What I've got is all the camo vest etc., one diaphram call, a box call, and a Benelli SBE 24 inch barrel and standard chokes (3). Now what do I need to get started. I'm an ok caller, although I don't know when to make what sound (I'll learn this).

What chokes?
What rounds, #5 heavy, #8 ???? My gun will shoot a 3 1/2 Mag.
What additional calls, specific brands and types. ex: primos - diamond cutter.
Any tips that make you successful.

Thanks

radar, I give you my 2cents. I would not worry too much about getting all the latest and greatest stuff. Take your gun to the range and try some different brands, and sizes, of shells. My preference is Winchester supremes #5. I stick with 3inch, that's all I really need.
Everyone and every gun is different. Try as many as you can till you have one your confidant with. Don't try to make shots out too far. Stick with inside 30 yards. Next I would start with the box call and work on making some basic yelps. You might want to pick up a tape to help you pick up the sound and rhythm. I think rhythm is probably more important. Play with the mouth call too. They are a little harder to get use to. As you gain experience a mouth call will be helpful when birds are close and stubborn. Don't worry box calls have killed plenty of birds. Practice a lot. When you gain some confidence, find someone who has hunted turkeys to take you along. Absorb everything! I know I’ll never know it all but I have fun trying! Hope this helps. Good luck!

BearMt

Most people I think use #4 or #6... They actually have a 4/6 combo (hard to find) but is awesome. Brand name calls I don't think make a difference - people do have preferences mind you, but for every brand there will be someone who says "it is the best". How you use which ever call/calls you decide is criticle. Practice, practice, practice - that is the best bet for calling. For tips on how to actually hunt birds, how they sound, how to dress em' etc... you can check out http://www.wanwtf.org/tips_n_tricks.htm.

One of the best advice on turkey hunting is find someone who knows what they are doing and tag along a bit. Most turkey hunters I've found are very open to taking someone new under their wing.

Oh... and one of the biggest that you'll hear everyone say - PATIENCE. You need to move slow, be alert, and be patient. The easterns here in WA may not even gobble at ya' - they kind of sneak in check out what is going on, and then go right into struttin'... but the merriams here, they'll gobble at you all day, but not always come to you - they expect their hens to come to them, so you end up running a big ol' circle to get in front and the same level or higher as them, callin' every so often, just to let em' know you are still there and try to trick them into thinking you are a willing hen, but you won't be the one running to the tom.

NEVER stalk a gobble or a hen - more than likely it will be another hunter, as a turkey will see you and be gone.

Ask questions... people here are very knowledgable, and very willing to share ideas, thoughts, and techniques that have worked for them. Good luck - and prepare for a spendy addiction.

http://www.wanwtf.org

First, let me state that some things can not be taught.

You need to know your gun and your shooting abilities. Get ~3 different brands of shells and different sizes---most use either 4, 5, or 6. I prefer 6 shot, as I get more pellets in the kill zone. Others prefer 4, because although you get fewer pellets the larger shot has more momentum and thus more killing power. Most reports indicate that past 35 yards 6 shot loses the killing power---but I won't shoot past 35 yards. Five shot is the middle ground, more pellets than 4s and more power than 6s.

Next, if your gun is equipped with a scope, great. If not, I would highly suggest some fiber optic sights. You can pick up some Tru-glo or Hi-viz sights for little cash---maybe $20-30 for a good set of sights. The fiber optics will come in handy at sunrise when you need to pick out a baseball sized head through some emerging ferns.

You need to have some basic woodsmanship skills. These also cannot be taught. You need patience, persistance to drag your butt out of bed at 3:30 every day of the week, and perseverance to go out for 3 straight weeks to get a bird. Not that you can't bag a tom the first day---most of us who are experienced connect on the first few days of the season. But for a rookie, you can probably expect to screw things up somehow or another everytime you enter the woods, and leave empty handed.

Get some videos, get some camo, know your gun and find a turkey-hunting friend.

Acquire some private land that you can hunt with an experienced hunter---don't expect the hunter to show you how to kill a turkey in his "honey-hole". Not only is this polite, but the experienced "guide" can introduce you to the basics of scouting the new property, probably the key ingredient to becoming a successful hunter.

Get to be a good caller on one type of call your first season. If you can practice like mad with a mouth call and can actually use it properly, spend your time using that. If not, pick up a friction call---I would suggest a slate/glass type call. Boxes are easier to use, but glass calls can be used in inclement weather and to me produce a better variety of all the turkey's vocalizations.

And then, be prepared to learn and have fun.

S&R

I'm like BearMt, I'll give you my two cents but I will not tell you to go to the latest and greatest or give you specific brand names. The majority out there will work great.

As for choke, I'm not familiar with your gun but I'm sure someone on this forum is. I shoot a Rem. 870 and I just have a Rem. turkey choke. Works great. If you limit yourself to 30 yards, they all will work great.

You might want to pick up a slate call. They can do better with softer calling than a box. Great at first light for the tree yelps and purrs. Use the box for the louder calls assuming you do not master a mouth call the first year.

I hunt with decoys but not everybody does. Pick up 1, 2, or 3 decoys depending on your expenses. Two should be a hen and one a jake. Watch out for that jake. If you don't care if you shoot a mature tom or jake, use it. Sometimes a jake decoy will scare off another jake from coming in. I've used a jake decoy for that exact reason, I don't want jakes coming in.

I use 25' of burlap camo cloth as a wall blind. The burlap snags on whatever trees you put it around to form the blind area. A few sticks (or arrows) here or there finish it up.

Get out in the woods you are going to hunt and know your area and the pattern of the turkeys in that area. Find their roosting sites and your morning success has increased tremendously.

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