22's an turkey's?????????

[meat eater]

Do many people go turkey hunting with there .22's? I'll be taking the 12 gauge but what do u think is a good shot# to take? I have a good assortment of #'s just curious as to the norm. as alway's any reply is appreciated!! but mostly just curious about the .22's we usually head shoot grouse so i'm just wondering if guy's do the same with turkey's.

[Gateholio]

A .22 bullet will penetrate a hogs skull, so the cartridge is capable. Rest is up to tthe gun and the shooter....

[Ddog]

yup,,dont listen to anyone that say it wont penetrate, thats just BS, 5 years in a row killed a turkey one shot, drop. neck or head. I also know of lots of others that use the same 22 for turkeys and have never lost one.

[BillBraskii]

.22's bounce off turkeys......
Hopefully huntwriter will chime in,
IRC I think he saw it happen:mrgreen:

[OutWest]

They penetration is not the problem. I've recovered birds in the past that have been shot by guys using .22s after the bird took flight jumping off the hillside. Not to mention the obvious danger when other hunters can be in such close proximity.

[Eatmeat]

Oh! thats right, turkeys are bullet proof. only the ones with the kevlar gene though.WTF are you for real?

[meat eater]

i know growing up i saw my dad shoot lot's of pig's with the .22 come butchering day!! i,ve also heard tales from the old boy's about them shooting a few deer back in the day.

[Brez]

my concern is the safety issue. It can get crowded out there and a lot of guys are bowhunting them, so they are close and camo'd well or in camo blinds. Some guys think that they can really reach out there with the rimfires. I've seen and heard of a few being wounded and getting away. It's like the guys say - depends on the shooter. I can name more than a few guys who have switched to shotguns. 12 ga. or 20 ga. with #4's - #6's will do the trick. I use 1 7/8 oz 3" magnum turkey loads in my 12 ga. and they still take a couple of shots sometimes.

[braggadoe]

from g-bears to man, there is nothing that that walks earth that hasn't been killed by a 22. that doesn't mean you use a 22 to hunt grizzly does it? british columbia is the only place in north america that allows 22 for turkeys..............slow learners i guess?

[KodiakHntr]

british columbia is the only place in north america that allows 22 for turkeys..............slow learners i guess?

More than a few states allow rifles for turkeys.....Centerfire even......

[braggadoe]

More than a few states allow rifles for turkeys.....Centerfire even......

you are correct, google is my friend. i'm a slow learner! carry on.

[Brez]

I haven't Googled it (don't want to) but the states I know off don't usually have a rifle/archery combination season. Anyway, whether using a rock or a Howitzer, dead is dead. On behalf of bowhunters and everyone else, for that matter, safe is best.

[bforce750]

# 4-6 's in a winchester super X turkey loads always do the job, as far as .22 bullets bouncing off turkeys... thats rediculous, they kill turkeys well if you shoot them in propper range and in hit them in the right spot...and ther is no more of a safety concern than any other rifle season. You are more likely to get shot by some dude sighting in his rifle in the bush...cheers

[urbanhermit]

thats about how i see it.

[Brez]

Hey, guys, didn't mean to sound like I was lecturing or anything - just something to think about. It tends to get pretty crowded here around the Trail area. These turkeys are tough in more ways than one. We've eaten two already - one done in oven and one deep-fried - and I recommend googling a good brine for them to soak in for 12 - 20 hours and they will be very tasty.

[eastkoot]

Silly to think shooting turkeys with a .22 is dangerous or ineffective, like everything else, common sense and safety first..As for tasty, out of 6 birds, none were that great.. Tolerable but I certainly can't boast about the great flavor or tenderness for sure..Have pounded/breaded and fried, roasted in stock, sweet and soured, just plain roasted and pounded again and rolled with stuffing which was the best by far but far from the best..Hunterette, got any recipes for the 2 breasts now in the freezer??? BTW, where is she???

[Gateholio]

Try using a brine to improve flavour, tenderness and "juiciness"

[eastkoot]

Injecting or just soaking and what kind of brine?? I've done chickens and domestic turkeys in a salt brine, rinsed and cooked for a juicy bird..Come clean and give us the recipe..

