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Body shots for turkeys?

Standard hunting methods and/or past practise for shooting turkeys with a shotgun has always been head shots. However, I have some ammo that I use for killing coyotes out to 50 yards. I would trust these loads/patterns on geese at the same distance.

Dead Coyote Ts:
44 pellets @ 50 yards.
Pattern 24" wide & 21" tall.
8" above center...or 8" above the target dot.

42 pellets @ 40 yards.
Pattern 24" wide & 21" tall.
10" above center.

Remington HD in BBs:
64 pellets @ 40 yards.
Pattern 28" wide & 22" tall.
10" above center.
The above patterns will be used for coyotes.

What are your thoughts on body shots on a turkey with these loads/patterns?

Thank you, Bowhunter57
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
Not saying the patterns wouldn't be effective, but why in the world would anyone shoot a turkey in the body on purpose? The fun in turkey hunting comes from bringing them in as close as possible... so close that head shots are pretty easy, really... What sense would it make to body-shoot a turkey that's 20 yds in front of you?

On any fowl, the meat is on the body... on the breast meat. Even when shooting at ducks and geese I still try to shoot out in front of them so as to minimize the amount of pellets in the breast meat.
 

dante322

*Supporting Member*
5,506
157
Crawford county
You would be shocked at how hard it will be to get pellets through a turkeys feathers. Just shoot it in the head...

feathers are one thing, but getting to the vitals through the thick breast meat makes it even more difficult
 

antiqucycle

Junior Member
506
36
East Ohio
Absolutely makes no sense to do a body shot. on a yote, or a deer a lung shot works real good. but a turkey is bird and and the lungs are not very big. so shoot the head off so when the bird is running off dead on its feet, it cant see where its going.
 

xbowguy

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
29,632
234
Licking Co. Ohio
Absolutely makes no sense to do a body shot. on a yote, or a deer a lung shot works real good. but a turkey is bird and and the lungs are not very big. so shoot the head off so when the bird is running off dead on its feet, it cant see where its going.

rotflmaoYes, it's hard to run when you're stepping on your head!
 
Mike said:
Wouldn't you ruin the meat?
dante322 said:
feathers are one thing, but getting to the vitals through the thick breast meat makes it even more difficult

Mike and dante322,
I don't think it would and I'm basing that one my experiences with shooting geese, using the same type of hardened alloy pellets. The harder alloy pellets cut clean holes, pass through cleanly without the "furry q-tips", that lead or steel create. I've shot geese at 50+ yards with alloy pellets and they pass completely through the goose. Often there would be 2 or 3 pellet holes in the breast meat, but it looked like someone had stabbed the bird with an ice pick.

I agree with shooting them in the head being the idea of calling them in close. I was just curious if anyone had taken a body shot with success.
I have no doubt to the killing power of Dead Coyote ammo, for turkeys. If it'll kill a coyote at 50 yards, a turkey will die just as quick.

Bowhunter57
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
turkeys are tougher than geese..i body shot a a flying turkey once at 20 yards with copper 5's ....hit that sucker twice so hard i changed his flight pattern...he went on his way...
 
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Mao

Member
1,695
109
Coshocton, OH
I watched 3 shells batter a gobbler at 15 yards last year... Miss the head... Feathers were flying... Gobbler sprinted out of there like nothing happended.. Id never try to shoot anywhere but the head..