Although wild turkeys have been killed with many gauges of shotguns and pellet sizes, guide Clark Purvis said hunters can maximize their chances with a firearm specifically set up for gobblers.
“I like 12-gauge shotguns, but I think that’s the only thing I have in common with most turkey hunters,” he said.
Sixty-five or 70 yards might seem like extreme ranges for a scattergun, but Purvis said his 12-gauge should kill a turkey at that distance, if aimed at the bird’s neck and head.
His shotguns are deadly at long distances because Purvis uses a Powder Master or Pure Gold choke that produces a tight shot pattern.
“I also don’t shoot factory turkey loads,” he said. “I use No. 5 shot (for a denser pattern).”
Purvis recommended extra steps to make sure a turkey gun is as lethal as possible.
“A mistake a lot of guys make is they buy equipment, then don’t shoot their gun to find out what type of pattern it’s throwing,” he said. “You need to spend the time and stick to that same (load) so you’ll know the gun’s pattern.
When Purvis sets up decoys while hunting, he places them 40 yards from his hiding place.
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