The MeatEater

The Idaho State Legislator recently passed a bill that will shake up the state’s hunting regulations, particularly for big game and bird hunting. House Bill 939, which was signed into law on April 2, took aim at the use of technological aids for hunting.

In particular, the bill, which was crafted with public input, outlaws the use of thermal imaging, night vision, and drones to hunt or scout for big game and game birds. It also forbids the use of cellular trail cameras on publicly accessible lands from August 30 through December 31 each year. The new regulations are intended to preserve fair chase ethics in the Gem State, and they are consistent with existing regulations in many other Western states.

“With better technology comes more success, and if we don’t find a way to moderate success, we are going to have to cut opportunities,” Idaho Wildlife Federation executive director Nick Fasciano told the Spokesman-Review in the lead up to the bill’s passage. Fasciano and his nonprofit considered the regulation changes “reasonable.”

The final version of the bill included several exceptions that weren’t present in earlier versions. Significantly, the use of advanced technology was not applied to wolves, mountain lions, and other predatory wildlife—though bears were not included in this carve-out. Additionally, game recovery, trapping, and livestock protection were not included in the technological restrictions. Standard, non-transmitting trail cameras remain viable for use on public lands, as well.

“This legislation essentially kept the spirit of the [original version of the] rule but expresses more explicitly the main concerns the legislators were hearing from the public on the rule,” Idaho Department of Fish & Game community engagement coordinator Ellary Tucker Williams told the Spokesman-Review.

The moves follow on the heels of another important legislative change impacting hunters in Idaho: on March 31, Governor Brad Little signed H.B. 855 into law. The legislation increased the residency requirement for purchasing a “lifetime hunting license" from six months to five years. The action was taken at the behest of local hunters concerned about non-residents moving briefly to the state for just long enough to snag a lifetime license—qualifying them for the resident tag drawing for the rest of their lives—then moving back to their home states. The bill was instituted as big game hunting opportunities seem to be increasingly popular—and difficult to draw—in the Mountain West.

“Because there has been such an increase in demand for non-resident elk and deer tags in the last 10 years and we moved to a draw system last year for all non-resident tags, I think many people were looking for a way to more consistently get tags,” state representative James Petzke told the Idaho Statesman. “This was one way they could do so.”

When I was growing up, springtime was always catfish time. Every year, as soon as the ice had melted off the water and I heard the calls of spring peepers in the air, I’d grab my gear and head down to the river for an evening of kitty hunting. I never caught many fish in those days, but it always felt like the first wriggling bullhead or channel cat I managed to pull onto the muddy bank was the start of something great and that the fishing was only going to get better from here.

As I grew older, I refined my catfish fishing strategies and techniques and soon discovered that spring wasn’t just a time to break the seal on my catfish season—it was a legitimate opportunity. With the waters beginning to warm and every catfish species from bullheads to flatheads becoming more active and aggressive, springtime can provide some of the best catfish action of the entire year. And all it takes to capitalize on this early-season whiskery bounty is fishing at the right times and in the right places.

Early season catfishing is all about patience. The fish tend to move into and out of likely areas and will feed in flurries, meaning that your baits have to be there, ready and waiting for the time to be right. This may mean spending several hours with little to no action, but when the fish turn on, it can be fast and furious.

Unlike when you’re fishing in summer when catfish tend to crowd up and gather in deeper holes and can only be caught in the early morning or at night, spring catfish tend to hunt and feed in shallower water throughout the entire day, though their strikes will often be much more subtle. This means you may have to go after them with considerably lighter gear.

If you’re after bullheads or smaller channel cats, a light- to medium-action rod is all you need. For bigger channel cats, flatheads, or blues, you’re going to want a beefier, medium-heavy to heavy-action rod for handling the bigger fish. This is especially true if you’re fishing for spring cats in rivers where the heavy current can make larger fish extremely hard to handle. Pair your rod with a decent spinning or baitcasting reel, strung with six- to 15-pound braided line.

