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South
Dakota Pheasant Hunting at its finest!
7
Tips for Pattern Perfection
Courtesy
of the National Wild Turkey Federation
Every
year, more than three million hunters flock to the hardwoods, bottomlands,
rolling hills, pine forests and numerous other landscapes in pursuit of
the wild turkey. And, every year, some of them walk out of the hunt with
a hollow feeling of disgust, because they missed their turkey.
Though there's nothing
these folks can do about the past, they can do something to keep from missing
their shot in the future. Being prepared, knowing their firearms, and spending
a little time on the shooting range can, and will, remedy shooting problems
that have humbled many turkey hunters.
Knowing how your
shotgun patterns is only part of the equation to having a successful turkey
hunt, said National Wild Turkey Federation CEO Rob Keck. But it is a very
important part. Practicing the shot before the season will leave you confident
with your shooting abilities, and you'll be able to focus on other important
parts of the hunt.
This year, try these
helpful hints from the experts at the NWTF to help make sure the next time
the opportunity presents itself, you walk out of the woods with a turkey
over your shoulder.
1. Does size matter?
When
choosing a shotgun for turkey hunting, choose a gun that's comfortable
to shoot and one that you have confidence in. Shooting magnum turkey load
can lead to a bad case of the flinches. More than one longbeard has lived
to gobble another day because of the flinches.
2.
Chokes and such
A
key element to a good turkey gun is a good turkey choke. A turkey choke
has more constriction than a Full choke, and are often labeled Extra Full
or XX Full. Tighter chokes are designed for smaller pellets such as No.
6 or No. 5 shot. The more open constrictions are better suited for larger
pellets such as No. 4s.
Can you have too
much constriction? Yes, you can. Depending on your gun and the ammunition
you've selected, you can over-constrict the shot to the point where the
pattern diminishes. It is possible for the pellets to bounce off each other
or become deformed, leaving large holes in your pattern. The solution for
this is to go to a more open constriction or to a smaller shot size.
3. Ammunition
The
ammunition you choose can drastically affect your pattern. Each gun-choke
combination will shoot a specific round better than the others. The only
way to determine which it likes, is to shoot a variety of ammunition. Vary
your shot sizes and brands from several distances and stick with the one
that gives you the most consistent pattern.
4. What's in a pattern?
The
ideal pattern for turkey hunting is 100 pellets in a 10-inch circle at
40 yards. This density means that there should be plenty of pellets in
the small vital area of the turkey's head and neck to kill it ethically.
If you prefer No.
6 turkey loads (approx. 222 pellets/oz.), then a two-ounce load of No.
6s should pattern about 25 percent of its shot in the 10-inch circle. Two
ounces of No. 5s (approx. 171 pellets/oz.) should give you a pattern of
about 30 percent. Two ounces of No. 4s (approx. 135 pellets/oz.) should
result in a 37 percent pattern. These numbers are based on lead pellets,
so heavier-than-lead alloy pellets will have fewer pellets per ounce and
the percentage will differ slightly.
5. What's so magical
about 40 yards?
Turkey
guns are often patterned at 40 yards because that is the maximum distance
promoted by the Turkey Hunting Safety Task Force as the proper range to
ethically and cleanly kill a turkey with a shotgun. However, knowing how
your shotgun patterns at distances less than 40 yards is also very important.
6. Dial it in
Initial
pattern tests should be on a 30-inch target. Sheets of butcher paper or
craft paper work great. Draw a small two-inch circle in the middle and
color it in with a marker, then draw a 10-inch circle centered on that.
Pace off 40 yards or use a laser range finder to mark your distance. Use
a shooting brace/bench to reduce human error and shoot a single round at
each target. Shoot a few different types of ammo through different choke
tubes, record the information and then compare the results. Pick the round
that gives you the densest pattern.
Using the NWTF's
patterning targets http://turkey-shoppe.nwtf.org/product251.html
the official target of the Outdoor Connection Inc., World Wild Turkey Still
Target Championships also allows you to make sure your pattern is perfect
by practicing on realistic turkey targets.
7. Be ready to shoot
After
a few trips to the range, you'll have the confidence that your gun can
produce the needed results when a gobbler struts to within 40 yards.
For more hunting
and land management tips from the NWTF, visit http://www.nwtf.org
or call 1-800-THE-NWTF |
