Prior to the start of turkey hunting, there are several things you need to do to get prepared such as sighting in your rifle, practice calling, scouting, decoys and packing.
You need to be ready for any approach from any direction by a gobbler. Know your gun’s patterns at 10, 20, 30 and 40 yards. Get to a shooting range and check your pattern. There are different choke tubes and tight-patterning turkey loads you can try to get the pattern you are comfortable with at any distance.
Before you go on your hunt, you need to practice your calling. There are many different calls available and it is a good idea to take several variations with you. You never know what the turkey will respond to on any given day.
Here are a few types of calls that you can try: The diaphragm call which is entirely inserted into your mouth and is the most lifelike turkey sound. Other calls are box calls, friction calls, push-pull calls, wingbone calls, and locator turkey calls. The locator calls are used to "shock gobble" a turkey. They will gobble at loud noises such as an owl, a crow, a hawk, or peacock. Turkeys will even gobble at thunder or a car door shutting.
Scouting is always a good idea. If possible, scout early before the season, but don’t use your calls other than your locator call to get a “shock gobble”. You don’t want to be calling in gobblers and not have a hen there. They might not respond as quickly next time during the actual season.
Listen for the sounds of the gobblers and hens. Pay attention to the sounds around you. Try to copy what the hens are doing. Look for their favorite strutting and feeding grounds or spots where they like to dust themselves. Drive around and view from a far, use your binoculars.
Locating a turkey is the first challenge. Close to a water source is always a good place to start. You will want to stay on equal or higher ground than the turkey. There are some areas you may want to avoid that could make the turkey just give up and not come in when you call. Fallen trees, steep hills, large fields or fences may stall a turkey making them wait for the hens to come to them.
If you can get one to answer your call, pay attention to make sure he is coming your way.
Once you get a gobbler to answer your call, you need to stay put and be patient because he is most likely going to investigate the hen that made the noise. It may take him 30 minutes to an hour, but he is coming.
Back off on the calling a bit too. If you are calling too much, the gobbler may wait for the over anxious hen to come to him instead of him going to investigate.
If it is dusk and you hear the gobble, pay attention to where it is coming from. Try to see where the hens and gobblers roost so you can be there waiting for him in the morning when he comes off his roost. Locator calls work well to find turkeys after they have roosted for the night.
Decoys may increase your chances as well. It is best to set them where the turkeys can see the decoys from a distance. Good places for your decoy would be the edge of a field, in the open woods or along a logging road.
When packing for you trip, be sure to pack clothing so you are prepared for any kind of weather. Remember to pack not only your shotgun, but accessories like your choke tubes and loads. Same for your calls, pack all that you have along with the extra chalk or sandpaper.
Always practice safety while hunting. Sit with your back against a rock or tree that is wider and taller than you are. When using a decoy, always keep it covered when you are transporting it. Listen and watch for other hunters who may be stalking your decoy or answering your calls by mistake.
Patience, persistence and more patience is the key for success to harvesting a gobbler.
