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Turkey Season

cspot

cspot

Member
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Home is PA--- Camp is in SE Ohio
I was looking up the dates for the Spring Turkey season and I see that youth this year is April 13, and 14. In most of the state the regular season doesn't start until April 22. I thought the last few years the regular season started the Monday after youth and not a week in between. Is this normal?
 
C

Carpn

*Supporting Member*
2,234
87
Wooster
Bummer . We planned a spring break vacation and are gonna be on The Keys then . Easter is really late this yr and may be the reason , or possibly grumpy old men who think the kids hunting ruin it for them
 
Jackalope

Jackalope

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Staff member
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I think earlier will be better for them. I've always thought our season came in a couple weeks late. Seems like every year the Tom's are with the hens and breeding is well under way by opener. A week or two before every time we roost could be shot the next morning they're so thirsty.
 
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cspot

cspot

Member
2,650
94
Home is PA--- Camp is in SE Ohio
bowhunter1023 said:
Speaking of youth turkeys, we may have discussed .410s for them previously, but I'm considering this. Anyone done that with success?
Click to expand...

I have not used a .410, but the heavyshot that they have out now is amazing. We have been using it for a couple of years. I shot a jake last year at 40 yards with my son's 20 gauge and it about took it's head off. It drove it straight backwards and flipped the bird over. It barely twitched after that. The Federal shells that we are using are no longer made, but I will be buying these when we need more as they replaced them. We were using 7.5 in the 20, but they make #9 shot for the .410 and the 20. You getter better penetration with this heavyshot with #9 than you do with #5 lead. The fact that you have so many more pellets with the smaller size the pattern is alot better at longer ranges. People are killing gobblers at 50 yards with a 20 gauge. I probably wouldn't be afraid of 30 yards with a .410. It may seem like I am bragging these up, but I honestly could not believe the results.

https://www.federalpremium.com/products/shotshell/premium-turkey/heavyweight-tss

The other thing is my girls actually started hunting turkeys with a crossbow instead of a shotgun as they liked the crossbow better. It is great if you have a blind to hunt out of. Obviously run and gun it isn't nearly as good.

As a 3rd option you might even want to consider a 20 gauge. A semi in a 20 doesn't have alot of recoil. You can always just put in 1 shell at a time till she gets more experience.
 
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cspot

cspot

Member
2,650
94
Home is PA--- Camp is in SE Ohio
Jackalope said:
I think earlier will be better for them. I've always thought our season came in a couple weeks late. Seems like every year the Tom's are with the hens and breeding is well under way by opener. A week or two before every time we roost could be shot the next morning they're so thirsty.
Click to expand...


I agree. That early in the year it should be really good if the weather is decent as the Tom's aren't all henned up.
 
C

Carpn

*Supporting Member*
2,234
87
Wooster
The .410 will do fine . At 410 ranges any ol shell will work . If your want you extra range the TSS loaded are the way to go . My son started with a 20 gauge when he was7 . I had him practice with low brass dove loads to make sure he was shooting good . Come game time I put a 3" hevi shot in.

The pattern a 2 3/4" lead load throws at 25 yd has made me question if the hevo shot is necessary . I can't see a turkey surviving a dove load pattern at 25 yds
 
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lung buster

lung buster

Senior Member
2,666
106
hocking county
cspot said:
Be careful of what you buy. I bought my son a Rossi .410 when he was young and that thing kicked like a mule. It was too light.
Click to expand...
×2. I bought Drew a .22/.410 combo Rossi as well when he was 6. The .22 was great and he killed his 1st squirrel with it but the .410 even with low brass 2-1/2" kicked like an absolute mule and i never let either kid shoot it.
 
Jackalope

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,859
260
cspot said:
I have not used a .410, but the heavyshot that they have out now is amazing. We have been using it for a couple of years. I shot a jake last year at 40 yards with my son's 20 gauge and it about took it's head off. It drove it straight backwards and flipped the bird over. It barely twitched after that. The Federal shells that we are using are no longer made, but I will be buying these when we need more as they replaced them. We were using 7.5 in the 20, but they make #9 shot for the .410 and the 20. You getter better penetration with this heavyshot with #9 than you do with #5 lead. The fact that you have so many more pellets with the smaller size the pattern is alot better at longer ranges. People are killing gobblers at 50 yards with a 20 gauge. I probably wouldn't be afraid of 30 yards with a .410. It may seem like I am bragging these up, but I honestly could not believe the results.

https://www.federalpremium.com/products/shotshell/premium-turkey/heavyweight-tss

The other thing is my girls actually started hunting turkeys with a crossbow instead of a shotgun as they liked the crossbow better. It is great if you have a blind to hunt out of. Obviously run and gun it isn't nearly as good.

As a 3rd option you might even want to consider a 20 gauge. A semi in a 20 doesn't have alot of recoil. You can always just put in 1 shell at a time till she gets more experience.
Click to expand...

I have a Belgian made A5 light 20 with a fixed mod choke that was my great grandfathers. I'd love to shoot a turkey with it but I'm limited to 2 3/4 loads. When Federal got rid of that hevi load and went to the TSS ones they quite making the 2 3/4.
 
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