Potential Changes?

[punkrockerpj]

i like it. fall turkey never appealed to me because of deer, but good to have both on hand.

[genec]

I like the idea of the new rules other than I question the idea of allowing shot size 7 just seems to small. I always felt that even 6 is to small. Shouldn't really be say 2 - 5 shot size?

I switched to #6 shot many years ago, and found that I have a higher success rate and far more clean kills with it (Winchester X-tended, and now LongBeard loads)
As mentioned previously, I think the #7 addition is for the U.S. trimix shot loads to be legal here.

[recurve40]

Great idea frankly..about time. I can tell some pretty bad spring gun hunter stories...shooting off the roosts before legal time. Running birds..and I mean running at birds in another guys setup....criminals are criminals...idiots abound.. ie shooting birds over bait..

[skeeter1]

I would submit that #7 hevi shot would be more effective than #6 lead.

[Fox]

The turkey harvest numbers have been dropping like a rock.

Are the turkey numbers dropping like a rock or are they just getting smarter? I saw at least 40 last night, we don't even have a great turkey population here.

[Fox]

I like the idea of the new rules other than I question the idea of allowing shot size 7 just seems to small. I always felt that even 6 is to small. Shouldn't really be say 2 - 5 shot size?

#6 kills them no problem, gives me a great pattern in my 16ga.

#2 leads to a significantly reduced pellet number, I think that has a lot to do with it. If you have 150 #2 pellets in a 2 3/4" load vs 240 in a #4 load you have a better chance of killing with the #4 load. Your spread of #2 in that turkey choke I bet is worse than #4 at 40 yards too, larger shot in the super tight chokes tends to open up a lot more.

I risk to say that population density in areas where people hunt turkeys could have an impact too, #2 shot holds energy further than #4 shot, at least they are not considering center fire rifles for turkey.

[Gregoire1960]

I like all proposed changes. The bait issue is a straw man, if you shoot a bird while baiting deer you're a poacher. An honest hunter wouldn't be enticed to kill a turkey over bait PERIOD. I only hunted the first fall season (successfully) then gave it up as it was too short a time for me to get out enough to make it worthwhile as there were too many other things to hunt (deer, moose, small game). Having a month to hunt with my bow would be great. More time with my dad or daughter sitting in the blind....

[duckslayer]

I think the inclusion of #7 shot is geared more for the heavier than lead loads that are out there. I use #6's and they are deadly out past 50 yds in my setup, they are high density shot though. If I was shooting lead I think I would stick to #5's. I would like to see the stipulation that if using #7's they must be higher density than lead, if not lets hope guys will have the restraint to stay away from using lead #7's but we all know how that will turn out. Of coarse lead #7's will kill a bird in it's effective range but I believe most guys would try to push that range. I have no issues with bow hunting for turkeys but I would like to see the mandatory use of the guillotine broad heads spring and fall...............the amount of wounded birds I hear about every spring is enough to make a guy sick! With guillotine heads they are rather dead or a clean miss and live to see another day. Again I say this with caution as I think we are already over regulated when it comes to hunting. Yes there are lots of gun wounded birds as well but it comes down to guys trying to push the range of there setups. I kind of go back and forth on the turkey coarse, sure it's a $$$ grab but then everyone will be out hunting them with even less education, I already see, hear and read about WAY too much dumb crap going on out there.

[bellerivercrossbowhunter]

I really like the Oct 01 to 31st bows only season. I wish I had a dime for every time a flock walked past my tree stand while deer hunting. And here in 92B I have only one deer seal & save it for the controlled hunt. So this will give me an opportunity to bow hunt instead of painting the house...

BTW my fixed 1.25" cut broad-head for deer will most definitely put a turkey down provided my shot placement is good...

[Gregoire1960]

BTW my fixed 1.25" cut broad-head for deer will most definitely put a turkey down provided my shot placement is good...

Bingo...... you can't legislate common sense. There are guys that will shoot a shotgun 70 yards at a moving turkey...... if you're a responsible hunter there's no need to use guillotine broadheads unless you prefer to shoot them.