Getting ready for turkey season - Patterning your shotgun. In this three part series, we will look at what can be done now, to better prepare you for the upcoming turkey season. Pattern those pellets. You can be the world's best caller, an expert scout and have the opportunity to hunt on a parcel of land that is literally crawling with longbeards, but if you can't hit what you are aiming at it will all be for naught. Different shotguns shoot various shells better than others. The first step is to find the brand and size of shell, pellet size and ounce weight that best suits your gun. An easy way to accomplish this is to set up a target twenty yards away from a shooting bench with a steady rest. Shoot three shells from each brand and type you are trying out at the target. Count the number of pellets in the "kill zone" {neck and head of turkey silhouette target}. After shooting the three shells and counting the pellets in the kill zone, remove the target and label it with shell brand and type, along with the number of pellets in the kill zone. Clean your shotgun and go to the next type of shell. Continue this until you have found which shell shoots best out of your gun. The next step is to repeat this process using only the shell that you determined shot best. Shoot from the bench at targets set up at the following distances - ten, twenty, twenty five, thirty, thirty five and forty yards out. Many people disregard the advice to begin sighting in at ten yards, but in actuality, it is easier to kill a bird at twenty five yards than it is at ten yards. The reason behind this is that at this close of a distance, your pellet pattern is as tight as the size of a golf ball. Every year I have turkey hunters tell me that they could not believe that they missed a shot of twelve yards or under due to this. As you progressively set up new targets at range increases of five yards at a time, out to forty yards, you will get a better feel of the pellet pattern spread and your maximum successful harvest range. Another key component to successful harvesting a gobbler is your ability to gauge distance. One way to do this is to grab a handful of large rocks and throw them out in random distances and varying directions. Estimate the distance of each rock's location by eye and then check your accuracy with a range finder or tape measure. After a couple hour of doing this, you will begin to get a better read on gauging distances. Keeping it clean. A shotgun's worst enemy is moisture. Moisture causes corrosion {rust}, which can cause a build-up in your guns barrel. This will initially cause inaccuracy in your shot placement and could eventually cause a gun to misfire, which can result in injury or even death. You should take the same care of your shotgun as you do of your prized deer rifle. This includes proper cleaning, lubrication and storing of your gun. Summary: Patterning your shotgun should be the first step in preparation for turkey hunting every season. In part two of this series we will look at equipment for turkey season. Until then be safe and enjoy the great outdoors and always remember that our kids truly are our most precious natural resource. They are our future. See ya, Rob Any views expressed by third parties on this Website are solely those of the third party and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ol' Tom, its staff and associates. Ol' Tom, its staff and associates assume no responsibility for the accuracy of any statement made by a third party. |