Range?

Atchman2

Atchman2

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All the turkeys I'm hunting are "field birds". I've never seen them anywhere bur smack in the middle of a big pasture. My question is what is the maximum range you would shoot if you knew your gun patterned well enough?

My other thought is with my crossbow. I can shoot it pretty well to 50 yards, but normally I would never try beyond say 30. Could I reach out there for s long range 60+ yard shot? I can figure out the "clicks" on my scope for ranges past 50 yards.

I'm just getting tired of watching the stupid things for hours and not getting an opportunity. Decoys, calls, and blinds don't' seem to work on them. All they seem to do is scare them off!
 
I don't really know buddy. Im not much of an advocate on long shots. But sometimes you must take extreme measures if you want to be successful. With lead or even buffered copper plated lead I wouldn't want to shoot past 50 yards with a 3 or 3-1/2" shells. Even the Winchester Longbeards have great patterns for lead, it still has less energy down range because lead isn't as dense.

With HTL loads, if you have a good even pattern, I wouldn't want to shoot one past 60. Just because people have 100 pellet holes in their target, don't mean crap to a turkeys head. It doesn't take energy to punch through paper, it does take some downrange energy to break the neck or damage the central nervous system of a gobbler.

Off topic, but I hate how the pattern craze is "if you got this many pellets in a circle you can kill them at 80 yards." Not the case, because it looses lots of energy. You basically have to rely on one lucky pellet to hit it's eyeball and penetrate the brain.

I don't know what to say about your crossbow, Atchman. I know nothing about them. I would say if you are 100% confident you can reach out there and hit them where it counts, then go ahead.
 
I'm a 40ish yards kind of turkey killer...just my style. Could I kill one further; absolutely but just choose not to.

How big is this field anyway?
 
Go to the middle of the field before daylight and lie down, :D I have shot mine and killed at 45 and 50 but now prefer to keep it to 30 or less.
 
Atchman2 said:
All the turkeys I'm hunting are "field birds". I've never seen them anywhere but smack in the middle of a big pasture. My question is what is the maximum range you would shoot if you knew your gun patterned well enough?

My other thought is with my crossbow. I can shoot it pretty well to 50 yards, but normally I would never try beyond say 30. Could I reach out there for s long range 60+ yard shot? I can figure out the "clicks" on my scope for ranges past 50 yards.
Click to expand...

Those little "clicks" won't mean much if you don't have a effective/dense pattern at your desired range...

Sounds like you just need to be patient and explore other options before wounding/losing a bird.

You say you are hunting pasture? Are there cattle on this property or neighboring properties? If so, try a cardboard silhouette of a cow.... attach it to a wooden stake so you can stand it up if need be.... You can cut a peephole in the side to see out of... and attach a handle to the stake to carry it while moving. Keep the silhouette broadside of your target at all times.... Move slow and be patient.... don't want to spook him by just rushing in. Start out in the field near where you typically see them.... it will help to know where he is at daylight.
 
Way too many variables from gun to gun to say how far you should shoot. What kind of shells (TSS is going to be MUCH different than lead 6s and there are many in between). As for the crossbow, I would say absolutely not ever over 30. I know that some crossbows can shoot 60 yards accurately on a target, but a turkey isn't a stationary target. They're nervous as hell by nature and the move a lot. I have NEVER heard of, seen, or been around a quiet X-bow. When that thing "thunks" when you shoot, the turkey is most likely going to move. Past 30 yards, there is too much room for error (i.e., the turkey ducks, jumps, rises, steps) and you could wound him. Field turkeys can be a bich for this reason. There are several methods to kill them. A blind is one, but I hate sitting in tent when turkey hunting. Feels like I'm watching turkey hunting on TV. You could figure out the place they like and dig a shallow pit in the dark and lay prone and wait them out.
 
With a gun never over 50. I shot one with my bow at 28 yds a couple of weeks ago and got it on video. He was in strut and broadside and from watching the video I wouldn't shoot past that distance. He saw it coming but couldn't get out of the way. I think at 40 he mite could have.
 
Try putting your blind in field close to where you see them leave it for 3 days check by each day if they show up get in before daylight you may have a chance. If you have a decoy that's moves that may help. 50yds is a good max for gun but only if your sure of . I like shooting at a coke can at 40&50 yds if I eat it up I feel good about load and distance. you may try see where they are leaving the field set up try calling.
 
To this day if my Dad found out that I was crawling around the woods and fields during turkey season holding a decoy that looks exactly like a strutting turkey in front of my face, he would whip my @ss for being so stupid. Now people make youtube videos out of it and think it's brilliant.
 
Go put the blind in the field now let them get use to it come back Saturday morning and lay the willow on em!
 
They don't need to "get used to it". IMO they just don't pay any attention to a blind, whether its been there 5 days or 5 minutes. These aren't whitetails with mammal sized brains. They are birds with walnut sized brains. I park my white P.U. within sight of where I hunt, and they will walk past it without alarm, when it has been there less than an hour. A man walking around it however, and they are gone at 400 yards! lol
 
put a blind out there instead of crawling behind a decoy and getting shot or taking a very long shot. heck put it up that morning early if you want. they could careless about them.
 
Southern Sportsman said:
To this day if my Dad found out that I was crawling around the woods and fields during turkey season holding a decoy that looks exactly like a strutting turkey in front of my face, he would whip my @ss for being so stupid. Now people make youtube videos out of it and think it's brilliant.
Click to expand...

It's bad when my 12 year old watches it on youtube and says those guys are crazy didn't they have to take hunters ed?
It shouldn't be legal anywhere or anytime. IMHO.
 

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