This year will mark my 26th year turkey hunting and I have gone through a lot of changes in how I hunt, but for the last 15 years my turkey hunting "challenge" has been calling birds in close, in your lap close! There has not been a bird that has been over the 20 yard mark with the shotgun and they are typically at the 15-17 yard range, with the bow we are at 10-12 yards. This accounts for the last 181 birds taken in that timeframe.
So what's your "range" ?
MK M GOBL
Shooting range, when I can see his eyes clearly he is 40 yards or pretty dang close to it and I take the first good shot, well not always a good shot :( , that is given to me.
at the average yardage for me is between 20-30yards. The closest that I ever shot one was at 10n steps.
I like the 30 - 35 yard shots, prefer not to let them get inside of 20 if it can be prevented. In the thickets I hunt, most of the time when I see him he is inside of 35 yards. I've let more go from not having a clean shot inside of 40 yards then birds that were out of range.
With my recurves, within 10 yards. Shotgun I prefer 20-30yards.
35 yards max. Will let them get as close as they want if the gun is on them, for the sport and the rush.
Agree 20 - 35 yards the max also..Another thing in killing a turkey is watch his body posture or body language he came tell you a lot just from his movement..and how he's sounds...
Somewhere around 30-35 yards is just fine.
I shoot a 3.5 inch with Mag blends Ill let him get as close as he wants, but if he wants a long distance romance I will oblige him....... don't like to see them walk off.. :OGturkeyhead: :OGturkeyhead:
7 paces was my closest. 25 to 30 is my favorite range. It's enough room for the pattern to open up nice.
Public land bum w 160 less than you dude! Never really hunted on private. Wow, that's a pile of em.......I am an under 35 guy fo sho. As said earlier, it stinks watching them walk off when you had the shot. Target panic has settled down in my old age lol, still tough for me to take that gobbling in da face without pulling the trigger.
While I was posting at T&TH, I gave folks the following challenge:
Take all the birds you've ever thought about shooting-- the ones you shot, the ones you missed, the ones you got the gun up for, etc.-- and write down the estimated yardages. Figure out what yardage subsumes 80% of the birds, and THAT is your comfort zone.
Before doing that exercise I would have guessed about 25 yards for myself. After performing the steps, I came up with 17 yards. 80% of the birds I've ever thought of shooting were inside 17 yards! I thought I was fooling myself and so I did the exercise again. This time I came up with 14 yards.
My point then as now is that most turkey hunters grossly overestimate the range they'll be shooting turkeys. The reasons for that overestimation are clear:
1) A lot of turkey hunters get all wadded-up trying to maximize the range of their turkey gun. For me, I've missed more turkeys inside 15 yards because the pattern was too tight than out past 40 yards, because the choke was too open.
2) A lot of turkey territory has a lot of obscuring ground cover. You're thinking 40 yards, you get your gun up at 40, but the head and neck doesn't show itself until 20.
3) There HAS to be a reason you just blew $800 on a shotgun, $70 on choke tubes and $300 on 4 different samples of exotic turkey ammo. That old 2 3/4 trap gun MUST be the reason you missed last year.
This will be my 48th spring. Not going to mention numbers, not relevant. I used to have a hard time letting him get to 30. Now I'll let him come inside 30 and stay as long as he likes, and will allow him to get as close as he wants. But once he decides to leave I try to end our encounter on a sour note for him. Closet one last year was about 9-10 feet. If they don't booger when they decide to leave I like to shoot them around 20-30.
Quote from: guesswho on February 04, 2016, 03:00:49 PM
This will be my 48th spring. Not going to mention numbers, not relevant. I used to have a hard time letting him get to 30. Now I'll let him come inside 30 and stay as long as he likes, and will allow him to get as close as he wants. But once he decides to leave I try to end our encounter on a sour note for him. Closet one last year was about 9-10 feet. If they don't booger when they decide to leave I like to shoot them around 20-30.
:z-winnersmiley:
I shoot him once his toes touch the 40 yard line,provided I have a clear shot.
Quote from: 762 on February 04, 2016, 03:17:48 PM
I shoot him once his toes touch the 40 yard line,provided I have a clear shot.
Yep. I shoot them pretty much as soon as they are killable. If I want to watch turkeys, I can watch a hunting show--too many things can happen to booger up a hunt to wait very much. Having said that, my preferred range would be in the 25-30 yard range with a shotgun and 10 yards with a bow.
25 to 30 yards is nice. Rarely ever find any shot in the Breast meat.
