Can you turkey hunt with a rifle

Additionally, in states like Colorado, a hunter may shoot a hen or a tom. While many hunters prefer not to shoot hens, I can attest to the fact that a hen is quite tasty. Fall turkey hunting can have its challenges. The birds are not as responsive to calls, thus locating them is somewhat difficult. Then, once located, they may or may not respond. It can indeed be quite difficult to get a bird into shotgun range. Often, the art of locating flocks of turkeys in the west is a matter of putting in scouting time, busting flocks and a small amount of luck and happenstance.

With these challenges noted, I have to admit that being able to put a big, ole gobbler in the scope is quite exciting. Hunting in states that do not allow baiting of any sort can make any sort of turkey hunting even more challenging.

It is essentially a spot and stalk hunt, which I personally find to be great fun despite the challenges. And while turkeys in the day may have been killed with shotguns, no doubt as many or more were taken with single musket or rifle balls. Certainly that was the weapon of choice for pioneer hunters such as Crockett and Boone. So what makes a good turkey rifle for Wyoming turkeys? Making it a good time to consider the options.

In the fall, a hunter may be out after big game and come onto turkeys. If he is prudent enough to have a turkey tag in his pocket and the season is open, he should take every advantage of it.

But a big-game caliber on a turkey? Obviously, the head or neck is the cleanest choice, but it may not always be available. If not, it can make a hunter shudder at the thought of what the impact of a heavy, high-velocity bullet will do to a pound bird. If a head or neck shot does not seem feasible, the next best may be counterintuitive, but some hunters I know have taken gobblers by shooting at the center of the breast.

Using a shotgun may sound like it would make it easier to turkey hunt. However, the challenge comes when you need to get a turkey within shotgun range. With a normal rifle, it is not too difficult to make a yard shot, but with a shotgun, you are doing good if you make a yard shot. This is why it is important to use the correct choke on your shotgun. Chokes help you reach out and maximize your guns range and shape your pattern.

It is also important for shotgun hunters to pattern their shotguns so they know what range they can effectively shoot at. These are steps that serious turkey hunters always do, but many amateurs simply ignore, leading to lower success rates. Another way to harvest a turkey is by using a bow or crossbow. If using a shotgun was not difficult enough, bow hunting turkeys is the real challenge. Turkeys have incredible vision and they can pick up the slightest movement. So when you have to pull your bow back 20 yards in front of a turkey, it would be very difficult to remain unseen.

Although it is difficult, it is not impossible and hunters do it every year. If you are looking for a true turkey hunting challenge, try harvesting one with a bow. Lastly, many states allow you to hunt with muzzle-loaders. Some allow muzzle-loading rifles and most are muzzle-loading shotguns.

So this just adds an extra challenge to the shotgun dynamic. It is much more beginner friendly. You can also add accessories like a red dot scope to help you with putting clean, consistent shots once they are in range. Two other good options for turkey hunters are bows and crossbows.

Both are very popular and have about the same effective range as a shotgun. If it is legal in your state and you want to hunt with a rifle, use something a bit larger like a. Be aware of the additional risks associated with rifle hunting turkeys.

Although they are birds, turkeys should not be thought of as small game and should be hunted accordingly.

About Contact Privacy Policy Disclosure. It depends… In many states, hunting turkeys with a. It Might Be Illegal In most states, hunting turkeys with a. Unrecovered Animals Another risk that comes with shooting a turkey with a. It is Dangerous Rifle rounds travel a lot further than shotgun rounds used to hunt turkey.