22 handi hornet for turkey

[Deerhunter#1]

well here in pa we can use centerfire rifles for turkey in the fall. do you think the hornet would fit the bill and has anyone used it for that need or go with say a 22 mag. 

[52bagman]

In WV we can just about use any and every thing to take turkeys, short of rocks and clubs. lol
I doe use a 22 hornet for them spring and fall and it does really well. Get on the interweb and look for shot placement used for bows and use that info for the Honet. My longest shot has been 167yds, DRT., and the shortest was 15yds and traveled twenty yds on the foot. Go figure.

[gcrank1]

Either through the wing butts (broadside) should do it, so no Hornet needed but use it if ya got it instead; and up close nothin' wrong with a head shot. Lots of deer have gone down to poachers with the 22Mag.

[twoshooter]

The Hornet should work just fine, just stay with a soft point, not an HP or varmint load.

[gcrank1]

Can you use the 22Mag on turkey in Penn. ?

[Ranch13]

The hornet will work alright if you throttle it back a little, or as mentioned use softpoint or even fmj bullets.
Hold either for the base of the neck, or catch them broadside and shoot for the butt of the wing high on the back.....  Even a hit from a 22 mag that goes a bit low and into the breast really smucks up the eatin part....

[elkslayer4x5]

Either through the wing butts (broadside) should do it, so no Hornet needed but use it if ya got it instead; and up close nothin' wrong with a head shot. Lots of deer have gone down to poachers with the 22Mag.

.22 long rifle, for that matter!

[shinjin]

In West texas we use 22 mags and head shoot turkey. The 22 Hornet should do great, its almost overkill. And this from a guy who has shot them with 270's, 308's, 7 mags, 223's, 243's 357 magnums, 41 magnums and 45 long colts.
Only point of aim difference I suggest is you aim for the leg joint aka the hip. Don't know about your turkeys but in WTexas the leg of a turkey is only slightly less tough than Jack rabbit meat. We shoot them in the hip and avoid damaging the breats meat.
 
Or, wait until they are head on (back on, too) and shoot them between the shoulder blades just below the base of the neck. Puts your shot between the breasts.

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  Your hornet will do fine...but I would shoot for the wing butts or the back..the leg shot will take them down, but I prefer to make the best killing shot I can...Since you are in Pa., you will not be hunting over bait, and I would guess you will want to make every opportunity count...those gobblers are much smarter than Tx. turkeys..they out wit poachers every day..while Tx. gobblers only have four legged predators to worry with..I have shot both...As for the common .22 forget it..the .22 mag. is ok, but your hornet is near perfect...hunting turkey with a rifle is nearly a lost art..and contrary to the current methods, very sporting..there is an excellent book on wild turkey hunting by a real expert..Henry Davis..it is called THE AMERICAN WILD TURKEY...he discusses hunting gobblers with a rifle and proper loads..you hornet will be perfect...

[shinjin]

Wyo Cyo Hunter has a point, you won't be hunting under a feeder so maybe you should take the easy shot ( ). Y'know just in case you aren't a good shot.
No really I shot between the shoulders for years and started shooting at the hips to make it more difficult. Honestly I have had to make some follow ups when I butt shot a turkey and needed to drop it before it went into a geosync orbit. My hunting pards all use 22-250's with zillion power scopes for turkey whereas I use a Handi .223 with a 3x9x50 Simmons scope. I kill just as many and enjoy swapping barrels.

[Spanky]

I shoot 'em in the base of the neck if they're walking away or center of the wing if they're broadside. Either shot will put 'em down fast and won't tear up the good meat.
 
 
 
Spanky