[Gateholio]

You will need an accurate meat thermometer to gauge exactly when the meat is done. Don’t rely on the pop-up thermometers; they are calibrated so high that they guarantee dried out meat!
For a standard 12 to 25 pound turkey you will need 2 pounds of salt, ideally sea salt and 2 cups of brown sugar. You will also need a clean picnic cooler large enough to hold the turkey when completely submerged in water.
Place the turkey, salt and sugar in the bucket. Cover with 4 gallons of cold water and submerge the turkey upside down. Turn the turkey a few times to mix the salt and sugar. Place the bucket in a cold place for four hours for a smaller turkey and as much as six hours for a larger one, no more no less. If necessary to keep the brine cold replace some of the water with a few bags of ice or even throw in some freezer packs.
Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water. Let rest uncovered overnight in the refrigerator. This will drain any excess moisture and help dry out the skin so it will brown better.
Rub the turkey with butter, ground pepper and your favourite herb or spice mix. Stuff the turkey with fresh herb sprigs, garlic cloves and large chopped pieces of carrot, celery and onion. Place breast side down on a clean well oiled roasting rack in a roasting pan. Add two cups of water to the pan.
Place the turkey in a preheated 400° oven. Roast one hour then, without opening the oven, turn the heat down to 250° and continue roasting for two hours longer. For a 20 to 25 lb. turkey or larger roast for three more hours. If you have a convection oven only roast for 45 minutes first before turning down the oven heat, no other adjustments are needed.
Flip the turkey breast side up and baste it thoroughly. Add two cups of water to the roasting pan. Turn the oven back up to 400° and continue roasting until the breast meat is exactly 165° and the thigh reads 170°. Baste and check the temperature every 15 minutes or so. This finishing heat will help brown the skin. Let the turkey rest covered with foil for 20 to 30 minutes before carving then serve immediately.

[bforce750]

I cooked mine last night, took the breast and butterflied them,rubbed them in olive oil,seasoned, stuffed them with ham and swiss cheese, shake'n'baked, put them in the oven for an hour and twenty minutes....turkey cordon bleu...awsome!!!

[eastkoot]

Thanks Gate, will give it a go..

[SHAKER]

Havn't done it yet but I know them yanks like them deep fried! apparently it's also one of the leading caused of house fires in Onterio every spring. Note for anyone trying this and I was very strickly warned: dry your bird off very well BEFORE it goes into the oil! Your recipe sounds good Gates.... might have to try that some time.

[meat eater]

sound's good!!! has anyone tried making jerky out of them yet??? i know the geese i got at the end of the season last winter i turned into jerky and they came out great!!!

[huntwriter]

They penetration is not the problem. I've recovered birds in the past that have been shot by guys using .22s after the bird took flight jumping off the hillside. Not to mention the obvious danger when other hunters can be in such close proximity.

You're absolutly right and that is the reason why most jurisdictions in North America outlawed .22 for turkey hunting and I absolutely agree. Back in the days when I outfitted turkey hunts and .22's where legal in my area I had a few times trouble recovering shot birds and consequently didn't permit the use of that caliber in my area.

If a turkey is shot in the head with a .22 it will die but the head is a very small target and easily missed or end up in a crippled bird that will fly away never to be found again. Shoot a .22 bullet at the birds chest and the bullet can and often will bounce right of off the wing feathers.

As for shooting hogs, a .22 works fine on a domestic hog shot directly in the forehead. Hogs have very soft forehead bones compared to other animals. However, a .22 WILL never work on a wild hog, completely different animal to a domestic hog. ;)

[Gateholio]

.22 bullets will also pierce the skull of a male sheep or goat. They smash heads together pretty hard, so I doubt thier forehead bones are softer than feathers. ;)

[BillBraskii]

I knew huntwriter would chime in and clear up all these uneducated comments.
Thank you Othmar.

[huntwriter]

.22 bullets will also pierce the skull of a male sheep or goat. They smash heads together pretty hard, so I doubt thier forehead bones are softer than feathers. ;)


Actually sheep and goat skulls are made of very porous bone to absorb impact and shock better and are less prone to fracture. Also the bullet of a .22 will only penetrate the skull of a sheep, goat or even a bovine at pointblank, keep the barrel a foot or two away and it is a different story. Back at my fathers abattoir we killed many animals with .22 when the pneumatic bolt stunner broke and we had to wait for the replacement been fetched. I quickly learned at what range a .22 was effective and at which one not. Each missed or not properly killed animal meant a deduction in the wages as punishment for spoiling the quality of the meat.

