Airgun Turkey Hunting Questions

[Hoople]

Air gunners, I need some input from experienced turkey hunters. I am an experienced turkey caller/hunter and have taken turkeys with rifle, pistol, shotgun and compound bow, but never an air gun. I am preparing for our (VA) April 11 season opener and plan on using my Edgun Rm5 .25 cal.

Assuming that is a good choice of gun and caliber, I have two questions.

#1 ammo. My rm5 is deadly accurate at 50yds with JSB 25.39 gr @910 fps. That is one option. My other option (that I have on hand) are H&N Baracuda Hunter Extreme 28.24gr They are not quite as accurate at 50 yds., but plenty accurate at 30-40 yds. The Hunter Extremes are designed to really expand and look very similar to the JSB Hades. So of the two which would you choose?

My second question; Shot placement; head shots, neck/body area or somewhere else? Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Charlie

 

[bdzjlz]

My thought is the one that is the most accurate - easy answer. Second question - will be situation dependent - whatever is the best shot at the time - would always prefer a head or neck shot.

 

[TNT19]

Head or neck with the jsb. Have you tried the h&n Hornets with the metal tip? I have taken a turkey at 65 yards with a 25 cal with crop shot. The metal tip spread the feathers nicely to give the pellet the chance to expand in its crop and it dropped instantly.

 

[Kgphotos]

I have taken two turkeys with air rifles so I’m no expert. I would use the Kings if they are most accurate in your rifle. That is the pellet that I used on both of my turkeys. One was a head shot at probably 25 yards. That one probably died instantly but flopped all over the place for a few seconds. The other turkey would not hold its head still enough and was walking away from me and getting farther away. I finally took an upper body/ lower neck shot at about 40 ish yards. The bird ran for about 15-20 feet and then collapsed. The JSB Kings worked very well in both cases. Hope that helps you a little bit.

Kenny

 

[Hoople]

Thanks all for your input. I was thinking along the same lines but wasn't sure. Thanks and stay well.

 

[acourvil]

Yep, accuracy rules. You can break a turkey's neck with only a few foot-pounds of force, so whatever allows you to make the shot wins. The JSB heavies do a little better in the wind, so give those a try if you haven't already. Don't try body shots; the feathers really slow down the pellets and the vital area is pretty small. If you can call, you won't have a problem as long as you can place the shot.

 

[Gerry52]

Have you tried the .25 Hades? They give me the best of both worlds in my Royale, incredible accuracy AND terminal power. Don't know how they'd shoot out of your Eddy but suggest trying some. I'll send you a sampler if you PM me with your name & address. Cheers! 

 

[Bullfrog]

Shot placement: where the wing connects to the body. It breaks the wing and frags the vitals behind it. 


I’ve killed many turkeys over the years with small caliber firearm rifles. That is THE shot to take with a non-shotgun single projectile. Some people may consider that a lower neck shot, I don’t know. But in reality is the turkey equivalent of a behind-the-shoulder double lung shot on a whitetail. 

 

[acourvil]

If that body shot works for you, then go for it. Small caliber firearms have a lot more energy than most pellet guns. A pellet gun pellet isn’t going to frag anything behind where it hits. That shot will probably work for a big bore pellet gun, too, but I wouldn’t take that shot with anything less than a .25 caliber pellet (which at full speed has about half the energy that a .22 LR has) . With a head/neck shot, you can get a clean kill with a .177 caliber pellet. If you are good enough to consistently hit that body shot, you shouldn’t have any problem with a head/neck shot, and if you miss a head/neck shot you haven’t left a running bird with a pellet inside.

 

[Hoople]

Gerry52, PM sent.

 

[Gerry52]

Hoople (Charlie), PM sent

 

[Steelhead707]

I've hunted turkey exclusively with airguns for the last few years. I have taken birds with a .25 Benjamin Armada, a .25 FX Streamline, a .30 JSAR Raptor, and a .308 Texan.

The .25's are 'light tackle' for turkeys. IMO a body shot is out of the question. Based on my experience birds will run off and die where you can't get to them. There's just not enough 'oomph' to put them down on the spot. Head shots are a different story. That takes 'em right out, and even if they are flopping and going nuts you can put another one in them for good measure. I like the small bore when I'm in a blind, calling, and hunting over decoys. Shots are close are therefore more accurate.

My go-to gun for the last two years has been the .308 standard Texan. I've got it dialed in with 110 gr. slugs so that anything inside of 200 yards is toast. When using this gun I aim for body shots as the larger projectile gets it done without compromising with a small target area (i.e. head shot) The only downers for the Texan is the weight and portability and the lack of a fast follow up shot.

This year I decided to use my JSAR .30 Raptor for this last weekend's opener. I took a bird at about 40 yards with a body shot. He ran for a bit and I dispatched him with a second shot. The internal damage was brutal with broken bones and a huge blood trail. With the pellet I'd still prefer a head shot but the power of a .30 cal gives me a bit of leeway.

