For The Hunter on a Budget

[NYlogbeards]

Most of us know how it was starting out getting our first gun, ammo, choke, calls etc... with not much cash on hand, and with all these brands and manufactures today it's so hard to tell whats good or junk out of all of them and whats worth spending money on...

So, I thought that it would be a neat idea to create a thread for the future hunter on a budget and hope some of you could give tips from your experience on affordable and reliable gear.

Some recommendations i can give for a firearm are...

1. Remington 870, whether in 12 or 20 Ga this seems to be the most popular shotgun on the market and has a lot of aftermarket parts to offer, price range between $350-$380.

2. Mossberg 500, also in 12 or 20 Ga this is a very reliable shotgun with many options for aftermarket parts, price range $250-$300.

3. H&R Pardner Pump, in 12 or 20 Ga this shotgun is reliable and probably the most cheapest shotgun of all, but aftermarket parts are limited and the weight of the shotgun is a bit more than the Remington or Mossberg, price tag is $200.

[wmn2]

Good idea.
Another firearm- Winchester SXP turkey 12 gauge- I got mine for just under 400 out the door. Full camo, overbored barrel, xtra full choke, adjustable sights. It's also drilled and tapped.

Custom calls- Spring creek box calls. I have one and it's amazing quality for the price tag.

I'm a newbie so I want to see what else people put on here.

[KYHeadhunter02]

Winchester longbeards are a good bang for the buck. In sure there are others possibly cheaper.

Lonnie Sneed makes a really good call for the money.

[catman529]

I was in the same boat 5 years ago and got the H&R Parnder for $170 from Walmart. I still use the same gun today, yes it's heavy, but sentimental. And I painted it last year, so it looks cool now.

If you're on a budget, don't buy a blind, vest, decoys, hevi shot, high dollar custom calls, etc. Buy camo on sale at Walmart, make sure it has cargo pockets.  Get some cheap calls that sound decent and you can run easily. Buy a turkey choke that fits your gun and some Winchester double X or Longbeard shells and see how it patterns at 20, 30, 40...know your limit and wait for the bird to get closer.  Focus on woodsmanship and not just which calls or shot shells are better than another. Study the turkeys behavior more than studying pellets in a circle. The most valuable thing to have with you turkey hunting doesn't cost money and can only come with time spent in the woods, paying attention to things, observing and adjusting to situations, and not overthinking.


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[sswv]

hard to beat that 870.  if you look around lot's of gun shops do trade ins and you can get a good pre-owned firearm very reasonable. I got a youth 870 20ga for my grandson at a LGS for $200.00   then I got a Charles Daly 20ga youth for a friend of mines little boy for $170.00 about 2 weeks later.  if you're on a budget or have 4 grandkids like I do then pre-owned is a good route. 

another idea....get with all your hunting friends/family and see who shoots the same type gun and try each others chokes out. it's sorta like a 'try before you buy' deal. we all know the same choke don't always shoot the same in every gun. I know I have some dust collectors that I'd let someone try before they spent money on a new one.

just thinking out loud here

[Swampchickin234]

Watch academy sports online from now until it goes on sale.  Seems they always have clothes and vest for cheap at the end of the spring


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[NYlogbeards]

Those are some great recommendations posted above, also after turkey season a lot of clothing, ammo and turkey calls go on sale, probably could get up to 80% off on a ton of stuff.

[ilbucksndux]

All of your camo dont have to match. http://www.sierratradingpost.com/ is a great place to get stuff really cheap. Turkey calls go on the clearance isle at Walmart is a few months. A custom call is a great tool,but if you are starting out you are probably gonna be just as good on a mass produced call. You DONT need a high dollar gun. You can pick up a used 870 for $200 or less anywhere in the country. You dont have to pay more than $25 for a decoy period,chances are your just gonna leave the thing in the truck anyway. An aftermarket choke is a nice tool to have if you are gonna try to snipe one. If you hunt in the woods a regular "FULL" choke is the best option anyway.Back to calls. There is no need to carry 10 calls with you in the woods. 1 or two that you can operate well is plenty.

[TauntoHawk]

An SS cheap talk box could serve a rookie or a tight budgeted veteran for years of turkey killing. 

