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turkeys for tomorrow

Are You Sticking with Lead Next Season, or Jumping to HTL?

Started by 3" 870 Shell Shucker, October 18, 2011, 02:02:34 AM

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chatterbox

I vacillate on this topic all the time.
However, this time I must confess I'm jumping on the HTL train. My new 835 shoots the 3.5 shells very well, so I'm gonna get some 3.5-2.25-6 Hevi-13 to feed her.
I like the ability to smash a gobblers head if they won't budge from 50 or so yards. I cannot do the same with Pb.
I can think of at least two occasions that I could've shot had I had the HTL. I just wouldn't pull the trigger with the lead.

LBSS

I think if I handloaded I could get the desired results with premium Nickel plated pb loads but I dnt at the moment so im going to try the hevi6s

3" 870 Shell Shucker

I normally load up HTL when I go to the woods, but I must confess that I'm still buying Lead Turkey Loads whenever I find a deal.  I have a stockpile of:

PMC 3" 2 ounce 4's
WIN 3" 1.75 ounce 5's
PMC 3" 2 ounce 6's
REM 3" 1.875 ounce 4x6's
3" 1.875 ounce 4x6x7.5's I rigged up myself

I have a lifetime supply.

Spring Creek Calls

I use both. I do believe my kill ratio is better with lead, just because I know I'm not Superman while shooting them and let the "long shots" pass.

:smiley-patriotic-flagwaver-an
2014  SE Call Makers Short Box 2nd Place
2017  Buckeye Challenge Long Box 5th Place
2018  Mountain State Short Box 2nd Place
2019  Mountain State Short Box 1st Place
2019  NWTF Great Lakes Scratch Box 4th Place
2020 NWTF GNCC Amateur 5th Place Box
2021 Mountain State 3rd Place Short Box
2021 SE Callmakers 1st & 2nd Short Box
E-mail: gobblez@aol.com
Website: springcreekturkeycalls.weebly.com

WildTigerTrout

I have some HTL but have a lifetime supply of lead so will more the likely still use the old fashioned lead. Never had a problem killing them with lead.
Deer see you and think you are a stump. The Old Gobbler sees a stump and thinks it is YOU!

Kylongspur88

I carry both now. No need for me to burn a $5 shell in the woods here when you are lucky to get 35 yards.

DKA

Have used lead from day 1 and intend to stick with lead until something better that what is available now.

jtg88

I'm sticking with HTL due to having a good stock pile.  If the prices of Hevi keep rising, when I run out, I'll be going back to straight lead.

surehuntsalot

I have enough lead loads to last me the rest of my years on this earth,and my son,and grandson
it's not the harvest,it's the chase

trkehunr93

I made the jump to Hevi in '06 and haven't looked back but now that I am needing to restock I cannot justify the price anymore and ran across 11 boxes of Win. Supreme HV 3.5" #6's and 4 boxes of Win. Supreme HV 3.5" #5's for $8.00 a box and grabbed them all up, that is $0.80 a shell versus's $3.19 a shell for Hevi 3.5" after the mail in rebate.  I killed alot with lead before '06 and I figure I can do just as good with it once I run out of my stock of Hevi-13 I have now.

MossRem

Quote from: frank1969 on November 06, 2011, 08:00:45 PM
LEAD ONLY DO YOUR JOB AS A CALLER AND GET THEM IN CLOSE

I agree with that. Lead for me, again this year. I want the turkey to be close enough where I can know for sure that he's a gobbler and where I know my shot column can deck the bird with no chance of escape. If other hunters want to hunt further out than 35 yards, that's their choice. I want to hunt my turkeys "old school" the way my grandfather and great-grandfather did: up close and personal.
Lead shot works fine for that, just like it did for Charlie Elliott, Archibald Rutledge, and all the other classic old-time turkey hunters.

dawei

Quote from: MossRem on February 13, 2012, 12:41:09 AM
Quote from: frank1969 on November 06, 2011, 08:00:45 PMLEAD ONLY DO YOUR JOB AS A CALLER AND GET THEM IN CLOSE

I agree with that. Lead for me, again this year. I want the turkey to be close enough where I can know for sure that he's a gobbler and where I know my shot column can deck the bird with no chance of escape. If other hunters want to hunt further out than 35 yards, that's their choice. I want to hunt my turkeys "old school" the way my grandfather and great-grandfather did: up close and personal.
Lead shot works fine for that, just like it did for Charlie Elliott, Archibald Rutledge, and all the other classic old-time turkey hunters.
100% Spot On!

David

Only two defining forces ever died for you.
1. Jesus Christ.
2. The American Soldier, Sailor, Airman, and Marine.
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

1Cross+3Nails=4Given

WildTigerTrout

Quote from: dawei on February 13, 2012, 01:03:19 AM
Quote from: MossRem on February 13, 2012, 12:41:09 AM
Quote from: frank1969 on November 06, 2011, 08:00:45 PMLEAD ONLY DO YOUR JOB AS A CALLER AND GET THEM IN CLOSE

I agree with that. Lead for me, again this year. I want the turkey to be close enough where I can know for sure that he's a gobbler and where I know my shot column can deck the bird with no chance of escape. If other hunters want to hunt further out than 35 yards, that's their choice. I want to hunt my turkeys "old school" the way my grandfather and great-grandfather did: up close and personal.
Lead shot works fine for that, just like it did for Charlie Elliott, Archibald Rutledge, and all the other classic old-time turkey hunters.
100% Spot On!
+1. Sometimes I wonder how we ever killed turkeys before HTL came about :lol:
Deer see you and think you are a stump. The Old Gobbler sees a stump and thinks it is YOU!

BrowningGuy88

I jumped big on the HTL train. Wasn't going to, but I found some deals and put off buying the SX3 at least until next year so I am running the 20 again this year.

As far as calling them in, I have killed 29 toms and only shot 4 over 40 steps. Just because people run HTL doesn't mean they shoot at unethical distances - some do, but not all. I do not intend to change anything I am doing as far as hunting other than shooting more dense patterns with a harder shot.

MossRem

If I sounded scornful about hunters who use HTL, I never meant to. What I said in my post was that if people wanted to shoot turkeys past 35 yartds, that's their choice. I was not out to insult anyone or their ethics in shooting turkeys.
I don't find anything unethical about a hunter taking a 40 or 50 yard or more shot if they can pull it off and don't wound turkeys. I just said that this type of hunting is not my "cup of tea".
I don't want to take chances, shooting a hen, as I said. Having the turkey in chose enough means there's little doubt that I'll make that mistake.