The reason a small soft lead bullet can and often will bounce of a turkeys wing is because the feathers are very though and in addition there is air between each layer of feathers. When I was trained as a sniper in the Swiss Army we use to conduct very simple bullet penetration tests to amuse the civilians. For this we would hang a phone book loose onto a frame and another one with the pages firmly compressed. The bullets shot from a common army assault rifle would penetrate the compressed pages of a phone book without problems. Using the same rifle and same caliber shooting at the uncompressed phone book the bullet would only penetrate about half to 2/3 of the way. The air between each page created enough resistance to slow the bullet down. The same principle applies to a turkey wing.

[Gateholio]

Yes, loose media will slow a bullet down faster. Don't shoot through wings for a body shot with .22's or shotguns. Frontal feathers aren't an issue.

No, the bullet from a .22 will not only penetrate at point blank range. Shoot a goat or sheep between the eyes with a 22 at 30 yards and it will penetrate the skull. Keep in mind that a bullet with *less* velocity will expand less and therefore penetrate further. (within reason) Been there, done that.

If you want to hunt turkeys with a .22, use a good hollowpoint bullet and aim for the head or where the neck meets the body. Avoid side shots into wings, just as you should avoid them with shotguns.

Many of us BC boys head shoot grouse with .22's, a turkey has a bigger target than a grouse, so it's no big deal. Don't stretch the distance too much, make a good shot, and if the turkey is still flapping, go finish it off, no difference than a grouse.

I've hunted turkeys with a shotgun a wee bit, and I've head shot lots of them with .22's. They all die.

[180grainer]

I'd think because of the size of the turkey, hunting with a 22 would be illegal. Just to much of a chance of wounding the bird to make hunting them with a 22 sensible.....IMHO

[digger dogger]

17 hmr, shotgun size hole @ 200yds :-)
saftey?? There is no way that little bullet is gonna bounce back and hit ya at that distance.
problem solved! lol jk

[huntwriter]

17 hmr, shotgun size hole @ 200yds :-)
saftey?? There is no way that little bullet is gonna bounce back and hit ya at that distance.
problem solved! lol jk

You're right it's not likely that a bullet from a 17hmr will bounce back at you, but maybe it will hit someone else. The problem with turkey hunting is, and many jurisdictions see that and have outlawed rifles because of it. A turkey hunter sits still and well camouflaged from head to toe at the base of a tree. Most people can't see a turkey hunter at 30 yards let alone at 200 yards. How are you able to tell that the turkey you shoot at 200 yards away is not walking in a straight line to a call from another hunter? I've read to many accounts where turkey hunters got injured, even killed by other hunter using rifles in exact such scenarios as outlined above. Sure it can happen with shotguns to but the ranges are so short that the hunter can see the other hunter and yell at him, but if a rifle hunter 200 yards away kneels or lays flat on the ground he can not be seen. While using rifles for turkey hunting is legal in BC, it is without a doubt the most dangerous (for other hunters) turkey hunting weapon to use.

[Nathaniel Poe]

When you cram hundreds of hunters into small areas like in some states and provinces using a rifle could be a safety issue. Probably not a big deal in BC.

[meat eater]

i saw a video on utube of guy's shooting wild boar's with .177 air rifles. i never thought that would be possible!

[huntwriter]

When you cram hundreds of hunters into small areas like in some states and provinces using a rifle could be a safety issue. Probably not a big deal in BC.

And yet I know of three cases in BC, all verified, last year alone were hunters got shot at by rifle turkey hunters that shot at a turkey approaching a caller. To me that is a big deal.

[Gateholio]

And yet I know of three cases in BC, all verified, last year alone were hunters got shot at by rifle turkey hunters that shot at a turkey approaching a caller. To me that is a big deal.


Verified via CO or RCMP report?

[ques deer]

in Mexico you also can use a center fire,rim fire, but must people use center fire for long shots , lots of turkeys down there

[huntwriter]

Verified via CO or RCMP report?

Verified by the witnesses who were present and in one case by my own eyes.

[Gateholio]

Verified by the witnesses who were present and in one case by my own eyes.

But no reports filed or any other discussion about it until now? Getting SHOT AT by another hunter is a serious matter. No reports, no discussion, no results from speaking to the hunters that shot at anther hunter.....and nothing came of it. If I witnessed someone shooting at another hunter I'd be making lots of noise about it.

[Razor84]

Verified by the witnesses who were present and in one case by my own eyes.

those same eyes who seen a tiger attack that left no scars? HAWHAW

[huntwriter]

But no reports filed or any other discussion about it until now? Getting SHOT AT by another hunter is a serious matter. No reports, no discussion, no results from speaking to the hunters that shot at anther hunter.....and nothing came of it. If I witnessed someone shooting at another hunter I'd be making lots of noise about it.