Things get dicey for me when toms get inside about 25 yards. That's why I like hunting them so much. I usually try to take the first good shot op inside 35 yards. Yank triggers still plague me but I am getting a little better. Expect when I get it whipped I won't care to hunt anymore or will be dead.
I take the best shot inside 40. I am relatively new and dang sure like the taste of wild turkey (and Wild Turkey). Depends where I am and the situation. I have sat with my gun up and enjoyed the show field hunting on private land with a huge grin on my face under my mask and just had fun watching them. I have also taken the first available shot in public or thick woods to make sure he got a truck ride. 2 years ago, one got in to about 6 steps from me and was angling away. I let him get to about 15 yards and gave a soft putt and he popped up his head - for the last time. Could have shot him at 6, but liked my odds better at 15. I killed one that was getting spooky at about 8 steps - he did not know what I was, but he knew that lump was not right.
Average kill? 20-25 yards.
I have a line I draw at 20yds or closer and they haft to gobble and strutt before I shoot. That's my personal preferences that I set for myself. My hunting buddies hate to tag along with me on hunts,it kills them to watch a gobbler take a long time work his way To within 20yds when they would have shot him out at 30 or more yards. Not sure what is more enjoyable the gobbler at 20yds or someone whispering shoot shoot shoot. LOL
This will be my 37th spring. I have kept a record of every bird I have ever shot...................where, how far, weight, spurs, beard...... Off the top of my head I do not know how many birds are on that list. Not a numbers kinda guy. But about 5 years ago, I added up all the distances and divided by the number of birds.
28 1/2 yards average shot.
Quote from: guesswho on February 04, 2016, 03:00:49 PM
This will be my 48th spring. Not going to mention numbers, not relevant. I used to have a hard time letting him get to 30. Now I'll let him come inside 30 and stay as long as he likes, and will allow him to get as close as he wants. But once he decides to leave I try to end our encounter on a sour note for him. Closet one last year was about 9-10 feet. If they don't booger when they decide to leave I like to shoot them around 20-30.
I like this. I have a good friend who hunts deer/bow with me heavy but had no interest in turkeys. I got him to go with me a few times and it just did not hook him. Once day a tom came in and did his thing in the decoys for a bit. This was a huge bird the biggest I've ever killed. Having him so close for a period of time and our hearts racing hooked my friend. He has more recently out hunted the last few years. Up close is fun.
I like them about 25 to 30 yards but will take the shot at 40 yards. I hunt mostly public land and do not use blinds or decoys so as soon as he offers me a killing shot I take it. My closest kill was 30 feet!
Average is 25
Quote from: Hooksfan on February 04, 2016, 03:39:50 PM...I shoot them pretty much as soon as they are killable...
Same here. My avg. range is likely ~30 yds. It is awesome to get one to come in < 10 yds but the only way that happens to me is if I don't have a clear shot prior to one getting that close. Ha!
I try and get them in between 20-30 yards, but my longest was 42 steps (I was still a new hunter and misjudged the distance). Always take the 1st good shot I get since I've been burned several times just trying to get them closer and closer. A bird in the hand kind of thing.
As soon as he gets to the point where ol mossy won't fail. I'd say 40 to 30 yds. Around here I try to kill them as soon as I can. There is too many variables to help me not kill him if I try to hold off. I only get so many chances a year and don't want to waste it.
Once they get to 40 I start looking for a kill shot
I hunt mostly mountains so I try to always set up where I'm going to have a shot thats inside 30 yards, I can only think of two that I have killed that were at 40 yards. I have a gun that can kill at 40 now but I still hunt like I did when I was toting a single shot with 2 3/4" shells. I like'em close!
My max is 40 and inside of that im looking for the best shot. But I really like to get them inside of 15 if I can. It my favorite thing having a strutter in that close.
The longer I hunt, the closer I like them. I draw the line at having to push them back a step with the muzzle in order to be able to shoulder my gun.;D Anything from there out to 30 yards, with an average of probably 20.
If I could bottle the mental and physical rush I experience when I have big gobbler standing in front of me, wary and looking at close range, I think I could put every drug dealer in the country out of business overnight. It just doesn't get any better.
Bob
50 yards would be my max, and that would have to be in a wide open field. And in the timber 30 would be my max.
I really like 20-30 yards but am on the trigger whenever they cross the 40 yard mark. If they are not alarmed and then I let them keep coming. The second they start getting antsy I drop them. Or scare the crap out them. Hey its happened a time or two.
