Gobbler Down

[100percent]

WE have been trying to reestablish a wild turkey population on our farm. This is the first year that we have heard toms. This afternoon while I was working my wife went fishing. One of your dogs came up to her while she was fishing with a turkey egg in her mouth. Still warm. The dog left and came back with another egg. My wife followed the dog after that and my wife found the nest with a 10 eggs in it yet. The eggs were replaced and the fishing adventure was done for the day.

We have at least one breeding pair on our property. Yeah....!

[knkali]

funny we have so many turkeys roaming our area that animal control has to round them up a couple times a year and remove them due to the damage these critters cause. The baby chicks are cute as can be though. One fell into an open sewer pipe and we were able to fish it out. Mama bird was squawking and crying and would not leave that pipe till her baby was returned to her safe and sound. Thanks for listening.....

[AJBert]

TC makes a turkey barrel which comes with FO sights and a ported turkey choke tube. There are various market turkey chokes on the market. Each one is slightly different. I am not sure what the choke is on this particular tube, but it was probably an aftermarket choke tube that TC puts on their barrel. A turkey choke is tighter than a full choke tube. You must pattern every gun and ammo combo so you get a good tight group. I use Win 12ga 3", 2 oz, 4's or 6's. Both work fine. I have used other shotgun brands, but prefer the 2oz lead. More holes.


You shoot a turkey in the head and neck, so there is no real magic. You do not shoot a turkey in the body with a shotgun. We eat the body and who wants shot in their meat. Besides, a gobbler's breast is quite large an thick. Not a good place to put a #4 or #6 shot. Exception to shooting them in the body, is using a bow for a body shot. But even then, some guys prefer specially designed broadheads with a wide 2 -2.5" diameter cut to sever the head and neck.

As for .22LR for turkey...might work, but not legal. To me it would be like using a 9mm on a deer. Not a wise choice. You may hit a quarter at 25-30 yrds, but a turkey head is always moving and moving erratically. Some might want to say they have tried it but they would not want to say it here....catch my drift. It is illegal because you are more likely to wound the bird. A shotgun is more ethical. It is not as easy to call in and kill a turkey as you may think. You need to talk their language, know how to set up for them, what calls to make at certain times, cover a lot of ground, tree them just before dark so you can call them off their roost, etc... It is a hunting sport in itself. They have excellent eyes and although they are not intelligent, they can be very wary. Some days they are hot and gobbling. Other days, like today, they are quiet and hung up some place. Some days they lock up with hens and you can not call them in unless you talk the hens in.

Thanks for the education, like I said I've only been once. I kind of figured a .22 was illegal as I've never heard of anyone ever using one. I also didn't know about the head moving around constantly. I did know you shoot for the head, that was my thinking with the .22.


I do hunt but this is one area where I really know very little about. Maybe, and a small maybe, I'll try it again but it will be on private property. Too many folks out there that do not identify what they are shooting at 100% before pulling the trigger. Being in complete camo and movement tends to draw rounds in one's direction too many times for my taste.

[garyb]

funny we have so many turkeys roaming our area that animal control has to round them up a couple times a year and remove them due to the damage these critters cause. The baby chicks are cute as can be though. One fell into an open sewer pipe and we were able to fish it out. Mama bird was squawking and crying and would not leave that pipe till her baby was returned to her safe and sound. Thanks for listening.....

Cool story!

[garyb]

Thanks for the education, like I said I've only been once. I kind of figured a .22 was illegal as I've never heard of anyone ever using one. I also didn't know about the head moving around constantly. I did know you shoot for the head, that was my thinking with the .22.


I do hunt but this is one area where I really know very little about. Maybe, and a small maybe, I'll try it again but it will be on private property. Too many folks out there that do not identify what they are shooting at 100% before pulling the trigger. Being in complete camo and movement tends to draw rounds in one's direction too many times for my taste.

Turkey hunters are a special breed of hunters. I'd not worry about getting shot all that much....at least not to the point that I'd not go hunting. After all, small game and squirrel season fall during archery deer season here in NY. If you are truly into the sport, whatever it is, you will learn the tactics you need to prevent harm to yourself and others. I suggest you find someone who really knows how to turkey hunt (in camo) and ask that person to take you out once or twice. Just explain that you have a place to hunt but you have never turkey hunted. I'd bet that someone would be more than happy to teach you his tricks. In fact, my buddy has a neighbor that has never turkey hunted and asked me to take them out when I get back from FL (son-in-law is graduating from engineering school). Of course I will take them out. I've been calling for my buddy for the past 5 years and have forfeited myself taking nice gobblers so that he can enjoy it too. There is something special about calling in a nice Tom for someone new or learning turkey hunting. At some point, you cut the strings and tell them...."It's time you call me in one bud!"

