The sun was already up when he stepped into the food plot. The mid-April clover was a shade of St. Patrick’s green, and the huge gobbler looked like a black Volkswagen in the field. He had only gobbled once since hitting the ground an hour ago. That gobble was in response to three Jake clucks made with my 4-Play box call. We were both playing hard to get.
We will come back and finish this hunt shortly. But first, I would like to tell you that the gun laying on my lap was a Thompson/Center Treehawk black powder 12-gauge shotgun. This was going to be my first attempt to kill a big Kansas spring Tom with a muzzleloader.
This hunt took place years ago. Since then, I have taken birds with black powder with three different guns in three different states. The mistakes I have made, and the corrections of those errors are why I am bringing you this info today. Hopefully this will inspire you to try shooting turkeys with black powder.
For a couple of decades after the Civil War ended, every turkey shot in America was with black powder from a muzzleloader. We have come a long way since then, and that journey is very interesting. Before we discuss the guns themselves, I want to share some tips on how to create a successful set-up for spring gobblers.
It does not take much thought to realize that the ballistics from a 12-gauge muzzleloader are nothing close to that of a 3-inch magnum centerfire shotgun shell. Therefore, let’s first concentrate on how to get Tom into effective, lethal muzzleloader range.
Calling and decoys are the keys to close encounters with spring gobblers. I am not going to spend a lot of time on these, but a few important factors are essential.
I use turkey calls from 4-Play on every hunt. Their box calls are innovative, and their diaphragm calls are the best available. Here is my calling sequence; I never call to bird that is still on the roost. Once he hits the ground, I give him a series of hen yelps and putts with my diaphragm call.
If he answers that call, I shut up. If he answers, I do not respond. If he continues to gobble, let him. After many minutes I switch to my 4-Play box call and give him three, really sharp, really crisp Jake clucks. I then put my calls away.
With this sequence of calls, you have very likely fooled his ears into thinking a Jake beat him to the hen he was talking to. As he arrives, that is exactly what he should see. When hunting with black powder I set my decoys between 12 and 15 yards from the end of my gun. I put a strutting Jake right on top of a low-lying hen. He is now seeing what he expected to see. It looks perfectly natural and it ticks him off to no end.
Now that we have Tom set up for the shot, let’s take a look at what we intend to shoot him with and how we loaded it. My best advice when talking about loading any muzzleloader is to remember, the powder goes in first! Messing this up will not ruin your gun, only your hunt. Next, if your muzzleloading shotgun has a nipple and requires a percussion cap, use only loose powder, no compressed pellets.
Solid black powder pellets are effective only in the newer inline models. I use about 90 grains of loose powder. I like my shotgun pellets to get out of the barrel as quickly as possible, so I use FFF powder.
Once your powder has been loaded, you must pack that powder with a plug. I use cork discs and I tamp them in tight. Now you can load your shot. I measure my shot, and I like 1.5 ounces of #8s. The use of plastic shot cups is optional.
Now you are ready to secure your shot in the barrel. Once again, I use a couple of cork plugs. Tamp your load in as tight as you can get it. The tighter you tamp it, the more velocity you will achieve. This loading sequence is the same regardless of the gun or the powder.
Now that you know how to load your black powder shotgun, you should do it several times before the season starts. This will be during your patterning sessions as you find the most effective distance of your gun, choke and load combination. Determine your maximum lethal range and never get impatient and shoot beyond it.
The marked difference between the speed of your shot compared to that of modern 3-inch magnum shell is why you need him as close as possible.
Well, my big gobbler took his time crossing the food plot. He strutted and gobbled, trying to intimidate my Jake decoy. When the upstart youngster would not leave the field, he became very agitated. After flogging my decoy, I leveled him with a 12-yard shot. I could hear him flopping long before the smoke cleared.