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60 yrds max but I love the beauty of a Tom at close range, I have a range finder in my vest bc Sometimes distance can be deceiving to me anyways!! Lol!!
Talkem into given up!!!
I've took them between 7 and 57 yards most being around the 35-40 yard mark I'm not big fan of the up close shots so when they hit that range I'm shooting, I mostly hunt hardwoods so distance is usually not issue
Quote from: OldSchool on February 05, 2016, 02:31:06 PM
The longer I hunt, the closer I like them. I draw the line at having to push them back a step with the muzzle in order to be able to shoulder my gun.;D Anything from there out to 30 yards, with an average of probably 20.
If I could bottle the mental and physical rush I experience when I have big gobbler standing in front of me, wary and looking at close range, I think I could put every drug dealer in the country out of business overnight. It just doesn't get any better.
Bob
Sounds like you need a 21" barrel Old School , those 26-28" can get in the way :funnyturkey:
Quote from: owlhoot on February 06, 2016, 09:32:24 AM
Quote from: OldSchool on February 05, 2016, 02:31:06 PM
The longer I hunt, the closer I like them. I draw the line at having to push them back a step with the muzzle in order to be able to shoulder my gun.;D Anything from there out to 30 yards, with an average of probably 20.
If I could bottle the mental and physical rush I experience when I have big gobbler standing in front of me, wary and looking at close range, I think I could put every drug dealer in the country out of business overnight. It just doesn't get any better.
Bob
Sounds like you need a 21" barrel Old School , those 26-28" can get in the way :funnyturkey:
My Ithaca's got a 24" barrel on it now. I'm afraid if I go any shorter one of those birds will try to get too friendly with me some day. ;)
Bob
Quote from: OldSchool on February 06, 2016, 10:27:49 AM
Quote from: owlhoot on February 06, 2016, 09:32:24 AM
Quote from: OldSchool on February 05, 2016, 02:31:06 PM
The longer I hunt, the closer I like them. I draw the line at having to push them back a step with the muzzle in order to be able to shoulder my gun.;D Anything from there out to 30 yards, with an average of probably 20.
If I could bottle the mental and physical rush I experience when I have big gobbler standing in front of me, wary and looking at close range, I think I could put every drug dealer in the country out of business overnight. It just doesn't get any better.
Bob
Sounds like you need a 21" barrel Old School , those 26-28" can get in the way :funnyturkey:
My Ithaca's got a 24" barrel on it now. I'm afraid if I go any shorter one of those birds will try to get too friendly with me some day. ;)
Bob
lmao. :TooFunny: :TooFunny: POINT taken , no pun
If I cannot get him off the limb at first light, I wait until his feet hit the ground. I am not good with geometry so I am not sure how far that is.
As far as 50 yards. Once they get to 30 yards, I'm pulling the trigger.
i dont like to shoot past 40 yds im not into turkey sniping. my average distance is 25-30 yds but i have taken a few that were maybe 10- 15 yds
Less than 35 and average is about 18. Closest less than 6 feet. Killing them for 48 years.
30yds or less, the closer, the better the show
This coming season will be my 34th Spring in the turkey woods. The farthest gobbler I ever shot was 36 yards & the closest was 6 yards. I shot at one about 38 yards in 1999 that I cut feathers and drew blood from, but never found him. That lost bird has made me hold off on longer shots and start shooting Hevi shot. Even though I know my gun is more than capable for longer shots, my average shot is around 18-20 yards.
Jim
This spring will be my 36th year chasing gobblers and I usually hunt 2-3 states. I'll I've shot is Hevi-Shot and Heavyweight since it was first loaded by Polywad ,Remington and then Federal. My turkey guns are all patterned at 40 yards and then at 50 and 25 yards, so I know what the individual loads and guns will do. I re-pattern my turkey guns every year, and typically shoot 25-30 turkey shells while doing so and even practice with my guns and low brass shells. I am not an advocate of long range shots and the long range hype of the ammunition makers, but am very comfortable w/ my guns and my shooting and ranging abilities. With that said, about 10 years ago, I worked a large gobbler in a field w/ hens for over two hours, and when he finally broke from the hens and walked towards me, angling slightly away, I misjudged the distance and shot and killed the bird w/ a 2 oz load of Hevi-13, 7's at a measured 62 yards. The gobbler weighed a little over 25 lbs, and when we X-Rayed his head and neck, two pellets had penetrated the cranium and four had penetrated the spine. On the opposite end of the spectrum, about 14 years ago I had been on a pair of gobblers for over four hours and was attempting to get to open woods by passing through an area which had been clear cut about six years prior and was so thick I could barely fight my way through it, and definitely too thick for turkeys. I hadn't called in about 25 minutes as I tried to move on the birds, when apparently the birds heard me forcing my way through the brush and ran at me gobbling. I leaned against a 6" sapling and shot a gobbler 6 feet from my gun barrel. I love watching fired up gobblers, but don't want them too close, and try to shoot them at 25-30 yards. You've got to watch that head and his body posture, and as soon as he kicks a leg around to leave, the jig is up, and you'd better be shooting. Last season my closest gobbler was 6 yards and the farthest 42 yards, but the majority were about 25 yards.
