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Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 415
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Campfire Member
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 415 |
My longest "successful" shot was 40 yards + a bit of a range mis-estimation.
Going into my 46th spring season, my lifetime average shot (compiled across every bird I've ever shot, spring & fall) is 28 1/2 yards.
I know I'll step on toes here. And quite honestly...... I don't care and am not interested in the arguments or justifications. But any shot outside of 40 yards + an honest margin of mis-estimation isn't a "successful" shot whether the bird dies cleanly or humps off to die under a brushpile.
Turkeys ain't groundhogs. They aren't "targets of opportunity". Vermin to be popped whenever possible. They are regal game animals that deserve and demand an ethical, fair chase opportunity. They deserve to be fairly & squarely defeated before they are taken. All the excitement in a spring turkey hunt happens inside 40 yards. A guy who can't call one to 40 yards or less has not been "successful". If he's routinely and knowingly taking shots at 50+ yards, he's a turkey "shooter". Needs to buy a varmint rifle and shoot prairie dogs or groundhogs.
Having been at this as long as I have........ I am not ashamed to say that I still can be pretty badly fooled by distance in some open woods. But, I began carrying my compact bowhunting rangefinder a couple decades ago. It all but eliminates the turkey shooter's crutch of mis-estimation. "I thought it was 40 or 42 when I shot, but it ended up being 66 yards...... " Bullchit. I agree 100%.
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 517
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 517 |
My longest "successful" shot was 40 yards + a bit of a range mis-estimation.
Going into my 46th spring season, my lifetime average shot (compiled across every bird I've ever shot, spring & fall) is 28 1/2 yards.
I know I'll step on toes here. And quite honestly...... I don't care and am not interested in the arguments or justifications. But any shot outside of 40 yards + an honest margin of mis-estimation isn't a "successful" shot whether the bird dies cleanly or humps off to die under a brushpile.
Turkeys ain't groundhogs. They aren't "targets of opportunity". Vermin to be popped whenever possible. They are regal game animals that deserve and demand an ethical, fair chase opportunity. They deserve to be fairly & squarely defeated before they are taken. All the excitement in a spring turkey hunt happens inside 40 yards. A guy who can't call one to 40 yards or less has not been "successful". If he's routinely and knowingly taking shots at 50+ yards, he's a turkey "shooter". Needs to buy a varmint rifle and shoot prairie dogs or groundhogs.
Having been at this as long as I have........ I am not ashamed to say that I still can be pretty badly fooled by distance in some open woods. But, I began carrying my compact bowhunting rangefinder a couple decades ago. It all but eliminates the turkey shooter's crutch of mis-estimation. "I thought it was 40 or 42 when I shot, but it ended up being 66 yards...... " Bullchit. I agree 100%. your entitled to state this, but I am entitled to my opinion also and that is I call bullshit on you and anyone who shares your opinion. Every animal we shoot regardless if its a turkey, a deer, a groundhog or a coyote deserves the same respect as any other critter. So you think those "Regal" game animals you speak of arre any different from the others who struggle every day to survive?
If your going through hell, keep on going, don't look back, If your scared don't show it.
You might get out b'fore the devil even knows your there.
(Rodney Atkins)
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Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 4,350
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 4,350 |
49 yards for me. 870 12ga with some fancy ammo (but not TSS), though I can't remember what exactly.
Turkeys are not native to my State. Oregon Dept of Fish & Game imported them. They first tried Merriam's and the planted populations (I believe mostly around the town of Hood River on the Columbia) didn't do as well as hoped. Then they switched to Rios and ALL of the plants took off. They kept transplanting more and those took off as well. They are common as rats now all across the State. To be honest, folks who live near large populations of them really have come to hate the birds as they roost and crap all over everything, dig up gardens, etc etc
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,536
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2013
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Killed a bird at 62 yds with a BpS 10, an undertaker choke and 21/2oz of copper plated 5s , 20 years ago. Aint hunted them since I moved out west, The birds here I can call up to the side of my truck , and they are usually in town so , no sport.
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Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 415
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 415 |
My longest "successful" shot was 40 yards + a bit of a range mis-estimation.
Going into my 46th spring season, my lifetime average shot (compiled across every bird I've ever shot, spring & fall) is 28 1/2 yards.
I know I'll step on toes here. And quite honestly...... I don't care and am not interested in the arguments or justifications. But any shot outside of 40 yards + an honest margin of mis-estimation isn't a "successful" shot whether the bird dies cleanly or humps off to die under a brushpile.
Turkeys ain't groundhogs. They aren't "targets of opportunity". Vermin to be popped whenever possible. They are regal game animals that deserve and demand an ethical, fair chase opportunity. They deserve to be fairly & squarely defeated before they are taken. All the excitement in a spring turkey hunt happens inside 40 yards. A guy who can't call one to 40 yards or less has not been "successful". If he's routinely and knowingly taking shots at 50+ yards, he's a turkey "shooter". Needs to buy a varmint rifle and shoot prairie dogs or groundhogs.
Having been at this as long as I have........ I am not ashamed to say that I still can be pretty badly fooled by distance in some open woods. But, I began carrying my compact bowhunting rangefinder a couple decades ago. It all but eliminates the turkey shooter's crutch of mis-estimation. "I thought it was 40 or 42 when I shot, but it ended up being 66 yards...... " Bullchit. I agree 100%. your entitled to state this, but I am entitled to my opinion also and that is I call bullshit on you and anyone who shares your opinion. Every animal we shoot regardless if its a turkey, a deer, a groundhog or a coyote deserves the same respect as any other critter. So you think those "Regal" game animals you speak of arre any different from the others who struggle every day to survive? You can call BS, that's fine. I try to thin out the ground-hog population on private farms to help the land owners from flipping tractors and their livestock from breaking legs. I try to kill every animal ethically, but unfortunately some whistle-pigs do get wounded. Coyotes need to die anyway possible. Cruel maybe, but they are just killers.
