Make sure safety is your #1 priority. 

Hire a quality Guide service if you don't have time to pre scout out area's for turkey.

Many people will send you on a wild goose chase,  if you ask them were they hunt for 
gobblers. It will save you Many days of unsuccessful hunting.

If you want to get  a bird.
You have to study the habits of turkeys all year long.

Remember were you saw the  flock of long beards you saw during deer season,
It will give you an idea about where to hunt in the spring time.

In every state there is some land open to public
hunting. Do your research.
 

Have backup areas already picked out in case you
can't hunt the first area you chose.

Does the season close at noon, or is it open all day?

If possible, "roost" your turkey the night before.
see were he goes to sleep and,
Hunt your roosted bird first thing in the morning.

Of course you dont want to set up under his tree cause 
Its closer. U can scare em off. Set up 100 yrds away
and call em in at first light.

Turkeys talk the most during first hour of
daylight.

"Turkey talk" attracts predators.

When gobbler goes the other way, circle around and
get in front of him. Then set up and call again.

You can hoot like an owl to get a bird gobbling.

A crow call can be used to locate a gobbler.

A hawk call can be used to call a gobbler.

My experience with a coyote howler is that birds
quit talking.

Use a gobbler call to make a turkey gobble.
Caution should be used when doing this. Other hunters
That are not that experienced may try to stalk him and 
end up in your lap.
 

Use several types of calls to sound like a flock
of turkeys. Mouth & a box or slate call.

Don't rely on one type of call. Birds that are
called by a box call will soon not pay any attention
to the box call.

Learn to use all calls. ( Box, Slate, Diaphragm,
Wing bone, Tubes, etc.)

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE! Become effective with
all types of calls. It pays off when your in the woods.

Start of with soft yelps.

A cackle works well also. This is a series of
excited yelping, tapering of to a soft yelp.

Clucks work well also. This is a call that will
bring in gobblers, if you don't over call and have
patience to sit still and wait until he comes to you.

Purrs are excellent calls to get a "hung-up"
gobbler into shooting range.

IF you cant use a mouth call well. Tape a small call to your gun.
It helps bring em in range when your already aiming in his general 
Direction. A lonely hen call works good for this. U only need 
One hand to operate it.

IF he is close. Don't call loudly. Soft calls to keep him 
Interested is best. 
He may figure something is up if you continue 
To YAP YAP YAP at him with a loud box call.

Use your hand to rake leaves, to make a gobbler
think that there is another turkey.
Make sure he dosent see the movement of your hand though.
 

Wear complete camo. This includes a face net and hat.
You have to be invisible to a
turkey. Try to match your camo with the forest floor your hunting.
So if camo is bright green and the floor is mostly brown He 
might be able to pick you out.

Use the biggest shotgun you can safely handle.

Make sure your gun is shooting tight patterns. 
You may need to add a choke to the barrel.
Turkeys are tough. Put as many pellets in them as u can.

Check your pattern at different ranges 10 20 30 yards.
Make sure  how far you can successfully take a bird.

Young Jake's are careless. Let them go. They will
be your gobbling birds in the future

Turkeys have a pecking order that is maintained
all year long.

Fighting Toms peg- type calls, can help you calling
a gobbler.

If it is legal, use turkey decoys. Jake's mounting a hen decoy works well.
also hen decoys work good. 

Males  are good at figuring out exactly were she should 
be from were he heard her call. So if he sees another bird he will come in
quicker. 

If he starts Puck Pucking . he is nervous and knows something is up.
Especially if he doesn't see the decoys. Take the shot if he is in range.
 

If you have control of the land you hunt on, use
wildlife management to help sustain your turkey
populations.

Plant food for turkeys. (Chufa, Clover, Millet, etc.)

Create and maintain open areas. Turkeys like
places where they can see.

A flashlight is useful in the pre dawn darkness.

Have confidence in the area you are hunting.

Be prepared for the weather on the day you hunt.
(Cold, Hot or Rain)
This includes water and Food bars if your gonna be out Long.

