I started turkey hunting with a 22 mag 2 years ago because I just prefer aiming a rifle at game as apposed to a shotgun. I still call from a blind and keep shots 60 yds. or less. WVA. allows rifles in spring and fall while my home state of Pa allows rifles in the fall only. Here is the question. I recently bought a Savage Bmag with a wood laminate stock and a sporter barrel which shoots quite well. Would the .17 Bmag be a better choice than the RAR 22 mag with a 40gr. jhp? Both rifles shoot very well with the RAR having a slight edge.
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profsrgary
I can only share one turkey experience with you regarding using the .22mag on a turkey. I called in a nice gobbler about twenty years ago and it stopped broadside to me at around twenty-five yards. I had a very accurate Marlin lever gun and I put the reticle just behind the wing and shot. The bird started running and then flew away. I was up on top of a mountain above my camp and watched the bird fly away. I looked for a couple of hours for the bird and couldn't find it. An hour or so after I quit looking I was walking an old logging road at the bottom of the mountain and found the bird laying there dead and it was at least 600 yards from where I shot it. They can set their wings and glide a long ways (so can a grouse shot with a shotgun). I found the bullet inside the bird and it had expanded nicely and tore up the internal organs. I couldn't believe how it actually ran and flew after I shot it. I've shot literally hundreds of woodchucks with the .22mag and it makes short work of them. I can't see how a .17cal would do any better based on the analysis of the bullet and internals of this one bird. My thoughts are that you can kill a turkey with either, but unless you break bones used to run or fly, you might be looking for the bird after the shot. Moral of the story: pick your shot better than I did....aim for the wing/body joint, neck, or backbone.
Rifle and turk = head and neck shots for me. If I miss, they go free, if I connect, they drop right there.
I've been known to shoot their head off with a 50 cal muzzleloader or a .243 :bthumb: ....either of your choices would be fine, I would use the gun I am BEST with. Shooting sticks are a must, I like the Primos Bi-Pods.
DR
I've been known to shoot their head off with a 50 cal muzzleloader or a .243 :bthumb: ....either of your choices would be fine, I would use the gun I am BEST with. Shooting sticks are a must, I like the Primos Bi-Pods.
DR
I've killed turkeys with 22 LR, 22 WMR and 17 HMR, but never a WSM. I've never had one run off or fly off with the LR, WMR or the HMR. Those that have been killed were just in the wrong place at the wrong time during season while I happened to be hunting something else or working on the farm. I don't prefer any of them to a 12 gauge, but that's mainly due to the blast and recoil, both of which I truly enjoy when turkey hunting.
early season.
This year the season opened the day after Easter in WVA. The birds had not even started mating yet. Last year they were henned up. The season opened the last week of April. Still not too receptive to the call. Absolutely no foliage for cover the first week this year so the 22 mag gives me a little more range since they can see you from a farther distance with the early season. I use a 40 gr.jhp. My buddy shot his this year with a 30 gr v-max. I was just wondering if the 17 wsm with a 20 gr bullet would be to light for a shot into the wing butt or if the extra velocity would give me a quicker kill. I generally call from a blind but when the leaves come on the trees and the hens go down the 3+1/2" 12 ga. is my gun of choice. I love my rar 22 mag but my new Bmag with the wood stock is quickly becoming a favorite of mine.
This year the season opened the day after Easter in WVA. The birds had not even started mating yet. Last year they were henned up. The season opened the last week of April. Still not too receptive to the call. Absolutely no foliage for cover the first week this year so the 22 mag gives me a little more range since they can see you from a farther distance with the early season. I use a 40 gr.jhp. My buddy shot his this year with a 30 gr v-max. I was just wondering if the 17 wsm with a 20 gr bullet would be to light for a shot into the wing butt or if the extra velocity would give me a quicker kill. I generally call from a blind but when the leaves come on the trees and the hens go down the 3+1/2" 12 ga. is my gun of choice. I love my rar 22 mag but my new Bmag with the wood stock is quickly becoming a favorite of mine.
Turkeys with rifle
The .22 Mag with 40 grain Win HP ammo will be the best set up.
The folks who talk headshots of turkeys have not simply not killed many turkeys in my opinion. Turkeys heads move constantly. To say that you kill or miss is not remotely factual. Beaks could be shot off, grazing head wounds will often be fatal, throat wounds would often be fatal as well. You might kill a few but it is far from a certain way to secure dinner.
I suggest you really cut a turkey up and observe its odd anatomy. Or find a cross sectioned one in a book. Remember that a turkey has two ways to escape unlike a mammal. To fly the bird must have legs to jump off the ground. It cannot raise itself by wings alone.