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 5,013
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2014
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Last Turkey I killed was 55 yards. I misjudged the distance. Flattened the turkey.
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,237
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,237 |
Turkeys ain't groundhogs. They aren't "targets of opportunity". Vermin to be popped whenever possible. They are regal game animals that deserve and demand an ethical, fair chase opportunity. They deserve to be fairly & squarely defeated before they are taken. All the excitement in a spring turkey hunt happens inside 40 yards. A guy who can't call one to 40 yards or less has not been "successful". If he's routinely and knowingly taking shots at 50+ yards, he's a turkey "shooter". Needs to buy a varmint rifle and shoot prairie dogs or groundhogs.. That right there is a matter of opinion and in mine a complete load of horse shyt. Turkeys are dumb birds and ugly as hell. They don't taste particularly good and they're no more or less deserving of anything than any other animal or bird. I pay for a hunting license, I'll shoot my turkeys however/wherever/whenever I want within the game laws with no shame or regret. I've blasted them out my back door a time or two and they've been a target of opportunity while hunting small game/upland birds many times.
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,237
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,237 |
My longest "successful" shot was 40 yards + a bit of a range mis-estimation.
Going into my 46th spring season, my lifetime average shot (compiled across every bird I've ever shot, spring & fall) is 28 1/2 yards.
I know I'll step on toes here. And quite honestly...... I don't care and am not interested in the arguments or justifications. But any shot outside of 40 yards + an honest margin of mis-estimation isn't a "successful" shot whether the bird dies cleanly or humps off to die under a brushpile.
Turkeys ain't groundhogs. They aren't "targets of opportunity". Vermin to be popped whenever possible. They are regal game animals that deserve and demand an ethical, fair chase opportunity. They deserve to be fairly & squarely defeated before they are taken. All the excitement in a spring turkey hunt happens inside 40 yards. A guy who can't call one to 40 yards or less has not been "successful". If he's routinely and knowingly taking shots at 50+ yards, he's a turkey "shooter". Needs to buy a varmint rifle and shoot prairie dogs or groundhogs.
Having been at this as long as I have........ I am not ashamed to say that I still can be pretty badly fooled by distance in some open woods. But, I began carrying my compact bowhunting rangefinder a couple decades ago. It all but eliminates the turkey shooter's crutch of mis-estimation. "I thought it was 40 or 42 when I shot, but it ended up being 66 yards...... " Bullchit. I agree 100%. your entitled to state this, but I am entitled to my opinion also and that is I call bullshit on you and anyone who shares your opinion. Every animal we shoot regardless if its a turkey, a deer, a groundhog or a coyote deserves the same respect as any other critter. So you think those "Regal" game animals you speak of arre any different from the others who struggle every day to survive? You can call BS, that's fine. I try to thin out the ground-hog population on private farms to help the land owners from flipping tractors and their livestock from breaking legs. I try to kill every animal ethically, but unfortunately some whistle-pigs do get wounded. Coyotes need to die anyway possible. Cruel maybe, but they are just killers. Coyote's just being a coyote. WTF do you expect them to do ? They're predators, just like you.
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,208
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,208 |
I have killed a few birds over 50 yards, although I really do not like shooting them that far. The fartherest one, and I actually put a tape measure on it because I knew it was long, was 58 yards. The gun was a Benelli SBE2 with an Indian Creek choke and Winchester Supreme 3 1/2 inch number 5 shot. I quit using that gun a few seasons thereafter because it kicked too much and the temptation was always there to take those long shots. I much prefer to let that turkey come into 40 yards or less, and make a sure thing shot, than brag about how far I killed one.
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,321
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,321 |
Three gobblers were walking down a track. I was in the treeline next to the track. A pasture lay beyond. I brought my gun up as the gobblers went behind some trees and waited with my eye to the scope. One of the gobblers appeared in my scope a short while later, right where I had been planning. I shot. The turkey fell over and did not move. I ejected the shell from my pump and started getting up to retrieve the carcass. Then the stuff hit the fan. The details are here: Last Tag Filled Amid Mortal CombatBottom line: I shot a bird at 80 yards. It knocked him out, but didn't kill him. I ended up in hand-to-hand combat with the bird Moral: With an optical scope there is no depth of field. Be sure of the distance to target before locking your eye on the scope. Gun: Mossberg 500, 12 GA 28" ported barrel. Carlson Dead Coyote choke Ammo: Federal 12 GA 3inch #4 2 OZ lead.
Last edited by shaman; 03/03/24.
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Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 262
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 262 |
Hook and Book, Shoot and Scoot
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 138
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 138 |
I’ve shot a bunch between 40 and 50 yards with all sorts of guns and loads.
I killed one probably 9-10 years ago now with a 20 gauge and TSS 8.5’s in a field at a lasered 65 yards. I knew he was that far. I wanted to see if the TSS was as deadly as everything I had read. It is, by the way….
I like them under 20 yards. I prefer to pull that front trigger on my SxS. Will I let one walk at 45 yards with a good clean shot? Probably not.
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