Smoothbore muskets in .14-gauge (.69 caliber) and 11-gauge (.75 caliber) may also be employed for turkey hunting using 16-gauge and 12-gauge plastic wads over the top of 14- and 11-gauge card wads and a 30-grain buffer of Cream of Wheat. The 14-gauge with 1 1/8-ounce loads is effective at 20 yards, while the 11-gauge with 1 1/4-ounce loads extends the killing range another 5 to 7 yards.

MODERN MUZZLELOADERS
Conventional wisdom has it that muzzleloading rifles with fast-twist 1:28 to 1:22 barrels do not shoot patched round balls very well. Not true, as my turkey hunting experience has shown. The trick is to load them down to levels where the patches are not torn up. Typically, loads of about 55 grains of FFg and a patched round ball are about right in .45- and .50-caliber guns. These low-velocity loads shoot very accurately out to 75 yards and are effective on turkeys.

I developed this concept with a fast-twist .45-caliber Markesbery rifle. My hunt plan was to blind up on one side of a small pond and take a turkey when it came to water 80 yards away. The first part of the plan worked. The turkeys came. When I rose to shoot, they saw me and spooked. I quickly selected one, placed the scope's crosshairs on the center of its body and shot. After the smoke cleared, I found that I had practiced yet another version of "catch-and-release" turkey hunting. The ball had passed in the front of the turkey's chest, cut off his beard, but left him otherwise unscathed. The concept worked, but my execution was faulty.

Knight's TK-2000 muzzleloader stands as the most efficient muzzleloading shotgun ever designed. This striker-fired, in-line, 209-primer-fired shotgun will shoot up to 2 1/4-ounces of shot, although with considerable recoil. The shotgun is easy to disassemble and clean and may be downloaded for occasions when less than maximum charges are desired. Heavy charges require that an adjustable sight, scope or red-dot sight be used to reconcile the strike of the shot with the point of aim. For normal game shooting, the adjustable rear sight may be removed, and the shotgun shoots to the point of aim with 1 1/4-ounces of shot. The last TK-2000s were produced in 2003.

Many of the newly announced muzzleloading shotguns are drop-barreled guns that resemble single-barreled cartridge shotguns. Among these are Thompson/Center Arms' Encore Turkey gun with a 24-inch barrel, and the CVA Optima Pro with a 26-inch tube. The longer barrel of the Optima Pro makes it much more comfortable to shoot and provides better balance.

Whatever muzzleloading rifle or shotgun you purchase, the secret to success is spending time to develop an accurate load that hits to the point of aim. muzzleloading shotguns are often made for only a year, or a few years. If you see one you like, buy it. Use your new muzzleloading turkey gun only after you can take the time to develop a good load. Otherwise, put it in the closet. When your homework is done and all is right, then bust a turkey with your blackpowder gun.

WHERE TO GO
The Oconee, Clybel and Dukes Creek Wildlife Management Areas offer quota hunts for turkeys. The limited access provides a fine opportunity to try for a blackpowder gobbler, and the rolling country generally provides sufficient hilly topography for safe shooting with a blackpowder rifle. As always, make sure of your target and that you have an adequate backstop.

For those strong of limb and lung, the Cohutta and Coopers Creek WMAs provide enough room for a primitive turkey-hunting experience while backpacking through the Chattahoochee National Forest. Keep in mind that some areas may restrict the use of blackpowder rifles. Always check local regulations before heading out for the hunt.