Lighten the Load with a Single-Shot Turkey Gun

Sitting at my laptop I stare out the window of a speeding Amtrak train somewhere between Washington, D.C. and New York City. Fall foliage is on fire, color peaking. As trees, houses, dank business districts and more flash past I catch a reflection of myself in the dusty windowpane. The scene outside mirrors life hurtling along at breakneck speed.

Forgive me for waxing a bit prosaic in an article about turkey guns, but if you’ll stick with me, I’ll make my point shortly. Turkey hunting seems to be keeping up with technology nicely, but as the weight of my turkey hunting vest climbs higher I seem to enjoy the experience less. It seems that if bigger isn’t better, then faster’ll fix it. Problem is, getting back to the bare essentials doesn’t sell much advertising.

When life is blazing past and turkey season is open, I can’t think of a better way to slow the pace and relax than a day in the woods. To get the full effect, I’ve become a convert to a different way of turkey hunting. It’s the kind of turkey hunting that you haven’t seen on your television screen or read about in a magazine. It’s a hunt that goes in the opposite direction of carrying enough calls to strike up a turkey calling symphony, and hunting irons are ultra simple, one-shot affairs.

When I get the opportunity, I like to hunt with a minimum of equipment and fuss… alone. Last spring I made a hunt where I ventured afield with the least amount of gear possible. I carried a single mouth call instead of a vest so full you could stock a sporting goods store. I didn’t get quite as drastic as the guy I read about that smears his naked body with charcoal paste and sneaks around the woods poking deer with his finger, but I did trim down everything that wasn’t necessary. I carried my Grandpa’s battered single-shot 16 gauge and a couple of shells, and that was enough. Trimming away everything that wasn’t necessary made the hunt a low-tech, slow-paced one-on-one outing that seemed all the more enjoyable because of its simplicity.

I discovered a new gun during a recent writer’s hunt that fits into my plan for a more simple approach of “less is more” turkey hunting. Sitting a tree over from Turkey Trot Acre’s owner Pete Clare, I rested a Thompson/Center Encore shotgun on my knee and kee-kee’ed like a lonesome jake. Prior to the morning’s hunt I had a chance to pattern the single-shot T/C Encore 12-gauge at the lodge range. Several hunters took their turn at the bench to make sure that the light-weight gun was shooting where it’s Tru-Glo sights were aimed. A couple of clicks to the right and up a skosh put the Winchester Hi-Velocity loads of No. 5 shot in a pie-plate-sized pattern at 30 yards. I would have to remember to concentrate extra hard on any birds at close range to keep from missing them with the gun’s tight pattern.

The hunt had gone well. Clare’s dog has scattered a big flock of hens and young gobblers. Before I caught up with him and the rest of the hunting party, three turkeys were already in the bag. Not long after I caught up with the group, Winchester’s Mike Capps tagged a fourth young bird. The T/C Encores were doing a splendid job of putting the lead upside a turkey’s noggin at ranges between 20 and 35 yards.

Adjusting our setup to gain a wider vantage in the thick woods, Pete and I frequently called to entice the birds back to the break-point. A faint yelp brought us to full alert as we scanned the brush ahead to the source. A grayish-pink head periscoped from behind a spruce at 35 yards. I cocked the hammer and traced the bird’s steps through the waist high weeds and brush. When the young jake stepped into the clear at 20 yards I lit the fire and bagged the fifth turkey of the day for our hunting party.

The T/C Encore 12 gauge patterns well with its factory-installed screw-in choke. (More detail of gun specs) The real beauty is the gun’s light weight. Tipping the scales at 7.4 pounds, the 12 gauge Encore is one of the lightest single-shot turkey guns on the market. The light weight comes at a price, in both recoil and dollars. This gun exerts in excess of 70 foot-pounds of recoil with the high-velocity turkey loads. Having shot this gun several times, I’ve earned the right to say that its stiff recoil is, in my opinion, worth the trade-off in portability.

After hunting with the Encore 12 gauge for a couple of season, I purchased an additional 20 gauge barrel and forend. This rig cut weight several ounces, and has been a joy to hunt with for several seasons.

Single-Shot Turkey Guns

As the author points out, any fixed-choke single-shot in a turkey legal gauge is adequate for a low-tech hunt. One of the most popular single-shots is New England Firearms’ (NEF) chambered in 10-, 12-, and 20 gauge models. The 10- and 12-gauge models are threaded for screw-in chokes, painted in Mossy Oak camo, and come dressed with sling swivels. Both of the bigger gauges are also chambered to accept 3 ½- inch magnum loads. The one thing to keep in mind about NEF’s single-shot 10 gauges is the weight. I owned two, and they both tip the scales at 10 pounds, loaded. If you want a light single-shot, keep looking.

Savage Model 301 in .410 is a turkey-killing machine out to 40 yards with Federal TSS loads.

Mossberg arrived on the scene with a single-shot turkey gun several years ago. Their SSI is also chambered for 3 ½- inch loads in the 12 gauge version. Now discontinued, you’ll have to search the used gun market for this one.

The new fad in turkey guns is a .410 in a Savage Model 301. This 5.07-pound scattergun is the champ of the lightweights. It features a 26-inch barrel and a screw-in choke engineered to handle Federal Heavyweight TSS loads. If you want a little more gun, Savage also offers a 20 gauge that tips the scales at 6 pounds. The Model 301 Obsession also comes equipped with a Picatinny rail for optics mounting.

You Might Also Like:
Pattern Your Turkey Gun to Get in the Kill Zone
A Turkey Hunter’s Worst Nightmare: Needing One More Shot
Today’s Turkey Vests Technology Provide More Storage and Comfort
The Popularity of Pistol-Grip Turkey Guns

Turkey Hunter’s Tool Kit: Shooting Savvy™
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