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Thanksgiving Turkey with the new Eva Shockey Golden Eagle .177

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AirgunMan

Member
Jun 3, 2015
38
4
Tennessee

Saturday the 28th I was lucky to harvest this super nice Triple Bearded California Gobbler with the new Eva Shockey Golden Eagle .177 by Benjamin with a long distance 38 yard shot. This is my farthest shot to date on a turkey with a break barrel airgun.

The gun is matched with the new Center Point 4x16x40AO with the new TAG (Trajectory Aiming Guide) Reticle and it matches up perfectly with the stock scope rings mounts that came with the gun to give it a really low to the barrel profile. This low mount still allows clearance for the AO but just barely and the scope cover barely fits but it fits. I really like that the bigger scope clears the barrel with the low mounted rings giving me a good solid cheek weld without needing the leather comb raiser I normally use with the bigger higher mounted scopes (the original Center Point Adventure Class 4x16x40AO has taller ridges on the AO that don't allow it to clear with the stock rings but the new TAG Reticle scope has a smoother AO without the obtrusive ridges sticking up so it clears perfectly but barely- cover barely fits).

I cleaned the barrel and put 1,000 rounds through the gun before mounting the scope and it is shooting very consistent with the Crosman Premeir 10.5 GR Domed Brown Box Pellets and I had the trajectory map dialed in and felt confident out to 50 yards that I could put the pellet around the head allowing for a Clean Kill/Clean Miss opportunity.

I think this video proves that a decently powerful .177 airgun is capable of humanely taking a turkey cleanly and ethically if done right and IMO is a lot more effective than Bowhunting Turkey which is legal in every state so why is Airgun turkey Hunting only legal in 3 states? Its time to have a discussion with your state Fish and Game and tell them AirGun Man sent you LOL. 
 
Nice turey and good hunt. It's good to promote airgun hunting and doing anything for hunting in general is good. But, please don't do it at the expence of our hunting brothers who use bows. Besides the negative words about bow hunting being unproductive, they are also wrong. I hunt with an Excalibur cross bow and a Daystate 25cal Huntsman and although I really like the Daystate, the cross bow will drive an arrow through a deer.
Lets just leave the comparisons for somewhere else and stick to promoting our part of the sport in a positive way.
Rob.
 
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First of all I have been a bowhunter for 35 years so I am not trying to paint bow hunting in any negative light and I am not talking about deer hunting. Don't know why you even mention deer hunting.

I get so much negative feedback on Airgun turkey hunting that the only way to compare it to anything is to compare it to bow hunting turkeys. You have to compare it something and shotgun hunting is not it. To me shotgun hunting turkeys is like driving a nail with a sledgehammer. It's more tool than you need for the job and IMO is not a challenge but to each his own.

Not trying to say bow hunting turkeys is a bad thing at all or unproductive and I am certainly not saying anything negative about bow hunting turkeys. It is what it is. I loved it for years. In 12 years I killed 25 turkeys with my bow but I wounded a half dozen I never found and I am a decent shot and have competed in 3D archery for 25 years.

In 6 years of Airgun only turkey hunting I have killed 22 turkeys and only had to make a follow up shot one time but I got that bird. All I'm trying to say is that in my experience the average hunter is less likely to wound a turkey with an airgun when aiming for the head than when using a bow and aiming for the body like most guys do when they take up a bow. So why is Airgun Turkey hunting considered such a taboo? (Again not saying hunting turkeys with your bow is a bad thing just that your more likely to wound one than with an airgun IMO so why is Airgun turkey hunting against the law in most states?). It should be legal everywhere Bow Hunting turkeys are! I feel like I can fairly make that comparison because I have done both types of turkey hunting for many years.

I truly feel Airgun Hunting Turkey is more effective at reducing the chance of wounding a turkey than compared with a bow period so I would like to see more states allow it that's all. If me saying that makes you feel that I am saying something negative about bow hunting turkeys then that's your opinion and I respect that but that was not my intent.
 
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As to the question of why not turkey hunt with an airgun; you're preaching to the faithfull. Yes it should be allowed!
I brought up deer hunting to use as an example, that while I would and have shot deer with my bow I would never do so with my air rifle even though it is more powerful than the one you are promoting. That being the case, I stand by what I said that the bow is much more deadly and it will kill any game animal inNorth America.
You are comparing - a) head shot to body shot, AND b) airgun to bow. No valid result will come from that. Much better to just stick to saying positive stuff on topic about airguns and keep the distracting comparisons for a beer fueled debate with "the boys".
Rob. 
 
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Nice turkey AirgunMan!

I am a bow hunter as well, can't see any reason why hunting turkeys with a pellet rifle would be an issue for anyone, nice shot. After watching some videos that is something I would like to try and if I decide to go bigger with an airgun, head shots on deer close up and personal the way us bow hunters like it, would be something I would like to try. :eek:)
 
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