Rifle Hunting Turkeys; Anyone here do it?

[Reel Assassin]

Some states allow Turkeys to be hunted with rifles from .22 Mag thru .223. This seems to upset some people for some reason. Are there any here that hunt turkeys with a rifle? To be honest this has always appealed to me. It is a clean head shot or a miss.

What is your experience?gun)

Check out this video with a pellet rifle head shot on a turkey.

 

[HARPERC]

No, but if I ever do it will be with an old lever gun, cast bullet, 25-35. Cast hard should be ok for a body shot as well.

 

[Reel Assassin]

Is there no one that hunts turkeys with rifles here?

 

[HARPERC]

Is there no one that hunts turkeys with rifles here?

Illegal here in Washington, and in a lot of places.

 

[bronco]

Hunting turkeys is legal with a rifle in Virginia.

When I was stationed at Quantico, I harvested quite a few with my 22 WMR and 243.

I limited myself to 100 yards and never lost a bird. Clean kill or clean miss on the head for broadside shots. I did however find that shots at the bottom of the wattle provided a slightly larger margin for error and with little to zero meat loss if the bird was facing me.

 

[Fox Hunter]

I also think that would be a good challenge with a small caliber rifle. But hunting Turkey with a rifle is not legal in NY. Then again, very little makes sense here anymore.

 

[HogginKing]

Here in Pa. you are allowed to use centerfire rifles during the fall season. It has been a few years since I have been out after them. I have taken 2 so far with a 220 Swift. I hunt fields and just wait them out, some do travel in the fields, then I'll go to work.

HK gun)

 

[mbundy]

Is there no one that hunts turkeys with rifles here?

We (dad and I) hunt them with rifles in Texas. 6PPC, 222, 223, 22-250...Dad head shoots them, I tend to aim right where the neck and body meet.

Mike

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Wasn't really hunting them the one time I shot a big Rio down in south Texas in the Spring of 2010. We were on a hog hunt and I had my .243 Sako along in the blind when a nice longbeard came straight down the sendero and it just happened to be opening day of turkey season. I put one in him right above his beard and didn't ruin any meat at all on him.

 

[Reel Assassin]

Thanks for the replies guys. Going after a turkey with a single projectile just has appeal to me; were legal of course.

 

[safebuilder]

I have harvested one in TX with a rifle...clean head shot. I found it a challenge worth taking.

 

[257WTBY]

I grew up in WV and hunted Turkeys alot with 222. I head shot them anywhere outide 50yds. I actually used my dads old over under 12 ga/222. If i called them under 50 they got the 12 ga.

No days i am in WA state and cant use the centerfires on them so it is either 10 or 12 ga here, but i miss hunting them with small caliber centerfire...

 

[Reel Assassin]

It is the challenge exactly! You must maintain your focus to put that one bullet into a small target. I have always wanted to hunt turkeys but only with a rifle. I started hunting squirrels with a Remington pump .410 shotgun as a kid but as an adult I only use a scoped .22LR for the same challenge. One shot, one kill.
gun)

 

[Mulepadre]

I just posted a similar question above asking about shooting gobblers with a .243
If I had seen this thread I would not have.
Some good info here...