Rifle hunting states

[wvmntnhick]

Oh , all good stuff. Trying a rifle and shooting range is close sounds like fun. An old 25-20 or .218 bee lever gun has some appeal for me. and the range would have to be close for these eyes.

218 Bee. Haven't heard much about those in recent years. Heck, ammo is hard to find and super expensive. My buddy's grandfather used to kill everything with a .218 Bee. Squirrels, deer, turkey and bear.

[fldoghunter]

Oh , all good stuff. Trying a rifle and shooting range is close sounds like fun. An old 25-20 or .218 bee lever gun has some appeal for me. and the range would have to be close for these eyes.

I would think the 25-20 would be about perfect as would the 22 hornet. When we were allowed to use rifles, it was rimfire only. I killed quite a few with a 22 wmr, but always wished for just a bit more.

[Cottonmouth]

I'm just glad rifles are not legal in MS. We wouldn't have any turkeys left. If I can't call him in to 40 yds, he won that day and i get to try it again later. That's what I love about the sport.

[wvmntnhick]

Oh , all good stuff. Trying a rifle and shooting range is close sounds like fun. An old 25-20 or .218 bee lever gun has some appeal for me. and the range would have to be close for these eyes.

I would think the 25-20 would be about perfect as would the 22 hornet. When we were allowed to use rifles, it was rimfire only. I killed quite a few with a 22 wmr, but always wished for just a bit more.

For years the 22 mag was my turkey firearm of choice. I bought a 22 hornet about 7 years ago and it was great when I used it. Really would like to call one in close and shoot it in the head with the 17 HMR but that's going to have to wait for another year or two. Gotta get one with the 12 and TSS as well as 20 ga and the 16 first.

[GOB_STOPPER]

 I'd be scared to death knowing there could be some fella zeroing in on the bird I'm working. No disrespect ... How do you fellas move your rifle into position when you have a bird within 30 yards? Do y'all use regular rifle scopes, or something more like a "scout" scope? Seems like it would be tough to adjust your zoom on a bird that could bust you at the slightest movement. Not trying to ruffle any feathers..

[wvmntnhick]

I'd be scared to death knowing there could be some fella zeroing in on the bird I'm working. No disrespect ... How do you fellas move your rifle into position when you have a bird within 30 yards? Do y'all use regular rifle scopes, or something more like a "scout" scope? Seems like it would be tough to adjust your zoom on a bird that could bust you at the slightest movement. Not trying to ruffle any feathers..

I've always had a scope. As for birds that come in close before you get a chance to move, that's easy. You either move the gun and take a chance of fouling the situation or you let them pass. Typically they'll get behind a tree at some point and that will give you a chance. It's cost me birds at different times when they've gotten tight. Not being able to just slap a bead on them and shoot (like with a shotgun) can be a downfall when things don't go as planned.

[DumpTruckTurkey]

 I live in MD but hunt VA the 1st week since it opens 10 days before my home season.

All the good ole boys have these guns with a shotgun barrel, and rifle underneath... and we know what the rifle is for.  Shooting FAR and out the TRUCK.

There is soooooooooo many birds in VA and i dont know how with all the road hunters.  Someone said it earlier... its the mindset.  Ive heard more than a few guys claim they have shot 20, 30 and even more gobblers in a spring season... and i believe them!

They also start EARLY... like they are definatley going tukeey hunting this weekend with the 65 degree weather we are having.  No doubt a LOT of gobblers have already been killed.

Sounds like WVA and VA are similar. 

[codym]

Shooting one with a rifle doesn't appeal to me, but I would like to try one with my pistol. Anything other than bow or shotgun is illegal in my state so probably will never have the chance.

[NCbowjunkie]

Here in NC we can not hunt turkey with a rifle , but I think I would like to hut a state that does allow it some day. I'm in process of building a single shot rifle on an TC contender frame in 20 tactical , 223 necked down to 20 caliber, this will be a crow / yote / varment gun short barrel around 19-20"

[owlhoot]

Oh , all good stuff. Trying a rifle and shooting range is close sounds like fun. An old 25-20 or .218 bee lever gun has some appeal for me. and the range would have to be close for these eyes.

I would think the 25-20 would be about perfect as would the 22 hornet. When we were allowed to use rifles, it was rimfire only. I killed quite a few with a 22 wmr, but always wished for just a bit more.

