I thought I was seeing things but the regs on the California dfg site now say Wild Turkey can be taken with .177. I wonder if it is a typo, or if it is true.

"§311. Methods Authorized for Taking Resident Small Game.
Only the following may be used to take resident small game:

(a) Shotguns 10 gauge or smaller using shot shells only and incapable of holding more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined. If a plug is used to reduce the capacity of a magazine to fulfill the requirements of this section, the plug must be of one piece construction incapable of removal without disassembling the gun.
(b) Shotgun shells may not be used or possessed that contain shot size larger than No. BB, except that shot size larger than No. 2 may not be used or possessed when taking wild turkey. All shot shall be loose in the shell.
(c) Muzzle-loading shotguns.
(d) Falconry.
(e) Bow and arrow (see Section 354 for archery equipment regulations).
(f) Air rifles powered by compressed air or gas and used with any caliber of pellet, except that wild turkey may only be taken with a pellet that is at least 0.177 caliber."

If that is the case I wonder if the 17hmr market drove this change, or if the air rifle market drove this change.

I just checked the Missouri DC and it is still the same.

 http://mdc.mo.gov/about-us/regulations/turkey

I don't think I'd want to go out and take a turkey with my Powermaster 66 pumper. We cannot use any type of rifle or pistol.

Sigh  . . .

Jerry

 

Sorry, I forgot to indicate that this was from the California DFG regulations.

. It's been 20 cal and now 177

I think this is a big mistake by Fish and Game. It is going to result in a lot of wounded turkeys that won't be recovered. Now everyone with a .177 will start shooting turkeys

+ you need an upland Bird tag on your license .....

If you've got all that and you are still gonna go hunting Turkeys with a .177
then I doubt we have anything to worry about.

It should be .22 or larger. Also 20 ft.LBS. or more. Myself I'm a head shot type of guy. I like looking into the eye and say good nite on all small game. But then thats me.

kinda hard to use a smaller caliber than .177, isn't it?

I e-mailed the ODFW asking if they had compared notes with their fellow biologists in California regarding the liberalized use of airguns to take upland game. Some clown e-mailed me back that allowing airguns for quail, grouse and turkeys would make enforcement very difficult.
Huh? Then why permit the use of bows?
I think a .25 JSB Exact from a Marauder would absolutely flatten a turkey with any kind of decent head shot -- or even one in to the vitals.
You guys in California are so lucky!

Yeah, that's exactly what I am taking the next time I go out. Just ordered a .25 Marauder this past week and some JSB Exacts. Yesterday I took my .22 Marauder for the opener, but only encountered hens in my spot. Hopefully I'll see a Tom next week when I go again.

Yeah, that does not make much sense on the air rifle versus bows. Maybe the report of the air rifle is just enough to be heard from a reasonable distance.
Especially the ones that almost sound like .22 firearm. However, they obviously did not consider the shrouded ones like the Marauder

I'm envious that you are hunting already. We open on April 15. I am going to resume my effort to get Oregon to consider liberalizing hunting opportunities with air rifles. This time, I'll enlist the help of fellow Oregon airgunners.

Thanks bill. I post pics if I get one.