# Turkey gear...?



## byuduckhunter (Dec 2, 2008)

My brother-in-laws and I are going to head up to eastern Washington next spring to go after some turkeys. I have never been turkey hunting so I am wondering what is the most important gear to have. I have about $100-$150 to spend so I am wondering what the priorities are. I have an 870 and I know I will need a new choke (I have a mod right now) and am wondering which choke and loads would work best. Also, what about calls (slate, box, diaghragm?...or all), decoys (how important are they and what is the best setup?), vest, etc. Any help is greatly appreciated! 
Also, has anyone hunted turkeys in washington?


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## InvaderZim (Sep 7, 2007)

My comments/recommendations are in red:



byuduckhunter said:


> My brother-in-laws and I are going to head up to eastern Washington next spring to go after some turkeys. I have never been turkey hunting so I am wondering what is the most important gear to have. I have about $100-$150 to spend so I am wondering what the priorities are. I have an 870 and I know I will need a new choke (I have a mod right now) and am wondering which choke (any brand will do...just make sure you get an extra full made for turkey hunting) and loads (3" #6 shot...good load, very basic, any brand) would work best. Also, what about calls (slate, box, diaghragm?...or all) (you can get yourself a slate call for cheap...they are the easiest, but a diaphragm is best...but harder to master), decoys (how important are they and what is the best setup?) (not the most important...any type will do. These are turkeys...they're not picky), vest (get Camo'ed HEAD to TOE...and here's the most important thing.....DO NOT MOVE!!!), etc. Any help is greatly appreciated!
> Also, has anyone hunted turkeys in washington?


Just remember fancy gimmicks take money out of yer pocket...they don't always put game in your vest!

And fer god sakes...don't move a muscle!


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## Jonny Utah (Jul 4, 2008)

If you did'nt miss it, they had B- Mobiles at Payson Sports for $38!


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

1. Pattern your gun!

2. Be patient.

3. Sit in the shadows when you can.

4. If he's comin', shut your mouth.

5. DON'T move!

6. Get his head up and Shoot him in the lips.

7. Get to Tex-o-bobs shop asap so I can mount him for ya! :wink:


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## InvaderZim (Sep 7, 2007)

Jonny Utah said:


> If you did'nt miss it, they had B- Mobiles at Payson Sports for $38!


B -mobile Baby!

Thats a serious good price!


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

The other guys pretty well have it covered but I would like to put my 2 cents worth in. keep it simple! Either a box call, push button call or a slate type are great and easy to master. Oh, did Tex say don't move...believe him...don't move! Camo up good, face and hands especially. Now, about that fancy b-mobile decoy...way overkill, and dangerous! If you use one, tie a florescent ribbon around it's neck, and hide up well with your back to a solid object. One other thing...shoot him right where the neck connects to the body..."lip" shots are killing but most people tend to shoot over the top of the birds so if you shoot for the base of the neck, your kill ratio will go way up. Oh, did I say don't move! 
I have hunted Eastern WA for years...what do ya want to know?


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

> shoot him right where the neck connects to the body..."lip" shots are killing but most people tend to shoot over the top of the birds


I will both agree and disagree with BP on this one.

I will agree that you will have a higher "kill" ratio when you aim a little closer to the feather line in the neck. But gosh-darnit! That just wrecks all those feathers in the neck and chest area! I'm a taxidermist and when I get a turkey that's been hammered up front like that it just makes for a poor mount. Everyone wants a strutting bird and in that pose those feathers are front and center. If they're gone or shot all to hell, it just makes for a crappy looking bird. :x

BP is right, it can be a mistake is to aim for the birds eyeball and pull the trigger. That is why my number ONE (1) UNO suggestion on the list was to pattern your shotgun! Find out where that turkey load with that tight choke is hitting with the sight picture you're acquiring while aiming. Most shotguns are built to shoot a little high. With magnum loads and a tight choke, the chances of shooting high are even better. That's why so many guys will actually miss a turkey when he's right in their lap. (I've seen this happen more than once.) They aim for the eyeball and cut er loose. But without having patterned their gun they often times send that tennis ball sized cloud of shot right over his noggin. :lol:


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## hunter_orange13 (Oct 11, 2008)

camo

i went to washington for thanksgiving. saw some turkeys just sitting of the road in the mtns. while looking for a place to take pics. these are a friends pics, not mine.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

byuduckhunter said:


> I am wondering what is the most important gear to have. I have about $100-$150 to spend so I am wondering what the priorities are. I have an 870 and I know I will need a new choke (I have a mod right now) and am wondering which choke and loads would work best. Also, what about calls (slate, box, diaghragm?...or all), decoys (how important are they and what is the best setup?), vest, etc. Any help is greatly appreciated!
> Also, has anyone hunted turkeys in washington?


Here's a couple more 2 cents worth...

1) Choke...full or one of the "turkey" chokes
2) Vest... don't worry about a pocket for each and everything you take. My favorite vest has slanted pockets that are big and deep for my hands and then a big deep pocket along each side for the other stuff...that include: (A) 6 extra shells (never used them but always feel better with them in the pocket) (B) one or two calls of your choice (C) A GOOD pair of pruning shears...this is one of the most important things you'll carry! Clearing out that spot to sit, snipping that one branch that is right in the way of a clean shot...etc...just don't forget your shears! (D) water bottle and other personal comfort stuff...Oh...lots of ticks in the Northwest, so don't forget the tick spray.

3) Remember, turkey hunting is not about "gear", it's about common ordinary hunting and woodsmanship. You can always tell a rookie, he's the one that can outfit a Cabellas store with the stuff in his vest.

4) Here's my take on decoys...I do carry and use them (I like the blow up jobs) and I think they do help sometimes, just don't think that they will always work and if they don't work you must have made a bad setup or something. I think decoys work MOST OF THE TIME because they have been placed in an area where turkeys would normally come anyway! Guys almost always put decoys out in an area that they saw turkeys before and the birds just wonder by. The decoys will sometimes bring the birds in close enough for a shot, but prior hunting and scouting is still the key.


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

All those guys comments were spot on!

I use a Star-dot ported X-Full tube with 3 ½” Winchester Supreme #5 turkey loads in my 870 Super Mag. It’s my dedicated turkey rig; I can shoot his head off at 20 yards with if I do my part. Yes you can get a turkey too close to kill. :lol: 

Patterning your rig will get expensive unless you know someone with a lot of different chokes and loads that will let you borrow them to test.

I use all the calls you listed, but a slate is easiest for a beginner to use.

Always remember Movement is the key, you move the turkey will see it.

Final item I will touch on is safety, you can't be to careful out there, their are some real idiots out on the turkey hunts.


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## north slope (Sep 8, 2007)

I think I will kill my turkey this year with a bow and arrow just for B.P. B.P always hunts with a bow, especially turkey hunts. :wink:


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

I am stayin over here, those guys over on the Big Game board hate me tonight. You really going to shoot a turkey with a bow and arrow? One time I was hunting turkeys up in Washington and a couple of fat jakes came hustling by so I layed one low. Wasn't but two minutes later a guys comes huffin and puffing up to me, all decked out in buck skins and leather moccasins, carrying a straight bow about 5 feet long, clearly hand made. We talked for a few minutes and he ask if he could have one of the wings cause he uses the feathers to fletch the arrows he makes. He had been chasing those jakes for a while before they made their way over to me and he seemed as fit as the birds. I think of the young man every time I see a jake running. He was a special kind of guy and a special kind of hunter! I wish to this day that those birds hadn't came so close, I would have loved to have just sat back and watched him make that hunt. Good luck on your turkey bow hunt N/S.


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## north slope (Sep 8, 2007)

I killed a jake with my bow one year in California but I still have not killed a tom with my bow. I guess first I have to draw a tag in this great state we live in. I am not committed to kill one with my bow though, I will run and gun with my shotgun if needed.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Turkeys are birds, you kill birds with a shotgun... :wink:


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## north slope (Sep 8, 2007)

Go back elk hunting and don't come home until you have two in the truck. :?


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

We _should_ still be up there. :?


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