# Legal shot size



## Dangler (Mar 24, 2000)

I was reading the turkey license application guide and suddenly realized that any shot size from #4 or smaller is legal. That means you could fling a load of #9s at a gobbler.

I checked my Indiana regs, they restrict it to #7 1/2. Kentucky's wording is the same as MI, but they recommend #4 to #6 (good idea).

Sure you could kill a tom with #9 if he's close enough. You could kill a buck with #2s at close range too, but that's not legal.

So a turkey hunter could be hunting with a 20 gauge loaded with a 2 3/4" load of #9 shot and be legal. Anybody got a problem with that? Not that any savvy hunter would do that, but it's legal.


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## BOSSTOM (Oct 23, 2001)

Dangler

I'll bring it up during a rules/regulations meeting of the N W T F


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## Dangler (Mar 24, 2000)

BossTom,

I'll be interested to see what kind of feedback you get. I can appreciate liberal rules in some regard, but this shot size rule seems to go beyond the limit of common sense in my opinion, and may be resulting in some crippled birds if novices are going afield with inadequate loads.

When does your meeting take place?


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## Dangler (Mar 24, 2000)

Trout, I hadn't thought about the fall season issues. But maybe the wearing of hunter orange would make the distinction between turkey hunters & upland bird hunters.

Spring hunt rules should make the distinction easier between turkey hunters and others afield? Deer regs limit what weapons you can carry afield in Nov, so there's some precedents in place.


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## Old Hunter (Jan 21, 2002)

My 12ga with 3 1/2" 2oz #5 shot kills them dead at 30 yards. I use Winchester High Velocity Turkey loads, them seem to work the best for me.


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## Old Hunter (Jan 21, 2002)

Thanks Trout, I guess that my Quad bypass is doing just fine and I can hardly wait for April 21st. That 3 1/2 inch doesn't kick that much as I use it for geese also. Good luck come turkey season.


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## Pinefarm (Sep 19, 2000)

I'd say make only 4's, 5's and 6's legal. But I could live with 7 1/2's to 4's. 8's and 9's should be illegal to use for turkey. I used to like to use 3" copper plated 2's, back when they were legal. But too many birds were being crippled because the pattern gets a little thin when guys take too far of shots, so they made anything bigger than 4's illegal. Now I use the same thing as Trout, copper plated Federal 5's.


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## Old Hunter (Jan 21, 2002)

4's 5's or 6's here in Michigan, but some of the Southern States you can use much lighter loads. I feel range makes the difference as much as the shot size, over 40 yards is not a killing certainty.


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## No.4shot (Oct 22, 2002)

is it leagal to shot lead at turkies? I am new at turkey hunting and I want to get one with my muzzleloader. My goal is to get a turkey duck goose woodcock pat rabbit squirrel deer...whatever else I can manage to take legally with it.


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## Danatodd99 (Dec 26, 2001)

Back in Mass when I was turkey hunting we were allowed to use 2's. I used the specialty load of 2X4's, I got 3 turkeys with that load, too bad we can't use it here.


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## Dangler (Mar 24, 2000)

No.4Shot,

Yes, lead is legal for turkeys. Most marketed "turkey loads" are copper-plated to avoid shot deformation, but I understand why you ask since you're using a smokepole.

I'll bet I know what shot size you'll be using.


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## michiduck (Dec 15, 2000)

> _Originally posted by Danatodd99 _
> *Back in Mass when I was turkey hunting we were allowed to use 2's. I used the specialty load of 2X4's, I got 3 turkeys with that load, too bad we can't use it here. *


wow 3 turkeys with 2x4s you must be a heck of a stalker to sneak up on them and wack em with a board    

4x6 seem like the ultimate load but I can never find 4x6 in 3 1/2" so I use #5s


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## Dangler (Mar 24, 2000)

Michiduck, I got a good laff out of that!!!

I got my first gobbler with a Remington duplex 4x6. That was a little bit of a burden to carry, so now I use a shotgun.


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## BOSSTOM (Oct 23, 2001)

This month.


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