Since catfish tend to feed along the bottom and can rove a decent distance away from shore, bring a menagerie of split shot and egg sinkers. These will both help you cast a longer distance and keep your baits near the bottom in the strike zone. Finally, you’re going to want to use circle hooks for your bait. Choose hooks that are an appropriate size for your catfish quarry, with smaller size 4 to size 2 hooks for smaller fish and larger size 2 to 2/0 hooks for catfish over 10 pounds. Rig your setup by either sliding an egg sinker on your line with a small shot or bobber stop about 18 inches to 24 inches below the hook, and you’ll be ready to bait up.

While the classic catfish baits you use during the summer and fall will still work for spring catfish, I’ve found that on occasion there are less-common catfish baits with a bit more spunk that seem to produce more early season strikes. As most of the fish will either be in the pre-spawn or post-spawn stage, they’ll often be more territorial and aggressive than normal, making live baits with movement an effective option.

Often, during the spring I’ll fish with multiple rods, rigging one with a traditional catfish bait such as chicken livers or cut bait and the other with live bait and see which produces more strikes. Once I start getting into fish consistently on one bait or the other, I’ll rig my other rod accordingly to double my catch rate.

If you’re hunting smaller catfish, try baiting one of your rods with small live minnows, worms, or whole crayfish. For larger fish, bait up with whole live shad, suckers, or even a panfish like a bluegill (where legal). Often, these livelier baits will get more attention from spring cats, especially when you’re fishing in the early morning or late evening when the fish are on the hunt.

In the earliest part of the season, spring catfish will be seeking out dark muddy bottoms in the shallowest water they can find. Areas like this will absorb heat from the sunlight, warming the water faster and keeping it at a consistent temperature throughout the day. However, not every muddy-bottomed spot is created equal, and you’ll often have to search around a bit to find the perfect area for catfish to gather.

Start your spring catfish hunt by looking for large muddy flats along the bank that are close to sharp drop-offs, paying particular attention to any areas that are between two and four feet deep. Once you’ve found a couple likely areas, bait up a couple rods and then cast one close along the edge of the bank and another out farther and closer to the drop-off. Depending on water temperature, species, and the time of day, these are the most likely areas for spring catfish to be cruising and usually the first areas that you’ll get a hook-up.

In the later part of the spring when water temperatures have risen into the 70s and catfish are either fully engrossed in or completely finished spawning, it’s time to start fishing around structure. This can include anything from large logs in the middle of a river to rocky points leading out into a lake; anywhere that provides a ledge or hole for a catfish to cram itself into to spawn makes for an ideal late-spring spot. While catfish actually in the act of spawning may be tough to catch in these areas, both fish that are moving into and out of them can be voracious and aggressive and will find your waiting baits hard to resist.

It's best to fish areas around structure from a boat or from across the river or lake where there’s open water between you and the structure and not directly above or next to it. This will allow you to put the wood to any hooked fish, preventing them from running back into cover and breaking off. Try to cast your baits and fish within a foot or two of your chosen area, and when a fish takes your bait, set the hook quickly and pull as hard as you can to keep the fight out in open water.

Inlet creeks and rivers off lakes and larger rivers can also make excellent spring catfish spots. These areas usually have warmer water and increased flow due to spring rain and snowmelt, which will spark catfish to migrate upstream to both spawn and feed. Concentrate your fishing in these areas in any spot where you find a “pinch point,” or an area where faster currents or flows moving in opposite directions meet, forming a pillow of slower or completely calm water.

Catfish migrating up these inlets will use these pinch points as a refuge from flow as well as routes to move and feed. Use heavier weights and sink your baits to the bottom in these areas, paying extra attention to any areas that are particularly muddy or churned up, as these spots will usually have the highest concentrations of fish. You may have to fish a few different spots, as catfish in these inlets are usually on the move, but once you find the right one, you’ll likely get into a lot of fish.

For outdoorsfolk, there are a lot of wonderful and iconic moments of spring. From the gobbling of turkeys to the popping of morels to the first ripples of a rising trout, we look for these glorious little instants as the signs of a new beginning to a hopefully long and productive season.

However, if you’re looking for something new to add to your spring activity list, the squelching of mud, smell of stink bait, and sound of a screeching drag hooked to a spring catfish may very well rise to the top.

