Non lethal hit

[owlhoot]

One more thing.
What were you using 5's or 6's ?
Also if you are going to shoot to 40, go ahead and pattern that far to see pattern and poi of your gun.
Did you get the scope going good?

[mtns2hunt]

That stinks.
A question or two.
Did you pattern your gun with the load and choke you hunted with?
If so was that pattern hitting poa/poi ?
What gun, shell choke combo were you using ?
How far out did you shoot , if known ?
These are lessons learned from a bunch of us, and also there is a lot of information on here in turkey guns sections to help you out with cleaning the barrel and choke, and patterning loads.
Basically what happened with your shot is you did not get penetration into the brain, spinal cord area.
You may already know all of this ?

TC 20gauge with stock choke. Shooting Winchester longbeard XR.
I checked it at 30 yards and the pattern was good. Not sure the count. The shot was at least 30 but under 40 yards.  It sucks cause it would have been my first bird ever.

I'm going this week to put a little more range time in with the scope I just picked up. The Turkey reticle is said to assist with ranging distance on the fly. 

One thing I've read is people complain about the TC fiber optic sights being too big they cover too much target when it comes to turkeys. I'm not sure if that is all FO sights, but I see what they mean after the other morning. My Winchester 120 has a single bead, but I've only used it for squirrel. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

TC 20g is a really good gun. A scope would be a real advantage. I would dump the factory choke and get something like an Indian creek or Jebs as most after market chokes work well. I use a .550.  LB works great in a 12 but I would use TSS #9 or #8 in a 20g. The TSS takes much of the range estimation out of the equation within reason. A few rounds at the range and you will be good to go. Sounds like the lost bird scenerio has been well covered. Good luck

[Gobble!]

I called in ,and arrowed,a fall longbeard a couple years ago that had a lot of shot in it. It was from spring as our fall gun season hadn't started yet. They can be tough.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

No doubt. I've killed what seems like a high percentage of birds that have clearly been shot before. 

[Dazzler]

One more thing.
What were you using 5's or 6's ?
Also if you are going to shoot to 40, go ahead and pattern that far to see pattern and poi of your gun.
Did you get the scope going good?

Between weather and work, I haven't made it back to the woods. 

Plan for tomorrow is not to shoot past 25.  Take the rangefinder to verify distances around me.

Have a Nikon Turkey scope.  Waiting on a base to mount it.  Also ordered an Indian Creek choke .555 based on reviews around this site and others.

Once that's all put together, I'll pattern and see if it will hunt.

[owlhoot]

One more thing.
What were you using 5's or 6's ?
Also if you are going to shoot to 40, go ahead and pattern that far to see pattern and poi of your gun.
Did you get the scope going good?

Between weather and work, I haven't made it back to the woods. 

Plan for tomorrow is not to shoot past 25.  Take the rangefinder to verify distances around me.

Have a Nikon Turkey scope.  Waiting on a base to mount it.  Also ordered an Indian Creek choke .555 based on reviews around this site and others.

Once that's all put together, I'll pattern and see if it will hunt.

Good deal. Range finder is a handy tool.

[Dazzler]

Well I ranged nearby trees at each setup this morning but no gobblers. Only a few lonely hens.

In other news my DNZ came in. Indian creek Monday. Range Tuesday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[owlhoot]

Well I ranged nearby trees at each setup this morning but no gobblers. Only a few lonely hens.

In other news my DNZ came in. Indian creek Monday. Range Tuesday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

that will get ya dialed in. good luck

[Sir-diealot]

Just something to read that could help.
5 Ways to Find a Wounded Turkey
https://www.realtree.com/turkey-blog-with-steve-hickoff/5-ways-to-find-a-wounded-turkey?utm_campaign=turkeyhunting4919&utm_content=turkeyhunting32619_reaemailmarketing2&utm_medium=email&utm_source=zaius

[old3toe]

   I also killed one with lots of shot in it. It had 4's and 6's, I killed it with 7's heavyweight. That must've been a tough old bird!

[owlhoot]

   I also killed one with lots of shot in it. It had 4's and 6's, I killed it with 7's heavyweight. That must've been a tough old bird!

He must have been a warrior.
Call shy birds we have heard of. Gun-shy birds not so much.
Maybe the OP will get that bird to come back in and smoke him this time.

[3bailey3]

i missed one a week ago, two shots at him, a few days later got a bird in the same spot my best bird ever close to a 1 1/half spur, he had one shot in his breast that had turned green, i think it was the one i missed!

[Turkeytider]

   I also killed one with lots of shot in it. It had 4's and 6's, I killed it with 7's heavyweight. That must've been a tough old bird!

Probably from shooting at birds too far out.

[old3toe]

   I also killed one with lots of shot in it. It had 4's and 6's, I killed it with 7's heavyweight. That must've been a tough old bird!

Probably from shooting at birds too far out.

Turkeytider that's what I thought. It was on public land. Lots of road hunters out there too. If you see them from a vehicle they waste no time getting out of dodge. Faster than a gun shot.lol Had a truck stop in the gravel road one time and start shooting at them with a .22 into the woods I was bowhunting in, bullets were going all around me. I was pretty ticked.
   The one I killed with the other shot in it had 1 1/8 inch sharp spurs. They are tough birds for sure but I still believe more die from their wounds than people realize.

[Turkeytider]

I know full well that the advent of TSS with its superior ballistic performance has revolutionized sub gauge turkey hunting. If I were hunting with a sub gauge gun that's what I'd use no question ( if I could find some ! ). Having said that , I still believe that as folks take longer shots ( beyond 40 yards ) the % of birds crippled increases. We all have to live with the consequences of our actions. Just for me personally, that will keep me within 40 yards regardless of load.

[Dazzler]

So finally made it to the range to pattern and sight new scope.
TC 20 gauge
Indian creek
Nikon Turkey pro
Longboard Xr 6 shot 3"
Browning tss 7/9 blend 3"
Both at 30yards

XR


TSS



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk