So I’ve been thinking about the convo on my Rio thread, and I started thinking about what it would be like to actually use a .17 for turkey hunting out here. At first, I completely shunned the idea, but after thinking about it, I realized the only part about it I don’t like is the fact you can, if you choose to do so, shoot one at a very long distance without ever really working the bird. That said, to each his own, and if someone wants to do that where it’s legal...go for it; I’ve ambushed a turkey before, so if it’s legal and floats your boat, who am I to say don’t do it.

But at this point, I personally enjoy the dance. I want to hear them gobble and communicate with me, but most of all I want to fool them...that cranks my scooter. So I worked that Wyoming Rio away from his hen and had him gobbling like mad, and I got him to strut into 82 yards. That, I feel, was a pretty good feat considering terrain and such. I took a long shot and very well may have gotten lucky with the kill. So, what if I had been using a .17? That, to me, would have still been just as awesome an experience, but the shot and kill or miss would have involved no luck; it would have been a clean head-shot kill or a clean miss.

On future hunts out here, if I were to call them closer, using a .17 be more difficult from 45 in, as the precision factor would need to be much greater. There would be no swinging and shooting of a bird that snuck in close and busted you over the shoulder. There would be the added element of having to really calm the adrenaline before the shot etc. There would be the added element of having to pass shots that did not have short-distance, solid backstops where that bullet could travel any unwanted distance past the bird. Heck, it seems like it would be an added challenge in every way other than having to get the bird to 50 or closer.

So, if you didn’t intend to Hill-crawl and ambush a turkey from 100 yards out, and you only shot turkeys that you were able to call in, what’s your opinion on using a .17 or .22 turkey hunting where it’s legal?