Spring Turkey

Jonesy · #1 06-08-2002, 09:40 AM

From last month.

carolina boy · #2 06-09-2002, 06:42 PM

You guys shoot turkeys with rifles? Do you even call?

Jonesy · #3 06-09-2002, 10:04 PM

I call in the Hills, but spot and stalk on the prairie. I do use a ruger #1 in 220 swift for both. I'm not too fond of eating BB's, so I do a head or neck shot. This turkey was struting on the edge of a prairie dog town, I crept 500 yards up a dry creek bottom and got him in the head at 125 yards. The secret is to get the cross hairs on the general area and whistle. This makes them hold their head still and high for a moment. I've been turkey hunting in this manner for 20 years, and it works well for me. Have always harvested all the turkeys I had tags for and have only missed once, but got him with a follow up shot a minute later. I have to admit the turkey pictured was a little further than most. Most are in the 50 to 100 yard range.

RedneckMatt · #4 06-11-2002, 07:03 PM

I wish I could use a rifle for turkey hunting in CA, pretty pathetic we don't have that right.
Matt.

Jonesy · #5 06-12-2002, 06:04 AM

I am sorry to hear about the regulations in Cal. Matt. We can still carry rifles in the back windows of our pickups. Anyone can get a concealed weapons permit if they don't have a felony. South Dakota is still a pro-hunting state. Not to many greeners up here. You'll have to check it out sometime.

carolina boy · #6 06-13-2002, 01:26 PM

Matt, I wouldn't say it's pathetic that you can't use a rifle to hunt turkeys in Cal. I am not trying to pass judgment on those that do implement such strategies, but many people do not feel that hunting a turkey with a rifle in the spring is a very sporting method. (Not trying to stir the pot) Here in SC, you cannot hunt turkeys in the fall or with a rifle at all. The only state in the "south" that I KNOW of where you can use a rifle is Texas. Part of the reason for a state allowing rifles may be the topography (wide open or flat such as in nebraska), however, most serious turkey hunters (my opinion) would not do so because it's just not that sporting. The game is typically to use your skills to call them in as close as possible then dispatch them with a rifle. Hope I'm not stepping on any toes, though I imagine I am. Oh, with regard to this post, I believe that shooting a turkey in the head at a great distance is a skillful display of shooting, but not necessary that of turkey hunting.

RedneckMatt · #7 06-13-2002, 01:51 PM

I don't hunt tukryes purely for sport, I hunt them for their meat, I love wild turkey, way better than domestic turkeys. Plus, I would think that shooting a turkey with a rifle at a distance would be way more rewarding than just shooting them up close with a scatter gun.
Matt.

Nulle · #8 06-13-2002, 02:22 PM

Wish I could shoot like that.

On the methods of hunting I guess we could get into the re-curve bow vs compound and then all the stuff on arrows, black powder traditional vs the new fangled ones with scopes, open sites vs scopes, road hunting upland birds vs real hunting and the list would never end.

In the end it is what the person enjoys doing and what he is very good at and the law allows him to do.
Yup you stepped on a toe but not real hard.

mtmiller · #9 06-13-2002, 08:52 PM

There are lots of hunting methods that some people use, while others feel it is not sporting. I am not a big advocate of shooting deer from a tripod over a feed dispenser, chasing deer with hounds, or popping a bear while he is chowing on a garbage can full of grease covered donuts. Guess it doesn't matter, it is not against the law, so to each their own.

The thing that suprises me is that the turkey held still long enough for Jonesy to shoot. Can't count the number of times I could have dumped a coyote, but had to wait for that yea hoo to find the damn thing in his scope.

Once he finds it though, he is pretty deadly.

carolina boy · #10 06-13-2002, 10:41 PM

I guess all of these replies are fair enough. I guess it is a case of to each his own. LEt me make it clear that I was by no way indicating that Jonesy is not the most skillful, successful hunter known to man. I have no idea. Whatever works for you, have at it, as long as it's legal, I suppose. I was speaking as a true turkey hunter, not a general meat hunter.

Oh, and Matt, no, shooting a turkey with a rifle comes no where near as difficult as shooting one at close range with a shotgun. Give it a few years and you'll see. The difficulty is not hitting the bird in the head at 25 yards with a load of 4s or 6s, it's getting him to 25 yards. TO ME, and I can only speak for myself, the calling and woodsmanship required to bring birds in year after year is what turkey hunting is about. It's not shooting and it's not putting meat on the table. I'm assuming your momma still does that for you anyways, right? I guess you'll just have to wait and see.

Jonesy · #11 06-14-2002, 01:37 AM

I have called in turkeys, used decoys and shotguns. I've stuck a couple gobblers with my recurve also. Personally, I don't see any type of turkey hunting a great challenge. I just prefer to do it the way I do.
Now, watching a 160+ class whitetail for two years and trying to get a shot with my takedown recurve and not getting him (yet), that is a challenge. Thats serious hunting, everything else is for fun.
Have to give a spot for mtmiller. Miller is a wildlife biologist and seasoned hunter. His knowledge of the outdoors and hunting makes every hunt with him a memorable experience. I spent many days with Miller sticking carp and IDing waterfowl. Looking forward to the next adventure.

rpolcat · #12 06-15-2002, 09:06 PM

jonsey
i shot a 20lb with 9 1\2 beard this spring also with a 220 swift
shot him at 100 yrds in the neck.were allowed to use rifles here in
west virginia.have taken a bunch with both rifle and shotgun.

i couldn't believe how far he came from.i was set up on top of a hill and he started gobbling i could just make it out he was on the other hill across from me about 600 yrds.had two gobblers behind me about 200 yrds and boss hen and another hen between me and them.was trying to make the boss mad enough to come over to give me a real reamming out.and bring the gobblers with them.but they didn't want to so they went to the gobblers and was going around the hill the oppisite way.this other gobbler kept getting closer i couldn't believe it was comming all that way.

TSadler · #13 06-17-2002, 07:55 AM

We can use rifles in the fall and on Rio's in the spring. Easterns - shotgun only. I'm not too sure about archery.

carolina boy · #14 06-17-2002, 04:35 PM

Although I'm not sure, I can't imagine not allowing archery for either seasons on either birds. Just a guess though.