Don't spook your bird trying to set up on him. One
hundred to one hundred fifty yards is close enough. 
It is too close in some situations. You can call them to shooting range
It is near impossible to try to walk up to them.

If there is an opening near to your roosted
gobbler, he will probably go there when he flies down.

Turkey hunts are never perfect. Always expect for
something to go wrong.

In most cases, the dominant gobbler is not the
biggest bird in the flock.

Turkeys live in flocks. Flocks travel and feed
together.

Turkeys like being with other turkeys.

Hens and gobblers live in separated flocks except
for the short time that breeding is taking place.

Flocks of Jake's are usually brothers.

Flocks of gobblers contain all ages of birds.

Flocks of hens also contain all ages of birds.

The only time hens don't flock is when they are
nesting.

If a gobbler gets with real hens, you have to call
the hens to you. 
He aint leaving hens. A bird in the hand is better than 2 in the bush.
Or you can surprise them SO they separate. 
walk in an arc to get around to were they went.
And call them back to you.
 
 

Look for feeding areas when scouting. Look for what they eat
acorns, Soy fields etc.

Look for roosting areas when scouting.

Look for dusting bowl areas while scouting.

Look for scratching  areas while scouting.

Look for feathers while scouting.

Look for droppings while scouting.

Look for tracks while scouting.

Look for areas that turkeys are using while
scouting.

In the spring look for dogwood trees. You will
find the turkeys.

Gobblers that have been hunted before, are harder
to hunt again.

Set up in a comfortable position, with your
non shooting shoulder pointed in direction you think
bird will come in from.

Have your gun in a easy access position.
So your not waving it around when he is coming in.

Turkeys see ANY movement in the woods.

THey can see in almost a 360 circle.

Their eyes are bigger than their brain cavity.
SO they rely on their sight Allot.

They also hear 4 times better than u. 

So make sure your gear doesn't make any sounds that 
are very foreign to the forest. Example a nylon raincoat scrapping
against a tree ruined a hunt i was guiding a couple yrs back.

Once they leave you wont call them back.  Circle around an set up 
in a different spot.
 

There are five sub-species: Eastern, Merriam's,
Florida, Rio Grande, and Gourds.

Turkeys can fly 50 to 55 miles per hour.

Turkeys can run 25 miles per hour.

Turkeys have excellent eye sight and can spot
movement quickly.

An adult turkey's wings can stretch to 55 inches.

A full grown gobbler can weigh over 20 pounds.

A full grown hen can weighs 10 to 14 pounds.

A turkey can raise his head higher than an average
size man's belt buckle.

Gobblers begin growing a tuft of string like
feathers at about 6 months of age. (beard)

Gobblers don't shed their beards. The tips do
become worn.

Most adult gobblers have spurs.

Most turkey tracks over 4 and 1/2 inches long are
gobblers.

Wild turkeys have a life span of up to 10 years,
but the average is 3 years.

The restocking of the wild turkey has expanded its
range.

Turkeys roost anywhere there are trees large
enough to hold them.

A hand movement or slight turn of the head can
spook a turkey at over 100 yards. They have excellent eyesight.
And can see colors. complete Camo is important.

Whispering is fine even when he is coming in. 
THis doesn't seem to bother them. 
I try to keep it down. So they dont hear something
and look to see were i am. 

Set up against a tree that is bigger than you are. It breaks up the human form
sitting in the woods.

There are more hunting accidents involving turkey
hunters every year. BE CAREFUL This is due to the complete camo 
that is necessary. But wear your hunters orange when your moving.
 

Do not wear anything red, white, or blue. These
colors resemble the colors on a gobbler. It cuts down on pot shots 
Being taken in your general direction.

Make sure your carry bag is bright orange.
you always hear stories of people shooting at people
moving or carrying a turkey out. Dont let this happen to you.
 

Let other hunters know they are near you by
coughing or holler hey. Don't move Some Better to miss an opportunity and live to hunt another day.