http://www.plaintalk.net/articles/2008/12/...a8493703296.txt

Proposed spring turkey hunting season limits rifle use

South Dakota’s wild turkey population continues to grow at a robust pace across the state, and that means more opportunities for hunters. At the same time, to balance safety concerns, the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Commission is considering further restrictions in the use of rifles and handguns.

At a teleconference meeting, the GFP Commission heard a proposal for the spring wild turkey hunting season that includes an 11 percent increase in resident tags available for the prairie units. “Our wild turkey population continues to flourish on the prairie,” said Tom Kirschenmann, game program administrator for the Game, Fish and Parks Department. “Because the turkey population is growing, we’re able to offer more opportunities to hunters.”

One important change proposed for this spring season would be the elimination of the use of rifles and handguns to hunt turkeys in the Black Hills and several other units in eastern South Dakota. Several turkey hunting units in eastern South Dakota have previously included this restriction.

“The use of decoys and camouflage ground blinds have proliferated over the past several years, and we believe it is important to consider expanding this restriction to more areas during the spring turkey season,” said GFP Secretary Jeff Vonk. Rifles and handguns would continue to be allowed for use in West River prairie units during the spring season…

Rocket launchers are right out I suppose....

Claymore mines around a bushel of corn too… Shuks.




Here in VA there isn’t any restriction on weapon type for turkeys. #4 shot is the largest you can use, however. I’m not exactly sure as to why.

Rifles are generally considered poor form around here, especially in spring. For one thing you hunt them in full camo and sound like them. Some yahoo sniping you from a few hundred yards might ruin your whole day. But turkey hunters are known as a generally odd lot and a bit pompous to boot.

That said, I’m still of a mind to haul my .223 over 12ga around sometimes.

Well I don't have a cute pun to go along with it, but I always thought it would be just cool to have little machineguns mounted to a radio control airplane for use in bird hunting.

Trouble is, I never could keep my own radio control airplane aloft for more than a minute or two, and nearly every crash was more spectacular than the last to the point that the final one where I corkscrewed in from about 600 feet impressed even my little grandson such that he hasn't forgotten it to this day.

Maybe because at some point a single stray pellet can be lethal or at least very uncomfortable for your fellow turkey killers.

Oh shit. Iowa is reading the leather and hooters thread. Weren't you supposed to be watching him today?

At last, I understand why people were staring in the windows.

I thought it was your day to watch him. I told you to be careful where you left that kind of stuff. This is all your fault you know.

True, 00 Buck might smart a bit.

Rather unorthodox choice of ammo that far out on the end of the spectrum though. But hey, people have done stranger things.

Hey what we do in the privacy of our own forum is nobody's business but ours.

"That kind of stuff" is serious literature I'll have you know.

I think you start retaining quite a bit of energy at even longer ranges without going all the way to 00 Buck.

I used to go to some meat shoots where they played a game shooting from the 27 yard line....or sometimes even further back. Three guys raised their guns and the first guy in line called for the target. If he missed, the second guy shot at it. If he broke the target, he put the first guy out. But if he missed, the third guy had a try with the goal of putting both the first and second shooters out. By that point, the target might be only feet above the ground at the end of its trajectory since good strategy for the first guy was to not shoot too quick to start with.

Anyway, I used #4 shot for that game quite often. Just thought you would want to know.

Treble Hook set in a partial corn cob, Surf Rod and 100 lb test. Once the hook is set we have a new meaning for fly fishing. No risk at all of getting anyone shot.

#4 Sounds like sound strategy for that game.

Typical turkey shot that I know of are #4 and #6. Of course, I have to be an oddball and I shoot #5, XX Magnums or XX Supremes of course. But it’s what my shotgun patterns well with. And I like it because it’s a fair compromise between the long range power of #4 and the increased number of shot in a #6.

One guy I hunt with often, if he knows he’s going to be doing all of the calling he’ll carry a little 20ga youth model with a modified choke and #7 ½. It’s lighter and smaller to carry. And if he’s going to be shooting something is about to go wrong and it’s going to be at short range. That short frame and barrel with more shot opening up faster fits the need nicely.



The big trend now are these new heavi-shot compounds. I haven’t looked into them much because I’m seeing if they’re just a fad. But they’re super dense. More dense than the gun barrel, so I’m led to believe. So they only come in #6 and you have to shoot a much more open of a choke than most turkey guys are used to shooting. Trying to shove too much shot through too small a hole will warp the barrel. So I’m told at least. And it makes sense to me.

What any of that has to do with rifles for turkeys I’m unsure. (To avoid official censure) I wonder what standard practice is out on the open flat land where this article came from. The hard woods and rolling hills around here would lend itself to a different strategy than the prairie, so I imagine anyway.

We used to catch chickens on a kernel of corn back on the farm. My grandma would get hot about that. I can hear her hollerin’ from the porch now.


















“You can’t catch a nine pound rooster on three pound test line!”

Sure you can... that's what the drag is for.

That's what I told her. Adds to the excitement anyway.

I was waiting for someone to mention that.

I noted the 100 LB test for special effects as the human turkeys would be inclined to think such practices are common place? Wink.

Anyone who who took that joke the least bit seriously wouldn't understand such an esoteria. This is an inside joke to the core.

shooting turkeys with rifles would take the fun out of hunting them for me .

We don't have Wild Turkeys here. I would love to try out my 22 rifle on those blighters. Since I am able to take grouse with the 22 head shots, I figure I would enjoy eating turkey minus lead pellets in the meat. .

The whole point is the application of guile, to me at least. The closer the better. But hey, I'm not above the occasional cheat, especially when it's just 10 yards or so beyond my norm.

But, yeah. If long range were norm, things wouldn't hold much appeal.

In my neck of the woods you're expected to take grouse on the wing...

Our grouse are prone to sitting down and giving you one free head shot if they see you with a 22. If they see you carrying a shot gun they make sure you have to take them on the wing. We have a few stupid grouse that don't think you can hit them but the smart ones keeping your teeth sensitive as your molars hone through the rather succulent meat. I 'm all for shooting the stupid ones,cuts down on dental repairs. I figure RF is the real hunter though as he claims to Stick them to death. That seems like a Blackfoot Warrior counting Coup with a slap stick before he moves into spearing the snot out of his victims.