Steven Rinella talks with paleontologist, evolutionary biologist, and author, Steve Brusatte.

Topics discussed: The Story of Birds is out now!; Steve's other best selling books on The Rise and Reign of Mammals and The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs; why birds are dinosaurs; the odds of something becoming a fossil; the physical traits, adaptations, and eating habits that helped early birds survive; and more.  

Connect with Steve and The MeatEater Podcast Network

Steve on Instagram and Twitter

MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube

This week, Cal breaks down recent research on the effects of hard drugs on Atlantic Salmon, western drought, and the wins-and-losses of all our legislative calls to action so far this year.

Connect with Cal and MeatEater

To learn more and get involved with any Cal to Action, click here.

Cal on Instagram and Twitter

MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips

Subscribe to The MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube

Shop Cal's Week in Review Merch

Last fall we published an episode called “Pogie Boats” where we dove into a long-standing conflict between the commercial menhaden fishing industry and the recreational fishermen, charter fishermen, and conservation community. We also promised that we would keep you updated with this issue as it progresses. Just a few days ago, three key menhaden reform bills passed the senate natural resources committee, which is a big deal, and a step towards conservation on this highly-contested issue.

Connect with Lake Pickle and MeatEater

Lake Pickle on Instagram

MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and YouTube Clips

MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube

Some lucky deer hunter will eventually shoot a whitetail with antlers bigger than those atop the buck Milo Hanson killed Nov. 23, 1993, near his Saskatchewan farm.

With a certified score of 213-5/8 inches, Hanson’s 14-point buck became the world-record “typical” whitetail during the Boone and Crockett Club’s 1995 awards ceremony. It bumped a 10-point buck from the top spot it held since its 1971 entry. That buck scored 206-1/8 inches, and was shot by Jim Jordan in 1914 near Danbury in northwestern Wisconsin.

No hunter, however, will ever tell a better, more modest hunting story about a world-record buck than the one Hanson told until his death Feb. 9 at age 81. Unlike many big-buck stories today, Hanson’s tale includes no nickname for the buck. Neither does it include treestands, box blinds, long waits, and trail-cam photos documenting the buck’s life through annual antler growth. And it certainly doesn’t feature GoPro video clips capturing Hanson’s shots, and smartphones grabbing his post-kill reactions.

During the buck’s estimated 4½ years, Hanson’s friends, passersby and neighboring farmers sometimes saw it crossing or feeding in one of the sprawling rye or wheat fields near Biggar, a prairie town of 2,000 in central Saskatchewan. They usually stopped to watch until it vanished into an aspen bluff or willow slough.

Even though Biggar’s hunters, farmers, and coffee-shop patrons were calling it “the huge guy” by November 1993, they didn’t consider the buck legendary. As Hanson and his co-author, Ian McMurchy, said in their 1995 book, World Record Whitetail: The Hanson Buck Story, the big whitetail simply didn’t live long enough to earn a nickname. The last buck to earn such acclaim—the so-called “Argo buck”—lived southwest of Biggar so many years that Hanson suspected “a succession of bucks was responsible for (its) legend.”

They started recognizing the buck and sharing stories about its monstrous antlers a year before Hanson shot it. One local, a school-bus driver named Jim Angelopoulos, spotted it several times on his route in autumn 1992. He said its body wasn’t big, but its gigantic antlers looked like a rocking chair atop the buck’s head.

On opening day in ’92, Angelopoulos saw the buck standing broadside near a slough 100 yards off the road. Two hunters in a truck in front of his yellow bus, and two more in a pickup behind him, never saw the buck as they rolled down the rural road. Angelopoulos assumed his school bus distracted the hunters.

Then came Hanson’s turn in 1993. Hanson, who was 49 that year, never sought the spotlight but remained humble under its glare during his final 32 years. When he retold his deer story, he sounded no different from any other hunter you hear at taverns, wedding receptions or company picnics.

Likewise, instead of bragging or claiming expertise, Hanson credited his three longtime hunting buddies for his good fortune. Their names were Walter Meger, who worked at a nearby feed lot; and Rene Igini and John Yaroshko, who owned farms next door to Hanson.

