When you have decided on where to hunt you need to take time to do some scouting before the season starts to find out the lay of the land and where the birds like to be. Try to find roosting areas by listening at predawn and in the evening. Stay a safe distance away, wear camouflage, and try to learn which way the birds travel after fly down. Make sure you use caution when doing this because you do not want to disturb their roosting areas. Never bring any calls with you during your pre-season scouting because you do not want to educate any gobblers on your calling before opening day. Also, make it a point to scout during the middle of the day to see if you can spot turkeys in certain areas strutting or feeding to give you an idea of where they hang out. Look for dust bowls, scratching in the leaves, fecal matter, tracks, or signs of strutting to give you a good indication of the area they stay in during the day. Remember that the majority of a turkey’s food source during the summer is found in openings and fields in the form of grasses, insects, and berries. I strongly suggest scouting as much as you can to maximize your success, especially if you are hunting public land or a new area you are not familiar with.

The next thing we need to talk about is choosing the right shotgun. Make sure the gun fits you and know that bigger isn’t always better. Take the time to shoot your shotgun before the season starts with different loads and shot sizes to see what is best for you and your gun. Also, look into buying a specialized turkey choke tube and make sure your gun is camouflaged to better your success. Wild turkeys have excellent vision, so make sure you have a favorite camoflage pattern picked out to wear from head to toe—mask, gloves, gun, etc.

The author recommends beginners try a box call.

Choosing a turkey call can be very overwhelming. I have found my favorite calls by asking other hunters what they like and going through a trial-and-error. For a beginner, I would recommend trying a box or slate call first. These are really the easiest to master and they produce real, lifelike sounds. As you progress, you can pick up the harder to learn calls such as a mouth call, tube call, or wing-bone to use in your arsenal. Whatever the choice, just make sure you learn it to the best of your ability and remember that you do not have to be a world champion caller to kill a turkey. To learn sounds of the wild turkey and what those different sounds mean among the turkey language, click here. Also, investing in a turkey vest is a great idea. They come in many different shapes and sizes with all kinds of pocket configurations. Before you purchase the vest, try it on and make sure it’s what you’re looking for. Some hunters like a lot of pockets, and some like a lighter and less complicated vest. Can your calls be easily organized? Is it too bulky? Does it have enough padding on the seat? Are there enough pockets for the amount of calls you want to carry?” These are just some of the things to ask yourself when choosing the proper gear; listed below is what you’ll never find me without on opening morning. Good luck!

Camo: Mossy Oak Break Up shirt and pants
Boots: Lacrosse knee high, lace up, snake boot, Break Up camo
Mask: Primos stretch fit ¾ mask
Gloves: Mossy Oak cheap cotton gloves with finger tips cut off by myself
Gun: 12 Gauge, Beretta Auto, Sling, H.S Strut Undertaker choke
Ammo: 3 inch, Federal Premium, #5 Turkey loads
Vest: Mossy Oak Limit. Ed. Dixon Vest, best turkey vest ever made
Decoys: Only for rainy days or middle of the day in the food plot
Shock Call: Primos Power Owl, Primos Power Crow
Slate Call: Glass Witch by H.S. Strut/ Primos Jackpot slate
Chalk & Sandpaper: For conditioning of slate call in field
Box Call: Lynch limited edition box call
Mouth Call: Various Primos, Talkin’ the Talk, Legacy, & Woodhaven Calls
Wing Bone: Morgan homemade wing bone call
Tube Call: Morgan tube call, use non-lubricated Latex condom for reed
Turkey Wing: Real turkey wing from previous kill to use for fly down realism
Pruning Shears
Insect Repellent
Snacks & Water