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C'mere, Gear!
NWTF's Experts Talk About the Best Equipment for Spring Turkey Hunting

Since You Asked...

To view a list of the questions we received that didn't quite fit under a designated topic, click here.

Q: What size shot is most used in hunting turkeys?
— Danny Brown, Jackson, S.C.
A: I don't know if anyone knows for sure which is the most popular size shot for hunting turkeys. Many states limit shot size for turkey hunting to only No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6. We do know that the most effective way to kill a turkey is to shoot it in the head and neck with relatively small shot at a range of 40 yards and under.

Research from the early `90s showed that No. 5 lead shot was likely the ideal compromise between pattern density and pellet energy. Smaller shot may have better patterns, but lack the necessary energy for good penetration as the range approaches 40 yards. Just the opposite is true with larger shot. Pellet energy may be more than sufficient, but there are fewer large shot in a given load and pattern density may be insufficient to hit the vital areas of the head and neck of a turkey.

New developments in shot shell technology may mean we need to re-think some of what we have learned, however. With the production of new, non-toxic but very dense, or heavier-than-lead, shot materials, smaller shot sizes may retain sufficient energy for a clean 40-yard killing shot while also providing excellent pattern density.

According to the folks at Federal Premium Ammunition, their new, No. 7 shot, which is made from non-toxic alloys that are 30 percent more dense than lead, retain as much downrange energy as No. 5 lead shot. I have patterned some of these loads and they are awesome! Because any shot shell can hold more No. 7 shot than No. 5, these new loads may be an excellent choice for those who prefer a 20-gauge shotgun for their turkey hunting, since 20-gauge shells typically hold far fewer shot than the larger gauge shells.

Not all states allow No. 7 shot, so be sure to check your state's regulations before you enter the field.

In any case, always pattern your shotgun at different ranges and with different shells and shot sizes and see for sure what gives the best pattern in your gun.
— Tom Hughes, NWTF director of research and outreach

Q: I live in Missouri and in the places I hunt I cross a lot of small creeks and open fields. The dew is really heavy at times the night before, which makes it impossible to keep my lower pants and boots dry. I am looking for a good rubber boot that's not too heavy but at the same time is tough and would keep out moisture at an affordable price. Any suggestions? Thanks!
— Jeremy Hunt, Bolivar, Mo.
A: I recommend Muck Boots for deer hunting during cold winters and for turkey hunting early in the spring season. Muck Boots cost about $100. Lacrosse makes a great rubber boot that is also reasonable in price. If you want to go on the low end, Wal-Mart sells black rubber boots that are cheap and fine for keeping you dry. The problem with them is they wear out and crack after three or four years, and if you intend to hunt all day with them and walk a lot, you may get blisters.
— Robert Abernethy, NWTF assistant vice president of agency and outreach programs

Q: In scouting and planning, having a really good aerial photo-map is imperative. Where can a turkey hunter find a good, high-definition aerial photo map at a reasonable price?
— Jerald Mayes, Deltona, Fla.
A: I did some internet searching and found two sites that provide high resolution aerial photos for purchase — www.mytopo.com and www.landvoyage.com.

Mytopo.com offers high-resolution aerial photos from 2003 and 2007, and carries some new photos from 2008. Prices range from $20.95 for a 18- by 24-inch laminated photo to $61.95 for a 36- by 48-inch laminated copy. Plain glossy copies are cheaper, ranging from $15 to $31.

Landvoyage.com also offers high-resolution aerial shots, but they did not list prices so you would need to contact the company directly for pricing. Landvoyage.com offers 1- to 2-meter resolution photos of Florida and even carry some 1-foot-resolution photos for specific areas of the state.

Outside of tracking down aerial photos through Web sites like these, I also have personally purchased 1- to 3-meter-resolution aerial photos from my county planning office. I'm not certain what year these photos were taken, but a non-laminated copy cost between $10 and $20.
— Brian Zielinski, NWTF director of conservation operations, Atlantic southeast region

Q: I'm always on the lookout for the "perfect" vest. In my case, the vest's construction would be reinforced at the points of strain, such as on the pocket corners and panel joints; have a water-proof seat that fastens "up and away" to the exterior of the vest AND has a sling system that works noiselessly; pockets enough for my box calls and thermos; a bird pouch; and some slim, tall vertical interior pockets to my decoy stakes. So, could the NWTF conduct and publish comprehensive product reviews?
— Mark Greene, Cincinnati, Ohio
A: The perfect vest? Here's what we could find among the 2010 vests here at headquarters.