Hanson and his buddies had no luck the first week of Saskatchewan’s November 1993 deer season. However, a neighbor named Dwayne Zagoruy missed a shot opening day when the buck burst from thick aspens, raced across a harvested field and crossed into land he couldn’t hunt. The next day, Meger and another friend, Walter Gamble, spotted the buck on posted land at dusk. Meger saw it again the next morning while driving to Hanson’s farm, but it didn’t offer a good shot.

As the season’s second week began, a light snow Monday night covered old deer tracks. Hanson had to finish feeding his cattle as dawn arrived Tuesday, so Meger and Igini started hunting without him. They soon spotted the giant buck with two does several hundred yards away in a stubble field as they pulled out of Igini’s driveway. They parked and slipped away from their trucks and set up to shoot, but then missed. The buck fled to a distant aspen patch while the does ran elsewhere.

Hanson and Yaroshko arrived just as their friends finished looking for signs of a hit. They quickly organized a push. Igini waited while his three friends drove around toward the aspens where they last saw the buck. Hanson and his buddies then split up to cover the buck’s likely escape routes, and Igini followed its tracks. Just as Igini entered the aspens, the buck fled across the field, giving Hanson his first look at its giant rack. Hanson, Meger and Yaroshko all shot, but no bullet touched the buck.

Tracking the buck wasn’t easy because its hoofs were about the size of an adult doe’s, and blended in with other deer tracks crisscrossing the fields. Eventually, they jumped the buck again in another aspen patch, and watched it race across a rye field, jump a fence and disappear into a willow slough.

Igini stayed behind to track the buck while Hanson and the others drove off to wait east and northwest of the slough. Soon after Igini resumed tracking, the buck broke cover again, racing broadside at 150 yards to Hanson and Yaroshko. Their shots missed again, and the buck raced toward another aspen patch.

Igini stayed on its track while his friends again circled ahead to post near the buck’s latest hideout. When the buck fled Igini again, it burst into a field northwest of the aspens and ran straight away from Hanson and his Winchester 88 lever-action rifle. Hanson bought the rifle and its Weaver 4X riflescope in 1970 at Biggar’s hardware store for $189.

When Hanson fired, his .308 bullet struck the buck’s right antler beam, knocking it to its knees. It quickly jumped back up and disappeared over an aspen bluff 500 yards away. After Yaroshko and Hanson followed and crested the bluff, Hanson saw the buck facing him at 50 yards. His first shot dropped the buck, and a follow-up shot finished it.

In the years that followed, Hanson often took grief from judgmental hunters who questioned his marksmanship and his ethics for shooting at running deer. Still others belittled the buck’s rack, saying its high score was all length and little girth. Hanson learned to smile and stay cool, reminding himself that envy makes people bitter.

Besides, he never intended to kill the world’s biggest buck, and no one was more surprised than him when the Boone and Crockett Club’s scoring system made it so. But once B&C put Milo Hanson’s name atop its record book, he handled the distinction with world-class grace and humility.

Over 30 years later, Hanson’s buck remains number one.

Feature image via Boone and Crockett Club

Turkey season is still in vogue as Brent relates a story from one of his family members in Arkansas. Then he’ll wind up his recent trip to Alabama with a tale of some good folks doing some good things in conservation. Gather up and let’s give it a listen. 

Thank you to our sponsors, Case Knives and Stor-Mor.

Shop This Country Life Merch

Connect with Brent and MeatEater

MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips

Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube

Shop This Country Life Merch

You learn a lot about turkey loads and shotguns after you send several dozen patterns down range in the name of research. For starters, I think I’ll stick to a 20 gauge next spring after putting my shoulder through the wringer. The devastating patterns from some of the 20-gauge loads also made that an easy decision.

A few of these points might seem like no-brainers, but they still warrant explanation based on the findings. Regardless, all of these points should come as good news for hunters considering upgrades to their existing turkey guns. Here are a few things I learned from testing the best turkey hunting shotguns.

