Thread: Turkey shot placement with 22 lr or 12 gauge

I now have access to a place with turkeys and pea cocks.

I want to eat the turkey's but don't want to ruin too much beast meat.

I was thinking of shooting with my 22 at the base of the neck?

Or shoot them with my 12 gauge with a light bird load?

They're pretty dumb as they don't get shot at. So could just find their roost and go to town with a machete.

Cheers

The peacocks will be fun.
First you will get some with the 22. They soon figure out what the safe distance is. Then you go for the 17HMR. Another 2 hunts and they adjust. Now comes the 223 and it starts all over again. Next is the 6.5CM @ 400m for a day or two. And then they just run when they see your ute or you or a person with the same build as you from 2k away. Nothing is harder to hunt then a well conditioned and clued up peacock ...


PS:
Peacock breasts are great tucker !

The Yanks seem to use reasonably heavy shot like No2 or thereabout on turkeys

Originally Posted by Russian 22.

I now have access to a place with turkeys and pea cocks.

I want to eat the turkey's but don't want to ruin too much beast meat.

I was thinking of shooting with my 22 at the base of the neck?

Or shoot them with my 12 gauge with a light bird load?

They're pretty dumb as they don't get shot at. So could just find their roost and go to town with a machete.

Cheers

Find where the peacocks roost then go down and spot light them with a 22.

Cheers. I will give it a go and report back

Originally Posted by muzza

I have found a 20 gauge with 4 shot works pretty well on ones that havent been hunted before

A mate has a 20 gauge. Will see if he wants to come

Turkeys can soak up a centre hit with a .223 and not tip over immediately. Most go down of course but they are more resilient than you'd expect. I feel a rimfire is marginal at best, and has been said, they wise up pretty fast if they're getting shot at a bit.

Originally Posted by 6x47

Turkeys can soak up a centre hit with a .223 and not tip over immediately. Most go down of course but they are more resilient than you'd expect. I feel a rimfire is marginal at best, and has been said, they wise up pretty fast if they're getting shot at a bit.

Ah ok. Shotgun is looking like the best way to get some then

Head shots with a 12 gauge that's the idea

Originally Posted by JaSa

Attachment 121678

The peacocks will be fun.
First you will get some with the 22. They soon figure out what the safe distance is. Then you go for the 17HMR. Another 2 hunts and they adjust. Now comes the 223 and it starts all over again. Next is the 6.5CM @ 400m for a day or two. And then they just run when they see your ute or you or a person with the same build as you from 2k away. Nothing is harder to hunt then a well conditioned and clued up peacock ...


PS:
Peacock breasts are great tucker !

Herd them into fishing nets!!

I've shot quite a few turkeys with a 22. It's not great, especially if you want to keep breast meat undamaged. I normally aim for the base of the neck and they usually fall down, but not always which is a bit unsatisfactory. Head shots are great if you can get close enough, but the bloody things still run around with half their head missing. In the states, they use heavy loads and tight chokes for turkeys, and go for head shots. I think that is the way to go. Unfortunately, where I shoot, the farmer says no to guns that go bang, so I'm stuck with the 22.

Originally Posted by 6x47

Turkeys can soak up a centre hit with a .223 and not tip over immediately. Most go down of course but they are more resilient than you'd expect. I feel a rimfire is marginal at best, and has been said, they wise up pretty fast if they're getting shot at a bit.

I have had one take several 223 Sierra Blitz rounds and still keep walking. It's insides were totally minced, I guess it was too stupid to realise it was dead.

Find where they roost wait till dark then with a red filtered headlamp and a pair of loppers go and take your pick. I kid you not, the Mrs did this a few years ago when she got sick of waiting for me to shoot them.

I have shot some turkeys with .22 subs and stingers at the base of the neck, in the neck and straight in the head to save the meat. Rimfire seems marginal and they are hardy creatures. Good luck just avoid them when they are drunk on crickets.

Starting to be wrong time of year for turkey meat. Depends on what you’re after. If want meat or effective reduction in numbers do it at night time. If sport/moving target/game daytime. If really want the meat, find there roosting areas then spotlight it. Head shot best. My boy uses a .410 with a laser pointer attached with 9 shot. Head/neck really effective. Otherwise .22 in head/neck. .17 HMR neck/base of neck. A body shot seems to ‘blow up’ on the feathers.


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