Fall would be real nice here. Many times while I've been squirrel, rabbit or deer hunting and had turkeys well within rifle range, but can't take one.

I’ve hunted them but rather fish
Like killing a basket rack 8 pt
Every one kills a 25 lber
All have 9 in beard
2 in Spurs
Old man that taught me a lot about outdoor put it best when describing Turkey hunting. If you can only get love 1 time a year and a lady was clucking come get it big boy. Wouldn’t you run in looking for her?
Boom
Next step picking off ticks

IMO the problem with rifles for shooting turkies is that ( from what I've seen ) the majority of the hunting population either isn't that good of a marksman or doesn't have a rifle accurate enough to do just head shots, another problem will be those that think they are super snipers and shoot at them at distances beyond their capabilities and waste what little meat there is on one ( the breast).
Am I a super sniper not by any stretch of the imagination but can say that last year I assisted the town in reducing the turkey population in town, population went from 70+ in town birds to under 25 and every bird, I took, was with a head shot using a 10/22, so yes rifles could be used providing the shooter and weapon are proficient in both actual hunting and shooting

Hunters Encyclopedia tells me 30 - 06 220 Gr round nose good for Moose & Turkey

If turkeys are dumb....why do you guys need a rifle?

Oh...that's right you can't get close enough to that dumb bird to kill it with otherwise.

I don't NEED a rifle. I've taken plenty with shotguns, both modern and flintlock. A rifle is what I am carrying when I am squirrel hunting in the fall, and being able to take a turkey that presents itself would be nice.

Turkeys are stupid, but they are exceedingly paranoid.

Don't like rifles for turkey? Don't use it. Like crossbows, in-lines and all the other "hot" topics.

Keep giving antis ammo,,,lol

You don't need to give anti's ammo, they make up whatever works for them, so relax....

Gotta draw the line somewhere.

I’m for using whatever means necessary to thin the black plague out around here…. Getting to be ridiculous.

Im confused about why pheasants and quail have disappeared but turkeys thrive.

Kind of like the guys compound bow hunters that dont like x bow hunters or guy that make his own now not liking the other two.

My way is better, I have bigger shoes kind of thinking.

Turkish must not be to adrn hard to kill when my youngest at 7 shout his first one by himself with 15lb cheap long bow. Bit that 12g with tss and 60 yard shots makes you the man.

Could be possible some guys would rather spend $1.25 vs $10 + and not have shot and tore up meat.

Be a real man and use a bow, sling, or other primitive weapon.

Personally I much prefer rifles to shotguns for everything. I sure dont care if you use a 10 or 12 gage. Lead or fancy shot, or bow or x bow.

But I cant stand people that want to judge how others legally hunt or what they kill.

Could be they can shoot that rifle and dont need a shotgun to hit a turkey. Rifles kill up close as well as at a distance.

I might have used a 3030 on a couple, I think it worked good, ...


But if you're only allowed 1, or 2,..of anything, ...what difference does it make how you get the job done?, so long as it's safe. Your choice how hard you want to make it....

The only concern i can see as valid is safety. Turkey h7nting on public land is the most dangerous thing i think there is. I have personally had shot going through the trees above my head before.

Full cammo secoys out making Turkey noises and hunting at ground level is about as dangerous as you can get. Now add the lethality and range of a rifle vs shot and the danger factor increases. On the other hand rifles will likely be scoped with higher mag optics than shotguns so may not be as large of a factor.

But that was not swamps statement his statement was rifle hunters cant get close enough to kill turkies. Insinuating 2 things. Rifle hunter are poor hunters and cant get close and turkies are hard to kill. Neither are necessarily true or false.

Whatcha gonna do when morons start killing each other thinking they saw a bird? You'll end up with mandatory orange clothes!

There has been more than 1x I wished rifles were legal. But the next day, they run right in. They are fickle

I wish rifles were legal here for the simple reason that I would love to kill one with my flintlock rifle.

I don't see what the controversy is about.