Turkey hunting is one of our favorite things to do together as a family. The weather is usually lovely, the hunting is action-packed, and we go out of our way to make the entire experience enjoyable for everyone. 

Over the years, I’ve come to believe that South Dakota truly offers some of the best turkey hunting in the country. Not only are we fortunate to live there, but we are also located only 30 miles from the Nebraska — another great state for turkey hunting. This is awesome because we can harvest birds in Nebraska and South Dakota within a short distance of our home.  

Although many people get up at the crack of dawn for turkey hunts, it’s not something we do often. Waking early often leads to success with hunters waiting for birds they roosted the previous night. However, we frequently sleep in and skip the early morning wake-up calls. This is especially important with new hunters as their first question is always: “Do we have to get up so early?”

Once we alleviated that sticking point, we find that our companions are motivated and enjoy the entire day more because they are not exhausted.  

One thing about taking our family hunting is that I’m always letting other people use my turkey gun. Over the years, I’ve found it extremely important to make things as simple as possible and give everyone the highest chance of success. One way to do this is by being very selective about firearm and ammo choices. Personally, I love the Winchester SX4, which is available in many 12- and 20-gauge offerings.  

I’m a big fan of having an optic atop the receiver for turkeys. My go-to is from EOTECH^®. Over the years, an optic has proved especially important because it simplifies the entire aiming process. Again, when hunting with new turkey hunters, simplicity pays off in spades. Look through the holographic sight with both eyes open, place the reticle where you want the center of your pattern to hit, and squeeze the trigger.

I also use a BOG DeathGrip tripod shooting rest that holds the gun in position. Turkeys can spot even the slightest movements, so the less movement a person can do while getting ready to make the shot, the better. We leave the gun on the tripod, sit back, and wait. Once the bird starts coming in, you lean up to the gun and are ready to go with minimal motion.

Winchester LongBeard XR shotshells with my SX4. The patterns are unbelievable with both the 12- and the 20-gauge and the results speak for themselves.

When I grab a turkey gun, it’s usually my 12 gauge. However, I’ve leaned on the SX4 20 gauge more and more over the past few years. Last season, I shot a turkey two days before giving birth to our baby girl, Bella. I thought maybe the 20 gauge, with reduced recoil, would be the better option. I sat beside a log and called in a beautiful tom. Two days later, baby Bella arrived. When hunting with my mom or new shooters I usually grab the 20-gauge, so they experience the least amount of recoil possible. In addition to the Active Valve Gas System that minimizes felt recoil, the Inflex Technology recoil pad also helps take the punch out of heavy turkey loads.

As a rule, we aim to call the turkeys in as close as possible. Of course, we usually have other hunters along with us, so things sometimes go differently than planned. This brings me to my next point. It’s nice to have the ability to take longer shots if needed. I did some testing at the range recently and was blown away by the results with my SX4 12 gauge, reaching out to 70 yards. Although our primary goal is to call turkeys as close as possible, it is incredible to see how far technology has come and what this gun/ammo combination is capable of.

Winchester realized the importance of creating the perfect turkey gun and developed the SX4 NWTF Cantilever Turkey. I’ve used this shotgun on numerous hunts and love that it was built entirely for one purpose: Turkey hunting. It has a cantilever optic mount, so you can easily mount up your optic of choice. If you prefer your setup without optics, this shooter features adjustable rifle-style sights with a TRUGLO^® fiber-optic front sight. The Invector-Plus Extra-Full Turkey Extended choke works in perfect harmony with this gun — especially when paired with the aforementioned Winchester Long Beard XR ammo. I’ve tried numerous aftermarket chokes and always return to Invector-Plus.  

Still, my favorite 12-gauge SX4 model, which I use regularly for longbeards, is the versatile SX4 Waterfowl Hunter. The composite stock and forearm are durable and can get through any nasty weather I put them in. Having gear that can withstand long hours and harsh conditions in the field is a must. Minus a few nicks and scratches, my guns look like they did on day one, even though they’ve been heavily used. 

Another important tip is to get a good sling for your turkey gun. Composite stocked SX4 shotguns come with swivel studs installed to make adding a sling easy. We often start the day with a plan after hearing gobbles, but it may be several hours of walking before we return to the truck. Having a sling makes the trek much more manageable and having an extra hand is an absolute bonus when hauling decoys, camera equipment, blinds, and using calls.

Spring turkey hunting is one of my favorite times of the year. It’s a low-pressure hunt with high success rates, and our biggest worry is everyone having fun and enjoying our time together in the field. We’ve made many unforgettable memories with family and friends that we will never forget. As a bonus, the turkeys we harvest each year get made into delicious turkey sticks mixed with cheese for a great snack anytime.