“Today’s hunters would laugh at this setup, but any turkey within 20–25 yards was in trouble,” he quipped. “Nowadays, every major shotgun shell manufacturer is offering some very advanced turkey loads. Mixed shot loads with #4, #5 and #6 shot; copper and nickel-plated lead; improved wad and load configurations to hold shot together for longer distances; and other improvements are the norms in the industry today.”
Leonard said the other biggest technology jump in recent years has been decoys.
“The realistic look from nearly every top decoy manufacturer has grown leaps and bounds in the past several years,” he noted. “Modern decoys are a far cry from those we used over a quarter-century ago, and it makes a huge difference when trying to coax a weary gobbler into range.”
Last year, Avian-X added the HDR Hen to its Heavy-Duty Realism (HDR) series. Molded from hand-carved designs, it features an upright body with two interchangeable head postures (outstretched and resting) and non-chip paint.
Motion decoys like the Shake’n Jake from MOJO Outdoors are also growing in popularity. The first-ever full-body, full-motion turkey decoy, it can be remote controlled up to 150'. Just like real gobblers, it raises its tail and fans it while simultaneously turning its body.
Turkey Time
New Trends Emerge Ahead Of Spring Season
Image: Winchester Ammunition
Last year saw a record number of people getting outdoors and trying new activities, which included record-breaking fishing and hunting license sales across the country. This spring should be no different. With turkey season being one of the first big hunting rushes of 2021, here are some insights to help you outfit this passionate group of hunters.
.410 Takes Flight
As you prepare for spring turkey season, there are some notable trends to consider when trying to determine what products to carry and how much. Manufacturers and dealers have noticed more hunters are taking turkeys with .410 GA shotguns.
“In the past, the only people shooting .410s for turkeys were youth hunters, and the parents taking them limited their shots to 15–25 yards,” said Jeff Leonard, co-owner of J & B Outdoors in St. Joseph, Mo. “With the more advanced loads from HEVI-Shot, Federal, Remington and others it helps compensate for the smaller gauges such as .410 while extending a hunter’s maximum hunting range.”
Leonard attributes this shift to several reasons. The first being hunters, especially veteran hunters, are always looking for a challenge or to change things up a bit.
“We’ve killed plenty of birds over the years with our tried-and-true 12 GA and are looking to up the ante,” he proposed. “On top of that, carrying a ton of calls and gear into the field is work. Dropping a little weight and going with the smaller and more nimble .410 has its appeal.”
Additionally, he said the .410 is rising in popularity due to reduced recoil and comfort when squeezing the trigger.
When it comes to guns, ammunition and hunting gear, people still want to see it, feel it and try it on.”
Ronald Allen, Owner Allen Brothers Outdoors Bladenboro, N.C.
“Patterning a 12 GA with 3 or 3.5″ turkey loads can be punishing,” Leonard added. “Sub it out for a .410 and your shoulder will thank you.”
For turkey hunters venturing into the woods with a .410, one of the most popular setups J & B Outdoors sells is the Stevens 301 Turkey Obsession from Savage Arms.
“While only a single-shot break-action gun, the 301 is built with turkey-tagging mentality. Equipped optics-ready with an extra full choke, it can be a turkey’s worst nightmare,” he remarked.
For customers who prefer more than a single-shot gun, Leonard recommends Mossberg’s lineup of specialty turkey guns, such as the Mossberg 500 with a 24″ barrel and extended full choke or the SA-410 with XX-Full choke and ghost ring sight.
Tech Innovations Push Limits
Ronald Allen, owner of Allen Brothers Outdoors in Bladenboro, N.C., cited advancements in ammunition technology and optics as the leading reasons they’ve seen more turkey hunters use .410 shotguns.
“Our bestselling shell is the Heavyweight TSS .410 from Federal Ammunition,” he said. “Paired with a red dot sight, they’re smoking turkeys from 60 yards out.”
According to the National Wild Turkey Federation, red dot sights are a favorite amongst turkey hunters for eye relief, extreme accuracy and easy-to-use design.
