Pattern is too TIGHT

[Onpoint]

      I'm with you there Longshanks. I've  been turkey hunting long enough to know that a 3" pattern at 20 yards is too tight for me.
      A 3" pattern at 20 yards means any combination of your barrel
wiggling or the turkeys head moving 1 1/2" results in a miss at 20 yards.
      Stuff happens in the field and we don't always get the shot we want.
      The turkeys I shoot don't always stand and pose for me.
Sometimes I might need to shoot a walking or running turkey.
      But, like you said to each his own.
We all have to decide what is right for the way we hunt.

I killed 4 turkeys this year that I don't know if I would have killed with a super tight pattern

First was an offhand shot at less than 10 yards..
Second was the very next day, bird gobbled in behind me, I spun around the tree too far cuz when he popped up he was slightly forward of me, I tried to correct when he went behind a couple big oaks but he busted me ans turned and took off running, fortunately the way I needed him to go.
3rd was on a double, my wife was "supposed" to shoot the strutter. We were set up about 10 yards apart ans she couldn't see the strutter. I'm on my turkey and I couldn't see the strutter either. BOOM, all I see at the end of my bead is a puff of feathers and "my" turkey hit the deck. I quickly scanned the area ans didn't see the other bird. I jumped to my feet and saw him in a low spot running like hell. I swung and rollled him over like shooting a rabbit.
Last but not least I realized I made a mistake in my setup. There was a pine tree blowed down about 20 yards in front of me and I thought "I bet he comes right in behind that tree." Sure enough he did ans when he cleared it I had to shoot him on a fast walk between 2 trees about a foot wide. Bam. 4 tough shots I was glad to have a more forgiving pattern on..

        I would venture to say that with today's loads and chokes,
more turkeys are missed because the pattern is too tight than too loose.
        Onpoint's examples are typical of what can happen.
Good shootin' Onpoint.
   

Thank ya

This is right after the last shot I mentioned. The reason I pulled the phone out is cuz I thought he was.about to get pounced on by a flock of jakes that hadn't quite made it to me yet. He came from the right, off the hill and was moving extremely fast. 30 minutes after he flew down (which I was within 100 yards of him for) he led me.atleast 800 yards. I just simply couldn't move fast enough to get ahead of this bird. He finally stopped and I was able to call him back. Which was a good thing cuz I was.just about to reach the property line

http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/19onpoint85/media/20150429_063746_zps3rlfkeii.mp4.html

[Jimspur]

               It's good to have a gun with some spread that can make those shots, 'cause sometimes that's all you get!