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Got to say something-- Chokes/Loads

lol we need to go hunting sometime setterman.i want to hunt royal blue or whatever they call it now.I joke with you because your one of the few that will joke back on here without getting too mad.
 
Setterman said:
Please understand I started this, not to stir anyone up or have an argument, but to give folks who are on tight budgets hope that they don't have to invest a ton of $ into this stuff to be successful or enjoy the sport.
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I totally understood, and like you, I have noted that some very wealthy and accomplished turkey hunters haven't "bought in" to their NEEDING anything beyond their old multi-purpose shotgun to both enjoy and be accomplished turkey hunters.

When a turkey is under 35 yards, you're sitting with most any shotgun with a factory modified choke, there's much less chance of missing a bird, and much greater opportunity to connect with a 2nd shot if needed.

Sometimes I believe that "marketing" has tried to turn a hunting sport more into a shooting sport, by shifting our focus onto "how far" you can make a shot instead of "how close" you can get before you shoot. After all, no one NEEDS a new choke, a new gun, or a new shell to kill a turkey when they're up close & personal.
 
without a doubt marketing is at play just as it is in all aspects of hunting. You dont NEED a 7mm or 300mag to kill a deer or a $400 scope on top of it. You dont NEED camo or a tree stand, you dont NEED a turkey call to be successful....its all in how you choose to hunt and what makes it fun to you. I dont think anyone is saying people NEED a new choke, gun or shells...just sharing what others use incase it helps a fellow hunter.

I dont buy into the traditionalist aspect of hunting that much, meaning i dont buy into just because that is how my dad did it or past generations that is the way it should be done. Every generation has been limited or exposed to new technology which has allowed them to modify or improve their hunting in some degree or another. Ethics are the main aspect of the "tradition" of hunting i truly and deeply believe in.

I do however agree that "distance" is starting what seems to be the marketing pitch these days. Ive never shot one over 33yds and currently dont have any plans to but i do want to know what my gun shoots at 10, 20, 30 and 40yds so I am prepared for all scenarios. shooting a mod choke at 35yds i dont believe gives you a MUCH less change to miss, in addition i think it gives you a much BETTER change at hitting multiple birds by mistake.

again man its all in what you like to do and how you like to do it. Everyone enjoys different things, so do what you like and just be sure to have a good time while you are doing it.
 
I'm getting ready to buy my first shotgun for turkey hunting. The ones that I'm considering come with a turkey choke. I figured that would be good enough. What is a modified factory choke?
 
Never missing ......in my book is impossible if you have shot at enough turkeys....if I had shot close to 150 turkeys and never missed....people I believe would question if I was hunting inside the butterball plant....I have shot a boat load of turkeys and have missed my fair share over the years...I shoot an aftermarket tube and hevishot and believe we need to do our best to make sure are guns and ammunition perform to there fullest potential while hunting these crazy little black birds...most people who boast about not missing in my eyes .....probably don't kill alot or bait the...re turkeys....and do shot extended tubes...they just like to boast
 
tnturkey30 said:
Never missing ......in my book is impossible if you have shot at enough turkeys....if I had shot close to 150 turkeys and never missed....people I believe would question if I was hunting inside the butterball plant....I have shot a boat load of turkeys and have missed my fair share over the years...I shoot an aftermarket tube and hevishot and believe we need to do our best to make sure are guns and ammunition perform to there fullest potential while hunting these crazy little black birds...most people who boast about not missing in my eyes .....probably don't kill alot or bait the...re turkeys....and do shot extended tubes...they just like to boast
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You sir would be incorrect. The majority of misses I have seen over the years come from misjudging the distance, not having your head down, or doing something stupid.

I have missed technically, but luckily for me I don't shoot nor have I ever shot a single shot gun. So in the end I killed the bird, and chose not to count it as a miss.

I have never called a bird to myself where I fired my weapon that I didn't walk out of the woods with a bird in hand.

If you don't believe me then, well tough luck. I will be more then happy to post a few pics to show the evidence.

I can promise you one thing, questioning my word and/or my integrity when it comes to hunting/fishing will only end up with you getting embarrassed. Even throwing the word bait baiting in the same topic as me, is something I find offensive. Most on here will vouch for my hardline stance against poachers and people of low class in the woods.
 
I never said you bait I just most people who boast alot lie .....I don't believe in baiting or poaching either...go ahead and embarrass away if you feel the need to play a childish card like that.....I am just stating my opinion just as you did.....you may have never missed ......if so I woul suggest carrying a big peice of wood with you this year then..I would hope one day I could have a story book run like that as well....
 
tnturkey30 said:
I never said you bait I just most people who boast alot lie .....I don't believe in baiting or poaching either...go ahead and embarrass away if you feel the need to play a childish card like that.....I am just stating my opinion just as you did.....you may have never missed ......if so I woul suggest carrying a big peice of wood with you this year then..I would hope one day I could have a story book run like that as well....
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It is not a story book run, and really never in this topic was my desire to boast, or to brag.

Just to make a point regarding the craze that has become shotgun chokes and loads. However, there is always some knucklehead wanting to get into a scrape or stir something up. If that is your desire, I am happy to appease.
 
Setterman said:
The majority of misses I have seen over the years come from misjudging the distance, not having your head down, or doing something stupid.

I have missed technically, but luckily for me I don't shoot nor have I ever shot a single shot gun. So in the end I killed the bird, and chose not to count it as a miss.

I have never called a bird to myself where I fired my weapon that I didn't walk out of the woods with a bird in hand.
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At least regarding turkeys and deer (hunting with a gun), without question, all it takes to go many years running without a failed recovery is the decision to only take near 100% probability kill shots that are well within the range of the gun and the capability of the shooter.

