Ammunition shortage vs Turkey hunting

I'm not sure how many turkey hunters we have on the forum, but to those who are: How optimistic are you about finding ammunition before it's time to hit the woods? I just stopped by Academy Sports and was told that they wouldn't be getting any ammo shipped in for at least 2 weeks.

Up til now they've been getting ammunition trucked in twice a week. It sold out quickly, but at least it was there if you were willing to stand in line for it.

I'm hoping that availability improves over the next month, but not betting on it.

I Just go to the basement ..... :D

At the price of premium turkey loads, I am better off not taking a shot. One shell is more than a day on the pier.

Right choke ,2-3/4 high brass #4 is good enough for me at 40yrds , out of the Browning
those dang 3in sure have a kick
No way anything more

I'm not sure why I've never gone with a 2-3/4 high brass load of 5 shot, I usually pick up a box of the remington nitro turkey mid season at sale price at walmart. Those 3" or 3-1/2" shells sure do tickle your shoulder though. Especially out of a light, break-action, single-shot.

...............

I made the mistake of buying my wife a .380 pistol without securing ammo. Finally had to mail order some out of Arizona - not cheap. When this shortage is over (2 years, they say) I won't be out again.

Was in the Academy in Mobile (Festival Center) Saturday night and they had 20 or so boxes of assorted 12 gauge shells (most of it was Estate brand bird shot). They also had a couple of boxes of turkey shells (didn't really pay attention to them other than to see that it was Winchester turkey shells), but they were close to $20/box.

For the turkey hunters...have the turkeys evolved enough that regular shotgun shells won't kill them now? I've never paid attention to them since I've never turkey hunted, but what's with these "turkey shells"? Are they that much better that they demand a $3-$5 per shell price (and that's being conservative)?

I've got about a dozen Nitro Turkey 3" left overs---- will trade for a Stella or Saragosa + cash.

Nothing needs killing bad enough to shoot a 3.5 incher.

For some reason the trend seems to be shooting turkeys at longer distances. Some of the tss loads pattern well enough (and hit hard enough since its more dense than lead) to make a clean kill at 60 yards and beyond. I don't think I've ever shot one farther out than 20 yards though.

Shooting a turkey now involves a serious financial decision due to the cost of premium, heavier than lead ammo. Fortunately, I probably have enough Hevi-shot ammo to last me the rest of my turkey hunting career as long as I don't shoot more than two turkeys a year and as long as the red dot scope stays accurate. I am a huge fan of the 3.5 in. shells because they are often called upon to do some brush clearing between me and the turkey. I get so excited when that ugly bird comes in that I never notice the recoil---I think I could shoot with the stock against my nose and never notice until afterward when I had to clean the blood off my face. (I shoot a Mossberg 935.) I have shot turkeys from awkward positions (you wouldn't believe some of them, but none that would make the Kama Sutra) and never noticed the recoil until I found the multicolored bruise later on. I appreciate the extra range from the heavier than lead shot because at least a third of the gobblers I've called in will come to about fifty yards out and stop, knowing that the hen he's after should have met him by now, or at least be standing where he can see her, and his native suspicion kicks in and without that extra range, mama won't get to eat turkey for Easter. If you can consistently call old gobblers in to within 20 yards, then you are fully entitled to walk around with a sign around your neck saying, "I AM A BETTER MAN THAN YOU ARE."

Life is full of hard decisions and for me, that's springtime when the turkeys start gobbling and the fish are biting at the pier. Lucky for me, I can't make a bad decision on this one.

Speaking of choices, have you ever noticed----when you have to make a choice between two things, with a 50% chance of one of the choices being correct, that whichever choice you finally make has a 90% chance of being wrong?

See y'all on the pier in about a month.

George, my (limited) short range turkey hunting successes can mostly be attributed to luck and persistence. Also, in my experience Rio Grande turkeys tend to be more likely than Eastern turkeys to come in to a call rather than hang up 50 or 60 yards out. Its not always the case, but I've certainly had more Rios at close range. The last 2 (might have been 1-7/8) oz load I shot through my old 12 ga separated the vent rib from the barrel. That was an expensive shot.

