Do you shoot them when they are puffed up or do let them deflate?

[stinkpickle]

As long as you got a clear shot on his head you can kill him. Doesn't matter if he is struttin or walkin...

Bingo!  If he don't wanna come outta strut, I'm sending lead towards his head.  Of course, I usually wait for him to turn sideways,...BUT I have "pillow cased" a few.   

[PANYHunter]

I prefer them to be out of strut and will usually try to get them to stick their necks out but I have shot them while strutting.

[WyoHunter]

full strut if I have to but they got to be side ways to me, prefer out of strut

Me too! 

[hookedspur]

As long as you got a clear shot on his head you can kill him. Doesn't matter if he is struttin or walkin. The only problem with shooting them struttin is you will mess up alot of feathers and if your going to mount it thats not good. I had a buddy that went to Mexico for a Goulds and he shot his Goulds in full strut looking at him. He killed the turkey dead but in the process he broke 8 tailfeathers. Not good. I like to get them out of strut if possible but I'm not totally against shooting a turkey in strut as long as I can see his head.

TRKYHTR

[Struttin Spurs]

I took my younger brother last year. One came in stutting so I whispered, "Shoot when he sticks his head up." ....I guess all he heard was shoot cuz he blasted him in full strut. Killed him deader than a doornail, but had to pull a few feathers out of the breast. Hahaha. Normally I won't shoot one in strut though. Ruins too much meat.

[LeviSS]

My dad told me when I first started to not shoot them when they are strutting, so I never have.  I always give a cluck to get them to poke their head up.  I had heard that if you shoot them when strutting it could mess up the fan for a mount, but I wasn't sure if that was true or not.  I just wanted to get the concensus.

[BigHooks]

I don't like to shoot them while they are strutting. But if all fells an nothing works out I'm a turkey hunter not a turkey watcher I'll not let him walk off...   

[ncturkey]

I do not like to shot them in full strut or semi strut. I shoot my third turkey in full strut. He was a 10 yards or less when I shot at his head when he was broadside. It looked like I had shot a feather pillow. I hit his head and his saddle(back Feathers). I will not do that again. I got two hats full of feathers. That turkey would not come out of strut. Here is a picture of the strutter. You see where I shot out some of his saddle (back feathers). It is not as bad as some I have seen shot in full strut.

I shot one turkey in semi-strut. I shot part of his beard off. So get them birds out of strut. Cutt at him and that should get him out of strut. A good kee kee will do the job too.

[derek]

First turkey I ever shot at was in full strut quartering to me, I shot, he started flopping.  As I was standing up he took to the air and we never found him.  Kinda shook me up and I haven't done it since. 

[Kylongspur88]

With a bow yes, gun no, I want him to poke that head out just a little.

[Basser69]

I don't like to shoot them while they are strutting. But if all fells an nothing works out I'm a turkey hunter not a turkey watcher I'll not let him walk off...   

Bingo!

[keyser12ga]

I will shoot one in full strut and broadside if he's at a distance where I know my pattern is tight and small, for my combo right now that is 20 yards or less.

[selmadogdoc]

Either way is fine, but if you are going to make a call to make him break a strutt, be careful that you don't raise your head and forget to put it back down on the barrel.  I missed a couple like this before I realized what I was doing.

[turkey_slayer]

As long as you got a clear shot on his head you can kill him. Doesn't matter if he is struttin or walkin. The only problem with shooting them struttin is you will mess up alot of feathers and if your going to mount it thats not good. I had a buddy that went to Mexico for a Goulds and he shot his Goulds in full strut looking at him. He killed the turkey dead but in the process he broke 8 tailfeathers. Not good. I like to get them out of strut if possible but I'm not totally against shooting a turkey in strut as long as I can see his head.

TRKYHTR

[BoWhoop]

Nothing wrong with shooting a strutting gobbler.  I've probably shot 3 or 4 dozen strutters and they all died, though I did have to chase one to a creek, but that had more to do with laying almost on my side when I shot and not seeing a good (normal) sight picture.

I never understood why this would be a bad shot...it seems to me if you have a tight shooting pattern, all of the vitals are in a closer area.  Also, if the feathers are ruffled up, I think they provide LESS resistance to shot than when all layed flat like armour.

But to each his own, do what you feel comfortable with.