April 2025 Postal Match

[JBJ]

The old expression about a blind hog finding an acorn certainly applies to my winning the March monthly match. Because there are a lot of good ALR shooters out there, I thought that my dropping a shot into the 8-ring would be the end of that score! Oh well, I'll take it.

Since it now falls my lot to come up with the target for April and turkey season is right around the corner, I decided that a "novelty" turkey target would be fun. The following link should take you to the April turkey:
https://www.crooked-bend.com/uploads/1649248625774.pdf
Let's do this bird at a reasonable turkey hunting range of 25 yards and any position goes - much like if you were turkey hunting. Five shots per target and up to four targets may be submitted. To score a shot must be inside one of the three rings within the turkey's body by a half-ball or more and is worth 5 points. Those little pieces of turkey below the black ring are out-of-bounds and score zero. A shot through the turkey's eye will be worth a bonus 5 points. Therefore, 5 shots x 5 points = a score of 25. Adding an eye shot would yield a possible score of 30 points. In case of a tie score, the winner will be the shooter with a scoring shot closest to the eye . Again, half-ball rule on all shots. Remember - a good cardboard target backer and heavier weight of target paper sure helps the scorer's eyeballs!
Good hunting and let's have some fun!
J.B.

[foresterdj]

Nice, and appropriate.

[longcruise]

So, it's half ball in the rings,  clear.  Is it also half ball on the bird body?

[JBJ]

longcruise, only shots that hit half a ball or better in the body/head/neck count. A ball in any white portion of the target is zero score.The only thing that the black ring does is mark the out of bounds on the lower bit of body at the bottom of the page. Otherwise , the  rings are superfluous unless they help you focus btter on the center portion of the bird. Thanks for asking.

J.B.

[Tony N]

Perfect choice for April!

Tony

[Marcruger]

I'll try to get out and try this one soon.   April weekends fill up fast.   

[Daryl]

What size shot, ya-all usin?

[JBJ]

Daryl, you better use your "stopper" rifle. Don't want to wound it and have a charging turkey on your hands! 

J.B.

[alacran]

I just printed 3 of these Pterodactyls. Hope to shoot them as soon as the snow and the wind stops.

[Daryl]

Daryl, you better use your "stopper" rifle. Don't want to wound it and have a charging turkey on your hands! 
J.B.

Since I don't have to poleaxe moose anymore, it IS my MATCH rifle, afterall. On that skinny part of the neck, I think I could decapitate it with one shot, maybe need 2?

[JBJ]

Daryl, I hope that you and Taylor will give this turkey target a hard time!

J.B.

[Marcruger]

"What size shot, ya-all usin?"

For pterodactyls, I think grapeshot is appropriate.      BTW, the true Southern spelling is "y'all".  Unless there are several of you and then it is "all y'all". 

Hey JB, if there is a tie-breaker needed, does a flintlock count more than a caplock?    LOL

[Daryl]

Daryl, I hope that you and Taylor will give this turkey target a hard time!
J.B.

That'll be up to him. Have to be before the 9th - new knee day. After that might be laid up for a week or three.

[JBJ]

No special dispensations for flintlocks!  My worry is that there are some serious shots out there in ALR "land" capable of putting all five through the head at 25 yards and scoring all 30 points! If it comes down to that situation, I guess I am going to have to ask the tied shooters to measure their group size unless one of you folks can offer a better solution to breaking such ties. If you have a better suggestion to break such ties, please offer them now before the targets start being submitted. Thanks, folks.

J.B.

[alacran]

Shooting position, if you have a tie between a shooter shooting of the bench and a shooter shooting offhand, I would go with the offhand shooter as the winner. Degree of difficulty of the position in other words.

[Marcruger]

I agree with the group size option for tie-breaker.  I can see an issue with sorting by folks who shoot prone, kneeling, sitting, offhand, benchrested, etc.  With group size it puts a premium on hitting the head. 

[alacran]

Got out yesterday with my .45 flintlock target rifle. I used the same load I used last month, .451 ball, 60 grains Goex 3f, bear lubed canvas patch.
I can't get enthused about shooting anything off the bench at 25  yards, so I shot all targets offhand. I didn't bother scoring them since I'm sure there will be perfect scores shooting from a rest.
For some reason I couldn't get my first shot in the head on any of the targets and kept missing in almost the same spot. But I did manage to get 9 out of 15 shots in the head.

[rich pierce]

Do we aim for the head or center of the rings?

[Marcruger]

I got out late yesterday as well.  Bob Hill colonial Southern flintlock with GM barrel and Chambers/Evrard lock.  72 grains 2f Goex, .490 cast roundball (it does not like swaged for some reason), .015 The-Minute-Men canvas patching, Hoppes BP Lube and Cleaner, 4f Swiss in the pan. Normally I like a tighter patch/ball combo, but this one shoots great with this combo.  I think it is the magic of the The-Minute-Men canvas patching.  The very high humidity yesterday caused an audibly slower ignition, but it was at least consistent and I could hold it well enough.
   
 - Shot sitting and rifle hand held
 - 25 yards, five shots
 - Note this group is not great if translated to 50 yards, but I think it got the job done staying inside the head.  I can measure this group if needed. 

I think some chunk-gun or benchrest ace willl beat the snot out of this group.   
Go for it guys. 
God Bless,   Marc

[Marcruger]

Rich, it was my impression that any shot within the colored turkey head/neck/body counts as a five.  If you punch the eyeball with one of those five shots, you get a bonus five points.  For this month's contest I do not think the rings count.  JB can correct me if I have misspoken. 

The way I shot it yesterday was shoot the eye first, then add in four more rounds.  I shot the first target and scraped the top of the head, so I put up a new target and aimed lower and punched the eye on shot #1.  The rifle is sighted for 50 yards, and apparently hits high at 25 yards.  I held lower and it worked out. 

I am thankful for the shorter range this month as my vision has been slipping. 

God Bless and best wishes,   Marc

[JBJ]

Alacran, I only dream of shooting that well offhand. It looks like #3 is your high target at 20 points. Unless my eyes are playing tricks on me, it appears that you have three shoots on #3 making one elongated group for 15 points plus 5 for the shot through the top of the head. Nice!

J.B.

[JBJ]

Rich, the rings sre of no consequence as Marc stated. Where you aim at that bird is up to you. You could play it safe and hold on the bigger surface area of the lower neck and upper body area and try for a safe 25 points. Or, you could go for the brass ring and focus entirely on the head and upper neck with the thought that one of the five shots might take out the eye and score the bonus five points. I expect that some of the hunters are going to lean against a tree or shoot from a sitting position and give the turkey's head a hard time. Thanks.
J.B.

[JBJ]

Marc, well done! A solid 30 points and that's one dead turkey!

Alright folks, Marc has set the bar. Settle into your favorite, most comfortable turkey hunting position and "get 'er done".

J.B.

[bob in the woods]

Cold and snowing last night and all day today  

[alacran]

J.B. you are correct. After missing the turkeys head on the first shot on target three, I shot a vertical group of three shots. I tried to hit the eye with the fifth shot. Hard to make such small corrections offhand.