How to Prep for Turkey Season: A Beginner’s Guide

My name is Clay McEachern. I have been passionately hunting turkeys for over half my life. It all started when I was twelve years old, going turkey hunting for the first time with my father. Boy, let me tell you, it’s been quite an addiction ever since. I think turkey hunting is so popular because of the countless ways a Tom can be harvested. But first, let me go through a few must-haves when it comes to prepping for the hunt.

Turkey Hunting Basics: Rules, Locations & Gear

First things first, each state has different rules and regulations. It is good practice to read these rules before you enter the woods.  

Second, you need a place to hunt. Whether it’s public hunting or private access, the hunting strategies for the most part stay the same. There are multiple ways to create success in the turkey woods, from spot and stalk to calling, decoying, or baiting (State Regulated).

Third, you need a weapon of choice. In the state I hunt, you can use a shotgun, crossbow, or archery equipment. It really comes down to personal preference and your style of hunting. 

Best Optics for Turkey Hunting

My favorite thing to do as a turkey hunter is take youth hunters hunting. There is just something special about watching a young hunter experience the absolute lows of hunting to the absolute highs. However, there is nothing more devastating than calling a turkey in and a young hunter either missing or getting busted by the bird. I have had real good luck with adding a red dot to the firearm for youth hunters and suggest many hours of practice before ever entering the woods. Not just for success, but for safety also.

I have a DNT Optics NVMD-200 (Night Vision Multi-Purpose Device) mounted up on my kid’s youth Mossberg 20 gauge right now; it is perfect. Adding a red dot to your shotgun allows for a few things: quick target alignment, and reducing the human error of not having your head all the way down looking down the barrel; sometimes youth hunters can struggle with that. The red dot allows them to just put the dot on the turkey’s head and squeeze. It’s also a good idea to practice how you will be hunting and shooting in real type situations, whether it’s from shooting sticks or it’s from your knee, shooting left or right, and making quick shots, etc…

I also run a DNT Optics ZULUS V2 on the kid’s crossbow. The built-in rangefinder, paired with the ballistic setup for a holdover reticle, takes a lot of the guess work out of the shot. For youth hunters especially, that added confidence and simplicity makes a huge difference; it lets them focus on their fundamentals instead of stressing about the distance or where to aim.

Turkey Calling Tips: Mouth, Box & Slate

If you plan on using calls, I suggest purchasing a few different styles of calls, mouth calls, box calls, locater calls, or a slate call, and practicing until you are comfortable and proficient with whichever style you prefer.

A box call can cut through the wind better on a windy day. Mouth calls will allow you to be soft and more realistic when you need that close gobbler to take one more step out in the open for the shot. Slate calls have their purpose as well. All hunters are different when it comes to this aspect: some like to sit quiet and let the Tom’s curiosity overtake him, some like to let the decoys do the work for them. Others prefer more of a run and gun method while some like to reap them with a fan. The possibilities are endless.

My Dad once said every bird is killable, you just need to read his body language to figure out what it’s going to take. What I mean by that is each bird has a different personality, at any moment, any day, anytime. You never know what you are going to see.

Turkey Decoy Strategies for Every Situation

Decoys are another big topic. I have used almost every decoy you can think of and have had success. Don’t think you have to go out and buy the most expensive decoy there is. One of the most effective ways to harvest a bird is by simply using an old turkey fan and crawling behind it. This is called reaping. 

My setup depends on the birds and the time of year. I may start the season out with a submissive jake and hen decoy, but later in the year I tend to have better success with a full strut decoy and a hen. I may only put out a hen decoy, if the Toms in that area are not very aggressive, or if there is a high number of jakes( 1st year turkey). You can also use a breeding hen and use a jake or Tom as well. 

Scouting & Timing Tips for Successful Turkey Hunting

Scouting and timing play a huge role in success. In my opinion, knowing where the turkeys are wanting to go is just as important as knowing where they are. In the mornings or late evenings, I like to set up between their roost and their food source, catching them coming and going to the roost. If you hunt them directly on the roost, it is hard to get in and set up and get out without spooking them. If left alone, the turkeys will generally roost in the same location all season.

As far as timing goes, I have killed more turkeys from 10 am to 2 pm during the day. The reason for this is that once the hens start nesting mid-morning and afternoon, they tend to their nests while the Toms go into search mode looking for a possible hen that has not been bred yet. 

Understanding Turkey Behavior & Temperament

I have harvested birds in every single way possible, but my favorite has got to be archery with guillotine broadheads. There is something about calling them in close and having them finish at the decoys. To me, that is a true victory. That is absolute end game. I have just fooled an animal with one of the sharpest eye sights in his element. 

I think what draws in turkey hunters most is their unpredictable temperament. I’ve had them hang up at 100 yards and then go the other way. I’ve also had them come running from a ¼ mile straight to the decoy. I’ve had them beat up on the decoy until it’s knocked over in the dirt. I’ve also had a Tom take 2 hours to come in all the way from 60 yards, spittin and drumming, gobbling his head off the whole way. To having one show up 5 ft from the blind, silent as can be. When turkey hunting, you truly never know how that Tom is going to react. That is what keeps me coming back year after year.

The only way to learn to read a turkey’s body language is to spend as much time learning and hunting them through trial and error, and there will be more failures than successes, I can assure you.

My Most Memorable Turkey Hunting Story

I’ve had countless stories of success, and have harvested a number of birds with my bow, but one experience that sticks with me the most is one of failure. I’m going to tell you this story, even though I was sworn to secrecy and the fact that my father is going to be rolling in his grave.

It was Easter Sunday, and our family had full intentions of going to church that morning. My dad woke me up that morning and gave me two choices: hunting or church. Like most teenagers, this was an easy decision. I started putting my camo on immediately. We were running a bit behind and the turkeys were already off the roost and in the field. We used an old burlap camo net and crawled real slow to the end of the tree row. We managed to get to the edge undetected; I couldn’t believe it. We slowly got set up and in position. My dad made a few yelps with his slate call and the entire flock was heading our way. It was absolutely perfect.

In a matter of minutes, we had two big Toms standing at 15 yards. The countdown began. 3. 2. 1. Boom. We sat there in awe and amazement as we watched both Toms fly away unscathed. As we sat there in total silence for what seemed to be 30 minutes, in reality, I’m sure it was a few seconds.

I’ll never forget what he said next. “That’s what we get for not going to church.” I then asked, “What are we going to tell everyone?” He said “Son, not every story needs to be told, just remembered”.

As heartbreaking as it was in that moment, we later spent countless times joking and laughing about the Hunt of Easter Sunday!!

It’s All About the Memories

At the end of the day, the hunt, no matter what animal you’re chasing, is about embracing success and learning from failures. But the most important thing of all is making memories that last a lifetime with the ones you love! That’s what turkey hunting is all about.

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