I know of two of the three cases where the incident had been reported to the CO's and I am not sure about the third one. Although these cases have been reported little has come of it as usually is the case unless you can provide a license plate number too.

[Gateholio]

Interesting. Which CO offices where these reported to?

[huntwriter]

I am not against using rimfire rifles or centerfire rifles for turkey hunting. However, a few serious considerations must apply.

Since the original poster asks a specific question I find it prudent to provide my turkey hunting knowledge. Especially in light that many hunters in BC are new to the sport of turkey hunting.

Lets start with .22 rimfire. Rimfire rifles are capable of killing a turkey under the following conditions.
The bird should be within close range, not further than 30 yards, and only head hots should be taken. It's a small target and easily missed. Body shots with rimfire rifles should be avoided at all times.

Centerfire rifles are okay too but should be used only for traditional turkey hunting methods not to road hunt as most do. Generally speaking road hunting turkeys should be avoided at all cost and I will explain why.

Unlike a buck who roams around to find a receptive female by smell a tom finds a hen by sight and sound. This is the reason why we see toms out in the open during the day and why calling turkeys works so well. In the open a tom can be seen by the females who in turn call to the tom. When the tom hears a hen calling to him he heads more or less in a straight line for her.

If a road hunter sees a tom there is simply no way that the shooter can know for sure if the tom walks toward a call of a hen or a hunter. Since the tom heads more or less in a straight line toward the sound that attracted him the road hunter MUST assume that there is a HUNTER in his direct line of fire.

For that same reason it is not advisable to attempt to stalk or bushwhack turkeys. The tom you see may head direct toward a hunter and again it is likely that a hunter sits somewhere in your line of fire.

There is a very valuable reason why all turkey hunting experts unanimously agree that the passive method to hunt turkeys is the safest. Passive, meaning the hunter waits for the turkey to come to him/her, converses active as in road hunting, stalking and bushwhacking. There are certain conditions where it is okay, even desirable to stalk or bushwhack a tom but NEVER on Crownland where other hunters are in the vicinity.

The most common turkey hunting accident are hunters getting shot at. With all that said, please do not advocate road hunting turkeys or taking 200 yard shots at turkeys when it is impossible to say for sure if there is another hunter behind the intended target. There are many novice turkey hunters coming here to find information on turkey hunting. Lets not spoil this beautiful sport by passing on unsafe behaviour. Enjoy turkey hunting with whatever legal weapon you chose but hunt turkeys as they are intended to be hunted, using the passive method and kill them at close and safe distances.

[huntwriter]

Interesting. Which CO offices where these reported to?

I could phone up the hunters involved and ask them to provide me with the reports they filed then scan them and post it here, just for you. :)

[Gateholio]

I could phone up the hunters involved and ask them to provide me with the reports they filed then scan them and post it here, just for you. :)

That would be most interesting. Thanks.

[rocksteady]

If a turkey is shot in the head with a .22 it will die but the head is a very small target and easily missed or end up in a crippled bird that will fly away never to be found again. Shoot a .22 bullet at the birds chest and the bullet can and often will bounce right of off the wing feathers.


I can see the theory of poor shots with a double deuce causing wounding and not retrieving but............

A .22 BOUNCING OFF A TURKEY ????? C'mon....

I need some more of this to make my roses grow better...Absolute internet B.S.

So, along this same theory about layers of feathers and air creating a "bullet proof" layer,....if BinLaden had a couple extra wraps on his Turban , he would have survived the head shot????

Why do LEO/Military NOT wear flak jackets made of turkey feathers?????

[huntwriter]

A .22 BOUNCING OFF A TURKEY ????? C'mon....



It's the single reason why most North American jurisdictions have outlawed the use of .22. The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) considers the .22 "inappropriate for turkey hunting" too. During my turkey hunting guiding and outfitting time I've witnessed two different times a .22 bullet pounce of a turkeys wing, in one case fracturing the wing too. It was reason enough for me to ban the use of .22's on all my outfits. I suppose that a close shot at around 20 yards with a .22 could penetrate a turkey wing, but "suppose" and "maybe" has never been good enough for me when it comes to killing an animal and neither would I chose a weapon that limits me in my options. ;) There is a reason why the vast majority of experienced turkey hunters choose a 12 gauge shotgun as there weapon of choice, because there is nothing more efficient for turkey hunting. ;)

As I said in an earlier post. I don't care what legal weapon a hunter uses to hunt turkeys with as long he makes sure to stick with 100% killing shots and with a .22 that would be a close shot in the head only.

