Hi, I’m Dave Scarpitti, the wild turkey biologist from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Right now, we’re going to talk a little bit about where we want to aim when trying to harvest a turkey.
Male turkeys are relatively large birds, but our point of aim is going to be very small. It’s a very discreet area on the turkey that will result in the most effective, ethical harvest.
If we look at a turkey target we have here on the wall, there are a couple of important things to note before we shoot.
First, you can see the beard extending off the chest, or breast, of the turkey. That’s very important because in Massachusetts during the spring season, we can only harvest a bearded bird. So first and foremost, we want to make sure the turkey has a beard.
Second, we notice that the turkey’s head is very upright and extended. That is the optimal position in which we want to target the animal.
Our point of aim is going to be right at the line where the feathers end and the bare skin of the neck begins. You’ll notice the upper head, neck, and face are featherless, and then the feathers begin lower on the neck. Our optimal point of aim is right where those two meet.
What happens at that point is our shotgun pattern hits that area, causing damage to the head, neck, and spinal column, resulting in a very quick and humane harvest.
Another very important consideration is distance to the target. The farther away we are, the more our shotgun pattern spreads out. This is something you need to practice at the range with your shotgun and ammunition to understand how your pattern performs at different distances.
For example, at 25 yards, one shotgun and ammunition combination may produce a fairly tight pattern, while a different choke or load may produce a much wider spread.
New hunters and youth hunters should generally be looking at 20 to 25 yards. That gives a good balance—close enough for a dense pattern, but not so far that the pattern becomes too dispersed for an ethical shot.
So the key things to focus on are: identifying the correct aiming point on the turkey, and understanding distance, which affects how your pattern performs based on your shotgun, choke, and ammunition.
Now we’ll talk about the different types of shotguns used for turkey hunting in Massachusetts.
During turkey season, hunters may use archery equipment, shotguns no larger than 10 gauge, and muzzleloading shotguns. However, the overwhelming majority of hunters use shotguns, typically in 12 gauge or 20 gauge.
We have a couple examples here. It’s a little counterintuitive, but a 12 gauge shotgun is actually larger than a 20 gauge shotgun.
For youth or new hunters, a 20 gauge is often a good choice. It has less recoil, is generally lighter, and easier to handle than a 12 gauge.
Now, this shotgun is unloaded—the chamber is empty—and we are always handling it safely, with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
Different shotguns have safeties in different locations. On this model, the safety is located behind the trigger. On others, it may be in a different position.
This gun also has a required Massachusetts hunter safety sticker affixed, which must be visible when handling a shotgun during turkey season.
Most shotguns have a front sight bead—often a single red fiber-optic bead—which is used by aligning it along the rib of the barrel when aiming at a turkey.
This shotgun also uses interchangeable screw-in chokes. The choke controls how tightly the shot pattern is constricted as it leaves the barrel, which directly affects pattern density downrange.
For turkey hunting, we generally use tighter chokes—full, extra-full, or turkey-specific chokes—to keep patterns dense at longer distances.
Most shotguns come with multiple chokes, such as improved cylinder, modified, and full. For turkey hunting, we typically start with a full choke and adjust based on pattern testing.
It’s important to note: never fire a shotgun without a choke installed, as this exposes internal threads and can damage the barrel.
Some chokes are extended, making them easier to remove by hand, while others are flush-fit and require a choke tool to install or remove.
When patterning your shotgun, you should test different choke and ammunition combinations to see how they perform at your intended shooting distance.
Now, let’s talk about ammunition for turkey hunting.
Turkey ammunition is very specific. It differs from upland bird or waterfowl loads.
In Massachusetts, shot size must be number four or smaller for turkey hunting. That means number four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine shot are legal. Anything larger than number four (like number three, two, or one) is not legal.
Traditionally, hunters have used number four to number six shot for turkeys with lead or copper-plated lead.
When selecting ammunition, you must match it to your shotgun. For example, this is a 20 gauge, three-inch shell loaded with number five shot. That’s marked on the box, on the headstamp, and in the shell length.
You also need to ensure your shotgun is chambered for that shell length—typically two and three-quarter inch or three-inch shells for most 20 gauge guns.
With 12 gauge shotguns, you may also see three and a half inch shells, but not all shotguns are chambered for them. You must verify your barrel markings before purchasing ammunition.
There are also different types of turkey loads. Some use copper-plated lead, while others are non-toxic loads using tungsten or other heavy metals. Non-toxic loads are often more expensive but can offer better patterns and longer effective range.
Shot size also varies depending on the material. Tungsten loads may use smaller shot sizes like sixes, sevens, or even nines, producing more pellets and denser patterns.
Ultimately, turkey hunting is a system: shotgun, choke, and ammunition all work together. You need to pattern your shotgun at the range to understand how that system performs at your intended distance—especially for new or youth hunters, where 20 to 25 yards is the ideal range.
A properly patterned 20 gauge or 12 gauge shotgun, even with modest loads, is fully capable of cleanly and ethically harvesting a turkey when used correctly.