Longest killing shot on a Turkey with a shotgun?

39 steps.

Turkey in flight.

Super X Model 1, with Nu-Line external knurled choke [.710], using my reloads of 1 3/8 oz of #5 Copper-Plated Hard Shot, and "buffer".

Not much head left...I was focused on leading most part of head. No pellets in neck, or body.

One was 24 steps (3" 12 gauge 870 with WW shells)

One was 13 steps (10 gauge, #6 Hevi-Shot)

I did talk to one guy that got a jake at about 60 yards with a 10 gauge.

My wife killed one a couple years ago at 55 steps. She was using my 870 with a 29 inch tube and a remington extra full choke. The one that is knurled and extends about 1/2 inch.

She was using 3 inch remington duplex loads of 5 and 6 shot.

turkey broke out of the woods coming to my call - and she pulled the trigger and the bird was DRT!

An acquaintance claimed either 72 or 82 yards or steps (fuzzy memory on my part). This was years ago with a then-new Mossberg 3.5" 12 ga.

58 yards, laser confirmed. Winchester 3.5" #4 out of a Rem 11-87.

GD

Just my two-cents... when you get out above 40 to 50 yards, you are taking some of the sport out of turkey hunting. They might as well legalize muzzleloaders all season. Part of the challenge, to me at least, is to get the turkey to come in close. I've only been turkey hunting for the past five years, and I've killed six birds in that time. The longest shot at which I've put a bird down is 25 yards or so.

I have taken a long shot on a turkey that got away. Hunting near open pasture, I took a shot out into the pasture that I estimated at about 40 yards. When I stepped it off (after the gobbler had flown away), it was more like 60, and all my shot had gone low. Open perspectives like that can fool you.

I feel shooting Turkeys with a rifle would be more sporting than a shotgun. Nothing like taking one at 100-200 yards.

i gotta agree with guyon.
bird i took yesterday was inside 30, year before was pushing 40 but i don't think i've gone up farther than that.

Talking about the "longest shot" is bad form. :banghead:

How about the "shortest shot"?

Shortest: 7 yards. Couldn't believe the little beast kept coming in. Most turkeys are smarter than that; I'm not that good a caller nor that well camoflaged.

Longest: 40 yards (paced, not laser-ranged). Couldn't get the little beast to come in, and he'd been mocking me for a hour, just circling. I've patterned for out to 50, but I don't think I'd try it.

This last weekend, I had a flock of turkeys in front of me that weren't coming any closer after more than two hours. I had two gobblers strutting that would have gone 20+ pounds at 45 yards, and a jake that was broadside with its head up at a little under 40 yards. I took the five yards and the jake, and I don't regret it one bit.

...and before anyone questions the "20+ pounds" part, It seems the hybrids we have here in much of Nebraska easily get that big if they get past their second year. In fact, the last five birds my cousin has shot were all over 20 pounds, weighed on a digital fish scale. His bird this year was 21 3/4 pounds.

We really don't get birds that big because we are any better than the average turkey hunter, but because of genetics, diet, and low hunting pressure. When the spurs are sharp enough to draw blood while carrying the bird, you probably have a three year old, and he is going to be a butterball.

Yeah, I've always heard the midwestern birds get to be fatties because of diet. That seems to hold up pretty well when you look at the top 30 or so birds in the NWTF records. Lots of Iowa birds there. Was a little surprised to see the top two came from Oregon, however.

I've also heard/read that the longest beards occur in swampier areas because the soft ground doesn't wear down the beards as quickly as rockier terrain. Not sure how to read the top 30 or so beards in relation to this claim. Eastern bird dominate this category (only one in the top 30 is not an Eastern--a Rio at #29), and most come from Southeastern states.

Interesting note about turkey records (scored with a formula based on weight, beard length, and spur length)...

The #1 scored turkey is not at the top in any one single category, but the aggregate score is what put it at #1. It's best individual category is spur length (#7). Of course, it helped that the bird had 8 beards. That seems to be what put it over the top.

