Turkey hunting with a pcp air rifle in Virginia

[Sniper 48]

So I will be turkey hunting in my state of Virginia this coming up April 12th - May 17th of 2025 spring gobbler season. I will be using my Umarex Gauntlet Gen 2 SL 30 cal taking head or low neck shots using FX Hybrid 44.5 grain slugs. Are there any other hunters in this page that will also be turkey hunting with they're pcp air rifles and if so what state are you hunting in and what type of PCP do you plan on using? Below is my target that I shot at 100 yards a nice 7 shot group once I adjusted my scope. First time shooting it and I'm in love with it's accuracy.

 

[PapaT]

Also in VA, and have friends who are trying to get me to turkey with them.

 

[Danman]

Would be a ton of fun (and makes sense to me!) but illegal in my silly country to hunt turkey with Air Rifles, I looked into it last year.

 

[pan60]

Would be a ton of fun (and makes sense to me!) but illegal in my silly country to hunt turkey with Air Rifles, I looked into it last year.

we cant here either

 

[Solo1]

Shot a turkey with a 22 lr double lung shot dropped him on the spot. Their heads move all the time tough with single projectile.

 

[Billm]

Florida allows .20 PCP for turkey. I haven’t hunted turkey in over 25 years. I hunted with a 12ga 3.5” magnum and so a PCP would be wild. Yeah, I don’t see many head shots happening. It would be fun trying.

 

[PapaT]

Turkey alone is why I was considering a Serpent Arms 28ga Shotgun, then they added an interchangeable slug barrel. But I still haven't pulled the trigger on it, literally or metaphorically.

 

[Danman]

Florida allows .20 PCP for turkey. I haven’t hunted turkey in over 25 years. I hunted with a 12ga 3” magnum and so a PCP would be wild. Yeah, I don’t see many head shots happening. It would be fun trying.

I didnt know this myself but... aim for the neck! That's a reasonable power level id think. I watched an Airarms hunting video and they used an S510 and got a couple turkeys in new Zealand. Iirc they were all neck shots, and went down instantly
And that one Thanksgiving Ham challenge we shot awhile back in 2024 was a neck Bullseye. I guess with a shotgun head or neck is a ton easier! 50Y with Ghost after a few warm up shots....zero cherry picking

 

[pepi.gets.it.done]

Kind of late to the party here but I've harvested three turkey now and have gone out with others to hunt them with airguns as well. I use my AAA Evol .30, and hunting turkey with airguns can be very tricky.

For a head shot, timing is everything. That golf ball size head moves A LOT, best is to shoot a tom that is strutting towards you or that one turkey that's the lookout of the bunch.

Body shots are also tricky as their vitals may be difficult to locate on a moving turkey, and follow-up shots will most likely be needed. It's best to study the anatomy of a turkey to be able to locate vitals in different positions. I have found that shooting down at turkey from a tree stand for example, and trying to spine them while aiming for their vitals has been the most effective way to body shoot a turkey.

I bought an arrow barrel kit for my Evol and plan to hunt turkey this yr with arrows!