Cluck, Yelp, and Purr

Buying a youth-model turkey-hunting shotgun in central Ohio

Ohio is known for its excellent wild-turkey hunting, and just after the 2011 spring season, I shopped four independent gun stores in the central part of the state, looking for a youth-model turkey gun. I have five young grandsons, and hope they all will one day hunt with me as they come of age. That was the premise with which I approached each store, telling the proprietors I was looking for a safe, 20-gauge turkey-hunting shotgun that could be passed down through various kids. I had just recently gone through the steps of making such a purchase myself--ultimately choosing a Mossberg Model 500 Super Bantam (Turkey)--so I already had a pretty good idea of what shotguns on the market would fill the bill.

Store A
This relatively large store sits along a state route in a small, north-central Ohio town. An elevated sign marks the location well--you can't miss it. I arrived about mid-morning on a Monday, and not surprisingly, the store had only a few customers at that time of the week. As I approached the gun counter, I was greeted by an older employee who I later learned had worked at the store for 15 years. A serious shotgunner, he told me he had been a shooter all his life, and even showed me photos of the mourning doves he and his hunting buddies had killed last fall.

He began by showing me a Mossberg youth-model turkey shotgun (the same model I had purchased several months previous), then a youth-model Remington for $100 more, then a Browning for $100 more than that. He also said he had single-shot shotguns available (H&R and Rossi) in 20-gauge for less money (ranging from $129 to $179), but didn't recommend them for kids because of the safety concern of manipulating an external hammer. He also said he would normally have even more youth-model turkey guns on display, but since the turkey-hunting season had just ended, his inventory was down somewhat.

Store B
Also located along a state route in north-central Ohio (about 25 miles east of Store A), this establishment is the size of a small "big-box" store and well known by area outdoorsmen. I arrived on a Tuesday during the noon hour to find the store busy with shoppers. Upon approaching the gun counter, I was greeted promptly, but the first employee waiting on me told me he didn't think he had any youth-model turkey shotguns. He then asked another employee, who first produced a highpriced camo Benelli, then a high-priced camo Browning. I had to ask to see the youth-model camo Mossberg sitting on the rack right behind him.

The store had a relatively good selection of shotguns for the purpose I'd requested, but the employees didn't seem to know it. They also didn't say anything about the possibility of ordering me a gun, should I want to go that route. I stayed at the gun counter about 15 minutes, asking various questions, then went to the store's large fishing department. There I inquired about a certain lure, and the employee took me directly to it and showed me various models, sizes, and colors. Everything else being equal, knowledgeable employees make all the difference.

Store C
Like Store B, this large independent--located just over 30 miles east of the state capital of Columbus--is the size of a small "big-box," with a very complete firearms section. I arrived late morning on a Wednesday. The store had customers perusing the aisles but was not crowded, and I was directed to the gun section by two employees just inside the front door. Approaching the gun counter, I was waited on immediately.

My experience in this store nearly mirrored that of Store A. The only difference was that I was waited on by a younger employee. When I told him what I was looking for, he mentioned that he was in the process of teaching his young son to hunt, and that gun safety was his primary concern. He also mentioned that recoil is always an issue for young hunters, and recommended choosing a shotgun that is a little heavier rather than a little lighter to reduce felt recoil.

That said, he began showing me various youth-model turkey-hunting shotguns, beginning with a Mossberg and moving up the price scale to Remingtons, Brownings, and eventually Benellis. He seemed genuinely interested in having me see the full range of shotguns available to make an informed decision, but he also did not push any one make or model.

Store D
Back in north-central Ohio, this shop reminded me of those old-fashioned hunting and fishing stores so ubiquitous in America years ago, where they stocked a little of everything: guns, fishing tackle, bowhunting equipment, traps, and so on. The only downside to that style of outdoor retailing is that there is not a lot of any one item, guns included.

Two employees greeted me on a Friday, mid-morning, and showed me the one youth-model Mossberg they had in stock. Other than that, they said they could order any shotgun I wanted, and produced a catalog for me to look through. The place was quaint, and probably survives because of outstanding customer service. While I was there, a customer was having a riflescope bore-sighted, and the store appeared to be the place for serious bowhunters to have their equipment tweaked to perfection.