You don’t have to buy an expensive turkey gun to kill a turkey. The Remington 870 proves that. While turkey-specific shotguns are cool, it’s easy to forget that hunters killed turkeys long before there were fancy shotguns with pistol grips, camo patterns, and extra full turkey chokes. Most turkey hunters used their shotguns for everything from squirrels and deer in the fall to turkeys in the spring.

Now, most basic shotguns come threaded for interchangeable chokes. This means you can find a turkey choke and load that works best for your gun and find its maximum range. If you’re on a budget and looking for a turkey hunting shotgun, start with the Remington 870. New, used, doesn’t matter. Which leads me to my next point.

Even beyond this test, I’ve patterned and reviewed this gun alongside other (more expensive) turkey guns, and the 870 produces some of the best patterning results for turkey hunting. It produced 407 pellet strikes in a 10-inch circle at 40 yards—the best pattern of the test—with a $30 Primos Tight Wad choke tube. Even with lead shot, the 870 averaged 216 pellet strikes at that same distance. Those are fantastic numbers from a shotgun that you can find anywhere, from $350 to $650.

I shoot an old Express model 870, but the new Fieldmaster versions are just as good if not slightly better, and I’ve never had a pump jam on me before. Its performance and affordability alone make it the best turkey gun ever made.

If you want to get the most from your turkey choke and ammo, you need to find the right combination. Think of your gun, load, and choke options as the reels on a slot machine. Hit the right three and you find the jackpot, but change any one of those, and you’ll have a different outcome.

Some of the best combinations I’ve tested placed 300-400 pellets within a 10-inch circle at 40 yards (with Apex TSS). But let’s not overcomplicate this. If you’re talking 40 yards or less, you can kill a turkey with at least 100 pellets in a 10-inch circle, and, no, it doesn’t have to be TSS.

But if you plan on running TSS, which has skyrocketed to more than $20 per shell for some 12 gauge options, you want to get the most out of your investment. Some guns and ammo will produce excellent patterns with one turkey choke, while another gun might show inconsistent patterns with that same combo. Luckily, brands like Carlson’s have eliminated the guesswork by making gun and load-specific chokes, so you don’t have to spend a fortune figuring out which one is best for your gun.

I’ve killed a ton of turkeys with Winchester’s Long Beard XR, so I didn’t need a turkey gun test to tell me that it’s a great option. Still, it was impressive to see how this ammo patterned in my recent turkey gun test and in previous work I’ve done in the past.

At forty yards, both the Remington 870 and the Mossberg 940 Pro averaged over 200 pellets in a 10-inch circle with 3-inch no. 6 loads. Meanwhile, all the 20 gauges in the test averaged over 100 pellets with 3-inch no. 5 Long Beard XR in a Carlson’s Long Beard XR choke. Those numbers are more than enough to kill a turkey at 40 yards and plenty for hunters who make shots from 30 yards or less.

There’s a valid argument about the drawback of TSS at close ranges (20 yards or less), especially paired with a turkey choke. Those patterns can be the size of a softball, which makes it easy to miss a turkey’s head, especially if he’s moving. One flinch or head bob and you might miss him all together. That risk is valid, but it’s one worth taking. If you’re worried about missing a turkey that close, then try to stop him before taking a shot. Yelp a few times and that turkey will likely stop and poke his head up. Just make sure you’re tracking his head with your bead or red dot so you can make a quick shot as soon as he stops.

The 20 gauges in this turkey test all showed a significant decline in total pellet count at 40 yards when you compare the copper-plated lead to TSS. Pellet counts doubled (if not more) for each shotgun with TSS. That might not be the case with a 12 gauge like the Remington 870 that produced over 200 pellet strikes at 40 yards with Winchester Long Beard XR, but that’s not the case for sub-gauges.

Yes, part of that discrepancy in total pellet count has to do with the shot size and total shot available in a shell, but it’s a factor worth considering if you’re going to take shots at 40 yards. Not to mention, the density and pellet count of TSS help if you hunt areas with thick vegetation. I hunt in some of the thickest, greenest parts of the deep South. Most of my shots involve some kind of brush. I feel much more confident shooting TSS within 30 yards if I know some of my pattern might take a hit.

