AlphaHunter88
New member
I've been an avid whitetail deer hunter for most of my life. Used everything from .30-30, .243, .270, .308, '06, 6mm Rem, and even 12 and 20 gauge buck. I love the outdoors, but have never really gotten all that engrossed with the idea of turkey until recently. Right now the only shotgun I own is a youth model 20 gauge single shot with a 3" chamber and fixed modified choke. Although I have my opinion, I've been told a few times that this wouldn't be great for thunder chickens, especially if shooting more than 20 or so yards. That said, I'm kind of hesitant to waste money on a good turkey load to pattern with it. I'm looking at getting more of a specialized gun, or at least one with more versatility. I'm looking at about a $200 budget within the next couple of months and I really don't care if it's new or used. Of course the Mossberg 88 (Maverick) in 12 gauge comes to mind. I could get it practically anywhere for under $200. I figured outfit it with a good turkey choke and try some good factory loads to see which would pattern best. Any other ideas? Does anyone else turkey hunt with this gun and if so, what is your experience? Should I forget this and go used? Negative feedback about the Maverick is so rare that it seems as though it may be one of the absolute best budget buys in all of firearms. At any rate, I openly welcome all feedback on the subject.