Turkeys with a muzzleloading rifle?

[CatamountRob]

Does your state allow rifle turkey hunting?
I’m trying to put together a list of states that allow rifle turkey hunting.
Spring? Fall?
I think it would be fun to hunt them with a small caliber muzzleloader.

 

[DaMitch]

New Hampshire does not allow the use of a rifle for Turkey nor spring or fall. I have hunted PA for a number of years as you can use a rifle in their fall season. Great fun with a .36 caliber flintlock. Ran in to people using .32 and .36 caliber percussion rifles as well. Shoot them where the wing meets the body and you do not do a lot of meat damage. DaMitch

 

[Renegadehunter]

Idaho does not allow it.

 

[toytruck]

VA. does allow rifles. I have killed two with a muzzleloader rifle, not easy to do. Missed more than that...
I always heard to hit them in the butt with a rifle, may save meat with a deer caliber. Sounds messy. I hit my two in the wing joint an nicked the back bone very little meat loss.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

When i was deer hunting, in my early 20s and about as stoopid as i could be, sittin in a blind seein nothin for the third day, a pair of hens came by near dusk and my curiosity got me wonderin what would happen if I ...bang, shot one in the head at 50-60yds with my 30-30. My old man kicked my ass for it. Have never been turkey hunting since, legal or otherwise.

 

[deermanok]

Rifles are allowed for the fall turkey season here in Oklahoma.
Hard enough to hit one with the shotgun, for me anyway, Lol

 

[jlynch75]

New York doesn't any rifles of any kind for turkey hunting. But years ago I know Alabama allowed .22 cal, I used a .222. Most guys used .223,.

 

[Matthew323]

New York doesn't any rifles of any kind for turkey hunting. But years ago I know Alabama allowed .22 cal, I used a .222. Most guys used .223,.

The .222 Remington.

Ghosts of Jack O'Connor!!

 

[DESPERATE LEE]

As far as I know in Texas you can use a rock if you have to. Rifle, shotgun, arrow, or 22 it does not matter. As long as you go by keep the rule of sex correct. Spring is gobblers or bearded hens only, and fall is either sex in Brown County Texas where i hunt. Limit 4 a year.
DL

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

only shotguns and bows in Iowa

 

[mnoland30]

In New Mexico, it is shotguns, bows, and crossbows. Years ago I shot my first turkey with a .58 caliber muzzlelader. Lucky shot, and it hit him in the spine.

 

[jlynch75]

That .222 was a Sako and the best shooting gun I've ever own. I sold it about 10 years ago as I no longer have access to land with Woodchucks. I did get one red fox at about 175 yards. The gun had a terrible scope 4X cheap Bushnell.

 

[Matthew323]

That .222 was a Sako and the best shooting gun I've ever own. I sold it about 10 years ago as I no longer have access to land with Woodchucks. I did get one red fox at about 175 yards. The gun had a terrible scope 4X cheap Bushnell.

Was that the old Sako with the flat bolt handle? Always wanted one of those.

 

[jlynch75]

Great guns never seen a Sako that that didn't shoot good. Wish I had one in a larger cal.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

In Maryland it is shotguns or bows in the spring. No shot bigger than #4's.
In the fall and winter seasons you can use a rifle.

 

[Ninering62]

Does your state allow rifle turkey hunting?
I’m trying to put together a list of states that allow rifle turkey hunting.
Spring? Fall?
I think it would be fun to hunt them with a small caliber muzzleloader.

In Fl. it is legal to hunt turkey with a ML rifle. Last yr was my first yr doing that & my first Osceola. I live smack dab in the middle of what NWTF considers " Osceola territory ". We have flocks of 30-50+ regularly around the house. We are allowed to shoot 2 bearded turkeys per season - spring/fall & they can both be taken the same day. 4 per yr total. Here's my TC Seneca .40 & a 10.5" Osceola Gobbler from 2020 spring season. About 110yd shot with T7 & 180gr Speer Gold JHP.

 

[TiggerLueb]

When i was deer hunting, in my early 20s and about as stoopid as i could be, sittin in a blind seein nothin for the third day, a pair of hens came by near dusk and my curiosity got me wonderin what would happen if I ...bang, shot one in the head at 50-60yds with my 30-30. My old man kicked my ass for it. Have never been turkey hunting since, legal or otherwise.

We have two main hunting rules in the Kingdom of Callaway.
1. Don't shoot deer during turkey season.
2. Don't shoot turkey during deer season.

In Missouri we have both Spring and Fall turkey seasons, a shotgun or archery equipment are the only methods to harvest a bird.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

I

We have two main hunting rules in the Kingdom of Callaway.
1. Don't shoot deer during turkey season.
2. Don't shoot turkey during deer season.

In Missouri we have both Spring and Fall turkey seasons, a shotgun or archery equipment are the only methods to harvest a bird.

btw i did find out that a turkey will flop around for a while when it loses it's head, just like a chicken.

 

[rangerod]

I

btw i did find out that a turkey will flop around for a while when it loses it's head, just like a chicken.

I once shot a turkey when hunting with a friend who went to pick the bird up from the ground when it started flopping. Caught him on the hand with a wing. Two broken fingers.

 

[jlynch75]

Was that the old Sako with the flat bolt handle? Always wanted one of those.

The Sako did have a flat bolt handle, great gun. A little story, my son-in-law at the range I took three shot at 100 yards, Chris checks target and says "You only hit bull once". We turned the target over and you could tell all three made one hole.