After 40 years of hunting with a 12-gauge, a trip to the dove field left me pretty worn out and bruised. Thanks to a new generation of 20-gauge turkey guns like the Mossberg SA-20, the game has changed. It’s a welcome change for all hunters, but especially for veteran hunters.

During turkey hunts I usually walk several miles during a morning hunt and experience long periods sitting with the gun against my shoulder and across my knee.

The 12-gauge shotgun had become much heavier than I remembered. After hearing about the fantastic ballistics’ turkey hunters were getting using the much lighter turkey gun at ranges from 40 to 70 yards, I had to try it myself. However it seemed like they were about as common as hen’s teeth when I wanted to try one out, but I finally got hold of a 20 Gauge Mossberg SA-20 turkey gun before the end of the spring season. I was determined to take it to the woods and try it out and that’s just what I did.

I conducted an un-scientific ballistic test, and after 3 shots with #7 Tungsten Federal shells, it was obvious. I was ready. I shot a cola can at 15 yards and obliterated it. Followed that up with a second shot at a cola can at 20 yards, and then took one shot at 40 yards. I didn’t count the pellets as some diehards would, but at 40 yards I had a 15-inch uniform pattern that didn’t have any “holes” in it, which was just what I wanted. Any tighter than that and I might miss at distances up to 40 yards.

I went to the woods the next couple of days and couldn’t believe the difference the lighter weight made in carrying the 20-gauge on my three to four-mile morning jaunts in search of a gobbler.

On the final Thursday of the spring season I left my ATV key at home and had to walk a mile back through a pine cutover until arriving at the corner of my lease. I got there just as it was breaking day and sent out an owl hoot and was answered by a thunderous gobble.

I quickly set up on a ridge on a power line and locked horns with an old gobbler for over 2 hours before he showed up. I finally coaxed him across the hollow, and as he walked into the clear, I had the bead of my shotgun on his head. I let him strut about 10 yards closer and squeezed the trigger. As the shotgun roared the gobbler collapsed instantly.

The Mossberg 20-gauge semi-auto was deadly accurate at 40 yards and the ghost ring sights were just the ticket for my aging eyes. After taking a few selfies I made the mile and a half trip back to the truck with the gobbler in my vest and the shotgun slung on my shoulder. The lightweight shotgun was just the ticket for my trek through the steep terrain back to the truck.

I saved my third tag to try out the Mossberg 20-gauge, and I wasn’t disappointed as I had an exciting and successful hunt while trying out a new style of turkey hunting shotguns. The 20-gauge Mossberg had a 22-inch barrel, weighed 5.5 pounds and came with Ghost Ring Sights as well as a bar for mounting scopes or special sights.

Later on I tried the Mossberg 20-gauge on a quail hunting trip with my turkey choke in there. Amazingly I was busting quail left and right and shot some further than our host had ever seen or heard of!

If you’re looking for a lighter turkey gun to take to the woods, then look no further than the new generation of 20-gauge turkey guns. They are lighter, shoot killing patterns further and don’t knock you down like 12-gauge 3-inch magnum turkey loads. While I tested a Mossberg, there is a wide range of new 20-gauge turkey guns to be found on the market today. Try one and you just might find out that they fit the bill for you too. They are relatively inexpensive compared to some of the high end shotguns but they are deadly and every bit as good at dispatching the turkeys. Carpe Diem!

Call Mike Giles at 601-917-3898 or email mikegiles18@comcast.net.