Back in the day

[longislandloco]

First shotgun in 1963, no camo for turkey or ducks, blued and walnut guns, fixed chokes, WE changed, they didn't. Did we really gain anything, who knows?

[Longshanks]

First shotgun in 1963, no camo for turkey or ducks, blued and walnut guns, fixed chokes, WE changed, they didn't. Did we really gain anything, who knows?

I know I used to have less misses with the older equipment. Not that I miss allot but there is the occasional miss up close.  Definitely had more turkey rodeos in the early days where I had to chase the turkey down. Back then when you pulled the trigger you jumped up running. Now the turkey is either leveled by the shot or clean miss. In some respects technology has changed the sport and we have definitely figure out how to make the sport of turkey hunting as expensive as possible. I used to shoot Nitro and I wondered what my ole dad would have thought of that shooting a $8-$9 shell. For $10 we used to drive to the turkey woods, eat breakfast and give the turkey a ride home in the back of the truck.

[Izzyjoe]

I've not been turkey hunting very long, but my uncle hunted them pretty hard back in the late 60's early 70's. He said he used the loads as you would for squirrel, high base #6's. He used the same army clothes from nam, just plain olive drab, and a box call. He used a phone book for a cushion! There was a friend of my dads, he was an older gent that hunted them all his life, and he used a 20ga single shot. I remember him telling dad he used to let them get close enough to kiss before he shot! Them old timers had a way with words, just wish I'd been old enough to really pay attention to what he had to say.

[lowoctane]

 
Love hearing these tales! Brings back very fond memories of my mentor and best hunting buddy-"Hunting Harry"! Man was like Daniel Boone in th woods. He was brought up in th Depression era and learned how to hunt for food cause his Daddy would give him two .22 rounds and tell him to go get dinner. We would be joined at the hip pretty much all Spring and Fall. He shot his A5 Mag with 3" 4's and was happy with 10-12 hits in a turkey sized target @ 25 yds. We killed many turkies at 25 yds or less with a Lynch box call. GREAT TIMES! Have a GREAT season y'all !!! 

[Trad1]

Great to hear stories of the good old days when you didn,t have all these gimmics or have toos.I remember when you just grab your gun with some shells in your pocket and your knife and went hunting.Never had trail cameras ,thats why you get off your rump and scout.You will learn more doing than watching a video or looking at pictures.Thats the fun of turkey hunting is being out there scouting and listening to the birds.We never patterened our guns back then.Killed a bunch of birds,I agree they have changed and are more wary as ever but it is also more of a challenge and a real hunt now.

[Longshanks]

Everything all of you guys are saying is true. The big store chains do look at you nuts if you mention not buying a whole box of shells. When I first started turkey hunting 14 or so pellets in the killzone was acceptable but with the advent of better loads the whole game has changed and the birds are alot more pressured now.

That would be the biggest difference I see is the pressure on the turkeys. We hunt private ground that has allot of turkeys but the turkeys are hunted and called to everyday. The majority of turkeys that I have harvested there have all been within 30 yds due to the timber and lay of the land. I could just carry the same set up that I was hunting with in the late 70's and early 80's and do just fine when it comes to the shot.

[TrackeySauresRex]

Back in the day we shot pie plates and we kept them close. The shot was #4s usually @ 25.
40 was unheard of.

[stinkpickle]

I used to just eyeball it at about 30 steps to see if my pattern lined up with the beads.