Antique Muzzleloader Turkey

[DocHunter]

I took this jake on opening morning in Kentucky with an antique muzzleloading double barrel shotgun that I bought from a friend last summer. It has Damascus twist barrels, but is in really good condition. I took the turkey with a load of 70 gr. of FFg Goex Black Powder and an equal volume of #6 shot at 14 yards. The distance was fine, because beyond 25 yards the pattern is so open I knew I could never take such a shot. I had been looking forward to trying to take a turkey with this gun ever since I bought it. Normally, I would not shoot a jake, but I had decided that I just wanted to see if I could kill a turkey with this old gun and would shoot any legal bird. I was as happy as I have ever been with any bird I have ever killed!

[petey]

Doc,

That's a sweet loking rig you got there! Wonderful job. I often had a hankering to buy a smokepole shotgun for spring season. You don't see too many birds taken with a gun like that now-a-days and it's quiet the acomplishment. I'm sure I'd be grinnin from ear to ear if that was my bird.

Anymore, with the souped up turkey loads and super extra full chokes I hear hunters of taking birds at 50+ yards wanting hi-fives. I kind of like the challenge of getting them into that 20-25 yard range. Calling them "in" is half the battle. If I shot every bird I had into 50 yards I'd be done a lot quicker in every season. Calling them "in", in my opinion is at least to 40, but I love that 20-30 yard range. I gotta admit, any closer than 20 even with my setup and it starts to get tight. Although my gun is capable of making a killing shot at 45 yards every time, and 50 some times, I choose to let them walk if they won't close that distance to my comfort zone. A 14 yard shot with any weapon is super and you did your job of calling him "in" to make a shot like that. Two thumbs up my friend!!