Fall Turkey hunting with a rifle

pcbuckhunter

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I’ve got a lease in Va, where rifles are legal for the Fall season. I plan on trying to bag a couple during my Thanksgiving Hunt.

For those of you who hunt Turkey with a rifle what do recommend cartridge wise?

Also, where is your preferred aiming point?
I know some say Head/neck, and some say right above the legs. Any other points I should be considering?



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lasttombstone

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
Unless you are a very good shot, shooting at the head with a rifle is a tall order as the head is very seldom still. The heart lies right behind the top front of the breast and the lungs just above that. I guess you are just looking to kill a turkey. A prime example is a friend of mine that was on a deer hunt in Texas and turkeys were legal. He shot one at 150 yds. with a .30-06 and the only thing worth saving were the beard and spurs. Pretty much all of the good meat was wasted.
 
Helium

Helium

Old Mossy Horns
I hunt VA and have in years past shot several with a .50 Cal muzzleloader. Broadside at top of wings meeting breast or if walking away shoot at base of neck below feather line. Either way expect some meat loss with a Blackpowder BUT no way I’d shoot one with a high powered rifle!! Like a bomb going off inside them = no meat.

Ps Since I’m fell in love with Spring turkey hunting I don’t really care to kill 1 in the fall unless it’s Blackpowder or archery and a hen presents an opportunity.
 
pcbuckhunter

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
lasttombstone said:
Unless you are a very good shot, shooting at the head with a rifle is a tall order as the head is very seldom still. The heart lies right behind the top front of the breast and the lungs just above that. I guess you are just looking to kill a turkey. A prime example is a friend of mine that was on a deer hunt in Texas and turkeys were legal. He shot one at 150 yds. with a .30-06 and the only thing worth saving were the beard and spurs. Pretty much all of the good meat was wasted.
Click to expand...

So you don’t think that it’s possible to kill one with a rifle without wasting the meat?



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woodmoose

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I have a hankering to take one with a rifle,,,

and when I do (here in the next few years) it will be with a .22 hi-power, 25/20, 32/20, or my .17 Squirrel

just for the heck of it
 
pcbuckhunter

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
QBD2 said:
The tags you have now, are for this fall/winter and next spring. Just an FYI if you didn’t know, you’re not using ‘leftovers’.
Click to expand...

That’s not how it was explained to me when I bought my license this spring. I was told that these tags were for this past Spring and this Fall.


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oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Turn your Thanksgiving hunt into a pure turkey hunt. Enjoy the fall turkey hunting experience versus the incidental rifle shootings. you wont need the rifle to pursue them. They will come to a call well enough to use a shotgun. and have enough meat to enjoy for Thanksgiving if you wanted.
You can stroll and call, or sneak up and bust them then call them back or just sit and wait somewhere you think they will visit.
It could be that you have a new fall sport.
It definitely beats sitting and waiting on a wood rat. :)
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
pcbuckhunter said:
That’s not how it was explained to me when I bought my license this spring. I was told that these tags were for this past Spring and this Fall.


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Click to expand...
you better check on the tag stuff. I think it's the other way around. you buy in the fall and are covered thru spring. you buy in spring and tags expire in june. License is 365 days. I think.
www.eregulations.com

Hunting License Information - Virginia Hunting

Every person who is required to have a license must carry such license and shall show the license immediately upon request of any officer whose duty it is to enforce the game and inland fish laws, or upon the demand of any owner or lessee, or any employee or representative of such owner or lessee,…
www.eregulations.com www.eregulations.com
 
nccatfisher

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
If you reload depending on what caliber you use you can seat you bullet backwards if you use boattail bullets and it will punch right through them. Most will hit close enough to your original sight in at 100 yards yet won't do but little damage to meat. I hunted up there years ago and did exactly that with a .243 I kept a couple cartridges loaded just for that in my pocket and it worked out well for me, not so great for the turkeys.

I would suggest you check where it was hitting on paper of course.
 
QBD2

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
pcbuckhunter said:
That’s not how it was explained to me when I bought my license this spring. I was told that these tags were for this past Spring and this Fall.


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Click to expand...
I hate that somebody told you wrong, but VA tags expired in June. You’ll need a new tags(deer and turkey) to hunt this fall.

Your hunting license is indeed good for 365 days from purchase, as is archery and ml if you bought those.
 
pcbuckhunter

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
oldest school said:
you better check on the tag stuff. I think it's the other way around. you buy in the fall and are covered thru spring. you buy in spring and tags expire in june. License is 365 days. I think.
www.eregulations.com

Hunting License Information - Virginia Hunting

Every person who is required to have a license must carry such license and shall show the license immediately upon request of any officer whose duty it is to enforce the game and inland fish laws, or upon the demand of any owner or lessee, or any employee or representative of such owner or lessee,…
www.eregulations.com www.eregulations.com
Click to expand...

I was just looking at that.
Apparently the license agent is completely misinformed.



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pcbuckhunter

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
QBD2 said:
I hate that somebody told you wrong, but VA tags expired in June. You’ll need a new tags(deer and turkey) to hunt this fall.

Your hunting license is indeed good for 365 days from purchase, as is archery and ml if you bought those.
Click to expand...

I bought the whole works, but now I’ll be getting new tags my next trip up.

Luckily I haven’t been up there to hunt yet.


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lasttombstone

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
pcbuckhunter said:
So you don’t think that it’s possible to kill one with a rifle without wasting the meat?



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Click to expand...

Didn't say it wasn't possible as has been explained by others. Just saying, from what you presented and from my experience, I wouldn't expect much. It sounds as though it is a moot point given the tags situation.
 
georgeeebuck

georgeeebuck

Ten Pointer
I have never done it but the old-timers always said when hunting turkey with a center fire rifle to shoot them across the back to keep from messing up all the meat.
 
nettereo16

nettereo16

Six Pointer
pcbuckhunter said:
That’s not how it was explained to me when I bought my license this spring. I was told that these tags were for this past Spring and this Fall.


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Click to expand...
VA does their tags fall 2019-spring 2020, not for the calendar year. The base license is valid for 365.
 
nettereo16

nettereo16

Six Pointer
Growing up my dad was deer hunting and got a turkey in the neck with his 3006. I’d rather be lucky than good!
 
turkeyfoot

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
One the best times to hunt Va is early Bkackpowder and late Bkackpowder you can kill deer or turkey at same time how many days depends on what county. In county I'm from and still hunt we have lot of combo hunting days available especially when you add archery in even have some bear days mixed in. And like has been said you'll need new tags. As far as rifle goes hard beat 22 mag base of neck no lost meat and drops. If you shoot one in body and don't break wing don't be surprised if they take off with all them feathers its easy to mis vitals with single projectile
 
hawglips

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
pcbuckhunter said:
That’s not how it was explained to me when I bought my license this spring. I was told that these tags were for this past Spring and this Fall.
Click to expand...

If tags were bought in the spring, they are expired for this fall.

You need to buy new ones for this fall, which are good through next spring.
 

timber

Twelve Pointer
Have known several that enjoyed the fall turkey hunting as much as spring. They use bird dogs they like running up birds better than pointing. After dog found them a ran them up they wait awhile and call them back. Think they are fairly easy call back when they have been busted up like that
 
Winnie 70

Winnie 70

Ten Pointer
A 22 Hornet with a 2x7 scope will reach way out there and not damage meat if you shoot them on the neck feather line. Real low recoil and no louder than mag or long rifle 22.
 
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