Turkey Tips

Turkey Tip (Setting Up for the Shot!)
By: Capt. Bill Saiff III
Each season nice gobblers are lost because hunter's don't pay attention to their shotguns and their set-up! Nobody should ever plan on taking to the turkey woods without firing their shotgun at a patterning board first. The number one mistake that sportsmen make is assuming that their shotgun hits where they are aiming. Here's how to find out whether or not your gun is on.
Place a turkey target at 30 yards. Sandbag your shotgun on a shooting bench and load it with normal #8 light target loads. With your head down on the stock, sight down the rib to the front bead. Place the bead of the shotgun on the turkey's neck, and float his head on top of the bead. When your breathing calms, pull the trigger. The heaviest concentration of pellets should be exactly where you were aiming. As the pattern broadens it should extend up through the turkey's head and down through it's lower neck. By sighting in this way, your shot pattern will cover the entire head and neck region but will still allow you to see the turkey's head as it approaches. The #8 light target loads will be easy to handle since they exhibit little recoil. If your pattern is off center, make the necessary adjustments to your sights. If your shotgun only has a bead, consider connecting adjustable sights to the vent rib of your scattergun.
Once you have centered your pattern, try some premium turkey loads to see how they perform. Full chokes and extra full turkey tubes will usually provide the densest patterns at longer downrange distances. Some shotguns will shoot different sized shot better than others. I have one turkey gun that likes nickel plated #5 buffered shot, while another prefers copper plated loads of #6. Each gun has a preference so finding the right load is critical. It also pays to know where your pattern falls apart. If it gets too loose at 40 yards, then keep your shots inside that mark.
When you finally have a bird responding to your call, sit with your left shoulder pointing in the direction of the bird's approach (if you're a right handed shooter). Place the forestock of your shotgun on your left knee. Shoulder your gun and be sure that your head is down on the stock. If you are using decoys, have the shotgun trained in their direction. When the bird appears, let him commit within your effective range. Once he's inside your comfort zone, putt or cluck to get him to raise his head and look. With neck and head exposed, it will take only subtle adjustments to get the bead on the bird. When it is time to pull the trigger, you will have complete confidence and ultimately bag more birds! Good Luck this season.
Note: Capt. Bill Saiff III is host of the nationally syndicated television programs "Cabin Country" and "Cabin Country Classics". You can see them on public television stations and the Outdoor Channel.