Tough Tom

[Flintlocksforme]

I harvested a gobbler during archery season in Tenn. this past fall. I noticed some random shot rolling out under the skin as I was skinning it. A closer look at the wing bones in the middle section of one wing I found the two bones had been broken and refused back together. Anyway I saved the legs and thighs for the crockpot and didn't get around to eating them until this afternoon. Too my surprise I found six more shot in the serving I had. I have shot turkey and had them run off like many others have. Maybe it was misjudged distance, twigs and brush deflected shot, or a number of other reasons. I don't know if the turkey would have come out as well with TSS shot, possibly the legs would have been broken. The hunter/shooter may have gotten the bird instead of it running off. The shot recovered resembled # 5 lead. I am glad the turkey was able to recover and lead a normal life again until he walked by me in the fall.

 

[woodsman04]

I've killed several with others shot in it. Some from the previous year(s) and some fresher from early in the season.

I even have suspicion many years ago I killed one my dad "missed" the year prior to me killing it.

They are tough. I think they can handle a few pellets in the breast or thigh. But if one bb ever gets to the gut it's probably done. That's what I fear with the TSS stuff. People shooting at them 80 yards and gut shooting them thinking they missed. Or with the number 9s people use incidentally hitting some other birds beyond or near the one they shot for them to fly off and die later.

I like the TSS. I use it in a 20 gauge like a lot of folks. But people need to be careful with it.

I get worried on public land with TSS, and here's my reason… It gets hard to find 9s, so people get 7 shot. 7 probably has the same energy as maybe a 3 or 4 lead with more pellets, and if you come across an idiot hunter or someone that makes a mistake that could be enough energy to enter your skull.

 

[Flintlocksforme]

It's only a matter of time before there is a serious accident. I have heard of turkey being killed at 91 yards with TSS. It wasn't an experienced hunter either. I don't want to be in the woods with a crowd, and certainly don't want to be hidden between another hunter shooting TSS and a working gobbler. I respect anyones choice to hunt with whatever it legal. I get the .410 and 20 challenge too. I was just making an observation of a turkey survivor of a dose of lead.

 

[Rakkin6]

I started using TSS last year but I still limit myself to MAX 50 yards with Long Beard XR #5 1 7/8 it was 40. Just like when I had to switch to crossbow from compound. My comfort zone with a compound was about 35 yards with the ability I knew I had. I have a crossbow that is capable of shooting 1 MOA at 60 easily but that to me is to far.

The reason I like TSS even though I am only shooting 10 yards farther is the amount of energy you get from them at 18g cc at distance and some more BB per shell. I like a little more of an even pattern. Not trying to shoot a softball at a golf ball at 40. Just like with my crossbow, I like it for the speed it produces at longer distance giving the animal hopefully less time to react through string drop. I mean 400 fps that arrow is getting out to 50 yards quick. So I gain 10 yards with the TSS and 15 with a crossbow.

I can honestly say that I have never taken a bad shot on an animal before deer or turkey. I have passed up a lot until I got that broadside shot or they got in closer to my comfort zone. I have lost one deer in my life and it was with a gun. And it made me sick to my stomach. Not sure what happened it wasn't a long shot maybe 80 yards. If I pulled it, no expansion I don't know. But I know I hated that feeling and it reinforced to me to only take ethical shots. Now obviously I have taken slightly quartering away if they were close enough also.

And has far has TSS and people being idiots thinking they can reach out to 90-100 yards I agree with you guys. I remember when the Longboard XR came out guys were talking about 60-70 yard shots with it. No way I am doing that intentionally. And has far has someone shooting another hunter or bird because of the amount of BB in TSS I am sure it may/has happened. But think about all the idiots that have shot someone with lead at 30 yards because they thought they were a bird. There are a couple rules to safety when it comes time to taking an animal with any weapons system. 1. Have the long finger until you are ready to pull the trigger. 2. Before you are ready to pull the trigger ID YOUR target and also what is near and beyond it. 3. Safety stays on until step two is completed. 4. Once your finger is on the trigger this means 1 and 2 are done. If people would do that I think it would cut out a lot of accidents. Just my .02 on it and it has served me well might have cost me an animal or two but I can live with that and sleep well at night.

 

[Gobble4me757]

I'm going to say it and people won't like it. Tss was invented for smaller gauges to be able to have the same killing power of a 12, and not for a 12 or 10 guage to reach out to 80. These you tubers who think it's "cool" to shoot an80 yard shot on a bird. I personally don't think there should be 12 ga tss or higher due to the high amount of people shoot way too far with it. I use an over under 20 guage with the top barrel using longbeard 5/6s. The bottom barrel I use for tss for the 30-50 yard shots. 50 is about my max with my gun that I'm comfortable with.

 

[megalomaniac]

I've killed 2 birds with .22 rounds in their breasts, 2 that had been shot with archery equipment, and at least 2 dozen that had lead shot in them that wasn't mine.

As far as shot distance with TSS, I limit myself to 40 yards. That way, once in a while if I misjudge the distance (usually open fields) and he was really 45-50 when I thought he was 40, I'm still getting a clean kill. I will never take a shot at a bird I know is more than 40. EVER. I've only crippled/ lost 1 bird since switching to TSS 20g several years back. Totally my fault, switched from low recoil federal TSS to full power federal TSS and didn't repattern the gun. POI shifted 6in at 40y.

 

[deerfever]

I use TSS in a 20 gauge and , I will not shoot over 40 yards and try to let him get 30 to 35. I pattern my 20 guage guns at 40 and it will more than kill one deader than a hammer at 40( a little further for sure if I misjudge). . People that shoot the long distances do not have a clue and do not respect the Gobbler they are shooting at. I went to TSS for the better pattern not to shoot 70 yards. Here is the deal , lead ,TSS whatever is in the gun is not the bad guy. It's the guy pulling the trigger that makes the decisions on when to shoot and shot distance! I have a 410 also and have patterned it with TSS out to 35 yards, dead gobbler all.day long but again will try to get him to 30 .

 

[Flintlocksforme]

I totally get wanting the power/energy to cleanly kill a turkey at an acceptable range. When I started hunting turkey in 1980 with a 20 - 3 inch magnum as a 10 year old. I saw lots of turkeys safely strutting beyond 35 -40 yards. It was just part of it. The experience and excitement was the reason I still turkey hunt. I was happy to switch to a 12 gauge 3 inch mag I could reach 40 yards. I later used the 3 1/2 and after dropping a few at 50 yards I stopped hunting them for a few years. 11 years ago I got into strictly black powder hunting with flintlocks and had a turkey specific flintlock fowling gun made. My range went back to 35 yds. Killed several but let two get away for being out of range for every one I killed. I spent an most of the day once after a particularly old Tom once, finally he broke down and came in he was so tall I misjudged the distance by 10-15 yards. He left unharmed hopefully as I only knocked one feather out. I now use both the 870 with Winchester X range which is good to 50. I use the flintlock occasionally. Turkey are much more scarce and I hate to miss a limited opportunity now a days. But every time I shoot one with the 870 that I could have killed with the flintlock I regret it. If the turkey numbers continue to decline, I can see myself in favor of limiting the use of TSS to smaller gauge guns. Lots of people can get within 90 yards of a turkey. But to each his own. The rule of not using shot larger than 4 is null and void when someone shoots a load of TSS at another hunter. On the other hand I have crippled turkey with shotgun and hit in the breast with broadheads from my bow. There is nothing worse than messing one up and it suffering. I am glad to see that some others have also taken birds that have recovered. Maybe some of the ones that I have shot and didn't get made it too.