I've personally gone many years running without a failed recovery of either a deer or a turkey, although I have technically missed or not killed on the first shot. One of the advantages of focusing on higher probability and close range is the increased opportunity for a follow-up shot should the first not get the job done.

I don't know Setterman from Adam's house cat, but will vouch that most anyone who focuses on "well within range" of their shotgun as opposed to the edge of possibilities, at least when it comes to killing turkeys, should seldom have a failed recovery of a fired upon bird.

But in time, failed recoveries and misses are going to happen. Just me personally, I want to see years in between those misses and failed recoveries of wounded turkeys and deer. EVENTUALLY, even Setterman is going to have a failed recovery on a turkey he fires upon. :)

Setterman said:
Just to make a point regarding the craze that has become shotgun chokes and loads.
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Undertood and agreed.
The focus has been shifted into "buying" more than "learning", causing too many to believe they NEED some special gun, choke, shell, decoy, call, etc. in order to be a successful turkey hunter.
 
Wes the only part i still dont agree with is your last part. While i respect that is the opinion you have i just dont share the same.

I personally have never seen anyone on this site or on old gobbler that has ever said you HAD to have this or that to be successful or that you NEED this or that to be a good hunter or a successful one. In actuality all that i have seen from the guys I really listen to on here and there is to use what works best for you and make sure you get them into an ethical range and play the game. Lead is dead and if you have set up that you can ethically take the bird at 30-40yds you are good to go. What is do say is you NEED to pattern your gun and shell/choke combo you shoot to make sure you know what it does. You may not agree that 40 is "in range" but people misjudge distance all the time so it helps to make that a max on patterning your weapon of choice.

you dont NEED to do anything i post on here as far as choke/shell/gun or call info but if you are into that sorta stuff i am glad to share what i have found to help you out. I am 100% in the boat of get them as close as possible. In addition i have said numours times that of all the birds i have killed (which is more then a few) the furthest one was 34yds. Now i understand you are not really talking about me per say but you get what i am saying. Marketing is not a new thing and this part of it has been around for a number of years, in no different way then deer hunting or duck hunting.
 
Wes Parrish said:
The focus has been shifted into "buying" more than "learning", causing too many to believe they NEED some special gun, choke, shell, decoy, call, etc. in order to be a successful turkey hunter.
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REN, I was referring mainly to those who "market" these products, NOT to posters like yourself on this site and other sites like Old Gobbler.

REN said:
Wes the only part i still dont agree with is your last part. While i respect that is the opinion you have i just dont share the same.

I personally have never seen anyone on this site or on old gobbler that has ever said you HAD to have this or that to be successful or that you NEED this or that to be a good hunter or a successful one. In actuality all that i have seen from the guys I really listen to on here and there is to use what works best for you and make sure you get them into an ethical range and play the game. Lead is dead and if you have set up that you can ethically take the bird at 30-40yds you are good to go. What is do say is you NEED to pattern your gun and shell/choke combo you shoot to make sure you know what it does. You may not agree that 40 is "in range" but people misjudge distance all the time so it helps to make that a max on patterning your weapon of choice.

you dont NEED to do anything i post on here as far as choke/shell/gun or call info but if you are into that sorta stuff i am glad to share what i have found to help you out. I am 100% in the boat of get them as close as possible. In addition i have said numours times that of all the birds i have killed (which is more then a few) the furthest one was 34yds. Now i understand you are not really talking about me per say but you get what i am saying. Marketing is not a new thing and this part of it has been around for a number of years, in no different way then deer hunting or duck hunting.
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REN, I don't disagree with anything you said in this post.
And you are correct in that marketing is not a new thing.

It's just disheartening to see people misled into thinking they must spend a lot of money on specialized products to successfully participate and enjoy turkey hunting.
 
ok that i fully agree with...matter of fact on the new cabelas catalog it shows the mag blend shells "advertisement" and actually shows the shot out to 75+ yards which is CRAZY to me and why in the world you would even market something like that. Well i know why they do because some are dumb enough to trust in it but that one example is beyond nuts to me.
 
Part of my concern is that many newbies to the sport may sabotage their own opportunities to DEVELOP a passion for spring turkey hunting, in part because of expense, in part because turkey hunting CAN be "just another" wild game target, especially if we buy into it being more about how far we can kill one vs. how close we can call one.

To put it simpler, much of the excitement is never realized when you simply shoot a turkey in the distance vs. calling one up to say 15 yards.

If it were just about shooting and killing turkeys, we might kill more using centerfire rifles (not legal in TN).

It's great that so many passionate turkey hunters are willing to share their experiences here, pattern testing is wise, and certain chokes & loads CAN provide an advantage. But to the kid with his single barrel 20 gauge and a few left over squirrels shells, you can still have a great opportunity to kill a turkey, without needing a different choke or some expensive shells.
 
I totally agree with you Ren anyone who would shoot a turkey at 75 yrds is insane.....and to think hevishot promotes that is ridiculous....I shoot hevishot and know my limitations with it .......heck every load out there could have a lucky pellet make it to 75 yrds and hit a vital......that doesn't mean the manufactures should promote that there loads do that...IMO I think we have to great of an opportunity chasing these birds to cripple them and that's what will happen when we start promoting a load that kills out to 70+ yrds....
 
REN said:
ok that i fully agree with...matter of fact on the new cabelas catalog it shows the mag blend shells "advertisement" and actually shows the shot out to 75+ yards which is CRAZY to me and why in the world you would even market something like that. Well i know why they do because some are dumb enough to trust in it but that one example is beyond nuts to me.
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Turkey hunters nation wide should write into EM and express their displease with that unethical advertisement.....
 
in my opinion the chokes and load testing for me is just like reloads for a rifle it gives me something to do that i enjoy and im getting to shoot a gun its expensive but so is going to the movie theatre so ... to each there on
 

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