Turkey Air Shots

[lizziedog1]

This past hunting season I was out with some friends hunting upland game. One of the dogs kicked up a wild turkey. It flew right over my head. It wasn't turkey seaon so I did not shoot. But it made wonder if it would work, it was well within shotgun range. If it had been a legal bird I would not have hesitated to shoot.

Has anyone here ever shot a wild turkey in flight? Is it possible? I mean it is a big bird and I wonder if you could even bring it down like you would pheasant?

 

[627PCFan]

Could be done. Hevishot Coyote (Tshot) should do the trick. Not really the sporting method to get the job done IMO-

 

[janobles14]

its AWFULLY hard to get a clean kill that way. ive seen it done a time or two but ive seen a few that werent so successful.

 

[lizziedog1]

I am not saying i would try that. I was wondering if it was possible. The bird was well within shotgun range.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I have seen a turkey hit three times in flight, same turkey, same flight, though the shooter was using #4's, the jake landed and took off on foot. Each time the bird lost lots of feathers, but it didn't do much if anything to him.

LD

 

[birddog]

A few years ago, my birddogs kicked up a nice tom. They were in season, and I killed it -- with 8 shot. I was woodcock hunting. Ever since then I've looked at the commercial magnum, depleted uranium "turkey loads" with a bit more skepticism.

Also killed a hen kicked up by my dogs with a light 6 load a couple of years ago. That one was less challenging -- it was flying at my face.

I consider turkeys a nice bonus while upland hunting. In general, I'm not much of a turkey hunter, just an opportunist......

 

[interlock]

some, less ethical, shoots in the uk have put turkeys down and shoot them driven. we regularly shoot geese with shotguns

 

[JohnBT]

Back when I was a kid in the late '50s, my father and uncle were walking the edge of my grandparents' apple orchard when 2 turkeys took flight. They flew off on my father's side and headed into the orchard and he got them with one shot each using high brass #6 from his Model 12 20 ga.

He always was a good shot. My uncle still kids him that he got one of them, but he didn't have a clear shot and didn't shoot.

John

 

[wankerjake]

I have seen a turkey hit three times in flight, same turkey, same flight, though the shooter was using #4's, the jake landed and took off on foot. Each time the bird lost lots of feathers, but it didn't do much if anything to him.

First of all, turkey hunting in AZ is challenging, there aren't many of them. So I have little experience hunting them, but I have a similar story to the one above. I was a youngster yet so I didn't have a tag, but my dad and my uncle would get tags and go hunt every year, though rarely was a turkey taken. On this trip we were driving out to camp in the late afternoon/evening after work on opening day and sure enough we come around a corner and there's a flock crossing the road. My dad hopped out, grabbed his scattergun out of the gun rack and went up the hill a little ways after them. They all started to fly and dad knocked one out of the air. Feathers went everywhere, the bird rolled and was up again running. My dad shot again and feathers flew, bird rolled, and was up again running. Sucker got away, we couldn't believe it. Those things are tough!

However, I'm sure it can be done. Especially flying over head like that, it would be easier to get some pellets into the head. I would still try it again if I had the chance.