When Jeff Leonard of J & B Outdoors first started turkey hunting nearly 40 years ago, his go-to turkey gun was a “Western Auto” 16 GA bolt action with rifle sights and a fixed full-choke barrel shooting 2.5″ loads his grandfather gave him, along with several boxes of high brass Winchester #4s with cardboard hulls.
Avian-X HDR Hen
Mojo Shake'n Jake decoy
Don’t Forget About Archery Hunters
Archery hunters make up a small percentage of turkey hunters, but they’re a consumer segment you don’t want to overlook. Having a full-service archery department can help set you apart from competitors.
“While gun hunters encompass 75–80% of our customers, there’s a growing passion for pursuing longbeards with a compound bow,” Leonard confirmed. “It’s much like the rising surge in hunters using .410 shotguns. Many hunters enjoy adding a challenge to their hunts and there’s nothing more challenging than pursuing longbeards with a compound bow.”
With greater speed and smoother draw cycles, today’s compound bows are much more efficient. Their greatest selling point is archers can hunt multiple seasons with a bow by simply changing out specialized arrows and broadheads.
Leonard added while using a compound bow to pursue turkeys is very popular, crossbows have seen the largest surge in growth during recent turkey seasons.
“For those wanting archery flavor with the benefits of a firearm style, a crossbow is a perfect hybrid for pursuing a big tom in the spring,” he said.
Focus On Your Differences
Allen Brothers Outdoors has operated a premier bird-hunting preserve in North Carolina for more than 20 years. Three years ago, they decided to add an on-site retail store despite the undeniable growth of online shopping.
“When it comes to guns, ammunition and hunting gear, people still want to see it, feel it and try it on. Plus, a lot of the older hunters aren’t internet savvy,” Allen reasoned.
As spring turkey season approaches, they’ve noticed more people are supporting mom-and-pop stores than ever before.
“Big-box stores are out of ammo and low on pistols, but out here in the country, we’ve got it,” he said. “People are driving upward of three hours from Raleigh, Wilmington and even Charleston to purchase from us.”
“It can be a turkey’s worst nightmare,” said Jeff Leonard on the single-shot Stevens
301 Turkey — a perennial top seller at J & B Outdoors. It’s available in Mossy Oak
Obsession and Bottomland (pictured here), chambered in .410, 12 GA and 20 GA.
When they arrive, Allen said customers receive a level of personal service from knowledgeable and experienced hunters they simply don’t get from larger retailers.
For J & B Outdoors, Leonard shared it’s hard to beat the growing wave of online retail or the advertising powers of big chain stores.
“We continue to be successful by not trying to compete with them on their own playing field,” he asserted. “We grow as a business by continually demonstrating we honestly want our customers to be successful in the outdoors.”
They do this by providing local expertise, top-notch customer service and offering their customers the products and gear to help them find that success and bring them back as loyal customers over and over again.
We grow as a business by continually demonstrating we honestly want our customers to be successful in the outdoors.”
Jeff Leonard, Co-Owner J & B Outdoors St. Joseph, Mo.
“When you have guys who can give advice on chasing longbeards from a local and regional perspective it gives us a personal touch the internet or employees of big chain stores can’t provide,” said Leonard.
“Hunters and anglers are a different breed than other retail customers,” he added. “We do our best to meet their needs and show we understand their time in the field and on the water is important, and we want nothing more than to see them make great memories in their pursuits.”
Generate Buzz
By the time spring turkey season rolls around, hunters are chomping at the bit to get back outdoors. Capitalize on this excitement and anticipation to attract both new and veteran hunters.
“Due to coronavirus, many hunters weren’t able to attend traditional winter hunting and fishing shows and events, so we’ll try and get hunters fired up through a combination of our social media channels and television advertising,” Leonard stated. “In the past, we have had contests during turkey season to really fuel the excitement.”
If you haven’t already, now’s the time to start thinking about contests and sales promotions, securing advertising placements and planning your social media content ahead of opening day.