Hunter's Name: JOHN E. FRYATT
Home State: WI
Species: Eastern (A-Typical)
Harvest Date: Apr 19, 1989
Harvest Location: RICHLAND, WI, USA
Total Score: 194.0000 #1*
Longest Beard: 11.8750" #16*
Beard Total: 70.8750"
Number of Beards: 8
Longest Spur: 1.5000" #7*
Other Spur: 1.5000"
Weight: 22.2500 lbs. #92*
Method of Take: M Firearm
Calls Used: Box, M Diaphragm

As for the top typical bird, it does have an individual #1 as well as an individual #5.

Hunter's Name: JAMES E. LEWIS
Home State: KY
Species: Eastern (Typical)
Harvest Date: Apr 22, 1999
Harvest Location: FRANKLIN, KY, USA
Total Score: 104.8125 #1*
Longest Beard: 13.7500" #33*
Number of Beards: 1
Longest Spur: 2.2500" #1*
Other Spur: 2.1250"
Weight: 33.5625 lbs. #5*
Method of Take: M Firearm
Calls Used: Slate, M Diaphragm

So if you want to take the top of the record books, you're going to have to find a bird with multiple beards. I've shot a double bearded and a triple bearded, but never even seen one with more than three beards.

Scoring a turkey...

from http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkeys/how_to_score.html

Before you begin to score your turkey, be sure to note that all measurements are taken in 1/16-inch increments and converted to decimal form. A current NWTF member or another licensed hunter from the state where the bird was harvested must verify all measurements.

Step 1: Weigh your bird in pounds and ounces and convert ounces to decimal form. Click here for conversion chart.

Step 2: Measure each spur. Spurs must be measured along the outside center, from the point at which the spur protrudes from the scaled leg skin to the tip of the spur. Add both spur measurements and multiply the combined length of the spurs by 10. This is the number of points you receive for the turkey’s spurs.

Step 3: Measure the beard length (a beard must be measured from the center point of the protrusion of the skin to the tip) and convert it to decimal form. Click here for conversion chart.

Next, multiply the beard length figure by 2; this is the number of points you receive for the beard length. If you have an atypical bird (multiple beards), measure each beard, convert them to a decimal number, then add those figures together and multiply by two. This is the number of points you receive for your turkey’s beards.


Step 4: Add together the weight, the points for spurs and points for beard(s): This is the score you receive for your turkey.

Click to expand...

Shot one running away after taking a couple pellets from first hit at 35 yards, the fold up shot was pushing 200 feet with 10 ga 3.5 inch 2 1/4 oz #4 plated shot from a BPS with 30 inch barrel and a full tube.

i wouldve hit that one at 100 yrds with my mossberg but my nose grew too long before i could take the shot

Not my longest shot, but my best shot on a turkey was at about 15 yards, as he was winging away from me. Bird popped up onto a road and saw me crouched and ready to shoot (I knew he was coming up the hill). He took off, and I treated his head like a quail. Popped him at about 15 yards and he crumbled on the other side of the road.

Longest

longest shot was about 50-55 yds, shortest was about 5-6 yards. I dont like 'em that close.
Chris

Longest: 30 yards
Closest: 30 yards
Total bagged: 1
Hunted 1 season, but not my thing, I guess.

Longest shot: 38 paces.

Also my only shot. I'm not much of a turkey hunter, but I had an excellent guide, Allen Williams of Dos Plumas Ranch near Abilene.

+1 for rifles and handguns for turkeys.

OK, new one. Just a couple hours ago (5-5-07, 11am EST). Remington SP-10, 2 oz of #5 Hevi-Shot. 54 steps. DRT. 24#, 1" spurs, 10 1/2" beard.

Knew I got that 10 gauge for a reason.

edit to add...I've patterned this combo to 50 yards and knew it was good.

Kentucky does not allow the use of rifles or handguns in hunting turkey. Shotguns, muzzleloading shotguns, bows, and crossbows are all legal.

Redneck 2: Welcome another 10ga convert! Try it on waterfowl next!