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Old March 8, 2001, 01:50 AM   #1
Guyon
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Join Date: July 27, 2000
Location: Over the Hills and Through the Woods, Tennessee
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I've never hunted turkey, though I think I might try my hand this year and see how it goes.

I'm curious about all these turkey guns with the camo. Are the camo guns completely necessary for turkey? I know these birds have good eyes.

The camo pattern is about $100 to $150 more in the 870 models I've looked at. I'm wondering if I could get away with some of the camo coverings (about 25 bucks) on a cheaper gun with just black synthetic or wood stocks.

I'm not too wild about the camo as far as maintenance and overall appearance. I worry about the camo coming off during cleaning.

Since most turkey guns have the shorter barrels, I would like a turkey gun to double as a defensive shotgun (just put in a IC choke when I'm not hunting). My eye is on the Remington Express Turkey with wood stocks with the 21 inch barrel. BUT... no camo on that gun.
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Old March 8, 2001, 08:30 AM   #2
Dave McC
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Location: Columbia, Md, USA
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A flat, no sheen finish will work fine, IMO. Also, H&S carries a camo tape that also works, just remove it after the season. Left on too long, it leaves marks on the metal.

A local custom here is to use something like a Winchester Model 37 Single Shot,appropriately choked, and with cone and bore work, a light trigger,swivel studs etc. The outside is spray painted with bow paint,duck boat paint, etc,ending up with one excellent, specialized tool. I see some of these at turkey shoots taking a fair part of the winnings.

Far more important when turkey hunting than total camo is to be still. Turkeys pick up movement even faster than deer, an eyeblink at 30 yards will send them packing.
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Old March 9, 2001, 12:22 PM   #3
TGS
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Join Date: November 19, 1999
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Turkeys are funny

A deer will look at something camo'ed and think its maybe a tree limb or something. A Turkey will look at a tree limb and think its probably something camo'ed
Tom
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Old March 9, 2001, 01:40 PM   #4
fudiem
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Join Date: December 27, 2000
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I have the Remington 12g. turkey Express with the matte finish 21". I love this gun. I plan on going turkey hunting this spring with it for the first time. I'm leaving it as-is.
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Old March 9, 2001, 05:09 PM   #5
mjcitra
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Its alot like synthetic motor oil. It costs more, it doesn't hurt, but its not really necessary.
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Old March 9, 2001, 05:36 PM   #6
dZ
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Join Date: May 31, 1999
Location: Exiled, Fetid Swamp, DC
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Turkey have incredible sight and hearing and supposedly memorize the shape of the terrain in their range.

Lucky for us thou, like most birds, they are pretty dumb.
If i stay still and don't cast an outline against the terrain, they walk right by.

i see them alot when i am deer hunting in full Blaze orange.
When i move up the mountain in the predawn, i bust them out of roost in the oak trees. They will scatter and spend the morning regrouping. Last year, in the afternoon, i heard a noise above me on the mountain top and i saw a turkey walk out of the laurel 25 yards away. It launched & glided down the mountain. Over the next 3 minutes a dozen birds followed.

pretty cool
pretty predictable behavior pattern
if you were a turkey would you strain to fly up into a tree or would you feed your way up hill and in the late day glide to bed?

dZ
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Old March 9, 2001, 07:57 PM   #7
hube1236
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Do I need to get the full camo body armor suit?
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Old March 11, 2001, 07:24 AM   #8
Rottweiler
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I personally camo up for turkey, but my dad followed the theory that where were a lot of turkeys killed before camo was invented. He killed a lot more turkeys than I probably ever will.
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