Walk of Shame

jlmustain

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Jan 1, 2013
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860
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Murfreesboro, TN
Got close to four, but not as close as I thought. I'm new to this, so calling isn't quite my strong point yet. I got a few shock gobbles out of them, laid a hen decoy down, and set up behind a tree. I tried to call softly, but then I found out who the real lady of the hour was when she laid in to some yelping about 100 yards south of me. The toms were north of me, so I took advantage of the luck and put my calls away. Even though everything I've been taught said I should work to break toms away from a hen, this felt logically different to me. I figured lady chatterly would bring them right past me, and I was right! The only problem was my now blatantly obvious lack of ability to judge distance. After the field cleared, I paced the distance to be about 50 yards.

I'm not just an idiot, I'm an idiot in need of a rangefinder. Ha! I'm disappointed, but not mad. The law of large numbers says that if I hunt turkeys enough, there has to be at least one dumb enough to strut too close to this amateur! Ha!
 

catman529

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Nov 10, 2010
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29,472
Location
Franklin TN
Hey you will get one soon. Just wait for em to get real close... 20 yards is closer than it sounds and you should have a dead bird every time at that range. I don't shoot fancy loads, I have killed up to 45 yards but that's an iffy shot for me, most of my kills are 25 and under.

Don't feel too bad about missing, I missed 2 longbeards this morning after stalking right up to shotgun range of the whole flock. I rushed the shots standing up not holding the gun steady enough. Don't know why I messed up so bad, last time i made shots like that i killed 4 in a row (in the fall). My morning was ruined until I heard a gobbler on the way back to the truck and ended up calling him to the gun and killing him at 25 yards. So don't let it get you down, you will get one!
 

jlmustain

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Jan 1, 2013
Messages
860
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
Thanks, y'all! The gun is definitely a part of the issue. I've brought it up on the forum before, and I think I have my problem fixed now. I was shooting a Remington 870 Wingmaster 20 GA pump. It has a fixed, full choke, and the chamber maxes out at 2 3/4 inches. It's hard to find turkey loads in 2 3/4 for a 20 GA. I drove to my in-laws in AL today to borrow my father-in-law's Remington 870 Express Super Magnum 12 GA. It accepts up to 3 1/2", and I took the modified choke out and put in a Primos Tight Wad Extra Full Turkey Choke. I patterned it before I left. I shot 3.5" 6, 3" 6, and 3" 5, and the 3" 6 shot seems to be the best. I patterned at 30 and 40 yards. 30 had 113 in a 10" circle, and 40 had 54. From what I can tell online, 54 isn't the best at 40, but I don't know what else to do here. I guess I could try a Jellyhead and some Hevi like everyone in here recommends, but it's hard for me to believe that a bird won't die with 54 of them in the circle. Of course, I'm a greenie, so what do I know?! Ha! I'm pumped about learning more about this stuff, though.
 

jlmustain

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Jan 1, 2013
Messages
860
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
The reason I'm not worked up about 54 in the circle is the article in the NWTF site about patterning said that no. 6 shot shot should have 25% in the circle at 40 yards. Since there are the avg in 6 is 222, 25% is 55. Please correct me if I need to be corrected, though. That's the only way I'll learn.
 

Recoil

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Mar 21, 2013
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475
Location
Williamson County
That would have been a challenge with a 20 gauge fur sure. I started turkey hunting 4 years ago and my first turkey I did not get a clean kill shot at 25 yards--I did chase it down and get it. Turned out my eyes aren't what they used to be. Added a scope to my Stoeger 2000/ jellyhead.... No problems after that.
 

jlmustain

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Jan 1, 2013
Messages
860
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
Man, it's encouraging to hear that I'm not alone in my mistake! Ha!

Any thoughts on my new configuration (Remington 870 Express Super Magnum 12 gauge with Primos Tight Wad .660 extra full shooting 3" 6 shot)? That's the only choke they had a Walmart. The more I read here, the more I see good things about a Jellyhead with Hevi Mag Blend. Should I be disappointed with 54 in the 10" circle at 40 yds?
 

Rockhound

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Apr 4, 2011
Messages
4,898
54 ain't to good at 40. 100 is the number you need to strive for there are 444 pellets in a 2 oz load of #6 lead and 388 in a 1-3/4 oz ditch the tightwad and get a kicks, Indian creek, sum toy and you will have a 40 yd gun with about any Turkey load out there (besides the hornady)
 

jlmustain

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Jan 1, 2013
Messages
860
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
Oh, man, that's horrible! Thanks, buddy! I could've sworn I read 222 on #6. Either way, 54 felt low. Thanks for confirming that. Are Kick's available in stores, or do I need to go online?
 

jlmustain

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Jan 1, 2013
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Murfreesboro, TN
Never mind. I found all three sites. SumToy's claims are even nicer considering there are pattern pics to back everything up. I've heard so much about Kick's and IC on here, too, so I don't know what to do. I like the recommendation chart on the Kick's site. I can't really justify buying two or three constrictions to figure lit which load and choke combo are the best for my gun. I wonder why they don't recommend their chokes for Hevi Shot. Decisions, decisions.
 

Rockhound

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Apr 4, 2011
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jlmustain said:
Never mind. I found all three sites. SumToy's claims are even nicer considering there are pattern pics to back everything up. I've heard so much about Kick's and IC on here, too, so I don't know what to do. I like the recommendation chart on the Kick's site. I can't really justify buying two or three constrictions to figure lit which load and choke combo are the best for my gun. I wonder why they don't recommend their chokes for Hevi Shot. Decisions, decisions.

Any of them will work fine, I like kicks myself but I have a sum toy in my 20 and I'm fixing to try a ic in my 10 gauge for lead.

Hevi I will shoot fine through a kicks I have shot a bunch through mine.
 

Rockhound

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Apr 4, 2011
Messages
4,898
jlmustain said:
Oh, man, that's horrible! Thanks, buddy! I could've sworn I read 222 on #6. Either way, 54 felt low. Thanks for confirming that. Are Kick's available in stores, or do I need to go online?

Its 222 lead #6 per ounce
 

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