Favorite Shotgun Load for Turkey

[GeneRector]

  Howdy! What is your favorite shotgun shell load for Turkey? Do you use a different load for Spring and Fall hunting?  Anyone use steel or heavishot? At what range do you like to shoot? For archery Turkey hunters, what broadhead or mechanical head do you favor?  Thanks!  Your views appreciated!

[lewdogg21]

Copper coated #5 Remington something.  I patterned my gun and that is what works best.  I suggest you do the same. 

[dukkillr]

Spring - 3 1/2" 12ga hevishot 5s (first shot) and 4s (second and third shots)
Fall - 2 3/4" Federal Wing-Shok 1 1/4 oz copper-plated 7 1/2s
Archery - Muzzy 3 blade 100s

Patterning is WAY over-rated.  Most load/choke combinations are a similar/identical.  I've patterned my gun, once.  It shoots straight, the pattern was tight at 50 yards, and I haven't changed anything in the 8 years since. 

Hevi-shot is worth the money, it's better than lead.  I've never shot a turkey with steel. 

[joshco84]

duckkiller i have to disagree.  i have a charles daily maxi mag 12 ga.  i patterned it with my handloaded 2 3/4 with 1 1/2 ounces of chilled lead shot.  it patterns way better with the modified choke that came with it than it does an h.s. undertaker choke.  i pattern mine at 40 yards and the pattern density was about 50 percent less with the super full choke than it was with the modified.  you should always always always always check how your gun patterns with all chokes you have and see which works the best, they do not all work like they are supposed.  i have a friend that has a mossy 835 that patterns better with 2/34 (factory) than any 3 or 3 1/2 shells he has tried yet so check it out, it i well worth your time.  it is also more human, less of a chance of wounding a bird and it running off and dieing and you not gettin the beard

[daddywpb]

Patterning is WAY over-rated.  Most load/choke combinations are a similar/identical.  I've patterned my gun, once.  It shoots straight, the pattern was tight at 50 yards, and I haven't changed anything in the 8 years since.  

I also DISAGREE. I patterned four 3" loads and two 2 3/4" loads, and the winner was obvious. If you have a shotgun that patterns everything well, HOLD ON TO IT WITH BOTH HANDS!

[kyelkhunter3006]

Add my name to the disagree list....I always pattern my guns and my favorite are Winchester Supreme 3" #5 turkey loads.  Patterns very well out of several different guns I've tried, with full or turkey chokes.  You don't always need that super extra full/tight aftermarket turkey choke either.  My NEF Pardner pump Turkey gun shoots better with the choke it came with (extra full) than any of the aftermarket turkey chokes I've tried, including the Undertaker, Tru-Glo, and others.

[ihuntbucks]

I use Winchester 12ga 2 3/4 #4 mag coppercoated  and 3" #5 Supreme.Both work well at 45 to 50 yrds..........Rick

[TribReady]

Spring: Rem 3" Premier Mag No.4's. Absolutely love them...as does my 870


Fall: A hodgepodge of 4,5,6 that I have laying around. All 2 3/4", some magnum, all work fine.

[lil_hunter12]

i use winchester supreme copper plated #4 3 inch mags with the full choke that came with my gun it will put about a 6 inch pattern out at 40 yards.if i hunt in the fall i use anything i have 3" #4's 2 3/4 4,5,6 all does great

[poules'deau]

3" #6 copper Winchester with a tight choke.   I want as many BB's in the critical area (head/neck) as possible.  My aiming point is mid way the neck, between head and shoulders.  Forget about anyplace else.

Jim

[Hoyt]

I use 80grs. FF powder, 100grs. nickle plated no. 6's topped with 20 grs. of nickle plated no. 4's.

[buck460XVR]

Spring - 3 1/2" 12ga hevishot 5s (first shot) and 4s (second and third shots)
Fall - 2 3/4" Federal Wing-Shok 1 1/4 oz copper-plated 7 1/2s
Archery - Muzzy 3 blade 100s

Patterning is WAY over-rated.  Most load/choke combinations are a similar/identical.  I've patterned my gun, once.  It shoots straight, the pattern was tight at 50 yards, and I haven't changed anything in the 8 years since. 

Hevi-shot is worth the money, it's better than lead.  I've never shot a turkey with steel. 

add another one to the "I disagree" list. I've been hunting Turkeys since Wisconsin started issuing permits(over 20 years) and have patterned every type of shell and reasonable choke. Have seen same type loads from different lot #'s pattern different, but maybe I'm a little pickier than some. I personally think 3 1/2" shells out of a 12 ga is just trying to push too much lead thru too small a hole for me, if you want a 10 ga., get a 10 ga., but that's just my opinion. You are entitled to yours and I respect that. I do wonder why you think it's necessary to have such a heavy load in the spring but such a light load in the fall. My fall toms were just as big and hard to put down as their spring counterparts and altho the odds are higher to bring in a hen or young bird in the fall.... the chance for the tom of a lifetime is still there. My first tom, a 24#er with 1 5/8'' spurrs and a 10 '' beard was shot with a load of STEEL 4s, cause that's all I had. Nowadays I tend to stick with 3'', 1 7/8 oz, copper-plated 5s.

[dukkillr]

I shoot fall turkeys mostly flying.  The way we shoot fall turkeys here is much like how you hunt pheasants.  Blockers and flushers.  Gotta aim for the head of a flying turkey, thus the 2 3/4"  71/2s, and those hot copper plated loads are worth every penny.

I used to turkey hunt with a 10ga.  I still own it, and still use it for the late goose season.  It doesn't make a good turkey gun because of it's weight.  If you only have an 80 acre farm to hunt it might not matter.  If you're going to cover ground, you don't want my 10ga. 

I don't necessarly think you shouldn't pattern your gun.  I think it's over-rated.  Based on guiding turkey hunters and being a turkey hunter, I can say that 99% of the hunters I've been around that spent a bunch of time patterning would have been well served to spend that time scouting.  Scouting kills more turkeys than calling, patterning, and camo added together. 

Now if patterning is something  you do for fun, go for it.  If you want to study your shot density down to the nth degree, fine.  No problem with me, but I fundamentally believe that time could be spent in ways that will produce more dead turkeys. 

[buck460XVR]

I shoot fall turkeys mostly flying. 

 

 you are kidding right? Everybody knows that is one of the Cardinal Sins of Turkey hunting......
 here is a qoute fron the N.Y. DNR website...

Turkeys are tough. You need to be close (30 yards or less is best). You need to get a clear head and neck shot. Do not try to shoot them in the body or when they are flying.

[dukkillr]

To quote myself:

I shoot fall turkeys mostly flying.  The way we shoot fall turkeys here is much like how you hunt pheasants.  Blockers and flushers.  Gotta aim for the head of a flying turkey, thus the 2 3/4"  71/2s, and those hot copper plated loads are worth every penny.

[buck460XVR]

  Gotta aim for the head of a flying turkey

       


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