	Reinforced	WP seat	Gun Sling	Pockets	Bird Pouch	Vert Stake Pocket
Mossy Oak Limbhanger	Y	Y	N	20	Y	Y
Hunters Specialties SUV	Y	Y	Y	18	Y	Y
Super Elite III	N	Y	N	18	Y	N
Ol' Tom Time & Motion	N	Y	Y	32	Y	N

Based on your criteria, the closest three vests would be the Hunters Specialties SUV, Mossy Oak Limbhanger and Ol' Tom Time & Motion vests. Each vest is missing at least one or more component(s) of your perfect vest criteria, so none are perfect, but close. You can find the Mossy Oak Limbhanger vest in our Turkey Shoppe and the other vests are available with at your local Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops or Academy Sports + Outdoors store.
— P.J. Perea, senior editor, Turkey Country magazine

Q: There are many CDs and a lot of info available on calling, but not much on finding turkey populations and promising locations. How do you find existing populations of wild turkeys?
— Al Salembier, Flagstaff, Ariz.
A: Al, thanks for the question. The most productive method for locating Merriam's wild turkey habitats and locations in the West is to scout as much as possible by foot and vehicle. Wild turkeys generally will use the same areas over and over, and often will use the same hillside for roosting repeatedly throughout the year.

You can combine your scouting trips with other recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, hiking and shed antler hunting. When you are out in the forest look for telltale signs of turkey use such as tracks, dropped feathers and droppings. Merriam's wild turkeys may shift their range from summer to winter so if you find birds in the winter consider they may not be there come hunting season. Some winter roost sites are thick with droppings under heavily used trees. However, during spring breeding season those birds will likely move back up a hill to meadows and riparian areas, or areas near rivers and streams. The farther you hike off a road, the more success you should have in finding undisturbed turkeys.

The most likely locations to find Merriam's wild turkeys include valleys and canyon bottoms were there is more moisture to provide green vegetation and bugs to feed upon. Water is important, but the native vegetation it supports is even more important. Look for wet meadows and areas with sufficient grass and forb cover.

The other key factor to keep in mind is snowfall. In some of the Southwest's more recent winters, the snowfall has been less than average and birds were able to stay in areas higher than they might have been able to in previous years. During this winter (2009-2010), snowfall has been closer to average or even above average in some areas.

Wild turkeys pushed out of the high country by heavy snowfall will, in the spring, follow the melt line to take advantage of green, newly emerged vegetation. Get to the snow melt line and follow it for some potentially great hunting. And remember that the snow line will be higher on southern-facing facing slopes and the snow pack will be lighter in areas receiving more sunlight and wind.

Click here to view NWTF's 2010 Spring Hunt Guide.

For a detailed hunting forecast for any state you're planning to hunt, courtesy of NWTF's regional biologists, click here.

Note: The detailed forecast is available to NWTF members only.
— Scott P. Lerich, NWTF senior regional biologist for Arizona

Q: I recently purchased a Mossberg Bantam 20-gauge shotgun for my 11-year-old son to go turkey hunting this spring. As you know, there are several different brands of choke tubes for turkey hunting. Could you steer me in a direction to purchase the best tube for this gun?
— Tim Lotz, Kenton, Ohio
A: I know you're excited about taking your boy turkey hunting this spring with his own gun. I would be, too!

There are so many great choke tubes out there for the 20 gauge that it's hard for me to point you to a specific tube. In addition, the effectiveness of the tube will vary depending on the firearm and shotgun shells you decide upon. So, saying that, when you decide on a tube, you'll want to pattern a variety of turkey loads through it at 30 yards and at 20 yards to find a combination that performs well out of that specific gun.

Here's what I'd suggest you look for when purchasing a choke tube for turkey hunting:

Buy a choke tube that is rated for alloy shot, not just lead. This will allow you flexibility in choosing a turkey load. It seems the most effective turkey loads are the "heavier-than-lead" alloys, such as Hevi-Shot/Hevi-13, Remington Wingmaster HD, Winchester Extended Range and Federal's Heavyweight.
Purchase an extended choke that is compensated (ports drilled or machined into the end), which helps control muzzle rise during the shot and also can reduce felt recoil.
Consider your preferred shot size when choosing a choke. If you're a fan of No. 6s, then a tighter constriction (.565-inches or tighter) is fine; if you're a fan of No. 5s or No. 4s, then you should choose one that's a little more open (say .575-.579). If you aren't sure, go with a middle-of-the-road constriction of about .575 or .570, so you can shoot larger shot if you want and still maintain a good pattern with smaller shot.

