Listen for gobbling at daylight and look for tracks, feathers, and scratching. Check out hardwood bottoms and the edges of fields (and any sandy areas out in the field). Look for tracks around mudholes (don't know what part of the country you're in or if your frozen in right now) and in the sandy areas along creeks. Look for upturned leaves (scratchings). Now, these will be widespread areas, not just a thin trail that a rooting animal like an armadillo will leave. The leaf litter will be turned over from the bottom up. They reach forward and rake the leaves backward, then take a step and repeat. So, there will not be much, if any, bare ground showing.

Cover a lot of ground. Might as well make a day of it and bring a sack lunch and hunt for sheds while you're at it. Take a camera and if you're unsure of what you're seeing, bring us a picture of it.

As far as calls go, I'd start with a single-sided box. They're just easier to learn on. I'm partial to a Lynch foolproof for a starter. I'd also get a slate. Learn to master those two first before moving on to a mouthcall. That might come easy or it might take you all summer to learn before next year.

When the season opens and it gets real, call as little as possible to keep 'em interested. Also, remember that you're up against the sharpest eyes in the woods. Think about each twitch of a finger before you twitch it! Don't swat mosquitos, scratch, or rub your nose. If he's close, squint your eyes so he won't pick up on a blink or eye twinkle as easy. I can't emphasise that enough! BE STILL! They will pick up ANY movement.

...and last, DO NOT CALL BEFORE THE SEASON!!!

oh,...and welcome to your new obsession!