A .22 mag will kill a turkey from any angle. Just need to know the anatomy. A bird facing you should be shot in the V of the wishbone near the base of the V. Strutting birds facing away require a great deal of 3 D knowledge. Basically you need to hit the spine between the wings center which you cannot see. . A quartering away bird can be killed with a 22 mag with the Win 40 grain load. Just shoot the top of the thigh bone with bullet ranging up toward the front edge of the wing on the opposite side. If broadside, shoot the point the wing enters the body. All points are relative to the actual position of the bird. It is about directing the bullet to the important parts inside not the outside aiming point but that is hard to convey. The large conspicuous breast is non vital tissue. That is 2/3 of the bird.
The kill zone on a turkey is about 2.5" x 10" x 5" or about the size of a medium but thick book.
RTH
A bird without use of its legs cannot get airborne but a bird without wings can still run off.
I suggest keeping your shots to ranges 100 yards and under until you have some experience and confidence. Then you can move out to 150 yards if you have a very accurate rifle. Beyond that is energy is getting low and results become uncertain.
The .22 Mag with 40 grain Win HP ammo will be the best set up.
The folks who talk headshots of turkeys have not simply not killed many turkeys in my opinion. Turkeys heads move constantly. To say that you kill or miss is not remotely factual. Beaks could be shot off, grazing head wounds will often be fatal, throat wounds would often be fatal as well. You might kill a few but it is far from a certain way to secure dinner.
I suggest you really cut a turkey up and observe its odd anatomy. Or find a cross sectioned one in a book. Remember that a turkey has two ways to escape unlike a mammal. To fly the bird must have legs to jump off the ground. It cannot raise itself by wings alone.
A .22 mag will kill a turkey from any angle. Just need to know the anatomy. A bird facing you should be shot in the V of the wishbone near the base of the V. Strutting birds facing away require a great deal of 3 D knowledge. Basically you need to hit the spine between the wings center which you cannot see. . A quartering away bird can be killed with a 22 mag with the Win 40 grain load. Just shoot the top of the thigh bone with bullet ranging up toward the front edge of the wing on the opposite side. If broadside, shoot the point the wing enters the body. All points are relative to the actual position of the bird. It is about directing the bullet to the important parts inside not the outside aiming point but that is hard to convey. The large conspicuous breast is non vital tissue. That is 2/3 of the bird.
The kill zone on a turkey is about 2.5" x 10" x 5" or about the size of a medium but thick book.
RTH
A bird without use of its legs cannot get airborne but a bird without wings can still run off.
I suggest keeping your shots to ranges 100 yards and under until you have some experience and confidence. Then you can move out to 150 yards if you have a very accurate rifle. Beyond that is energy is getting low and results become uncertain.
Thanks for the info. As I said I am new to rifle hunting turkeys. I have been looking at the anatomy of turkeys and it appears that shot placement on a turkey is totally opposite of deer. It appears unlike deer hunting were I try to keep the hit low, especially when bow hunting, Shot placement should be high. If you aim for the spine/hip area and miss high you might get a few feathers but the bird will have a good chance of survival. As for as distance of shots I plan on keeping my shots 60 yds or less as I prefer calling from a blind as opposed to stalking. Thanks again, Much appreciated,Gary
Shotguns only here. A size limit on shot as I recall but it has been years since I missed one.
Turkey`s are tough
Quite a few years ago I shot two full grown turkey`s with my little 121 Remington and Federal short hollow points. Both ran about twenty yards and were dead. I love to shoot them with either a recurve or especially a long bow. A few years ago I stuck a nice Tom from about 7 yards with a Black Widow recurve. It had about as much arrow protruding from front and back, with entry point right below the beard. He jumped in the air about 15 feet and then took off across my pasture with the arrow clearly in sight as he flew off. You can just imagine what I was thinking when he landed about 150 yards away and I lost sight of him. When I went to look for him, he was dead right there. With the Remington the distance was like 23 yards or so, and it was a side shot on both. Be patient and shoot them facing you and aim for where the beard comes out and I think you`ll be happy with the results. From the side they can be very tough. A .22 magnum should be more than enough at short range. Just remember to be patient, their curiosity always gets them in trouble. If they are used to an area, something as simple as a soccer ball that wasn`t there yesterday will lure them right in. One time my wife and I watched a Tom fight with it`s own image on the front bumper of my pickup for about 45 minutes. Smart they are not.
Quite a few years ago I shot two full grown turkey`s with my little 121 Remington and Federal short hollow points. Both ran about twenty yards and were dead. I love to shoot them with either a recurve or especially a long bow. A few years ago I stuck a nice Tom from about 7 yards with a Black Widow recurve. It had about as much arrow protruding from front and back, with entry point right below the beard. He jumped in the air about 15 feet and then took off across my pasture with the arrow clearly in sight as he flew off. You can just imagine what I was thinking when he landed about 150 yards away and I lost sight of him. When I went to look for him, he was dead right there. With the Remington the distance was like 23 yards or so, and it was a side shot on both. Be patient and shoot them facing you and aim for where the beard comes out and I think you`ll be happy with the results. From the side they can be very tough. A .22 magnum should be more than enough at short range. Just remember to be patient, their curiosity always gets them in trouble. If they are used to an area, something as simple as a soccer ball that wasn`t there yesterday will lure them right in. One time my wife and I watched a Tom fight with it`s own image on the front bumper of my pickup for about 45 minutes. Smart they are not.
