After a short hike through the moonlit woods, I settled in against a wide-girthed white oak and waited for legal shooting time. At first light, a raucous gobble echoed through the forest from a nearby ridge—one of those moments that define a successful spring turkey season. I began calling with some soft hen-talk from a diaphragm call. Within minutes, I saw something—not the tom I was calling to, but a pair of hens. Just behind them were two jakes in half-strut. Finally, taking up the rear, came the thick-bearded tom I had been hoping for.
Pushing the safety off, I made a slight final adjustment to cover his head and neck and squeezed the trigger. My first gobbler of the year was in the bag. The hunt was a short one, but with a sweet finish. It was one hour into opening day.
Luck certainly plays a part in harvesting a gobbler from time to time. However, with proper preparation, less luck is needed.
With duties, deadlines, long work hours, doctor’s appointments, chores, texts to answer, family commitments, lawns to mow… it’s sometimes hard to find enough time to prepare for spring turkey season. But if you don’t, you are going to be scrambling at the last minute to get ready. Take care of these steps to be ready for this spring’s grand hunting adventure.
Locate a New Spot
Make an effort to find a new spot to hunt every spring. If someone is parked in your favorite location, having another area pre-scouted that you can turn to could save the day’s hunt. Perhaps there’s a wildlife management area you haven’t tried or a piece of private land that looked good but you never bothered to inquire about.
Go Through Your Gear and Organize Your Vest
Use whatever organizing system you like, but have everything in a specific pocket where you know how to find it quickly when you need it. Remove everything from the vest, clean it, and then make sure you actually need all the items in there as you put them back in the clean vest. There’s no point in carrying needless weight. And no need for that year-old candy bar buried in a side pocket.
This is also a good time to make sure you have all the required licenses. If you plan to hunt out of state, you can usually purchase licenses online before the trip, saving time and hassle.
Mossy Oak
Pattern Your Gun to Find the Best Load
Clean your gun, then practice with several brands of ammo and different shot materials and sizes to make sure you have the optimum load. Fire at turkey head and neck targets to see how many pellets hit the vital area at different ranges. Experiment to find the ones that work best in your gun.
Clean/Repair Decoys
Mossy Oak
Check your decoys for any needed painting, new mounting posts, or other repairs. If you use a decoy with real feathers, some grooming may be required.
Check Batteries in Rangefinder or Sight
Find out the distance to a rock or tree when you make a setup before you begin calling. That won’t work if your rangefinder’s batteries are low. Also, if you have any sights or flashlights that require batteries, swap them out for fresh ones.
Inspect Your Camouflage Clothes
Make sure your camouflage is ready to go. Ensure you have coverage for every part of your body, including socks, gloves, hat, and face masks. Human skin is like neon to a gobbler.
Buy a New Call and Practice Different Sounds
Gerald Almy
Expand your calling repertoire. Try new sounds that might be useful for pulling in a shy bird. Experiment with using two calls at once or non-vocal sounds like wing-flaps or scratching in the leaves.
Buy a New Locator Call
Have a selection of locators beyond just an owl call. Crow, pileated woodpecker, hawk, predator, and even peacock calls can sometimes work to shock gobblers into responding.
Do a Last-Minute Check on Gobbler Locations
Flocks break up, toms establish dominance, and birds relocate. Use a combination of walking and occasional driving to cover lots of ground. The goal: locate as many birds as possible.
Don’t Educate the Birds
The aim during preseason isn’t to call birds in but to locate them and pattern their movements. Try just listening first. If they aren’t talking on their own, try a locator call before resorting to hen talk.
Give Promising Areas a Second Chance
Don’t give up on a spot just because you didn’t hear anything one morning. If turkeys have traditionally used it, check it out several times.
Climb to an Observation Point
Glassing from high points is especially effective during bad weather, as turkeys prefer open terrain when it rains. Use binoculars to search for birds in fields and open woods.
Pattern the Birds
Besides locating toms, try to pattern them. Watch where they go after leaving the roost and set up accordingly. Trail cameras can be useful for tracking turkey movement.
Pinpoint Roost Areas
Scout at dawn and dusk to identify where turkeys roost. Knowing their location at sunset lets you move in close before sunrise for a better setup.
Linda Arndt
Locate Strutting Areas
Find areas where gobblers display to attract hens. Look for wing-tip drag marks, fresh droppings, and scratched feeding areas.
Check Watering Areas
See which water sources have the freshest gobbler tracks. Ensure it’s big gobbler tracks, not hens.
Know the Status of Green-Up
Vegetation changes quickly in spring. Understanding the current state of foliage helps you predict the best setup spots and travel routes.
Find the Best Fields
Turkeys may shift from one field to another based on food availability. Keep track of where fresh clover or beetles are drawing birds.
Pinpoint New Foods
Mossy Oak
A fresh clover field may suddenly become a turkey magnet. Keep an eye on changing food sources.
Make Sure You Start Early Enough
Oversleeping can ruin your chances. Set multiple alarms to ensure you’re up well before first light.
Get in Shape
Turkey hunting requires long walks and staying still for extended periods. Take hikes and do stretching exercises to prepare.
Secure Landowner Permission
Even if you’ve hunted the same spot for years, double-check that you still have permission. Land ownership and hunting policies change.
Take Notes
Keep a notebook or use your phone to track gobbler locations, water sources, fields, and feeding areas. This will help you strategize for opening day and beyond.
By following these steps, you’ll be well-prepared for a successful spring turkey season. Preparation reduces reliance on luck and increases your chances of tagging a gobbler. Happy hunting!
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