We might be living in the golden age of turkey guns, but that doesn’t mean you need to upgrade your current rig. Whether you roll with your grandfather’s old shotgun or decide to drop some cash on an ultra-specific turkey gun, there have never been more ways to punch your turkey tag.

The best turkey hunting shotguns shoot consistently tight patterns with the right choke and ammo. Aside from that, there are other details that make them more desirable in the turkey woods. For instance, lightweight, shorter guns make it easy to maneuver when you're run-and-gunning or need to pivot when that gobbler makes an unexpected loop. Red dots allow you to see more of your target as it bobs and weaves through the timber. And camo? Cool but not necessary.

This isn't a comprehensive list. Your favorite one might not be part of the test I conducted, but that doesn't mean it's not an excellent turkey gun. For instance, I didn't include the Mossberg 500 or 835, both of which are fine, certified turkey guns. Instead, I chose to test and review shotguns that reflect current turkey hunting trends, like auto-loaders, 20 gauges, and a couple Remington 870s that I already own. I also didn't include the increasingly popular .410 and 28 gauges in the actual testing, but I do offer a few recommendations based on previous experience. While there are plenty of excellent options out there, these are some of the best turkey hunting shotguns you can find.

Jump to: The Shotguns We Tested and Reviewed

This spring, I've spent time in the field and at the range with these shotguns. I even used a few of them to bag three longbeards during my state's turkey season. Above all criteria, I prized each gun's patterning the most. I then considered ergonomics and affordability.

I scored each gun from 1 to 5 (5 being the highest) in each category and then gave the guns an average score. Because there are a mix of 12 and 20 gauges, I don't provide an exact head-to-head comparison. The test provides parameters for evaluating each gun so that they can serve as reference points. My goal isn't ultimately to crown a champion. Instead, the test is meant to reveal what you can expect from some of the best turkey guns available.

I patterned each shotgun at 40 yards with multiple choke tubes and some of the most popular turkey hunting ammo available (Winchester Long Beard XR, Federal Heavyweight TSS, and Apex GT3 and GT20 TSS). Instead of shooting a small turkey target, I shot sheets of butcher paper, found the center of impact, and then counted the pellets within a 10-inch circle from the center. I shot each gun three times with each choke/load combo to get an average pellet count (see table at the end for reference).

It's worth noting that some guns pattern differently depending on the choke and load combo. Some combinations might perform better in different constrictions and barrel lengths. With this in mind, and the availability (and feasibility) of patterning endless load/choke combinations, I made sure not to compare apples to oranges. Just because a gun doesn't perform as well with the combinations I had available doesn't mean it won't produce better results with other options.

Turkey hunting often requires you to sit in the same position for a long period of time with your gun at the ready. Sometimes you have to take shots from weird angles or different positions. A shotgun's comb height, forend or receiver width, palm swell, and weight all play a role in its overall ergonomics. For this category, I graded shotguns based on their handling in realistic turkey hunting scenarios.

Specialized turkey guns include all the bells and whistles that add up and reflect their prices. While you can certainly use a turkey-specific gun for other game species, you'll still have to make adjustments to it that might cost even more money and outweigh the hefty price tag. I considered each shotgun's patterning and ergonomics related to its respective price to determine its affordability.

The Remington 870 is probably the best turkey gun ever made. It's rugged, reliable, historically affordable, and it patterns just as good—if not better—than the most expensive turkey guns money can buy. This isn't hyperbole either. I've done multiple shotgun/turkey ammo tests, and the 870, even basic models, usually outperforms most shotguns.

For the patterning portion of the test, the Remington 870 produced the best pattern with the least expensive choke (Primos Tight Wad). At 40 yards, it put 407 pellets (Apex 3-inch #9s) in a 10-inch circle. That's 42 more pellets than the next best pattern in the test, and it averaged 396 pellets in a three-shot group.

It also averaged 217 pellet strikes in a 10-inch circle at 40 yards with a Carlson's Long Beard XR Choke and Winchester Long Beard XR 3-inch #6s. It did not like the Federal Heavyweight TSS/Carlsons Heavyweight TSS choke combo as much. Though, it still averaged plenty (176) of pellet strikes at 40 yards. However, it averaged 253 pellet strikes with the Federal Heavyweight TSS/Tight Wad. In fact, one of the turkeys I killed this year with this 870 occurred with that combo, and he absolutely folded. The Remington 870's patterning tallied 5 points.

