Stevens 301 20ga Turkey gun

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Originally Posted by Fenelon

I've gotta laugh at all the discussion about the crazy price of turkey shells. I've shot a turkey every year and I use a single shot Cooey 12 ga full choke that I've had since I was 13. I use #4 23/4" shells from what ever is left over in the gun safe. Last year I used a Challenger from Crappy Tire. They would have been $12.99 for a box of 25. The longest shot has been maybe 20yds. I don't understand the need to mortgage the farm for gear, or shoot 45yards with shells that cost more than a Barrett .50 round. I'd rather have a colonoscopy without anesthesia before I bought a pack of shells that cost $5+ per shot.

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It all depends on a lot of factors. How much time you have to hunt, what the population is like and what the hunting pressure is like. Of course skill level and experience falls in there somewhere as well. I have a friend who once had 400 acres of prime turkey habitat all to himself. He always killed a 25+ pounder with 2 3/4" #6's. Until he lost the property that is. Then he either hunted public or private with other hunter pressure. That year he shot a 20lb 2 year old and the year after he started using a 10ga. If you can kill turkeys from your back porch go ahead and use 2 3/4" Challengers but if you hunt hard hunted public land you're either going to step up your loads and chokes or your going to put a lot of pellets in a turkeys butt. TC

my bird last year was a good example of light load or to far out, it had I think 8 pellets in it all just under the skin nothing into the meat. all those pellets were in leg or low breast. I shot it at maybe 10yds so yes I could have used a lot lighter load, but I'd rather be sure then sorry and do what the other guy did to the turkey I killed.

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Originally Posted by genec

I’ve been hunting turkeys for over 20 years, and I still want the range of my 12, and yes I CAN call them, but thats not the point.
And sprite, my 12 will work effectively over 55 yards easily…I doubt your 20 will!
And as far as your assuming my lack of turkey hunting skills goes….I’ve won the OFAH spring turkey contest twice over the years….have you?
if you guys want to use 20s, then fine, but don’t try to put down someone else because they choose to do it differently.

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Is this real life? Didn’t you chime in to knock his usage of a 20 and provide no real help towards his ask?

This is why nobody posts on this forum.

I’ve shot lots of turkeys with shot just under the skin. People don’t estimate range properly or fail to consistently take head/neck shots.
Regardless of what firearm you choose, you have to know it’s and your limitations. I see guys down south tricking up .410’s for turkey hunting !

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Originally Posted by rick_iles

. I see guys down south tricking up .410’s for turkey hunting !

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In New Brunswick they must be better then all of us as you can use a 28g there

I love my 20 ga. O/U. With 3" magnums, I wouldn't hesitate to use it for Turkey.

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Originally Posted by trky chsr

It all depends on a lot of factors. How much time you have to hunt, what the population is like and what the hunting pressure is like. Of course skill level and experience falls in there somewhere as well. I have a friend who once had 400 acres of prime turkey habitat all to himself. He always killed a 25+ pounder with 2 3/4" #6's. Until he lost the property that is. Then he either hunted public or private with other hunter pressure. That year he shot a 20lb 2 year old and the year after he started using a 10ga. If you can kill turkeys from your back porch go ahead and use 2 3/4" Challengers but if you hunt hard hunted public land you're either going to step up your loads and chokes or your going to put a lot of pellets in a turkeys butt. TC

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You are right. I share a private spot with every trespasser and local who calls it there own private spot Lol. The rest of my spots are public bushes. I do find the birds are decoy shy and pressured. I am usually more successful with out decoys and at farther range as they do not come in to decoys to often. I have had some bigger birds but mostly average - I don't usually weigh them. Thinking about what you said, if you compare that to a nice large area with lots of not pressured birds that never see a decoy, I guess I am doing all right lol. It makes it more interesting I guess and forces you to think out of the box.