Top 10 Mistakes #3 - Don't Move!

Don’t Move!  Sounds simple right?  Well, for some of us it isn't.  I for one am a chronic  "fidgeter" and a certified medicated member of the Adult Attention Deficit Disorder tribe.   Often,  it is COLD during the early season and the colder it is, the harder it is to sit still.  Conversely, it can be very WARM in the late season and this can be equally uncomfortable.  Bugs and creepy crawly things can make you squirm.  There are also some things during your hunt that require movement.   Things like moving your hands to work your turkey call or aiming your gun.   Turkeys have telescopic sight and and a field of vision of up to 270 degrees.   In a nutshell,  They can see a long way, see very small things, see very small movements, and appear to have eyes almost in the back of their head.   If being still is a problem, try hunting out of ground blind.   There are all kinds of very portable ground blinds  that be set up quietly in a matter of seconds.   They are comfortable, warm, dry, and allow some movement inside the blind.   Take me for example:  I like to use pot or box calls and typically film my hunts.  I like to use an Ameristep DogHouse Ground Blind as it gives me plenty of room to set up my camera and use my calls.   If you don’t like ground blinds, try using a chair like the Ameristep's Turkey Chair  or some other low profile chair.  Being comfortable and off of the ground will help you be sit "still" for longer periods of time.  Add a small camo blind in front of your chair and you will have room to get your business done!  If mosquitoes or other critters are an issue, think about investing in a Thermacell or a pair of Cabela's BugSkinz.   I hope these tips help you stay still!

Until Next Time,

Tight Lines & Struttin' Toms!

Ameristep 3-D Spur Blind

Ameristep Turkey Chair

AmeriStep DogHouse Blind

Top 10 Mistakes #2 - Pattern Your Shotgun!!!

After my last post,  I realized it would be appropriate to move my mistake about patterning your shotgun up to #2.  Here you go:

 In today’s world of shotguns, turkey chokes, and specialized turkey loads, it is very easy to assume that the newest, greatest turkey choke combined with the latest, greatest turkey load guarantees a lethal pattern up to 60 yards(please don’t shoot gobblers at 60 yards!).  I, like everyone else at one time or another,  has fallen victim to the technology hype and I have paid the price.   A few years ago, I had added a very expensive, high tech turkey choke and a very expensive turkey load to my tried and true Remington 870.  I confidently took my new set up to Florida and proceeded to miss a ridiculously simple 25 yard shot on an Osceola gobbler  that guide Billy Henderson(Deep South Outfitters) had coming in on a rope.  While I admit that I got in a hurry and just choked, I was still perplexed why the bird didn’t drop and took the time to shoot a turkey target at 20, 25, and 30 yards.   I was blown away to see how few pellets I was actually getting on the neck of the bird.   Billy(who by now has only partially forgiven me for messing up his 100% success rate during the 2008 season) suggested that I just stick my original Remington full choke back in my barrel and try a more traditional lead load.  The results were astonishing.   My 870 shot better with its normal full choke and a normal turkey load than it did with the fancy stuff.   The moral to this story is that every gun is different and will respond differently to various chokes and shot patterns.  Take the time to purchase some turkey targets and pattern your gun.  You maybe surprised at the results.  Search the internet and read about what gun manufacturers and other hunters recommend.  There is a very good chance that someone else has done the research for your gun and has shared their results online.   Also,  spend a little extra money and buy a turkey target for your testing.   The visual image of the turkey neck will really help your patterning process!

Birchwood Casey Targets!

P.S. I'm not totally immune to the technology hype so here is a link to the Birchwood targets I like to use for my patterning!


Until Next Time,

Tight Lines & Strutting Toms!

Shooting the Right Turkey Load!

Today my most recent subscription to Outdoor Life showed up in the mail.  One of the sections I enjoy the most in the modern hunting magazines are the sections on Gear.    Outdoor Life and other magazines go to considerable effort to test gear including lots of Turkey gear.  These tests can save you lots of time and money.  This months Gear Field Test involved turkey loads.  Outdoor Life compares 4 popular loads and their results using various shotguns.  While the results are interesting, what I found to be really interesting was the data on the number of pellets that were in the target at distances of 25 and 50 yards.   At 25 yards, all of the loads in all of the shotguns placed between 15% to 38% of their pellets in the target.  At 50 yards,  the most number of pellets  in the target was 9%.  9%!  What this tells me is what a crap shoot it is shooting at a Gobbler at 50 yards.  At 50 yards, you are most likely to:

1.  Wound a bird
2.  Really educate him to your calling and than BOOM!
3.  Miss

I think this proves that the optimum shot at a turkey is probably 25 to 35 yards and no farther.    So take your time, aim carefully, and only shoot when the bird is in range.

P.S.   Don't forget to pattern you shotgun so you know how many pellets from your load and your shotgun are hitting the target!