For years the 22 mag was my turkey firearm of choice. I bought a 22 hornet about 7 years ago and it was great when I used it. Really would like to call one in close and shoot it in the head with the 17 HMR but that's going to have to wait for another year or two. Gotta get one with the 12 and TSS as well as 20 ga and the 16 first.

A hornet would be neat. Kinda finicky on reloading with that neck I heard.

[wvmntnhick]

Shooting one with a rifle doesn't appeal to me, but I would like to try one with my pistol. Anything other than bow or shotgun is illegal in my state so probably will never have the chance.

I've shot two with pistols. One was with an old h&r revolver chambered in 22/22 magnum. It was shot with the 22 mag of course at about 17 yards if I recall correctly. I was squirrel hunting in the fall and was baring down on a squirrel when the bird popped out around the edge of the wood lot. Gun cracked, it flopped. The other was also while squirrel hunting with a scoped Ruger Mark III. 35 yards right at the base of the neck but that was with a rock solid rest. Were it not for that, I'd have gone body.

If we're getting real technical, there was a third that was killed with that Mark III. My buddy shot one while squirrel hunting with his shotgun and a load of 7.5's. It was crippled up and ran under a rootball along a creek bank. I laid my gun down and was walking up to get it. It ended up flushing out as I was about to grab it and all I had on me was the pistol. Fired 2 rounds and the game was over.


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[wvmntnhick]

Oh , all good stuff. Trying a rifle and shooting range is close sounds like fun. An old 25-20 or .218 bee lever gun has some appeal for me. and the range would have to be close for these eyes.

I would think the 25-20 would be about perfect as would the 22 hornet. When we were allowed to use rifles, it was rimfire only. I killed quite a few with a 22 wmr, but always wished for just a bit more.

For years the 22 mag was my turkey firearm of choice. I bought a 22 hornet about 7 years ago and it was great when I used it. Really would like to call one in close and shoot it in the head with the 17 HMR but that's going to have to wait for another year or two. Gotta get one with the 12 and TSS as well as 20 ga and the 16 first.

A hornet would be neat. Kinda finicky on reloading with that neck I heard.

The hornet is amazing medicine for many creatures with the right bullets. If u get the velocity up you can use the 50-55 grain bullets but they don't always expand reliably. I've settled on the 40 grain Nosler BT and the 45 grain Sierr@  soft point designed for the hornet. The 40 grain is great for groundhogs and smaller critters while the 45's pack a touch more punch for slightly larger stuff.

As for reloading, stoke any case with 13-14 grains of hodgdon li'l gun, slap a bullet over it and let it fly. The neck can be an issue as you mentioned but not terribly. If concerned about that, have the chamber reamed to a K-Hornet and issue solved.


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[fallhnt]

I live in MD but hunt VA the 1st week since it opens 10 days before my home season.

All the good ole boys have these guns with a shotgun barrel, and rifle underneath... and we know what the rifle is for.  Shooting FAR and out the TRUCK.

There is soooooooooo many birds in VA and i dont know how with all the road hunters.  Someone said it earlier... its the mindset.  Ive heard more than a few guys claim they have shot 20, 30 and even more gobblers in a spring season... and i believe them!

They also start EARLY... like they are definatley going tukeey hunting this weekend with the 65 degree weather we are having.  No doubt a LOT of gobblers have already been killed.

Sounds like WVA and VA are similar.

Sad...

[Cottonmouth]

Yep....that's not turkey hunting.  That's turkey shooting.

[beakbuster10]

I live in MD but hunt VA the 1st week since it opens 10 days before my home season.

All the good ole boys have these guns with a shotgun barrel, and rifle underneath... and we know what the rifle is for.  Shooting FAR and out the TRUCK.

There is soooooooooo many birds in VA and i dont know how with all the road hunters.  Someone said it earlier... its the mindset.  Ive heard more than a few guys claim they have shot 20, 30 and even more gobblers in a spring season... and i believe them!

They also start EARLY... like they are definatley going tukeey hunting this weekend with the 65 degree weather we are having.  No doubt a LOT of gobblers have already been killed.

Sounds like WVA and VA are similar.

What are you talking about?? There are no turkeys in Virginia. I repeat NO TURKEYS IN VIRGINIA.

In all seriousness we've had horrible hatches the past few years (at least in my neck of the woods). It's about to start hurting  this spring and next spring will be worse. We need a couple really good hatches and it'll be better. I'm blessed to have access to a ton of quality dirt to hunt. Sure some outlaws slip in from time to time or bust one with a rifle from the roads, but bad hatches hurt way worse than rifles and outlaws.


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