How far guys, Really

[Mallard1897]

With a 12ga, 40yds. With the 20ga 30-35yds. Just copper plated 5s.

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[captpete]

I set up for a 20-25yd shot. Most shot have been 25-30 yards. The farthest shot was 38yds, closest is 11yds.

[GobbleNut]

I don't know about others, but here is my "reality":
I think it is great that we preach the "forty-yard max" mantra. We should stick to that...and the reason we should stick to that is because, based on what I have personally seen, the great majority of turkey hunters probably have no clue as to how the shotgun they are shooting performs. However, I think most modern shotguns will kill a gobbler out to forty yards with a "turkey load"...and I would hope that those hunters in that majority class would at least be that conscientious.

Most of us here are not them, I would hope. I have a pretty good idea as to how far the shotgun and loads I use will kill a gobbler. It is considerably farther than forty yards. Still, I try to have the self-discipline to not pull the trigger beyond our agreed-upon mantra distance...and at least nine times out of ten, the question of my self-discipline does not ever come into play because, when I pull the trigger, the gobbler is well within that distance.

On the other hand, under the circumstances I usually hunt, I almost invariably have to judge the distance a gobbler is at by using the "mental imagery" set in my brain over the years which tells me he is either in range or he is not. The fact is, circumstances related to terrain, vegetation, lighting conditions, etc. have thrown off my mental calibration a few times over the years and I have pulled the trigger beyond forty. In all of those cases except one, either the gobbler has died on the spot or I have missed because of "user error".

The one case is etched in my brain, though. I did not miss and the gobbler ran off obviously hit hard...and I did not recover him. If there is any good that came from that incident, it is that I will no longer ever pull the trigger when my mental imagery tells me a gobbler is out of range...or even remotely looks like he might be.

Wild turkey gobblers are too majestic a bird and too valuable a resource to be taking "golden BB" shots at them...and no matter what weapon and load one uses, there is a point where a shot taken fits squarely in that realm. 

[Drthorn]

Shot my 20ga longbeard xr today 6 shot today.
20 yards...nasty
40 yards...not so nasty. So 40 yards absolute max for me.
After shooting today try to keep it 30 and in.

[Tail Feathers]

I stick to the 40 yard rule as best I can judge. 

[Kygobblergetter]

I try to keep shots 40 and in. Based on my patterning, I'm pretty confident I could consistently kill them at 60 if I chose to though. I pretty much wait until I can look at the turkey and say "yup he's definitely in range" before pulling the trigger. In my experience that is usually around 35 yards before I have that "no doubt" feeling. The vast majority of my birds are killed between 20-35 yards. With that being said, I would have no problem pulling the trigger on a bird that I knew was at 50 yards.


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[ElkTurkMan]

40 yards Max for me. Ideally I like the thirty yard shot that's my sweet spot. If the bird doesn't get to within 40 yards he lives another day. In the words of the late great Gene Nunnery " He wins today we'll play the second inning tomorrow "

[Missed mallards]

I'm going to drop the hammer in that 35-40 range if given the chance.

Missed one at 12 and 9 steps so going to reach out and let my pattern open up.

[Ihuntoldschool]

40 yards is the maximum ethical distance.

And 35 and in is better. 

When you read about these guys killing birds 60 and 70 or more they don't include the stories of the ones they wounded shooting at ridiculous distances.

[High plains drifter]

Last spring my cousin shot a nice gobbler at 60 yd. It was a long shot, and right at the extreme maximum of range, but he made the shot. I usually don't shoot beyond 45 yd or so. With my archery setup, I generally don't shoot beyond 30 yd.

[ScottTaulbee]

I've misjudged distance before and shot one at 53 yards but 40 yards is max for me. My pattern is a touch left which was a simple scope adjustment and I missed a pellet but 255 in the 10" at 40 yards. I could kill them farther but it's just shooting one at that point in my opinion


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[Number17]

5.7991E-15 Lightyears is the farthest I've ever killed one.

[eggshell]

Once again I'm going to say ditto to Gobblenuts post. I done this long enough to know if I can kill him or not. My problem is I do not want that bird inside 20 yards if I can avoid it. I have completely missed birds inside that distance. My pattern just does not open up until after 20. If they move at just the right time, zip the load goes right by them or over them. Most of the time it doesn't but it happens. My desired range is 30-35 yards and I am eating them up at that range. I cannot even tell you my gun's max range, because I have never tested it nor patterned it beyond 40. it's just that 40 is the limit, why know anything beyond that and just tempt myself to take a chance. When I sit down I start picking reference points for range. Looking down a gun barrel is not a good time to determine range, you vision and depth perception is compromised at that point. If I can see his eyeball clearly and him blink he's dying.

[mountainhunter1]

40 is probably the most ideal range for my setup. I prefer 30ish simply because it will really powder there head there. I have plenty of margin to be wrong ... but personally do not want to go beyond 40.

I've seen your gun - that gun will kill one, clean it for you, and vacuum seal it for the freezer at 40 yards. Total canoon! 

[Muzzy61]

Normal set up is 25 yards. Comfortable range of 40 yards.