Why Patterning Your Gun Is Critical for Turkey Hunting Success
As Spring turkey hunting season begins, many hunters are gearing up and heading out into the field. Yet, one crucial aspect of turkey hunting that is easily overlooked is the importance of patterning your gun.
Irrespective of a hunter’s experience, patterning your shotgun for turkey season is a vital part of preparation that can be the difference in success or failure on a hunt. As a responsible hunter, it is important to understand your shotgun’s effective range and tendencies to ensure you can hit your target accurately and ethically without causing unnecessary suffering to the bird. Patterning your shotgun allows you to evaluate its performance in harmony with your selected choke and ammunition, leading to more successful hunts.
How to Pattern Your Shotgun for Turkey Hunting
Patterning your shotgun will help you understand how it performs at different distances. To properly pattern your shotgun, start by obtaining paper targets. A target with a life-sized turkey silhouette is ideal, but a regular bullseye target will also work. When using a turkey target, carefully aim your shotgun between the wattle (the fleshy appendage that hangs from the chin of the turkey) and where the skin and feathers meet. For regular targets, aim for the bullseye.
Next, set up your targets at distances of 20, 30 and 40 yards in a safe shooting location. It is recommended to shoot a separate target at each distance and inspect the pattern after each shot. This will help you understand how your shotgun performs at different ranges and identify any issues that need to be addressed before heading out to the field. To start, using a rest when patterning your shotgun will help reduce human error and build confidence. It’s also important to be able to practice shooting from a sitting position if you will be setting up at the base of a tree on your hunt.
Hunters should also practice with the same gun, choke and ammunition intended to use during the actual hunt, as each of these combined elements contributes to a unique pattern downrange.
While it only takes one well-placed pellet hitting the spine or brain to harvest a turkey, properly evaluating your targets and adjusting your shotgun will greatly increase your chances of success in the field. Opinions vary on what constitutes a "good" pattern at 30 yards, whether it consistently has 100 pellets within a 10-inch circle or has more than 10 pellets in the wattle area, or “kill zone.”
After evaluating your pattern, it is important to continue practicing and making necessary adjustments until you achieve a consistent and effective pattern at your desired range. Take note of which ammunition and choke combinations work best with your shotgun, learn from your mistakes and don’t be afraid to adjust your shooting techniques. By putting in the effort to pattern your shotgun and practice regularly, you will be well-prepared for a successful turkey season.
Why Patterning Matters
Knowledge of your shotgun’s performance and effective ranges is important for all hunters to ensure an ethical kill while turkey hunting. Given that turkeys have a small vital area and are constantly moving their head, it is crucial to make an accurate shot. A well-patterned gun will concentrate the majority of pellets around and on the turkey’s vital area, reducing the likelihood of injuring or missing your target. Ethically, it is essential to never shoot beyond the effective range of your shotgun, which underscores the need to know the limitations of your turkey gun, choke and ammunition.
Because there are so many variables in turkey hunting, it is crucial that you have confidence in your shotgun’s pattern and can accurately judge distances inside of 40 yards; this will help you stay calm and focused when taking a shot, rather than feeling rushed or uncertain when a gobbler is within range. For newer hunters, practicing can also help become more familiar with your gear, more comfortable with shooting techniques and avoid common mistakes, such as flinching or jerking the trigger, which can lead to missed or poorly placed shots.
The pursuit of the wild turkey challenges even the most experienced hunters; however, it is this challenge that keeps many hunters coming back year after year. With so many factors that can impact your chances of successfully bagging a gobbler, dedicating time before your hunt to patterning your shotgun is a worthwhile investment in your success, increasing your chances of filling your freezer this season.