Here’s something that most serious turkey hunters overlook and it is critical to making sure the odds are in your favor. Even if you are the best caller around and have the bird come in offering a shot, can you make it? Reason I say that is that many hunters fail to properly determine what shotshell works best in their guns. Many people think that the bigger the shell the better the pattern. But this is not always true. Too many times have I’ve found 3” shells will pattern much better than 3 &1/2” shells. Plus you don’t have to suffer from the excessive recoil the magnum loads deliver.
I recommend trying not only different length shells out, but also different shot size. My shotgun loves 3” 6 shot and I’ve killed several birds between 50-60 yards with it. All the good calling and all the great camo can get the bird in close enough. But, can you consistently count on your shotgun pattern to deliver a lethal blow to the gobblers head. My suggestion is to practice practice and practice some more and you will discover that your shotgun prefers a certain load – just like your centerfire rifle prefers a certain load.