[TRG3]

If you lean toward the frugal side, I might suggest that most of my turkeys have been taken at 20-30 yards which is easily in range of a heavy load 2 3/4" shell in #5 or #6 shot which your current shogun can easily handle. If you need a decoy, I'd recommend the Funky Chicken which can be had for around $30 or, if you are even more thrifty, make a gobbler decoy out of a black 5-gallon bucket and some binder clips to hold the real/fake fan and wings. Add a homemade head fashioned out of a short piece of 2X4 with rope beard and you've got a workable decoy. It all comes apart for easy transport in the bucket. I've taken a couple of gobblers with just such a decoy with the aid of my flintlock fowler shotgun. If possible, add a hen decoy staked on her belly directly in front of your gobbler decoy to imitate the breeding position. If you've got a camo outfit, wear it and add gloves and a face mask. You'll only stay in the woods as long as you are comfortable, so find a seat that is both handy and comfortable. Of the utmost importance is to be sure to spray all of your outer garments with permethrin to kill ticks that carry Lyme disease. Add a box or slate call to imitate a hen, a gobble tube to challenge the tom's peck order, and spend some time on YouTube for free lessons as to how to call turkeys. Best of luck and stay late in the morning if necessary to get those henned-up gobblers that may not respond to your calls until their hens have left them along as they go off to their nests.

[Gooserbat]

OG classifieds for chokes, calls, and even Camo.  Shells are the one thing that I won't skimp on.  And last a butt cushion.

[Greg Massey]

My suggestion is not going the cheap route. First get you a good gun like the 870 and get you a couple of good custom calls. You can get a good custom pot call for around 40 - 50 dollars and a good custom box call for around 50 dollars. We have all done it, buying the cheap mass produced calls and stuff and throwing it in a box or giving it to a friend or kids. In the long run you will save money buying the better equipment for turkey hunting the first time. I don't care if you are on a cheap budget and having to buy it one piece at a time in the long run you want end up with a lot of cheap junk calls that you want use once you get a couple of good custom calls etc..PIECE by PIECE if it takes you a couple of years to get good calls and equipment.. You want be like a lot of us with that big box of money in calls we don't use anymore because we have the custom call.

[NYlogbeards]

My suggestion is not going the cheap route. First get you a good gun like the 870 and get you a couple of good custom calls. You can get a good custom pot call for around 40 - 50 dollars and a good custom box call for around 50 dollars. We have all done it, buying the cheap mass produced calls and stuff and throwing it in a box or giving it to a friend or kids. In the long run you will save money buying the better equipment for turkey hunting the first time. I don't care if you are on a cheap budget and having to buy it one piece at a time in the long run you want end up with a lot of cheap junk calls that you want use once you get a couple of good custom calls etc..PIECE by PIECE if it takes you a couple of years to get good calls and equipment.. You want be like a lot of us with that big box of money in calls we don't use anymore because we have the custom call.

That is very good advice, buying something better in quality may cost more but will last longer and perform a lot better, Gene's pot call is a good custom call for $20 about as cheap as a manufactured company but a lot better quality.

[Marc]

you can get a good pre-owned firearm very reasonable.

I have owned some great pre-owned guns, but would avoid purchasing a used semi-auto, cause there is too big a risk that you are purchasing someone else's problem...  The exception being an old A-5 (cannot buy them new, and a great shooting gun).

The older Remington 870 Wingmaster was/is a great gun...  Some of the newer Express models have been garbage in my opinion, and even the newer Wingmaster is not the gun it once was (wish I had not sold my first one). 

Although I am always looking for a good deal on a gun, I do not believe in trying to save money on a gun by going cheap.  Every time I have done this, it has ended up costing me money.  Being a bird hunter, I put a lot of ammo through my guns, and I want a gun that is pleasant to shoot, points well, fits well, reliable, & easy to clean.

As far as saving money...

·   Interestingly, I have found that many custom diaphragm calls are cheaper than brand name calls on the Internet. (I have had luck with Gooserbat and Hook's).
·   As mentioned, Spring Creek box calls are a good deal and a great call for the money.
·   A standard full choke is all you need.  I believe tight turkey chokes to be a handicap for most turkeys in good range.
·   Any marketed turkey load will likely work.  I prefer Hevi-Shot, but have killed more with copper-plated lead (even killed one with #2 steel on accident, but I would not recommend this).

Make sure you get some comfortable water-proof boots that you can walk in comfortably though.
I believe in having comfortable and quality clothing in the field, but the color or type of camouflage is not important to me.

I probably spend more on gas than on any other aspect of turkey hunting...  So get a hybrid car...  Or a good turkey hunting motorcycle.