in some kind of contest of how much money they can spend on hunting. Guiding we call them GQ hunters, they show up looking like they just stepped off the pages of Cabelas magazine with every new gadget they can possibly find in their brand new 50 pocket vest shooting a 2,000 shotgun with 10.00 dollar shells. You ask them if they can call a turkey and they say "no" or " a little".  Strange behavior.

why does it matter what someone else spends on their equipment,you make fun of them not being able to call but you know, maybe thats why they came to you in the first place to pay you to put them on a bird is because they cant call.i bet you dont make fun of them to their faces since their paying your bills

First of all, I don't make a living guiding. I do it because I love to teach people how to turkey hunt. The point is that I teach them that preparation for turkey hunting is not spending an hour and a half at basspro spending a stupid amount of money. I let them know about certain books they can read to help them and the essential element of time in the woods.  I teach them the importance of all the factors of turkey hunting, calling, concealment, set-up, importance of not moving, when to move, when to raise the gun, when to shoot. If your gonna be a turkey hunter you have be a student of the wild turkey. I say all the time "GQ" you hunt with me this morning. You got your feathers ruffled..you must be a GQ hunter as well.

Good luck this spring sport.

yep you got me i am,ive been killig turkeys since i was 12 which was 23 years ago,and iv gotten quiet well at it,no i dont take shots past 40 yards,yes i call my own birds,yes i shoot nitros,heck i even use new camoflauge when my blue jeans and t-shirts are dirty.i to guide several folks a year for the fun of it and dont care what they use or what they wear as long as they are with in the confines of the law. heck i even over compensate by using a 20ga instead of a 410. i just dont understand the holier than though attitude because someone using something different than yourself or because they cant call as well as you but they still want to be succesfull in thier endevours. good luck to you as well 

[bird]

OK gentlemen.... It's good to see that you agree. Now shake hands and lets go huntin'!

[coyotetrpr]

Hevy Magblends at Cabelas....... 20 ga is $21.99..... 3 1/2 12 ga is $29.99

Things have changed. When I ordered mine a couple weeks ago they were 21.99 for 12 ga 3.5 inch.

[Old Gobbler]

Any turkey hunting shell is a highly specialized load or special purpose shell


30 years ago there was no such item -over the years they have slowly been developed for the special purpose of shooting tight and hard -every single turkey hunter on this site uses a turkey shell of one variation or another , it just depends on your personal preference   -- unless you using" high brass " pheasant loads and flush mounted permanent choke like they were decades ago then you can count yourself out of the group entirely

If you like a crunchy peanut butter then buy it up and use it , if you like creamy peanut butter instead , then use that instead , don't down the folks that like crunchy .....they like PB&J sandwiches just like you , they just have different preferences that's all   

[Longshanks]

The question was..are Nitros worth it? I answered no and gave reasons why..even though my answer may not be popular with everyone..Bottom line is I get better patterns with Hevi 7's for half the price out of a number of different guns..My statements about newcomers to the sport being focused on the wrong things completely parallels the statements made in "image control" Thou Shall.
Teaching folks the important facets of turkey hunting: Scouting, knowing the lay of the land, calling, set up ,concealment,being still, moving on the turkey, when to raise the gun, when to shoot etc, far out weigh the importance of what gun/shell you are using when it comes to learning to be a turkey hunter.  I try to teach them how to get the turkey in gun range and to know their weapon. Downing people? No. Trying to teach them how to be turkey hunters. Yup. I've taught kids to turkey hunt that have grown up to some of the best in the country. If what we teach them is that what they need to be a turkey hunter is all of the top of line equipment/ long range guns/shells..then we haven't taught them very much.

[Longshanks]

Longshanks, do you require that your clients shoot lead?

They shoot whatever they want..but they shoot 40yds or less..more productive that way regardless of what kind of shell they shoot. If the weapon is a 20 gauge..Pb..bring the distance in a bit. They also pattern at 40 before they hunt. Run across guns/choke/shell combos quite often that shoot sub par patterns at 40yds.  POA/POI off etc.

[redleg06]

I don't mind paying that much for a shell because it's all relative... Gas is 4$ per gallon and it makes my head hurt to think how much I spend scouting and hunting turkey each spring.

Having said that, I pay for TSS at about the same price as what Nitro's cost.

[orion43]

They're worth it for me. I harvested a bird in each of the past 2 seasons at 53 yds.  In each case this was the only shot
available.

[Longshanks]

They're worth it for me. I harvested a bird in each of the past 2 seasons at 53 yds.  In each case this was the only shot
available.

Precisely my point..that's what Nitro shells promote in the sport of turkey hunting..long range shooting.