Those are excellent numbers for any turkey gun, let alone a setup that would run you less than $600 brand new. Yes, Remington's availability is spotty, but you can find used ones for a few hundred dollars less. For this reason, the Remington 870 scores a 5 in affordability.

Ergonomics wise, the 870, specifically the 12 gauge, could score higher. It's by far the heaviest gun in the test. The weight certainly helps mitigate recoil, but it gets heavy if you don't run a sling or when you have to sit still in an awkward position with turkeys in range. I do love the safety position, which requires minimal movement to engage. For these reasons it scored 3.

After patterning and hunting with the Beretta A300 Ultima, this might be my new favorite turkey gun. It produced the second-best single pattern with 363 pellet strikes at 40 yards within a 10-inch circle (avg. 359) with a Rob Roberts RRaptor choke and Apex GT-20 3-inch no. 9. Those are stellar numbers and wildly consistent. No other 20 gauge in the test came close to those numbers.

With Federal Heavyweight TSS, the A300's numbers dropped to 233 average pellet strikes, but that's more than double what you would need to kill a turkey. Those numbers halved when it came to lead shot (Longbeard XR 3-inch no. 5) paired with Carlson's Long Beard XR choke tube. That's understandable though—you have significantly fewer pellets in that shot size compared to no. 9 of the TSS. Still, the average 104 pellet strikes at 40 yards will kill a turkey all day long. Compared to the other 20 gauges in this test, the A300 produced the best patterns by far, and it easily earned a 5 in this category.

The A300 might just be the best 20-gauge turkey gun available.

Ergonomically, the A300 scored a 5. It's not the lightest gun, but it's also not a brick. I found the comb height to be just right (for me). Part of this is because I ran a Meadowcreek Mount for my Sig Romeo-X Compact, which allows you to mount your red dot directly to the rail and cuts down on the overall height. The safety position on the triggerguard is also easy to disengage without making a ton of movement, and the medium-sized palm swell should feel just right for most hunters. I had no problem balancing it on my knee while I had a gobbler in range and waited for him to cross my shooting lane.

I also appreciate the oversized handle on the bolt carrier, should you ever need to use it.

For just under $1,000, the Beretta A300 offers a great price-to-performance ratio. Considering that most semi-auto shotguns will run you well over a grand, the A300 represents an excellent value in this category, one that earned it 4 points.

The Mossberg 940 Pro Turkey performed middle-of-the-pack during the pattern portion of the test. It averaged 293 pellet strikes with Apex 3-inch no. 9 and 212 pellet strikes with Federal Heavyweight TSS no. 9 through the turkey choke that Mossberg includes in the box. I would expect an upgraded choke like a JEBS Head Hunter, Indian Creek, etc. to increase the pellet strikes or opt for the 24-inch barrel option (I tested the 18.5-inch). Still, those numbers are solid and more than enough to kill a turkey at 40 yards.

It also averaged 209 pellet strikes with the Carlson's Long Beard XR/Winchester Longbeard XR 3-inch no. 6 combo. The good news is that you can drop different chokes/ammo in the 940 Pro and expect similar results. Overall, the Mossberg's patterns earned it a 4.

While the overall length makes it easier to maneuver the gun around saplings or brush, it still felt top-heavy despite the shortened barrel. Its weight distribution also made it feel heavier than all the other guns, despite it weighing the same as the Beretta and less than the 870 12 gauge.

Most "turkey" guns are labeled such simply because they sport bottomland camo. The 940 Turkey has thoughtful features that make it optimal for the turkey woods. For starters, the cutout on the receiver for the included Holosun allows you to get a tight cheek weld on the stock, and you can still use the front sight should your red dot malfunction.

Mossberg has a reputation for bad recoil. Compared to Mossberg's 500 and 835, the 940 Pro does a great job of limiting recoil, thanks to its gas system. The comb height is a bit low, which you could easily remedy by rigging your own cheek pad, but if you're spending $1,200, it would be nice not to worry about that. Overall, the Mossberg's ergonomics scored a 3.

