- Joined
- Oct 19, 2021
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- Far Away Downs Queensland Australia.
I once shot a turkey that was crossing the trail I was on. There were others with him but he crossed alone. My 20 gauge bird gun was an unmentionable. #6 shot, modified bore. Killed him at 20 yards. I could not find where he was hit. Back then, turkeys had to be checked and tagged at a game checking station. A game warden was there and examined the bird and never found an injury of any kind. He said I was lucky to have got him. My point is I've never turkey hunted with a shotgun since. Give me a small bore ml any day. I'm for every hunter using what they want. But me, I don't want to be restricted by distance. Lots of shotgun hunters seem to be really concerned about their patterns, wanting very tight patterns. I get that but but I'd much rather skip the pattern and distance concerns and just go hunting. Call them in, get one in your sights, shoot it. My little brother hunted with a revolver for everything. He used the same principles used by shotgun hunters and was very successful, except he never had any camo clothing nor any modern equipment. He has long since stopped hunting all together. WOW, did I get off topic or what? Sorry.
Off topic kinda but bear with me, we Aussie bush boys were generally taught Gun safety and Marksmanship with Bolt action single shot .22 cal Rifles; and that included being able to drop a wild Pig with a round placed just below their ear.
Of course that demanded good stalking and a reasonably close shot around 20 to 50 metres and an unstartled Pig.
Thankfully our confidence was always high with Granddad and/or Dad standing behind us with an old 44.40 Winchester or SMLE .303 at hand.
Stalking, Marksmanship and nil wasted Ammo was the expectation in those days, and we youngsters were blessed with it learning from what were the Masters.....Men who'd soldiered in two separate World Wars and well knew the essential value of Hunting with finesse and ethos.
Understanably I'm not aware of the indidual American States hunting requirements, but personally I cant understand why a small calibre rifle a la .22 is "verboten' for taking a Turkey.
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