Spring Turkey

Well, Spring Turkey season is almost here. I have never turkey hunted before, and well, I am ready to give it a try. I do have a question for you Turkey hunters tho.....

I will be using my Remington 870 Super Magnum Express. What 12 gauge ammo, (factory as I have not gotten ready to handload my own yet) do you all use for your Turkeys?

Area I will be hunting isn't really all that big. Can not really describe it, I am guessing 50 yards if your lucky.... A lot of under brush from what I am told. I have not been on the land yet, but will be doing some scouting really soon. Flocks of around 25 turkeys or so has been seen in the area...

Not being very good with the mouth reed call, what type of turkey box will be good to get? Do you go with a regular blind, or do you get camo cloth and just wrap around a couple trees and kneel behind or just sit up against a tree, call em in?

Any good tips for a newbie going in for the first time?

I really Like the Winchester turkey loads ... I prefer 4 shot. but 5z are probably the best all around. After that Federal.. Remington is my least favorite. I think MO likes Kent .. cant comment on them because I have never used them. I also have never used Heavy shot ... I think it is WAY Over priced and I haven't had a turkey complain yet about being killed with lead,

IMO you want to get a box and take your shotgun out and patern it Very important you really need to know where and how its shooting. You may have to tick down the list of available shells till you find one that gives you a good dense pattern on a turkeys head.

Then I assume you have a good call ...IMO the easiest to use is a Slate .. and Dont Over call.

I suggest setting your camera up on a tripod next to you so we can all see how your first time goes.


It's bound to be more entertaining then the hunting shows on tv.

I'm with Reload, but Hornady just came out with some turkey shells that look promising.

I'm jealous because as of today it doesn't appear I'll be going this year. Will be only the second time in about 10 years I haven't made it down to the family farm.

A ground blind would sure make it nicer than sitting at the base of a tree all morning, but thats what I always do.

I just shoot whatever I have on hand.

If you haven't called before you will probably just scare the turkeys away and have no chance at all, so just setup where you think they will go. As long as they are not disturbed they get on pretty routine paths, and I've been able to calculate it to within 5 minutes before.

If the gobblers are really hot and anything gets them gobbling then I would give calling a try.

I will have to check to see what Walmart has. There isn't anywhere around here that carries brands like Hornady or Kent. Mainly Winchester and Remington. But then again, I have not checked Dicks Sporting Goods.

The regulations for this area is nothing bigger than number 2, from memory, the lower the number the bigger the shot?

Also, which Choke Tubes? I am definatly going to be pattering before hand. Still got a bit of time, just want to get on top of it. Kinda getting a late start IMOP.

My bud just bought the property, so neither of us had the chance to really look around and he has never before hunted in his life. The ajoining property owner is a hunter and had told us that wildlife in the area is plentiful. He doesn't know that we are going to be hunting. We have a pretty good size mountain to climb to get to a huntable area. Which is good cause the other guy has his blind and stuff set up at the base so no chance of a cross fire. And we will let him know that we are hunting. I am hoping that the game comes down out of the mountain on my buds side to get to the neighbors. Then we could just cut them off at the path..... We will see...

Thanks everyone....

Yes the lower the number the bigger the shot. I always used Remington, but I also didn't know much about pattern boards or anything like that.

I just read an article in a magazine about the new Winchester "Blind Side" water fowl shells. They were testing them against turkey loads and they performed better than most. They are squared pellets that are stacked in the shell. They are steel, so I'm sure they are expensive, but the patterns and pellet hits they were getting were really impressive.

as far as shells go go with the winchester supreme 3inch number 4 or 5 i like 5s! there is a silver box for like 8 bucks at walmart! dont fall prey to all the gimics and pay 15 bucks for shells and dont get the copper plated or non of that crap they will ruin your choke tube! as far as a tube goes for a max 50 yard shot id go with a turkey or x full choke about .660 to .680 would be fine for the money them tight wads at walmart are good chokes i think there .660 get the rem choke one at walmart or a undertaker is a good choke i like the carlsons myself!

The current print issue of Field and Stream is April 2012. Page 28 has an article called "A Bang without a Whimper". The author says that turkey guns kick harder than elephant guns. Ouch!

my sons Remington SPS 31/2 12 kicks like a mule I would much rather shoot my 10ga not lie that little 870 kicks and it will kick the snot out of you but I would be willing to bet you will never feel it when you shoot that ole Tom.

yea them 3 and 31/2 inchers kick pretty good!