Turkeys

[bluehen59]

Yesterday no less than 3 dozen turkeys strutted slowly through my back yard, one of many times this has happened. Some adult females and some younger ones of unknown gender.

Never hunted once in my life, but a freezer full of fresh turkey sounds good.

I have a Franchi o/u, what can I use as far as loads that would be sufficient? Or do I need a "turkey gun" ?

I have plenty of land, and I'll sit on my pool deck to shoot when turkey season opens.

What should I use as a call and where do you aim? Head or body?

Please educate a new hunter.

[God's Country]

Well you want a full choke. You may have one barrel that's a full.
There are "turkey loads" available. Not sure if you can use 3" shells in your o/u, but anything #4 or 6 in a high brass or magnum load. There are shot size restrictions so you should review the hunters digest for all the regs.
The fall season you can take a hen or tom with a shotgun or rifle, handgun no semi's except the shotgun. You should try for head shots primarily because you likely won't knock it down if you don't, unless it's point blank, so for this reason you should pattern a shotgun to see what load/distance works best.
Obviously you need a license and have taken a hunters safety course if you never have hunted.

[bluehen59]

I have taken the hunter's safety course, but I just read there is no open season for wild turkeys in my area (5b). Is this right?

[yukon375]

WMU 5A – Nov. 5 –7; WMUs 5B, 5C and 5D – CLOSED TO FALL TURKEY HUNTING.

[God's Country]

I have taken the hunter's safety course, but I just read there is no open season for wild turkeys in my area (5b). Is this right?

Yes if you want to hunt 5b you will have to wait for spring gobbler.

[PABonecollector88]

Id be more than happy to come show you the ropes of turkey hunting in the spring..i am right across the river....and would love to go out and hunt them in the spring if you have a good bit of them around....all year round.