Though my uncle taught me long ago how to hunt Midwestern whitetails on his Nebraska property, never in my life had I hunted turkeys–until this year. Eastern Oregon is thick with birds, most of which have thrived in mountainous terrain that’s unlike anything I’d seen in Nebraska. Not having chased gobblers before, I spoke with some of my coworkers, and their recommendations made one thing clear: I’d be best served with a shotgun built from the ground up for killing turkeys. What I landed on: the SX4 NWTF Cantilever Turkey from Winchester Repeating Arms.

As its name suggests, the SX4 NWTF Cantilever Turkey is an SX4 platform that was designed with input directly from the National Wild Turkey Federation. On top of its Mossy Oak camo design, it has a synthetic stock that offers comfortable ergonomics, a round pistol grip that’s easy to manipulate, and a slew of other turkey-specific features. An Extra-Full choke helped ensure the pattern on my Winchester Long Beard shotshells stayed tight, and the Inflex 2 recoil pad kept those same hearty turkey loads from beating up my shoulder.

When it came to selecting an optic, I looked no further than the DeltaPoint Pro. It delivers a clear field of view and rapid target acquisition, which came in handy when toms starting dipping in and out of thick cover as they came to my guide’s call. The 2.5 MOA dot, with its selectable brightness settings, made it easy to stay on target and deliver the shot that put my first-ever turkey in the freezer. All that’s left now is figuring out what I’m going to do while I wait for a second go-round next spring.

- Pete C., Leupold & Stevens, Inc.

• Shotgun: Winchester SX4 NWTF Cantilever Turkey - $1,099.99
  
  
  • Barrel Length: 24 inches
  • Overall Length: 45 inches
  • Action: Semi-Automatic
  • Chambering: 12-Gauge, 3.5”
  • Weight: 7 lbs., 8 oz.
  • Barrel/Receiver Finish: Mossy Oak Obsession
  • Stock: Composite
  • Chokes Included: Extra-Full Turkey
  • Recoil Pad: Inflex 2
  • Front Sight: TruGlo Fiber Optic
  • Trigger: TriggerTech Adjustable, 2.5 - 5 lbs (included)
  • Muzzle Brake: SA Radial Removable (included)
  • Finish: Evergreen Camo (included)

• Optic: Leupold DeltaPoint Pro - $399.99
• Mount: Leupold DeltaPoint Pro Cross Slot Mount - $59.99
• Preferred Ammunition: Winchester Long Beard 3.5” 5-Shot
  
  
  Build Total: $1,559.97