Shooting a flying turkey

[Nick87]

Man I just watched the video of Michael shooting that turkey! That was a hell of a shot and awesome to get on video that bird was stone dead!

 

[runningmt]

When I was 12, I was off wandering a couple hundred years from my father and grandfather whilst on my first fall turkey hunt in Western North Dakota. Either sex was legal to harvest, as is still the case in The fall seasons in ND and MT.
I flushed a Jake (I had no idea at the time, I just knew it was a turkey), and shot it in the air, dropping it just as effectively as I had done with sharptails earlier that year. Still have the tail-fan hanging in the garage 35 years later with the tell tale signs it was a Jake.
Nothing like your “firsts”

 

[Pucky Freak]

I know a couple people who’ve pulled it off. I’ve lifted the gun up plenty of times, but never fired. I either am not 100% sure it’s a tom, can’t get a clear view of the head, or not sure on distance. Maybe someday

 

[dcopas78]

I've shot two out of the air. Screwed up and didn't have the chamber all the way closed on one of them. He saw me move the pump forward, and spooked. By the time I got the gun back on him, he was airborne flying straight away. Shot him right in the back of the shoulders/head. The other one came off the roost right down in front of me. Lit down for a second, saw me as I was just pretty much just standing on the edge of the field, and jumped back on the wing so I let him have it. My dad pulled off one of the best shots I've ever saw several years ago when he shot one out of the air. 40 yards, flying full speed, boom, dead in mid air. Only problem was, his momentum carried him back down over the steep hill we'd just climbed.

 

[44hunter45]

I shot one coming right towards me down out of its roost tree. I did not know this was taboo, but here in Idaho we ground sluice grouse too. I had to duck to avoid getting hit. It landed stone dead at my feet.

 

[Kaitum]

That was certainly something different to catch on video. First turkey I ever harvested was a hen I shot flying over my head when I was 13 years old. It was during Pennsylvania's fall either sex season. My dad and his friend where walking through a really thick swampy area. I was walking around the edge of the thicket. They flushed two turkey that just happened to fly 20' over my head. It was probably more instinct than anything, I just saw a turkey, swung my single shot 20 gauge and down came a big black bird. My dad and friend were as dumbfounded as I was what just happened. Back then turkey numbers hadn't took off quite yet and I was probably the first person in my family to kill a turkey in a long long time. Fun memories.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Aint no telling how many I have shot out of the air. Over 10 for sure.

 

[Hem]

Blasphemy...

 

[rideold]

Funny that if it's a grouse or a pheasant etc. then most would never ground swat them.....but a Turkey...that's different. I'd love to take one on the wing!

 

[Hem]

Why bother calling them in. Just sneak under the tree and blast em off the roost.

 

[brownbear932008]

I have shot 2 out of the air over the years. Crazy thing was I worked both of them for over an hour and gave up. Stood up and both flushed just over the ridgeline. Guess I need to work on my patience a little more. Both were very nice gobblers. Could have taken one last year same way and just watched him fly off.

 

[Big Fin]

Why bother calling them in. Just sneak under the tree and blast em off the roost.

Good point. Why bother?

 

[jrabq]

Being mostly a wingshooter/duck hunter I've always wanted to shoot a turkey out of the air, finally had my chance a few years ago and I missed, twice!!

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

My first fall turkey hunt as a license holder. My dad, two of his buddies, and me were walking in and getting ready to split up and spooked a bunch off the roost. Everyone but me started blasting. When the blasting was over 2 turkeys were on the ground and one dead one in a tree. The one my dad shot was falling from the sky and his neck wedged in the crotch of a tree about 30 foot up. Back to camp to get the chainsaw we went.

 

[Hem]

Exactly.

 

[3855WIN]

Why bother calling them in. Just sneak under the tree and blast em off the roost.

You can call em up or crawl em up.

 

[Hem]

Just for clarity.
If a guy cant eventually out smart a bird with a brain the size of pea by calling him in to gun range and has to resort to shooting birds out of the roost or flying away....well...not much of a turkey hunter.
But people like to make their own rules to make up for inadequacies....so much for tradition and " in the spirit" of things.
No need to defend...just a difference in opinion.

 

[gouch]

Just for clarity.
If a guy cant eventually out smart a bird with a brain the size of pea by calling him in to gun range and has to resort to shooting birds out of the roost or flying away....well...not much of a turkey hunter.
But people like to make their own rules to make up for inadequacies....so much for tradition and " in the spirit" of things.
No need to defend...just a difference in opinion.

I see it the other way. Where is the sport in outsmarting a bird with a pea sized brain? Now spot and stalk or jump shoot a wary bird with extremely keen eyesight, Then hitting him on the fly. Now that's a challenge.

 

[BrentD]

I've shot at one flying tom to no effect. Seriously worried that I wounded it. No more wing shooting unless conditions are especially perfect.

 

[44hunter45]

Maybe there are two discussions here.
1. Whats the best load and choke for Turkey wing shooting?
2.Are those Western cowboy partridge sluicers ruining the fine culture of turkey hunting?