What Shotgun, Load and Choke are you Running for 2025?

[Bowhunter57]

I'm starting to look forward to the Turkey Season, which isn't until April, but with this frigid weather it'll give me something to consider. I intend to purchase a new semi-auto shotgun for this year's season, but haven't settled on which one, just yet. I'll be starting from scratch for choke tube restriction sizes and shot size and type, but I'm anticipating good things on patterning paper.

What shotgun, load, choke tube are you running this year?

 

["J"]

If I ever got back into chasing those stupid birds, I’d be toting a .410 with TSS in its chamber…..
Seems like more of a challenge……

 

[Bowhunter57]

@"J"
You said it, brother....they are goofy as they get.
It never ceases to amaze me, how I can set up a ground blind 20 yards away from the edge of the woods, in a bare fields, put a couple of hens and a jake on the other side of the blind and watch them walk right past me to the decoys and get blasted. I don't even call, just sit and wait.

Yet, if I set up that same scenario, inside the woods, those same birds are extremely aware, cagey and aloof to calls, decoys, etc.

 

[Hedgelj]

Single shot stevens .410 with TSS or my 20 gauge montefeltro with a TSS turkey choke and TSS

 

[whitetailjunky3]

Stoeger 3500 with muller ufo choke tube and Remington tss.

 

[Knelly]

I will be using for the third year my Viper G2 bronze turkey 12ga with a Longbeard XR choke. I run n gun 99% of the time. Pistol grip is really comfortable.

 

[Bankfish]

Winchester '97 with factory choke shooting 2-3/4" #6's.

 

[Bowhunter57]

While I was at Sportsman's Den, in Shelby, today, I found my new turkey/coyote/sporting clays shotgun. I gotta get out a paper pattern a couple of turkey chokes and a few different shot sizes, but there's plenty of time for that later. Until then I'm going to take it to Rushcreek Sportsman's Club, for their sporting clays, on February 2nd and see how it handles with a LM Carlson's extended choke.

The above is a factory photo, this one is mine.

 

[ThatBuckeyeGuy]

G suit and Ka-Bar

 

[ThatBuckeyeGuy]

While I was at Sportsman's Den, in Shelby, today, I found my new turkey/coyote/sporting clays shotgun. I gotta get out a paper pattern a couple of turkey chokes and a few different shot sizes, but there's plenty of time for that later. Until then I'm going to take it to Rushcreek Sportsman's Club, for their sporting clays, on February 2nd and see how it handles with a LM Carlson's extended choke.
View attachment 204452

One of the Wants on my list for sure! Let me know how she does for you!

 

[switchhitter]

Steven’s 305 20 gauge and TSS 9 shot

 

[Big H]

Same one I have used for the last 20 plus years. Advantage camo Remington 870 Express 3" Mag with 1 3/4 oz of #5's, forcing cone extended and paired with a .660 Hastings choke tube. I also have a Savage 220 single shot that I have customized into a turkey gun with a shortened barrel, threaded barrel with a .660 choke tube and extended forcing cone, that patterned really well. She may get carried a time or two.

 

["J"]

 

[Fletch]

View attachment 204930

J.... I like it... But you better camo that slingshot... LOL... Today there's too much hype in guns and shells that will shoot further... The fun of spring gobbler hunting is working the bird and getting him in close... As posted above that Winchester 97 with 2 3/4 shells will get the job done every day of the week...

 

[Big H]

J.... I like it... But you better camo that slingshot... LOL... Today there's too much hype in guns and shells that will shoot further... The fun of spring gobbler hunting is working the bird and getting him in close... As posted above that Winchester 97 with 2 3/4 shells will get the job done every day of the week...

Totally agree Fletch! I have only shot one bird over 30 yards, even though I know my gun is lethal to 40 yards. When they are so close that you can feel them drumming, that is the ultimate. Gobbling in your face at close range is the ultimate. To each his own, but shooting a bird at 50 plus yards in an open field, just doesn't do it for me.

 

[Fletch]

Totally agree Fletch! I have only shot one bird over 30 yards, even though I know my gun is lethal to 40 yards. When they are so close that you can feel them drumming, that is the ultimate. Gobbling in your face at close range is the ultimate. To each his own, but shooting a bird at 50 plus yards in an open field, just doesn't do it for me.

I hear ya @Big H ..... You hit the nail on the head, I wanna get them in so close I wanna be able to reach out and grab them by the neck...Working a bird is what it's all about, I don't even wanna shoot one that comes in silent... Everyone worries about how far their gun will shoot... But... How many if any consider other things that affects working a bird in close... I used to be a Penns Woods Rep and did some seminars and one thing I always stressed was THE COLOR OF YOUR BOOT SOLES... NEVER WEAR BOOTS WITH LIGHT COLORED SOLES... Your sitting at the base of a tree and what's the first thing a bird sees ???
Shift your feet a little with those light colored soles and odds are good that bird is gone...

 

[Big H]

I have actually missed a couple that were so close, I was basically shooting a rifle since the shot pattern was so tight. LOL