Considering that it includes a red dot, the Mossberg's price runs par with the competition, even if it underwhelmed with patterning out of the box. When it comes to price, the 940 Pro gets a 3.

Like its older brother, the Remington 870 20 gauge shares a lot of the same features that make the 12 gauge one of the best turkey guns ever made. Even though the pattern densities don't rival that of the 12 (understandably), it averaged 283 pellet strikes with a Carlson's Federal Heavyweight TSS choke and Federal Heavyweight TSS 3-inch no. 9 load. Those are excellent numbers for a 20 gauge at 40 yards, which ultimately earned the 870 20 gauge a 4.

It also averaged 259 pellet strikes with an Indian Creek Black Diamond Strike choke tube and Apex GT-20 3-inch no. 9 at 40 yards. In fact, this was the combo I ran when I killed my second turkey this spring.

The author took this longbeard with the 870 20 gauge. Adam Moore.

If the 12 gauge owns the pattern category, the 20 gauge 870 sports better ergonomics. No, there's not a drastic difference, but the slimmer receiver and stock/forend make the 870 20 gauge easier to carry and maneuver without cutting too much weight for recoil purposes, which are a non-factor with this gun anyway. There's nothing flashy about this gun, and you are limited on red dot mounting options, but I, again, went with a vent rib mount, which gives you a lot of freedom. When it comes to ergonomics, the 870 20 gauge scored a 4.

The 870 is one of the most affordable turkey shotguns you can buy…when you can find them new. Or, you can just find a used one for a lot cheaper, which is what I did. There are plenty lining the shelves of old gun and pawn shops out there. Even after you buy a Meadowcreek mount and a red dot, you'll spend less than most other options available. This budget-friendly gun with excellent patterns for a 20 gauge earned it a 4.

The SBE3 underwhelmed during the patterning portion of the test. It produced solid numbers with a Trulock Pinhoti choke and Apex 12 gauge 3-inch no. 9 (253) and a Carlson's Federal Heavyweight TSS choke with Federal Heavyweight TSS 3-inch no. 9 (234). However, it only averaged 83 pellet strikes with Winchester Long Beard XR 3-inch no.5s through the Trucklock Pinhoti choke at 40 yards. Perhaps a different choke/load combination would have produced better numbers, but I'd still expect more from a $2000 shotgun. Still, it produced more than enough pellets at 40 yards (with TSS) to kill a turkey, so it scored a 3 in the patterning category.

While the patterning might not provide a good indicator of the SBE3's price, the ergonomics certainly do. It handles and points deftly. I don't make a habit of swinging on turkeys, but I'd feel confident doing it with the SBE3. Even with a 28-inch barrel, the SBE3 felt more nimble than the rest of the guns in this test, probably because it weighs less than six pounds. The palm swell also runs a tad small, so you can form a firm grip on it. Turkey guns typically have a ruggedness about them. The SBE3 brings an elegance to the turkey woods that's often reserved for upland shotguns. It easily earned a 5 in this category.

Not many hunters can afford to drop $2,000 (or more) on a turkey hunting shotgun. Considering that the Beretta patterned better than the Benelli at half the cost, it makes it hard to justify the hefty price tag. Again, I'm not saying it isn't a fine shotgun or that a different choke/load combo would have performed better, I'd just expect more from a shotgun in this price range. With these factors in mind, I gave the Benelli a 2 in affordability.

I didn't include these shotguns in the test, but I do have previous hunting/testing experience with them, and they make fine turkey guns.

Any shotgun can be a turkey gun, given that it throws a tight pattern out to 30 or 40 yards. It doesn't need camo, a red dot, or a fancy pistol grip.

I have a list of takeaways from this test that you can read here, but my biggest is that any of these options would make a fine turkey gun. If your goal is to call a gobbler close and watch him flop, you could blindly pick any of these guns to do that.

However, shotguns like the Remington 870 and Beretta A300 delivered stellar results that separate them from the rest of the pack. Notably, both outperformed their respective price tags, which is what you hope from any gun, especially the best turkey hunting shotguns.