WV Turkey Hunter Here
I've never used a shotgun for turkey before.....22 Mag is my choice. The Rem PSP 40, Rem 40gr HP, Federal 50gr HP, and Win Supreme 34gr(obsolete) are my favorite bullets. Some like my father prefer center fires, I like the challenge of knowing i need to keep it under 80 yds, but then again he doesn't use a call. I have never lost a turkey with the .22 Mag...that said i would not try to use some of the faster/lighter varmint bullets like the 30gr TNT, i would stick with the 40gr PSP or HP's. Turkeys are tough but a well placed good bullet from the 22 Mag will do the job.
I've never used a shotgun for turkey before.....22 Mag is my choice. The Rem PSP 40, Rem 40gr HP, Federal 50gr HP, and Win Supreme 34gr(obsolete) are my favorite bullets. Some like my father prefer center fires, I like the challenge of knowing i need to keep it under 80 yds, but then again he doesn't use a call. I have never lost a turkey with the .22 Mag...that said i would not try to use some of the faster/lighter varmint bullets like the 30gr TNT, i would stick with the 40gr PSP or HP's. Turkeys are tough but a well placed good bullet from the 22 Mag will do the job.
Attachments
I wish a 22wmr was legal to hunt turkeys in my state . I'd start back hunting them . As folks age it's hard to handle the recoil of shooting shotguns especially a 12 gauge .
Kirby
Kirby
I realize the OP was asking about 22 mag info. However, for turkey hunting in rifle states I would think the ideal round would be 22 Hornet, K Hornet or even Hornady 17 Hornet.
Some major, great gun writer, years ago said the hornet was the perfect turkey gun and I really think he was right.......
Just an old guy thinking out loud.....
________________________________________
Single shot shooters only shoot once
Bruce A. Hering
Program Coordinator/Lead Instructor
Shotgun Team Coach
Southeastern Illinois College
SCTP Collegiate Coaches Chairman
NSCA Level III
Some major, great gun writer, years ago said the hornet was the perfect turkey gun and I really think he was right.......
Just an old guy thinking out loud.....
________________________________________
Single shot shooters only shoot once
Bruce A. Hering
Program Coordinator/Lead Instructor
Shotgun Team Coach
Southeastern Illinois College
SCTP Collegiate Coaches Chairman
NSCA Level III
Turkey season is on....in North Idaho
Growing up in Central FL in the late 50's I hunted the Eastern end of Green Swamp (now Disney World and surrounding area) and we used to spot turkeys heading to a tall live oak to roost for the night and we'd be there early in the morning when they dropped back down to the ground. I killed them with a Remington 514 shooting the black box Sears hollow points which I think were actually Winchesters. Base of the neck thru the spine always worked well and only ever lost one bird...to an alligator.
Just bought a Stevens single shot 410 with the screw-in full choke. I read how well they work with the $5 each TTS #9 shot. I patterned the gun with 3" lead #7 1/2's and #6 and found they both patterned well so I set my limit to 30 yds and waited for Fall season to begin. 1st tag went on a 12 lb hen at 27 long steps. She was DOA of the shot...couple kicks and flaps and that was it. #2 Son borrowed the gun and has killed 2 more with 7 1/2's both under 30 yds. We're both happy with the performance of the gun and lead shot. I think I lost custody of the gun so I may go back to the old 514P with the peep sight...it kills too.
Growing up in Central FL in the late 50's I hunted the Eastern end of Green Swamp (now Disney World and surrounding area) and we used to spot turkeys heading to a tall live oak to roost for the night and we'd be there early in the morning when they dropped back down to the ground. I killed them with a Remington 514 shooting the black box Sears hollow points which I think were actually Winchesters. Base of the neck thru the spine always worked well and only ever lost one bird...to an alligator.
Just bought a Stevens single shot 410 with the screw-in full choke. I read how well they work with the $5 each TTS #9 shot. I patterned the gun with 3" lead #7 1/2's and #6 and found they both patterned well so I set my limit to 30 yds and waited for Fall season to begin. 1st tag went on a 12 lb hen at 27 long steps. She was DOA of the shot...couple kicks and flaps and that was it. #2 Son borrowed the gun and has killed 2 more with 7 1/2's both under 30 yds. We're both happy with the performance of the gun and lead shot. I think I lost custody of the gun so I may go back to the old 514P with the peep sight...it kills too.
Not yet legal in my area, however, I have thought about rifle for turkey. When squirrel hunting I have encountered some and like to put the scope on them and watch and think about how it might be fun to take one with a rifle. My thoughts were that the Fed 50 grain would be an ideal 22 mag round for them.
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