All this talk about tss and super tight patterns got me thinking. I am guilty of shooting the setup but have not shot but one of the last 20 or so past 35 yds. Okay now for the question. How close was your closest kill WITHOUT decoys or fanning? I guess around ten yards or so on several different birds, all in steep terrain.

10 ish as well

5 feet. Shot a hole in his neck about the size of a Silver Dollar.

9 STEPS

I try not to let them get close, but to answer the question about 10 yards. He got behind a tree about 5' infront of me and walked straight to me and peeked around that tree and took of running, he screwed up and got out from behind that tree

Less than 10 yards

About 5 yards is the closest. Killed several around 10. Missed one closer one time.

He was coming up a hill and the first thing I saw was his tail fan as he went into strut for a few seconds. I got on the sights good and he then raised his head for a look. I saw his head right above my sights and squeezed the trigger. He couldn't have been but 3 yards when I saw him, just a little below me because of the terrain.

I then saw dirt flying and the bird soon after.

The first one I ever got to come my way got about 8-10 yards before I had a clear shot and I missed, everyone who gave me tips on turkey hunting never told me not to let them get that close, I was able to redeem myself about an hour later and got my first longbeard. Killed one last season at about 12 yards that nearly run over me

Killed one when I was a kid that my dad called up. The bird was on us so fast that I kneeled down in some bushes on the edge of the road. The turkey walked into the road and right in front of my gun barrel. I am guessing his head was 8 inches from the barrel when I pulled the trigger.

Never had a kill that close again although I did have a hen step over my legs one time.

I shot a rio in Oklahoma last year at about 3 yards.

I missed one in self defense. Swear he was about to breed my gun barrel. After that day I've never let one get any closer than about 20 yards if I can help it.

five er six feet with a Heavy Duck Model 12, made a hole you could stick yer thumb thru in his neck.

My first bird. Walking across a sage field at daylight, a bird gobbles on the edge of the field. We dropped flat. Called once and he pitched down. Shot him at 5 foot with a .410.

Killed another a few years ago that I let get to 6yds.

Our woods used to be really thick and I've killed a dozen or so at less than 10 yards. I think my closest was about 5 steps. Looked like you took a cookie cutter to the top of his head. I was half an inch from completely missing.

I killed one a few years ago at about probably 10 steps. I set up facing a bird gobbling in front of me and was working him. I had heard 2 birds behind me gobbling earlier but they were a good ways off. The bird in front of me was working to me pretty slowly and was about 70 yards out. I purred real soft and the two birds behind me gobbled and about blew my hat off. I don't know how they didn't see me jump. They eased by me on my left side at like 5 steps and once they got on in front of me, I swung and shot one of them.

I've also missed a couple inside of 10 yards due to poor set ups. I try not to put myself in a situation like that anymore.

if he gets inside 20 yards on me...i set up wrong

It's easier to just blame your gun, I set up wrong last season 2 times and it cost me each time . One bird came in running after being hung up for over an hour, when he came to a stop we wer eye to eye. He's still alive but the tree isn't. The next bird I had hunted him for over a week and it was his time one morning, came in on a string and I crippled him up. I even got a tracking dog to try and find him but no luck. Not my guns fault though really its just turkey hunting .

I agree, if he crosses the 35 yd mark, boom. Sometimes it's impossible to set up where u can see that far though. While in tn a few years back I killed one of a pair in terrain so steep that it surprised me when that head popped up!

8 steps.

Ive shot a couple at less than 10 yards. Completely decapitated one of them with nitros but im with most of you, I dont like them inside 20.