When Do You Shoot?

[Marc]

Buddy getting into turkey hunting asked me this...  Watching videos on YouTube also made me think of it...  Seen some horrible decision making on Youtube, that often results in a miss, but sometimes a dead bird, and unfortunately, sometimes a wounded bird.

Lots of advice on calls, calling, decoys, etc., but when do you shoot?


My father gave me some great advice as a kid, that holds true for all the game we hunt:  "Do NOT shoot if you think you can get him, Shoot when you KNOW you can get him."

Turkeys look close, but when that first bird is in range, you will NOT be wondering if he is in range. 

With the right choke/shot size, birds can be taken out to 40 yards, and with some of the new chokes and "super shot" birds can be taken even further.  (I do NOT recommend this).

Shooting with a bead only, 35 yards is within my personal comfort zone, and I am very comfortable at birds at 30 yards and closer.  For various reasons, I have taken and killed birds at further ranges, but do not do so purposely.

You MUST pattern your gun, to see where the gun shoots, where your hold point is, and to make sure you have good pattern densities.  Many if not most factory shotguns shoot a 60/40 pattern, which means that if you shoot the center of the target, 60% of your pattern will be above, and 40% will be below center (i.e. most shotguns shoot a tad high).

When patterning the gun, use cheap target loads until you get things dialed in.  Once dialed in, try an actual hunting load to make sure things look good!

Typically, I will let a bird come, but do not really care to shoot them closer than 15 yards (the closer the bird, the smaller/tighter the pattern is, and the excitement level paired with such a tight pattern might result in a miss).

If a bird is coming towards you, and is in range, there are times to shoot, and times to let him keep coming.

*If a bird is in range in open ground and headed towards me, I let him keep coming.
*If a bird is in good range, and walking behind any obstruction (rock, tree, bush, depression, etc.), I will take him.  (I have had birds get behind a small bush in range, never to be seen again)
*If a bird is in good range, but too close to other birds, you HAVE TO WAIT.
*If a bird is in good range, coming closer, but acting nervous, he gets shot (especially if his head comes up, or he putts).
*If a bird is in good range, but behind branches, bushes, shrubs, etc., do NOT shoot.  I feel this is where birds get crippled.

*If a bird is in good range but you can only see his head, I would recommend a pass on this shot if you think he will present better.  I have missed three birds in 30 years, and all three were birds that poked their head up over a log or rock, and I could only see the head (shooting over the top).  You have to actually "aim/point" the gun lower than the birds head that you can see (due to shotguns shooting high), and it is more easily said than done to do this.  Also, quite often, the birds head is already on its way down when you might shoot.

When I do get the shot, I prefer their head up...  Clucking on a hands free call is a great way...  But you can make a vocal noise like "Yip!" or even a verbal "cluck," or whatever...  Loud enough to get their attention, not so loud they take off in flight.  (just be ready to shoot quickly when that head briefly pops up).  I have shot plenty of birds in close in full strut, but getting their head up is preferred with a shotgun.

I'd love to hear from some of the veterans on these forums...  And I will not comment on using optics, cause I do not use them.

[Sir-diealot]

I don't have the experience most of you guys do, I was just always taught on the Primos videos to shoot when they pop their head up and hold it still for a second so that's what I do.

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[Lcmacd 58]

Alot of when to shoot is experience.
My advice .... shoot em close .....

[Greg Massey]

It all depends on how he's coming into the setup, running/ walking / strutting etc... if he's dancing all this movement will cause you to take a shot depending on his overall head position... Time and kills will teach you over time as to when to take the shot.

[worth612000]

I agree with above statement that experience is gold and the more you hunt turkey the more you learn. Being in range is #1, #2 be ready for a follow up shot they can trick you, they are a tough bird. You never know when you might get busted, their eye sight is exceptional and they act fast. You will reach a point where that trigger finger reacts without you thinking about it. The raising of the head gives you a clean shot and keeps some of the shot out of the breast.

[CntrlPAlongbeard]

My opinion is exactly what someone said above: only shoot when you KNOW you will kill him. If you call that bird in and don't get a shot, you can call him in again tomorrow or the next day. If you shoot through some trash or misjudge 40 yards when it's 45 or 50 yards, and take a shot and don't get that bird you've just screwed yourself and your hunting partners

I like to force myself to make the bird take 2 more steps closer once I "think" he's in range.
And I will always let him keep coming as close as possible. But as soon as he gets nervous I'll shoot him if he is into the "know" range and out of the "think" range.

[g8rvet]

My son in law was with me this year.  Two gobblers on my side of tree.  He could see them because he was leaned back, but could not shoot.  It was on me.  One of the birds presented a shot at just over 40 - I let him move off.  Called them both back and I had another opportunity that I was just not comfortable with.  He still fusses at me that I could have killed the bird, but I knew my gun and knew I was not comfortable.  I do not regret not taking the shot at all.  Your first reaction when the bird drops should not be "shew, glad that worked".  We paced it off after and it was 43 yards.  I probably would have killed him with my other 20, but this one was not as dialed in and I knew he was at a questionable distance.  Got on them the next day and had a poacher mess us up.  Such is life. 

He later killed a bird at 20 that I called in and I killed one inside that distance. He is not a kid, but new to turkey hunting and I think I taught him a lesson.  I hope.  All we can do is be an example.

[Tom007]

35 yards on in. Extended neck/head shot ideal. Avoid shooting when he's in strut, get the head extended. Standing still ideal. A bobbing/moving head can be tough. Like Greg said, A few under your belt, you will know when.......

[Gobbler428]

I agree with the don't think, know and that the know comes with experience, you just learn to know and it becomes natural. I also agree with the don't shoot if he's too close for your pattern, either let him walk or wait until he gets further out and presents a know shot. Ask me how I know about too close LOL

[Meleagris gallopavo]

For me, if for some reason there's doubt and/or desperation in the decision to shoot I'm better off not taking the shot.  In my mind the outcome of the shot is a foregone conclusion.  Past misses have taught me this more than anything.  In the past few years I've passed on many birds well within range but the shot wasn't "right".


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[KYTurkey07]

35 yards on in. Extended neck/head shot ideal. Avoid shooting when he's in strut, get the head extended. Standing still ideal. A bobbing/moving head can be tough. Like Greg said, A few under your belt, you will know when.......

This is great advice. Doing this should result in a dead bird with one shot. I feel like if I have to shoot twice I've done something wrong. I hate the idea of missing or losing a wounded turkey.

[Bottomland OG]

When I was a kid I was always told if you can see him blink his eye he is close enough to kill. By the looks of it, we all agree that experience teaches everyone the when to and how far. I don't care to let one get inside 25. Once he is in my comfort zone he's getting a load once I have a good shot. I don't hunt open areas very much, so lot can happen when they get in close. #1 thing for me is I will not go to the woods with a gun I haven't patterned. I have to know.

[Old Swamper]

I only pull the trigger if I KNOW I can kill him. This HAS to be within 35 steps, with my bead on the base of his neck clean, no trash. For the record, I have 35 steps ingrained in my brain, to within a yard. I shoot a 12ga 870 wingmaster, 26in stock beaded full chocked barrel, and lead 6's.

[Twowithone]

All great advice. I take my laser range finder out with me first light Im scanning trees getting distances. Didnt squeeze the trigger on a gobbler last yr all the trees look the same distance and the excitement of the hunt and all when said and done it was 49yds thats way out of my league.  

[Tclipse01]

Bird-by-bird basis.

If they're coming straight in, let them keep coming and take 'em close. Sometimes you get that bird that circles around wide at 40yds and isn't going to come closer, and that isn't a time to wait.