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Ok, I've never been a turkey hunter before. Went once with my Grandfather, but he was more interested in HIM enjoying the hunt than me.

So, if I wanted to get involved in this springtime obsession, what do you suggest I do in order to start doing this and be good at it. In sort, how does one go about hunting turkeys and successfully harvesting them?

All suggestions are welcome, good suggestions will be appreciated, and smart@$$ suggestions will be graded - - - - - publicly.

Not a turkey hunter, that is to say I'm not good at hunting turkeys. But I try, and it's fun.

Get out there and find a bird. Try and call him in solo if you want, but after you get home call up a buddy who kills a lot of turkeys to go back with you. Most of the good turkey hunters I know don't care if they're pulling the trigger or not, they just want to beat the old bird at his own game. Return to the area as a team and pay attention; that will let you get some experience on how to go about it all.

My $0.02

•Get you a owl hooter to locate one at daybreak and/or a crow call to locate one later
•Get you a cheap slate call and start practicing. Instructions will be on the back of the package
•If you want to use decoys, pick you up a couple of Cherokee inflatable hens. Put one out, the second is a spare for when the first jake you call in stomps her down flat and leaves a deposit. You can prevent this by educating the jake that you are there before he stomps her down...he may or may not remember you next year.
•Don't forget your facemask, gloves...and shells.
•Most important is one of them shawt folding chairs and a thermocell. If he doesnt fly down in your lap, you might be sitting for a while.
•After you sit for a while, haven't heard him and are ready to give up, sit still for 45-60 more minutes...he is likely coming.

Get a buddy that wants to go with you (all turkey hunters want to go somewhere new) and learn from them. It's with out a doubt the best way to learn.

The number one lesson I can impart is patience. Anytime you think you need to move, wait 30 more minutes.

The chair is nice. The thermocell is a necessity. As are face mask, gloves, and comfortable waterproof boots (I think snake proof is optional).

Learn some basic calls on a pot or box call. Purr and yelping.

Have fun. They will make an booty out of you more times than not. Get used to it.

Once you locate the birds, the rest is easy! That has seemed to be the hardest part for me.

Get a rangefinder. Gloves, mask, gloves and so are all have to's.

If u have time, a pair of binoculars, watch them!

Figure out the locating first! Then get ready to play the game! It's absolutely a blast! And yes, you will loose more than win, but it's truly fun!

And yes. Get a seasoned vet to tag along. You'll learn more in a few hunts than a season stumbling around.



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You will definitely make some mistakes. Like everyone said best thing to do if you can is get someone to go with you. If not you will learn the hard way lol. You don't have to be a great caller to call a bird in. Get you some videos to watch. My biggest mistake was always trying to get too close. They can spot you at daylight from a long ways away.

Get a pot caller in slate or glass. Learn to yelp and purr. You can kill more than you can tote with just those 2 calls. Learn to cackle, cutt and gobble later as your experience grows, or not. You don't have to do them to consistently kill birds.

Lovett Williams tapes/CDs will help. A bunch of the crap on youtube is counterproductive. If you like to read, get both of Kenny Morgan's books. Gene Nunnbery's Old Pro Turkey Hunter is good too.

There are exceptions to any rule, but you can go to listen to turkeys or you can go to kill turkeys. If you plan on just listening, call all you want. If you want to kill a bird, don't call while turkeys are in your direct line of sight and don't call once he commits to coming toward you unless you get the idea he has wondered off. Unless you are hunting a terribly excited bird, less is generally more when it comes to the frequency of your calling.

Don't set up where a geographic boundary like a creek or fence can cause problems. However, setting up close to slight terrain changes or bends in a road where a bird can't spy you from a distance will help. If a bird can see 100 yards across a bottom and doesn't see a hen where he thinks there should be one, he might very well just walk in a different direction.

Once you learn your birds, you will find things unique to them. Some birds like nothing more than hitting foodplots to strut around all day. Other birds will circle around a plot and would rather starve than enter a field.

Some good info above. Keep your calling simple to start with, do not try and do what you see in competitions. Real hens sound horrible out in the woods most of the time. Do not get too close to them on the roost. Know your terrain so that you do not get something such as creeks in between you and the bird. Get out and scout and look for the areas they use for roosting and areas they use for strutting. Toms are creatures of habit and will generally stick pretty close to the same routine. Owl call is a must, get a slate call, get some mouth calls but leave them at home until you figure them out. Box call is also good for locating. Go ahead and find a vest with a good cushion or get a chair as some have mentioned. Pattern your shotgun, know exactly where your main pattern goes and try a couple of different shells to see what works well. Lots of info online about what usually works well in different guns. Most importantly learn how to not lose your temper when these things make you feel like an idiot.

Make sure you pack 2 masks and extra gloves. I am bad about taking them off at truck after hunt and throwing them on dash then when I go again I have been known to forget them when getting gun, vest, deks etc. Of all things gloves and mask are most needed followed by thermacell or spray. This year corn seems to be a big draw.

Be still... I know your nose itches. Don't scratch it.... Mind over matter, if you don't think about it, it will quit itching, if not, it won't. Patience is a virtue. Enjoy spring in the woods, and take in the sounds when they come alive.

Other than that I think they have covered it. For a beginner I would use a slate or box, but go ahead and get a good one someone recommends on here. I think they are easier to call on than the cheapos, especially the glass ones. I hate mouth calls and rarely use one.

Oh yea, don't pee yourself the first time a bird hammers behind you twenty yards that you never knew was there.

Edit: I looked back and I bought a ceramic from camlock last year that I really liked. Easy to use in a variety of conditions. I like the slate too, but on the really humid misty mornings the ceramic doesn't take on moisture like the slate.

houndstooth makes some good calls

Get a couple calls, face mask, and gloves and go. Do NOT take the easy way out and call up a buddy. That's cheating. Immensely more rewarding to figure it out and succeed on your own.

Great question. The previous comments pretty much cover the basics. We all learn something new every time we enter those spring woods. The more you go this first year the better. Enjoyable read for even somewhat of an experienced (if there is such a thing) turkey hunter.

I'd like to add since no one's mentioned it. Don't use a flashlight while walking in or setting up. You will walk across many snakes, but what you don't know won't hurt you. Turkey will see the light and flush or avoid flying down in the direction they sense something is up. Suck it up and go in like seal team six. I've been set up on a bird before and seen some fool come in with a light trying to setup. Turkey started putting and going crazy. Not good.

Great thread. I am new to the game as well and this thread has been very informative. I witnessed a successful hunt this morning and it was absolutely awesome. Looking forward to my first bird.