[rocksteady]

SO...ballistically speaking a .22 bullet, weighing in at 40 grains going at about 1100 fps, will bounce off, however a load of turkey shot (#4) going at less than 800 fps (2 3/4" shell) will penetrate a turkey wing???? and kill the bird??????


Sounds like the old story of steel shot "bouncing off ducks" as compared to lead shot........................

I was born in the dark HW, but it were'nt last night.....

It is poor information like this that leads new/young/inexperienced hunters astray.......

[huntwriter]

SO...ballistically speaking a .22 bullet, weighing in at 40 grains going at about 1100 fps, will bounce off, however a load of turkey shot (#4) going at less than 800 fps (2 3/4" shell) will penetrate a turkey wing???? and kill the bird??????

Nobody said you shoot with a shotgun at the body of a turkey. Maybe my mistake by assuming you're familiar with turkey hunting. A shotgun is ALWAYS aimed at the middle of the neck of a turkey and NOWHERE else.

[rocksteady]

Being that I have harvested 2 turkeys, successfully, with my shotgun, with litttle or no experience, in the last 2 years, I think I have more than a basic knowledge of turkey hunting/anatomy/mortality......

I also have over 40 years of hunting experience in teh wilds of BC and I can tell when I stepped in a big old pile of Crap..and this is what some of your posts are...

Like my granny used to tell me, when coming back from feeding the hens at the chicken coop......

"If that stuff on your boots looks like chicken crap, smells like chicken crap, smears like chicken crap...........It must be CHICKEN CRAP !!!!! No need to taste it to confrim".....

[Ddog]

Careful Theer rocksteady,, HW is the all knowing proffesional expert hunter in all aspects, he says so.
now if a 22 can bounce of a turkey then i am going to be rich with the new bullet proof clothing i am going to make. lol

[BillBraskii]

I could phone up the hunters involved and ask them to provide me with the reports they filed then scan them and post it here, just for you. :)

this should be interesting

[Gateholio]

this should be interesting

It would be interesting if documentation was ever produced, but I am not holding my breath.

[heyblast]

Sounds like a broken record. Same song over and over and over.

[braggadoe]

It would be interesting if documentation was ever produced, but I am not holding my breath.

google "turkey hunting accidents". some very sad events. more people get shot turkey hunting than any other type of hunting.

i can only speak for myself, but in region 4 this spring i have been unable to work a hard gobbling bird at day break for more than 45 mins before being overran by other hunters. its the classic case of hunters trying to out smart the other hunter. very sad, extremely dangerous.

[Gateholio]

google "turkey hunting accidents". some very sad events. more people get shot turkey hunting than any other type of hunting.

And most times it is with a shotgun! ;)

And never in BC!;)

I have certainly tried to find info about hunters in British Columbia shooting one another, but it's very, very rare.


can only speak for myself, but in region 4 this spring i have been unable to work a hard gobbling bird at day break for more than 45 mins before being overran by other hunters. its the classic case of hunters trying to out smart the other hunter. very sad, extremely dangerous.

This happens when calling in elk, too. And the hunters are armed with centerfire rifles. Hunters are not being killed en masse. :-D

[Brez]

Really entertaining guys - sad, but entertaining, but MY GOD, GATEHOUSE....."en masse"?....IT ONLY TAKES ONE!!!!!

[Gateholio]

Really entertaining guys - sad, but entertaining, but MY GOD, GATEHOUSE....."en masse"?....IT ONLY TAKES ONE!!!!!

And BC has one of the finest records of hunters not shooting each other anywhere. Even when calling in elk or other animals.


PS Huntwriter, I didn't actually want to see the reports filed by the hunters you claim were fired at and filed reports with the CO's. I can understand that they wouldn't want to share personal information. But surely you can just give us the CO OFFICES where they filed the reports? That way anyone interested in safety information could be able to discuss it with the officers who took the statements to see if the issue is widespread or an isolated instance, or any further recommendations for hunter safety they may have.

[urbanhermit]

I usually find anti hunting people have almost been shot many times, but hunters that are out there in the thick of the action seldom have those stories..

[Eatmeat]

I saw a friend of mine in Ontario kill a monster gobbler with a slingshot, bird was eating his tomatoes! What FPS on a slingshot?