I don't think that pellet type makes a difference worth worrying about. If the tipping point for something working or not working is based on whether it's a JSB or Polymag then it's splitting hairs. This isn't a paper target; it's not stationary, there are angles, yardage issues, bones, etc. All variables that effect the outcome of the shot. Go as big as you can. Turkeys are tough to kill. I've had a bunch run off after being hit with a 150 grain flat nose bullet . You wouldn't think they can take a hit like that and run, but they do.

I'd post a pic of this weekend's bird but I still can't figure out how to on Airgun Nation.

 

[GBGUNNER]

I'm curious have you tried FX hybrid .25 slugs or plain slugs on turkeys. I think your best kill shot is the head shot. But I've never hunted turkey so this is all my thinking.

 

[Steelhead707]

I have my own opinions based on experience...doesn't make me right or wrong. I'm not into 'forcing' slugs out of guns designed to shoot pellets. That being said, I own a .308 Texan which pretty much leads the field in .30 caliber power and range so that fills my need for a bullet shooter. I think slugs in .25 cal guns is splitting hairs on effectiveness. Again, in hunting situations the quarry does not follow the rules that are on your computer, calculator, or shooting bench. All of the variables come into play; moving target, varying ranges, terrain 'escapability' for the bird, and your shooting skill. A kill shot is a kill shot with a JSB, Hades, Polymag, plain slug, whatever. I'm all for putting the best option out there for effectiveness but it's not like one ammo vs. the other is a huge gamechanger. For .25 cal. there's no substitute for a head shot, period. All other shots are limited in effectiveness just by physics.

One thing that nobody discusses is trajectory. I hunt a lot with the Texan and it's much easier to hunt with 110 gr. than with 150 gr. due to the flat trajectory. There is less elevation to worry about and the flatter trajectory makes for a more accurate shot placement, especially at 100 yards and beyond. I'm sure the same applies to small bore pellet shooters.

If you're going to use a .25, take head shots only at close range and use an ammo that you're comfortable and confident with. Remember, I have birds run off often after getting hit solid with a 150 gr. bullet. The difference between .25 ammo style means squat...just make a good head shot.

 

[DanielL]

Have you tried Predator Polymags? They expand and do serious damage along the way. I agree a neck shot is the way to go unless you can get him to hold his head still.

 

[Bullfrog]

I have my own opinions based on experience...doesn't make me right or wrong. I'm not into 'forcing' slugs out of guns designed to shoot pellets. That being said, I own a .308 Texan which pretty much leads the field in .30 caliber power and range so that fills my need for a bullet shooter. I think slugs in .25 cal guns is splitting hairs on effectiveness. Again, in hunting situations the quarry does not follow the rules that are on your computer, calculator, or shooting bench. All of the variables come into play; moving target, varying ranges, terrain 'escapability' for the bird, and your shooting skill. A kill shot is a kill shot with a JSB, Hades, Polymag, plain slug, whatever. I'm all for putting the best option out there for effectiveness but it's not like one ammo vs. the other is a huge gamechanger. For .25 cal. there's no substitute for a head shot, period. All other shots are limited in effectiveness just by physics.

One thing that nobody discusses is trajectory. I hunt a lot with the Texan and it's much easier to hunt with 110 gr. than with 150 gr. due to the flat trajectory. There is less elevation to worry about and the flatter trajectory makes for a more accurate shot placement, especially at 100 yards and beyond. I'm sure the same applies to small bore pellet shooters.

If you're going to use a .25, take head shots only at close range and use an ammo that you're comfortable and confident with. Remember, I have birds run off often after getting hit solid with a 150 gr. bullet. The difference between .25 ammo style means squat...just make a good head shot.

What's your shot placement that you've had bad experiences with using a .25? You're aware I took my first airgun turkey with a .25 with a bodyshot and made a clean kill with it. I also have over a decade's experience rifle shooting turkeys. 

I don't believe energy is very relevant to cleanly killing turkeys with body shots. If you don't hit one right with a 2000fpe .308 firearm rifle, you'll loose the bird. If you hit one right with a .22LR, it will go to flopping where it stands every time. I've killed so many turkeys with small caliber firearms that I throw the beards and spurs away now on big gobblers. I only keep tail fans for decoy use. Shot placement is everything. I'd find energy relevant only to the extent energy controls deformation and deformation controls wound hole size. I've cleanly killed turkeys with calibers as small as .204 on body vital shots, but I was trusting fragmenting bullets to make a hole on the inside larger than the caliber. That's why I wouldn't body shoot a turkey with a .22 airgun. It can pierce the vitals fine. I just don't trust the wound hole size. 