Here are some good chokes to consider:

I hope you and your son have a very successful spring and build a lot of great memories.
— Matt Lindler, editor, JAKES Magazine and NWTF photography director

Q: How do you feel about using a 20-gauge, shooting 3-inch mag. shells for turkey hunting? Is it enough gun under most circumstances?
— Ken McDougal, Vaiden, Miss.
A: Adult hunters wanting to carry a lighter shotgun or hunt turkeys with a smaller gauge often use 20-gauge shotguns. New turkey chokes and ammunition, including shotshells with buffered or denser-than-lead shot, enable hunters to ethically kill turkeys out to 40 yards. Even with a 12 gauge, it's important to wait for a clean head shot and not shoot the bird in its body. This is even more important with a 20 gauge. By hunting with 3-inch turkey loads and being selective in your shot, your ability to harvest gobblers with a 20 gauge is very realistic. Good luck and shoot straight!
— Luke D. Lewis, CWB, NWTF regional biologist for Mississippi

Q: I see a lot of after-market choke tubes that are very expensive. Are they really worth the price? Won't my turkey choke tube that came with my shotgun be enough?
— James Anderson, Sevierville, Tenn.
A: After-market choke tubes range greatly in price with some pretty good choke tubes such as the Hunters Specialties Undertaker or Primos Tightwad costing between $20 and $25 dollars, while some custom choke tubes such as Indian Creek and Pure Gold cost between $65 and $75, and others more than $100. Some gun, choke and ammunition combinations perform incredibly well with either factory or after-market choke tubes — others not as well.

My advice is this, if your shotgun performs well with the ammunition and factory choke combination you have now, stick with it. I like to carry a gun that shoots a semi-dense, but even, pattern in a 10-inch circle at 40 yards, the maximum ethical distance the National Wild Turkey Hunting Safety Task Force recommends. One of the most important aspects of ensuring a clean and ethical kill is knowing your equipment's capabilities. Pattern your shotgun with several turkey ammunition loads before hunting and you will know whether investing in an after-market choke is necessary.
— Brian Dowler, NWTF public relations manager

Q: I am wondering what kind of pot peg call you believe works best in cold or damp weather? I live in Minnesota and it gets pretty chilly here the first season and most of the calls I have seem not to work as well in colder weather than in the warmth. Any thoughts? Thanks!
— John Johnson, Oakdale, Minn.
A: John, cold shouldn't be as much of a problem as damp. A wet or damp slate or glass friction call combined with a wooden striker is virtually useless. When it's really wet outside, I usually leave my custom slate calls and wooden strikers at home. If your call and/or striker gets damp, rough them up with sand paper to improve your sound.

On some rainy days, it's nearly impossible to keep a call dry. That's when you need a metal- or synthetic-surfaced call combined with an aluminum, carbon or acrylic striker. Most combos will keep you yelping rain or shine. Years ago, box calls were a waste of time when they were wet, but nowadays a quick Internet search for a "waterproof box call" will turn up several choices.

If a slate or glass call or a wooden striker gets thoroughly soaked, it may never sound the same again so you'll want to make sure your calls are still functioning properly before you head to the hunting woods this season. I hope this helps. Good luck and be safe.
— Michael Turbyfill, NWTF public relations specialist

Q: Do heavier-than-lead alloy shotgun loads really make that much difference, in today's loads?
— Chris Brandes, Rockledge, Fla.
A: Nearly every ammunition manufacturer has a heavier-than-lead or tungsten-alloy line of shotgun loads that are popular for turkey hunting. The first advantage of these shells is their increased downrange energy when compared to lead. This means that when the shot strike a target or turkey they transfer a greater amount of energy than lead. This leads to better penetration, improved hydrostatic shock and thus, greater lethality. Also, the denser-than-lead nature of these alloys means smaller shot size can transfer about the same amount of energy, thus a No. 6 non-toxic, tungsten-alloy will transfer as much energy as a No. 4 traditional lead turkey load. Naturally, any 3-inch No. 6 shotgun shell has more pellets than any 3-inch No. 4 load, which should lead to a denser shot pattern and decrease the likelihood of a miss when shooting at a turkey.

Personally, I prefer a heavier-than-lead load when I'm in the turkey woods, but I have seen plenty of shotguns perform exceptionally well with lead loads. Find a shotgun/choke/shell combination that performs at a high level and stick with it. Having confidence in your turkey gun is essential.

Regardless of how well your shotgun performs, the maximum ethical distance we recommend when taking a shot at a wild turkey is 40 yards. Good luck and happy hunting.
— Matt Lindler, editor, JAKES Magazine and NWTF photography director