We were hunting for Rio Grande gobblers and all I had to do was wait until the turkey strutted within 12-gauge range, and I’d collect one of the easiest spring turkeys I’d ever bagged.

The gobbler, however, strutted off to one side and became suddenly alert.

Turkey hunters know what I’m talking about. The bird’s head went up like he was thinking to himself “uh oh!” I realized he had moved to a position where he could see the white pickup truck parked 50 yards behind me.

I decided this was as good a chance as I’d get to test the latest thing in hot shot turkey loads. I figured the turkey was 50 yards out. I didn’t figure on missing him completely, but that’s what happened.

When I shot, the startled turkey took a running start for momentum and took off flying right back toward the densely covered hillside where he had roosted.

Reflex took over, and I swung as fluidly as possible from a seated position and shot the flying turkey as he came past at about 40 yards. I ordinarily would not take a 50-yard shot at a standing turkey and had never before shot at a flying turkey. Strutting gobblers in the first light of day cloud a turkey hunter’s thought process.

At my second shot, the flying turkey crumpled to the ground like a crossing quail that flies into a full load of chilled 8s. The bird never fluttered, never flopped. It was dead in the air.

The ensuing examination revealed that the 1 1/2-ounce load of No. 6 Remington Hevi-Shot fired from a standard full choke Remington choke tube struck the flying turkey directly on the point of the shoulder. Remarkably, several of the No. 6 pellets shot completely through the 18-pound bird.

That experience sold me on Hevi-Shot, an alloy made of tungsten, nickel and iron. The blend yields non-toxic pellets that pattern tightly and penetrate better than lead. Hevi-Shot is the best material to date for shotshells designed for turkey hunting.

Like other premium turkey loads, Hevi-Shot comes in boxes of 10 shells, which routinely retail for $17 to $20, depending on the outlet and the particular load. That’s two to three times more expensive than other premium shells made for turkey hunting. Since the average turkey hunter only fires two or three shots a season, $2 a shot is not a big deal.

Most of the turkey hunting pros that I’ve interviewed over the years have settled on premium No. 6 shot as the best load for spring turkeys. Bigger pellets strike with more force but contain fewer pellets per shell. That translates to uneven shot patterns.

Whatever shotgun shells you choose for spring turkey hunting, steer clear of shells with an ounce or less of shot. Stick with high-priced shells that are clearly marked “Turkey Loads.”

Turkey loads cost more, but they’re worth the money. Turkey loads are generally made with copper-plated lead pellets that pattern well and do not deform when the shot is fired. Most turkey shells for 3-inch 12-gauge chambers contain 1 1/2 to 2 ounces of shot.

I’ve tested 3-inch 20-gauge Hevi-Shot loaded with 1 1/4-ounce of No. 6 pellets and observed very good patterns out to 30 yards, which is a good range for shooting a spring turkey, anyway.