Here's where a person needs to body shoot a turkey with any weapon. Failure to hit one here can and often results in a lost turkey. You find it by following the feather line on the neck down to where it triangles into the wing. It is critical on strutters that you find it by following the lines or else you'll end up shooting breast, feather, or guts. Their bodies are contorted severely when they strut and you can't guess where the vitals are under all of that. You have to follow the lines. You also should only take broadside shots. 

. 

 

[Steelhead707]

Don't get your tail feathers in a ruffle. I killed my first birds with a .25 too. And I'd still use it today...in fact I might this evening since I swapped scopes on my Raptor .30 and it's not sighted in.

A .25 is fine for turkey. Just know your limitations and I still stand by the opinion that you should head shoot them. You made a great example with that kill zone circle (which is cool...did not know about that little feather line to the vitals). The head is twice the size of that circle. If you can hit that then you can hit the head too. If you CAN'T hit that little circle on a body shot, do you still take the shot? It's an honest question the answer is dependent on variables form range, angles, shooting ability, bird escapability, etc. But if the kill zone is that small it stand to reason to just head shoot them.

I'm not here to argue with you...we all know that a .25 pellet or slug is ample to kill a turkey, head or body. However, I stand by the opinion that the odds of bird recovery increase tenfold if you head shoot them, which shouldn't be a problem inside of 50 yards.

 

[Guest]

Don't get your tail feathers in a ruffle. I killed my first birds with a .25 too. And I'd still use it today...in fact I might this evening since I swapped scopes on my Raptor .30 and it's not sighted in.

A .25 is fine for turkey. Just know your limitations and I still stand by the opinion that you should head shoot them. You made a great example with that kill zone circle (which is cool...did not know about that little feather line to the vitals). The head is twice the size of that circle. If you can hit that then you can hit the head too. If you CAN'T hit that little circle on a body shot, do you still take the shot? It's an honest question the answer is dependent on variables form range, angles, shooting ability, bird escapability, etc. But if the kill zone is that small it stand to reason to just head shoot them.

I'm not here to argue with you...we all know that a .25 pellet or slug is ample to kill a turkey, head or body. However, I stand by the opinion that the odds of bird recovery increase tenfold if you head shoot them, which shouldn't be a problem inside of 50 yards.

^^^^this^^^^

 

[DanielL]

I don't believe energy is very relevant to cleanly killing turkeys with body shots. If you don't hit one right with a 2000fpe .308 firearm rifle, you'll loose the bird. If you hit one right with a .22LR, it will go to flopping where it stands every time. I've killed so many turkeys with small caliber firearms that I throw the beards and spurs away now on big gobblers. I only keep tail fans for decoy use. Shot placement is everything. I'd find energy relevant only to the extent energy controls deformation and deformation controls wound hole size. I've cleanly killed turkeys with calibers as small as .204 on body vital shots, but I was trusting fragmenting bullets to make a hole on the inside larger than the caliber. That's why I wouldn't body shoot a turkey with a .22 airgun. It can pierce the vitals fine. I just don't trust the wound hole size. 

Here's where a person needs to body shoot a turkey with any weapon. Failure to hit one here can and often results in a lost turkey. You find it by following the feather line on the neck down to where it triangles into the wing. It is critical on strutters that you find it by following the lines or else you'll end up shooting breast, feather, or guts. Their bodies are contorted severely when they strut and you can't guess where the vitals are under all of that. You have to follow the lines. You also should only take broadside shots. 

. 

Thank you for the aim point tips.

 

[Bullfrog]

Don't get your tail feathers in a ruffle. I killed my first birds with a .25 too. And I'd still use it today...in fact I might this evening since I swapped scopes on my Raptor .30 and it's not sighted in.

A .25 is fine for turkey. Just know your limitations and I still stand by the opinion that you should head shoot them. You made a great example with that kill zone circle (which is cool...did not know about that little feather line to the vitals). The head is twice the size of that circle. If you can hit that then you can hit the head too. If you CAN'T hit that little circle on a body shot, do you still take the shot? It's an honest question the answer is dependent on variables form range, angles, shooting ability, bird escapability, etc. But if the kill zone is that small it stand to reason to just head shoot them.

I'm not here to argue with you...we all know that a .25 pellet or slug is ample to kill a turkey, head or body. However, I stand by the opinion that the odds of bird recovery increase tenfold if you head shoot them, which shouldn't be a problem inside of 50 yards.

No one's feathers is ruffled, except the turkeys. Just kindly disagreeing with you. The kill zone is wider than the circle. I just used the circle hollowed out in the middle to demonstrate what's under the center of the POI. With the turkey I just killed with the body shot on the .25, I hit it here where the yellow was because of the rushed nature of the second shot:

One reason I strongly advocate the point of the wing over the head is that the head is constantly moving. Not only up and down and left and right but swiveling in place as the turkey uses one eye to look at something then both eyes to focus, and back to one eye again. Squeeze off the pellet at the wrong second and you may catch his beak, which can not only deflect the shot but also permanently mangle the bird's mouth. The only time the head is stable is during a strut.