What is "turkey shoot"

alt. 1 (context chiefly US English) A hunt or hunting competition, using rifles or shotguns, in which wild turkeys are the prey; a marksmanship contest in which a turkey is the prize. 2 (context idiomatic by extension English) A situation in which numerous weapons are discharged against prey, opponents, or victims who have little ability to protect or defend themselves. 3 (context idiomatic by extension English) A unequal competitive situation in which one party easily defeats the other(s). n. 1 (context chiefly US English) A hunt or hunting competition, using rifles or shotguns, in which wild turkeys are the prey; a marksmanship contest in which a turkey is the prize. 2 (context idiomatic by extension English) A situation in which numerous weapons are discharged against prey, opponents, or victims who have little ability to protect or defend themselves. 3 (context idiomatic by extension English) A unequal competitive situation in which one party easily defeats the other(s).

A turkey shoot is an opportunity for an individual or a party to very easily take advantage of a situation.

The term likely originates from a method of hunting wild turkeys in which the hunter coming upon a flock, intentionally scatters them. Once the flock is scattered, the hunter sets up and waits, as the scattered flock will return to that point individually, making them easy targets.

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. Original turkey shoots, however, dating at least to the time of James Fenimore Cooper, were contests in which live turkeys were tied down in a pen and shot from 25-35 yards. If the turkey died, the shooter received it as a prize. This gave rise to the military term (see below). Another contest provided a caged turkey with a protective wall. Above the cage was a slot in which the turkey could raise its head. Single shot rifles were used and if the shooter was skilled and fast enough, the turkey was shot in the head rewarding the shooter it as his prize. Today, turkey shoots are still popular in the rural U.S.. The winner is chosen according to which target has a shot closest to its center cross-mark. This removes almost all luck from the contest, and allows every shooter an equal chance.

In military situations, 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:

• Charge of the Light Brigade — Crimean War
• Battle of the Crater — American Civil War
• Great Marianas Turkey Shoot — World War II, The Battle of the Philippine Sea
• Operation Mole Cricket 19 — 1982 Lebanon War
• Highway of Death — Gulf War

Turkey Shoot, also known as Escape 2000 and Blood Camp Thatcher, is a 1982 Australian dystopian exploitation- horror film directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith and starring Steve Railsback, Olivia Hussey and Michael Craig. The cast is a mix of international actors, Australian soap opera actors and television personalities.

The film is notable for its extreme violence and sadistic prison sequences, and it features plot elements of The Most Dangerous Game, but rather than having human targets hunted for sport by a madman on his own island, the story features a concentration camp known as " The Establishment", which offers the opportunity to rich adventurers with legal immunity. AskMen labeled it "Easily the cheapest and nastiest piece of mainstream celluloid ever stitched together by our mad cinematic scientists". The film has spawned a 2014 remake.

Turkey Shoot, is a 2014 Australian dystopian futurist exploitation film directed by Jon Hewitt and co-written by Hewitt and his wife Belinda McClory. Shot in Australia, the film stars Dominic Purcell, Viva Bianca, Robert Taylor and Belinda McClory. Inspired by Brian Trenchard-Smith's 1982 Turkey Shoot, the film features appearances by that film's Carmen Duncan, Roger Ward and the voice of producer Antony I. Ginnane as television network head Charley Varrick.