[garyb]

WE have been trying to reestablish a wild turkey population on our farm. This is the first year that we have heard toms. This afternoon while I was working my wife went fishing. One of your dogs came up to her while she was fishing with a turkey egg in her mouth. Still warm. The dog left and came back with another egg. My wife followed the dog after that and my wife found the nest with a 10 eggs in it yet. The eggs were replaced and the fishing adventure was done for the day.

We have at least one breeding pair on our property. Yeah....!

LOL. Those eggs were lucky. Good for your wife! The turkey population suffers most from that kind of thing. Usually a fox, coyote, bear or even crows will take the eggs. If you turkey hunt long enough, you will notice crows following hens around. Crows are smart birds and they know that certain times of the year a lone hen means a nest of eggs. All the crow needs to do is watch where the hen goes to nest. If you ever find bits of egg shells on the ground in the woods, you will know the rest of the story. Certainly PA has a good population of wild turkey, so you will get them soon. (I am watching a lone hen in my apple orchard as I type this).
Have a great day.

[RevRay]

I find all this only mildly interesting ... as I had every expectation of reading about someone taking out a turkey with their CM9.

[garyb]

I find all this only mildly interesting ... as I had every expectation of reading about someone taking out a turkey with their CM9.

LOL. You are not a turkey hunter I guess.

[RevRay]

Actually, I was just kidding. I did find it interesting, though I have not ever hunted turkey before.

[getsome]

Just curious, does wild turkey meat taste any different than say a butterball from the A&P? I've never tried any wild hunted bird but would love to try some as turkey is one of my favorite foods and one of the few meats you can buy reasonably anymore....I love fresh fish and a good steak every now and then but am pretty much priced out of that market now except on special occasions....

Most people down south want to deep fry turkeys and it's ok and easy but I learned a recipe for cooking a bird that is fantastic and easy too....All you do is hand rub on some seasoning of your choice then get a bottle of any kind of white wine you can find the sweeter the better and pour it into the turkey cavity and then wrap it in foil and bake at 375....While cooking the alcohol boils off and the left over wine makes the best gravy you have ever tasted and the smell while cooking will make you crazy....While she's cooking you dip that gravy over the bird and in the end it's the best tasting turkey ever and so moist it will squirt you when you stick it with a fork....Try it sometime...

[RRP]

Most people down south want to deep fry turkeys and it's ok and easy but I learned a recipe for cooking a bird that is fantastic and easy too....All you do is hand rub on some seasoning of your choice then get a bottle of any kind of white wine you can find the sweeter the better and pour it into the turkey cavity and then wrap it in foil and bake at 375....While cooking the alcohol boils off and the left over wine makes the best gravy you have ever tasted and the smell while cooking will make you crazy....While she's cooking you dip that gravy over the bird and in the end it's the best tasting turkey ever and so moist it will squirt you when you stick it with a fork....Try it sometime...

Stop it! Enough of that, already.

You're making me drool.

[garyb]

Just curious, does wild turkey meat taste any different than say a butterball from the A&P? I've never tried any wild hunted bird but would love to try some as turkey is one of my favorite foods and one of the few meats you can buy reasonably anymore....I love fresh fish and a good steak every now and then but am pretty much priced out of that market now except on special occasions....

Most people down south want to deep fry turkeys and it's ok and easy but I learned a recipe for cooking a bird that is fantastic and easy too....All you do is hand rub on some seasoning of your choice then get a bottle of any kind of white wine you can find the sweeter the better and pour it into the turkey cavity and then wrap it in foil and bake at 375....While cooking the alcohol boils off and the left over wine makes the best gravy you have ever tasted and the smell while cooking will make you crazy....While she's cooking you dip that gravy over the bird and in the end it's the best tasting turkey ever and so moist it will squirt you when you stick it with a fork....Try it sometime...

Sounds great. We will try it. Wild turkey tastes very much the same. Drier. Dark meat (legs) are very tendony from running in the wild. Makes them tough which requires slow cooker and getting meat off the bone and into a stew form to make it juicy. White meat needs butter or something like your recipe to moisten it up. No antibiotics. Very lean. Tastes like turkey. ....not chicken...imagine that...LOL.

[garyb]

Actually, I was just kidding. I did find it interesting, though I have not ever hunted turkey before.

LOL. Kind of figured. No problem. Fishing discussions are boring to me. Each his own.

[DavidS]

White meat - quail breast.
Dark meat - dove breast (my favorite!)