Turkey shoot

Turkey shoot

A turkey shoot is an opportunity for an individual or a party to very easily take advantage of a situation. It also implies that the "shooter" can't lose.

A "turkey shoot" is also a shooting contest where frozen turkeys are awarded as prizes. The shoot is most commonly held, using shotguns aimed at paper targets about 25-35 yards away.

In the military, a turkey shoot occurs when a group or team catch the enemy off-guard or out-gunned to the point of being unfair. Examples of famous military turkey shoots:

*Pickett's Charge -- American Civil War
*MiG Alley -- Korean War, specifically when the MiG-15 was introduced against (and immediately outclassed) UN F-86 aircraft.
*Great Marianas Turkey Shoot -- World War II, The Battle of the Philippine Sea

A turkey shoot is only considered a "turkey shoot" if the result is overwhelmingly positive; if it is instead overwhelmingly negative, it is a blunder.

"Turkey shooting" is also used to indicate the process of troubleshooting a problem in a non-logical, or non-methodical approach. The act of trying random stuff until the problem goes away. While troubleshooting a problem, one is said to be "turkeyshooting" if the troubleshooting approach resembles that of someone shooting a shotgun at clay pigeons.

In 1982 a feature film, filmed in Australia with the title "Turkey Shoot (film)" was made (aka. "Escape 2000" and "Blood Camp Thatcher"). Directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith, it stars Olivia Hussey and Steve Railsback. The film reached number 1 at the UK box office.


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  • turkey shoot — turkey ,shoot noun count AMERICAN 1. ) INFORMAL a situation in which one group is much stronger than another group that it is competing against: The other team was missing its star player, so the game was pretty much a turkey shoot. 2. ) a… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • turkey shoot — noun Etymology: turkey (III) 1. a. : a contest of marksmanship with a gun using live turkeys as targets b. : a similar contest for prizes usually using moving targets 2. : something resembling a turkey shoot * * * ˈturkey shoot 7 …   Useful english dictionary

  • turkey shoot — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms turkey shoot : singular turkey shoot plural turkey shoots American informal a situation in which one group is much stronger than another group that it is competing against …   English dictionary

  • Turkey Shoot — Les Traqués de l an 2000 Les Traqués de l an 2000 (Turkey Shoot) est un film australien réalisé par Brian Trenchard Smith, sorti en 1982. Expédiés dans un camp de rééducation, certains citoyens considérés comme déviants vont servir de gibier dans …   Wikipédia en Français

  • turkey shoot —    American    a business easily concluded    Based on the size and relative immobility of the bird, which originated in the Americas, and not the Levant. Used of making money easily, killing a victim without a problem, etc.:     ... a chance for …   How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms

  • Turkey Shoot (film) — Turkey Shoot is a 1982 dystopian futurist exploitation film directed by Brian Trenchard Smith notable for its extreme violence, sadistic prison sequences and plethora of 1980’s Australian soap opera stars.PlotIn the totalitarian near future,… …   Wikipedia

  • turkey-shoot — turkˈey shoot noun (slang, esp US) 1. A battle involving large scale killing or destruction of easy targets (military) 2. Anything easily won or accomplished • • • Main Entry: ↑turkey …   Useful english dictionary

  • turkey shoot — noun Date: 1845 a marksmanship contest using a moving target with a turkey offered as a prize …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • turkey shoot — 1. a marksmanship contest, usually at a festive gathering, in which rifles are fired at moving targets, originally live turkeys. 2. a. something easily accomplished; piece of cake. b. an easy destruction of enemy troops, esp. of flying aircraft.… …   Universalium

  • turkey shoot — noun informal, chiefly N. Amer. a situation, typically in a war, in which the aggressor has an overwhelming advantage …   English new terms dictionary

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