Why is #4 shot the largest you can use? Safety? Sportsmanship?

[Russ McDonald]

Safety for sure.  You have to watch out for those turkeys of the non feathered kind out there.  One of the things I preach in my clinics.  I use 5 shot normally.  I got some triple threat which is 5,6 and 7 but I decided to go with a crossbow this year.

[kevinlisa06]

Not even sure why you would even want to go bigger than 4 shot. Very few pellets to get a good pattern at a bobbing head. Shot my bird last year with Heavyweight 7’s last season, way more pellets. I will be patterning my TSS 9’s tomorrow morning.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pianoman9701]

I didn't say I wanted to go bigger. I was simply wondering the reason. I assumed it was safety.

[kevinlisa06]

I didn't say I wanted to go bigger. I was simply wondering the reason. I assumed it was safety.

Got ya 👍


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Luna butte]

I always figured it was so the fish cops could easily tell who was shooting em with a 22

[Duckslayer89]

My understanding is that the requirement is for safety. Turkey hunting has the highest risk of hunting related stupid accidents. A #2 or 00 pellet has enough mass to cause higher risk of lethal injury to the victim. I had some dude put the sneak on me while I was hen yelping last year. I waved him off as he approached with his gun at the high ready. I'm not of fan of people "stalking" turkeys.

Turkey hunting has highest rates of accidents because its popular in the south

[DOUBLELUNG]

Both safety and killing efficacy - you can put the recommended minimum 5-6 pellets in a head/neck pattern further with #4-6 shot, and still have enough energy per pellet to penetrate the neck bones (about 65 yards max energy/pellet in a lead #6 IIRC).