Poker night at the camp...
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...e2&oe=60544398

https://i.postimg.cc/bYsBPMsy/20210302-141635.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ironman172

https://i.postimg.cc/bYsBPMsy/20210302-141635.jpg

---

Out of a less than 6 lb. Single shot... In a single word-OUCH. Still better than not getting out there though.
If you're a rifle shooter 2 oz is equal to 875 grains. A very average 30-06 bullet is 150 grains though its moving a good bit faster. Just a little something to think about in terms of recoil.
As far as turkey loads go, thats a pretty decent price.

Just took the picture, I remembered someone was commenting , and surprised seeing the 3 boxes at this store in my travels..... I'll go out if I'm at the cabin to still hunt and listen, but usually on the gulf fishing for 1/2 our spring season .... my wife likes farm raised turkey :D
At least I don't need to buy a tag

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by fordguy

Out of a less than 6 lb. Single shot... In a single word-OUCH. Still better than not getting out there though.
If you're a rifle shooter 2 oz is equal to 875 grains. A very average 30-06 bullet is 150 grains though its moving a good bit faster. Just a little something to think about in terms of recoil.
As far as turkey loads go, thats a pretty decent price.

---

Here in Michigan the 410 trend is in full bloom. A 5-pack of the TSS in 410 is $38. Thankfully, my crossbow works just fine.

If turkey hunting has become so easy that a .410 is needed to keep things interesting, that's self-confidence.

On price of ammo, I may have to switch to morels. They never come no matter how well you call, but you can stalk to bayonet range.

Apparently Gainer had no issues...
https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net...60&oe=6080DA90
On FB, Ritchie Russel wrote:

Quote:

---

My friend John Gaines got it done at our camp in Carolina west of Andalusia!
Nice big ole bearded Turkey

---

If only the Octi were open, we could all hear that story from the Gainer several times....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by midwestexile

If turkey hunting has become so easy that a .410 is needed to keep things interesting, that's self-confidence.

On price of ammo, I may have to switch to morels. They never come no matter how well you call, but you can stalk to bayonet range.

---

Now a days with tss 9 shot you really aren't handicapping yourself much, if any with a .410. A .410 shell with 13/16 oz tss 9 shot has 295 pellets. Thats pretty close to the same number of pellets in a 1-3/4 oz 12 ga load of 5 shot. Its just a lot more pleasant to shoot. Much easier on the shoulder, harder on the wallet. 40 yard shots are possible either way.

Just this week my wife surprised me by asking (first time ever pushing hunting) if I could kill a wild turkey and how it would taste -- by archery. I expect she thinks it might be weeks (or years) before I emerged from the woods under those conditions.

Maybe the way it was prepared(wild) , but I prefer store bought turkey for eating..... now the hunt might be different thing .....

ironman, filet the breast strips about 1/2" thick, soak in buttermilk overnight, coat with seasoned flower and then fry...you will throw rocks at store bought turkey after you try it

I made turkey schnitzel last year with mine, it was incredible. I used Steven Rinella's recipe with a few modifications to suit my own personal tastes.

Guess I can blame it on the bride , almost that time again saw some scratching last trip down and up in the woods..... only good thing, I don't have to buy a license..... my SIL place would be the best, but then cheap me would need license & tags

One more day of turkey season and I'm wishing I had taken a page out of the haywire turkey hunting handbook. I had a big old tom hang up at 55 yards and the old remington nitro turkey isn't a load that I trust past 40 yards. A longer distance load would have been just the ticket. They surprised me while I was setting up my decoys. I had a hen decoy in my hands, hunched over and a live hen pops over the hill and comes in for a look. I kept the decoy between us and she focused on the decoy and ignored me. She marched up 10 feet out and putted angrily, and fluffed her feathers out like she was ready to fight. For a minute I wondered if I was going to have a turkey fight in my lap. The tom popped over the hill behind the hen and strutted back and forth across the hillside looking very pleased at the 2 hens about to fight over him. He completely ignored me, wearing my camo holding the hen decoy in my lap. When the hen gave up and left the tom followed her... One more day...