Choosing a turkey load can be so much more than just buying a box of shells if you want the maximum capability of your firearm, you need to pattern various loads to see which fires best from your gun. In today’s industry there are so many options especially with the new TSS rounds that have been coming out in previous years. When I say try different rounds it could be as simple as switching shot size, or weight, or a whole different brand. When I patterned my gun years ago I took Hevi Shot magnums 4 and 5 shot , Winchester Double X 5 and 6 shot, Winchester Longbeard XR 5 and 6 shot, Remington Turkey Magnum 5 shot, Federal premium turkey 6 shot all in 3.5”. After some time on the lead sled shooting at various ranges I determined the Winchester Longbeard XR 5 Shot are deadly from my Mossberg 535 with TruGlo GobblerStopper Optic. I was also incredibly surprised on how bad the Winchester Longbeard XR 6 shot pattern was in comparison. So in conclusion be sure to try quite a few loads, shot size, and weights from your gun.
Tips For Patterning
*Try Multiple Brands
*Try Multiple shot sizes
*Use a good steady rest
*Try more than one range (personal preference is 30-40)
This is just another topic hunters talk about that honestly have no right answers, it is all varied on what game your hunting, or even the terrain. This is going to be based on the terrain we have here in Pennsylvania, which is in most cases 0-300 yards. I haven’t drew an elk tag here yet so let’s go off of Whitetail, by Pennsylvania regulations your weapon must be a manually operated centerfire rifle, handgun, or shotgun with all lead ball or bullet designed to expand on impact. My go to make and model is a Remmington Model 700 due to this being one of the smoothest actions for a bolt action I have ever used. My primary weapon caliber is .243 with a precise reload with Nosler 95 Grain ballistic tip. Some people go with a more powerful or even magnum rifle which is okay but in my opinion simply just overload and ruins more meat. I choose 243 because it supplies plenty of enough power to take down a whitetail and with zeroing my scope at 100 my bullet drop is perfect with 3.5 inch at 200, 7.5 inch at 250, and 13 inch at 300, but overall my woods 75% of my shots are 0-100 yards. So when choosing your rifle focus on what gun feels comfortable to you, and what animal you plan to hunt.
Choosing the right Arrow set up, I currently shoot Black eagle carnivores 350gr/.001 tolerance. Let’s talk about a few things to keep in mind when choosing an arrow. When your draw weight goes up so should the stiffness of your spine. A rule of thumb for arrow weight is 5 grains of arrow per pound of draw weight, so like I’ve said before I shoot 70# so my arrows are 350 grains. If you do not have the proper spine for your set up your bow will not be at its optimal performance when it comes to accuracy. I have researched and an under-spined arrow will shoot right and an over-spined arrow will shoot left. Carbon vs Aluminum, although aluminum is cheaper I say carbon 100% due to the fact aluminum arrows can bend easily over a hard impact or mishandling. So you got your arrows, what about the fletchings? I shoot a 2.5-inch bohning heat vane at a 3 degree helical. The industry standard is the 2-inch blazer vanes for the reason of its short design makes it more forgivable in windy conditions compared to the larger 4-inch vanes. I suggest a helical fletch because this causes your arrow to spin faster, thus stabilizing quicker and giving you a better broadhead flight. In all honesty if your hunting low wind areas with a mechanical broadhead you can almost pick any fletching you choose, but why not prepare for everything in case you change hunting spots and have a field with decent wind. Now the broadhead, there are so many on today’s market that you have plenty of options. I am a firm believer of fixed cut on contact broadheads due to me hearing horror stories of mechanicals not opening on impact and losing the animal. That is why I shoot 100 grain Montec G5, between my brother and I we have kill various animals with these without a hitch. In conclusion Use these steps to point you in the right direction but get what best suits your needs and shoots most accurate out of your bow.
Choosing the right bow that suits you is key, you don’t need to shoot the same things as your friends or family. I know peer pressure can be hard when asking about bow brands, and they can point you in the right direction but in the end YOU are the one firing the arrow. I currently shoot a 2020 Bowtech Revolt 30" Axle-to-Axle, 7-1/4" Brace Height, and 70# Limbs with a QAD drop away, this bow suits my needs perfectly will it suit yours…maybe yet maybe not. Today’s bow manufacturers are very competitive, I mean everyone wants the fastest, quietest bow on the market. I’m going to talk about a few things to keep in mind such as draw weight, Let off, axle to axle length, and brace height. Having enough draw weight is not only important but most states require a minimum poundage for animals, In PA you must have at least a 35# draw for whitetail, and a minimum of 45# for Elk. Next is Let-off I love a bow with good let off, due to the unpredictability of animals you never know how long you’re going to be at full draw so if it’s a long time you still have to be comfortable to get a good shot off. Axle to axle length is very optional because it’s basically how long you want your bow to be such as spot and stalk hunting you can get away with a longer bow rather than in a treestand or a blind were you are more confined. Brace height is defined as the measurement from the throat of the grip to the center of the bow string. So the shorter the brace height the longer the arrow stays in contact and faster the bow, on the other hand it leaves it more open to archer torque and makes the shot and bow less forgiving and sometimes less accurate.
