Sight in Your Gun

Prior to the start of hunting season, many hunters head to the range, set up a turkey target at 40 yards, pull the trigger and are satisfied that their pattern is more than adequate. So they put their shotgun back in its case until opening morning.

But I say, "Not so fast."

I can't tell you how many birds I've seen missed, not because a hunter was shooting at a bird at the limit of his range, but because it was too close. That's right, too close.

With today's choke tube offerings and tight-patterning turkey loads, the shot that covers a pie plate at 30 or 40 yards can be smaller than your fist at just 10 or 15 yards. Shoot a little to the right or the left of a gobbler's head and all you're going to see is flapping wings and tail feathers as that ol' tom takes flight.

Be ready for any approach by a wary longbeard this spring. Know how your gun patterns at 10, 20, 30 and 40 yards by practicing on targets at those ranges before the season. Then, you'll be prepared to take the proper shot. Remember, you don't have to shoot. He'll be there again for another try.

Pick the Right Choke Tube

Today's turkey guns are specifically made to shoot heavy loads and give tight, dense patterns, and to get the best performance from lead turkey loads, you need an extra-tight choke tube.

To get the best performance from your gun, you may need to experiment with various choke sizes and loads to get the top performance from your gun. A normal 12-gauge barrel measures about .724 thousands of an inch. By comparison, a factory full choke squeezes down the muzzle to about .700 of an inch. The normal way to get tighter patterns is to reduce the choke size some more. For example, many popular turkey guns come equipped with chokes that measure .665, and shoot turkey loads of No. 5 or 6 shot very tightly.

You can have too much of a good thing if you use a choke that's too tight for your gun and load. Too much choke constriction has the tendency of creating ragged patterns that leave large voids between pellets.

A good place to start with a standard-size 12-gauge barrel is with a .660 tube. Back-bored barrels usually do well with chokes that measure around .680 thousands of an inch.

Try various choke sizes to get your best performer and you'll up your confidence for making a clean, ethical shot on that old longbeard next season.

For more tips like this, turn to the pages of Turkey Call magazine, the official member publication of the National Wild Turkey Federation. Turkey Call is published six times a year and is the most comprehensive magazine on wild turkey hunting and habitat improvement available. Each issue features tactics for harvesting turkeys and gear that makes your days afield more enjoyable, safe and successful.

Judging Distance

When considering all the reasons for missed shots or lost birds, the failure of a hunter to accurately judge the distance between him and his target is probably the most common. A hunter must be able to determine when a turkey is close enough to make a clean kill.

Like patterning your shotgun prior to the season, you should also practice judging distance. One way to improve this skill is to turn it into a fun game with a hunting partner.

Cut from heavy cardboard or plywood, 10-15 life-size turkey silhouettes. Decoys will also work well. In both open areas and in the woods, have your partner place numbered stations. From each station, he should place a silhouette or decoy. Distances should vary for each station, anywhere from 10 feet to 100 yards. From a sitting position, write down your estimated distance from each silhouette. Then reverse roles with your partner and compare results.

Regular practice will help you better judge when that gobbler is close enough for a clean kill this spring.

Range Estimation Made Easy

Bowhunting for deer and shotgunning wild turkeys share the similar attributes of short-range big game hunting pursuits. One is the chance to intimately learn the quarry hunted through close observation. On the other hand, there?s the certainty that any mistakes made on the hunter's part spell trouble if your intentions are more than just observing a bouncing whitetail's flag or watching how adept wild turkeys are at flying. With either pursuit, range estimation is one of the biggest areas where miscues turn into missed opportunities.

The guns and loads for turkey hunting available today translate into a 40-yard-and-less pursuit. Estimating when a gobbler is within range is easy, if you practice.

Range estimation is a skill that must be learned through repetitive practice. A lot of novice turkey hunters do their homework (practice calling, pattern their guns and outfit themselves in full camouflage) only to go afield without a skill that is equally as important.

It has been proven in military field tests that the average person estimates range with a probable error of 30 percent. If the average untrained person has a 30 percent error handicap it's a pretty sure bet that a lot of turkey hunters go afield ill prepared.

Borrowing a method from the bow hunting fraternity is the simplest way to accurately judge distance. Several range-finding devices are available to help you estimate distance.

When a gobbler is coming to your call is obviously not the time to try out a range finder. Find various landmarks, trees, rocks, etc., to note distance when you first set up. By the time a tom strolls within range you should be ready to shoot rather than squinting through a peephole.

If you go the route of using a range finder, don't make the mistake of trying it out the first time the morning you go turkey hunting. A little practice at home will go a long way toward success later.

There's another method that works well if you don't choose to use a range finder. Have a partner place a turkey decoy at an unknown distance in the woods, sit down and guess the yardage. Vary the terrain, lighting conditions, thickness, or lack of, brush to offer true hunting situations. Remember to sit down to estimate range because things look deceptively different from different heights. Take turns at this game and your range estimation will dramatically improve. Several NWTF chapters have incorporated this game into their JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship) youth events with a lot of success.

Accurate range estimation could help you in another way as well. I've found that there's a threshold at about 25 to 30 yards where mistakes, usually hunter movement, seem to be more critical than when a gobbler is beyond this distance. When a bird walks into this "hyper zone" practically any hunter movement can spell disaster. On several occasions this writer has watched birds within gun range, but beyond 25 yards, hesitate when they see something they don't like and often calm back down if they don't see something to confirm their fears. Inside 25 yards, a gobbler's best judgment is full retreat if he becomes suspicious. This isn't a hard and fast rule, but it's something to consider when afield.

Turkey season is just around the corner, so take the opportunity soon to sharpen your range estimation skills. A little practice now will make you a better turkey hunter.