Situations can differ from one hunt to the next but 40 yards is always the planned maximum range, regardless if I'm hunting public or private property. (what the heck is the difference) If for some reason there's not a video camera involved on the hunt I'm pulling the trigger as soon as he reaches the 40 yard mark give or take a little either way depending on the current circumstances. When a video camera is involved, usually is, 20 yards is our preferred distance, but only because it makes for a better video. I've shot them a lot closer but usually it was because something didn't happen like I'd planned it would.
HC
This is my 53rd spring season. I pattern and know my maximum effective distance with my 12 and 20 ga. I let them come in to where I have a good, head up shot. That usually occurs at about 20-30 yards. I can and will, however, take a shot up to my maximum effective distance. My closest last year passed me at 10 feet. I let him go past and shot him at 15 yards. I use the same philosophy with my bow.
80% of my birds have been around 20 yards. Some were closer, some further. Closet was 6 yards. Furthest was 54 yards. :fud:
My average for the last few seasons is pretty close to 20 yards or a hair under. If he gets to 40 and starts getting spooky or his snood draws up I'll cut loose on him though.
Im all about getting the birds in close. To me, thats hunting. My max is 40, althought I have never shot one that far. Matter of fact, ive only shot one bird further than 30 yards (37). If I have a bird at 40.5 yards away, I aint shooting. Just my own thing I guess. My setup is WELL capable, but still wont do it.
Depends the mood of the bird but my max is 60 shooting m Remington Wingmaster HD #5's. I've killed 2 at that range bUT I prefer between 15-30 yards. Really don't like to let em get inside 15 bc my pattern is so tight its almost like shooting a rifle at that range. Know your gun and pattern and do what works for you I say. Also something I started doing a few years ago is I patterned my gun in tight cover because I love to hunt cut overs late season mid day to see what the shot did going thru brush. Depending in your load it'll suprise you.
The closest one I had was around 10' but the last one was around 25 yards.
Quote from: silvestris on February 04, 2016, 10:30:11 AM
35 yards max. Will let them get as close as they want if the gun is on them, for the sport and the rush.
I got shortness of breath just thinking of him turning and walking closer and closer and closer BOOM!!!
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Internet distance is like internet turkeys they all have 10 inch beards and 1 1/4 inch spurs. Distance posted is always under 40 yards but for some reason people are carrying 3.5 inch 12 gauges and tungsten shot.
I have had them close and sometimes too close. I have missed more up close than at distance. I enjoy them any way they come. I just like the chase.
Quote from: RemingtonRules on February 13, 2016, 10:33:50 AM
Internet distance is like internet turkeys they all have 10 inch beards and 1 1/4 inch spurs. Distance posted is always under 40 yards but for some reason people are carrying 3.5 inch 12 gauges and tungsten shot.
I have had them close and sometimes too close. I have missed more up close than at distance. I enjoy them any way they come. I just like the chase.
X2
Sent from the Strut Zone
Quit using the 3 1/2 years ago after taking turkeys way to far out . Which was what is was bought for.
As my youngest son started chasing turkey with a .410 and then 2 3/4 20
The 15 to 30 yard turkeys were sure a heck of a lot more fun !
Went to a 3" 20 with hevi 6 and HW 7 but the rang hasn't changed.
Still use a 12 with 3" HW 7's or thug 5's occasionally. Even some 2 3/4.
So 40 is new max now with most being around 25 . 7 was the closest with my son shootin one and my closest was 7 with a HR 36 " 10 gauge :z-dizzy
All big gun shooters do not shoot long , but some setup to do just that .
25-30 yards is my favorite. My gun is patterned to 40, but I like them closer than that.
The thrill to me is calling them in, then pulling the trigger!