FLYING FALL WILD TURKEYS--TOUGH OR EASY TARGETS??

[quavers16]

They should be easy and they are now, but this was not always the case. I have missed a bunch over the top or behind due to (turkey fever) or the shakes just as I have missed Spring Toms over the top for the same reason. Going through my 40+ journals, I estimate that I have shot at a good 180 wild turkeys or so and my take of 115 is indeed not the best average for sure!
Switching to modified knocked those misses off and had me connecting solidly. Overhearing other pheasant hunters up here in New York over the years--alot of these guys never hunt in the Spring and look to connect when their pheasant dogs flush up a flock of turkeys early in our season. In my area of New York- my Fall Turkey Season has been moved back by 2 weeks to mid October from October 1st which is the opener for pheasant Season. Pheasant hunters now (in my area) have to wait 2 weeks before shooting at any flushed up turkeys or at least you hope they don't!!
My black lab-BEN flushed up turkey flocks and my sisters golden retriever-CODY did as well. Both are long gone now... I have ABBEY now- but with a Fall Turkey Season knocked down from 6 weeks to just 2 weeks and the take slashed from 2 birds to just 1- my chances will dwindle. It was fun at one time to hit one Fall turkey in the air and call another one in on a different day. In the mid-1990s-- my Father who never took a turkey was pheasant hunting in a field. He nearly stepped on a gobbler that flushed up in the air. He was so rattled that he did not get off a shot. That gobbler was flattened out just like a rooster pheasant!

[guesswho]

Shooting flying turkeys is a no no for me. Unless of course it's a follow up shot.

[swampchicken]

I just don't understand a fascination with shooting a turkey out of the air they are a pretty easy target if a person has any wing shooting skills. I guess I just find it more enjoyable to call them in and kill them with their feet on the ground.

[GLS]

The only wounded turkey that I didn't recover was one I shot at while flying. I missed him on the ground and he folded on the airborne shot and I never found him. If I could take back that shot I would. Gil

[howl]

Based on all the different sizes of shot I have found in birds I have killed over the years, I expect they can stand a a few stray pellets. So, unless they are dragging a wing, etc., there is no need to try to correct a mistake by risking another mistake on a flying gobbler.

Come to think of it, the only kind of moving turkey I shoot at is either walking straight in or away. I have no problem letting a bird go. I have fair luck calling them back or on another day. This is Spring gobblers. I have not hunted in the fall since SC closed the season there.

[Stinky J Picklestein]

I'd never recommend it to anyone...BUT I must say, I've knocked several down out of the air after missing them standing still.

[Turkinator]

If that's the opportunity presented, I've messed up somehow.

[decoykrvr]

Turkey shooting vs turkey hunting

[quavers16]

Both my Brothers in law hunted turkeys- but not anymore due to medical conditions. Mark took many Fall turkeys on the wing. But Bill only took 1 turkey in his life. Hunting pheasants with his golden retriever CODY-- he flushed up a flock and Bill connected on his one and only wild turkey. It was a station 8 high house type of shot. Again-- glad he got the chance to bag one.