First time hunter.
 

Coming in the next few months I will be going turkey hunting for the first time. I dont really know where to start. What should I bring? What type of call is suggested? (Any one local to Beaufort South Carolina) What are good turkey locations? I have a Mossberg 535 12ga smooth bore with pretty much any choke available with that said What type of ammo is suggested? Any information would be appreciated.

To answer all your questiosn - Yes -

Spend a bit of tine reading the Tips posted here. Many use the Mossberg.

And also join in on the HNI Contest as it is a team event. Don;t win much but being on a team many share tips and tactics.

JW

i use the huntersspecialties choke tubes they work great and arent too pricy.
also i use diaphragm calls simply because it is 100% hands free and saves movement. they take practice but you have plenty of time try getting a set with a dvd/cd in it those helped me alot. oh and be sure to have quality boots you'll probably want rubber and a sold turkey vest (not a necessity but helps alot)

PM me if you have any more questions
Storm

it sure is an addiction..if i were you and it was possible i would try to find someone to hunt with that has been in the game awhile ask alot of questions..thats how i got my start but if you cant find anyone then i suggest reading about it in magazines and watching the pros do it ive learned alot of additional information that way

Hang around here and read all the threads and post any questions you have. There are many experienced turkey hunters on here that can provide alot of help. The best help you can get is talking to, or even hunting with, experienced hunters. Talk can only go so far though. I have talked to hunters and read a million articles but I would say I have learned 90% of what I know just from the experience of hunting and from the mistakes I've made. To help you out a little. I would learn to use a few different types of calls if you can. The more versatile you are the better. Whenever I talk to brand new turkey hunters though, I recommend starting with a box call. They are about the easiest to run and probably the most realistic sounding as well. Any other questions be sure to ask. Good luck

tips
 

Just as the others have said read the posts here and get some hunting Buddy's. Join your local NWTF, great bunch of guys we all like to help each other but experience during the hunt is the best teacher.
Calls.... I suggest a glass friction call all you really need to learn is the yelp to start with then mix in clucks and cutting etc. You can learn the yelp in 5 min. with the friction call.

You will also want and owl locater call and coyote locater. Just remember you don't have to be an expert to be a successful turkey hunter. I prefer the H.S. Strut owl call and turkey calls but they can all work if you use them right and in the right situation.
Most important of all make sure you pattern your gun out to 40 yards or more so you can make a clean kill. Good luck!

Hey Taurus,

Either a box or slate call would be a good call to start with. Don't worry about the price of any particular call.

Also, don't fret if your local store doesn't have the latest "better-than-lead-absolute-turkey-smoking-magnum-shotgun-shell" They work, and I like using 1 or 2 brands, BUT they're not deal breakers.
My first bird was done in by a 2 3/4" lead shot turkey shell that doesn't sound impressive compared to discussions about more modern 3" or 3.5" head smashers. Find a shell that patterns well out of your gun and go with it.

I'm not sure if there's a final word on turkey hunting, but I'll post this so it doesn't get forgotten....Sometimes they really do come in just like on TV. Other times (most times?) they're a bit more cautious.

BUT...when it does happen, you'll never listen to a turkey gobble the same way again.

Good luck this spring. Go bust a big one!:happy0001:

Taurus,
First I would bring with you a cushioned seat of some kind... Turkey hunting includes sitting for long periods of time so you want to be as comfortable as possible! Next I would suggest using a blind if your allowed to do so in your state.
When it comes to a particular call I would suggest buying one of each and practicing with them. This will accomplish 2 things... first you will learn how to use them and second you will decide which calls you like better. As for myself I prefer box and mouth calls. If your willing to spend a little extra money on a call try to purchase "custom" made calls... nothing against calls that are massed produced but I purchased a "custom" box call this past spring and absolutely love it! I also recommend purchasing a few locator calls... Owl hooter, Crow call, coyote call to assist in locating the gobblers... I will never forget when I used an owl hooter and had a gobbler respond... It was music to my ears!
When it comes to ammo there is so much stuff out there that you need to determine what load shoots best out of your gun... I have an 835 that shoots winchester 3" number 5 loads the best. I have no question that out to 50 yards I will kill a bird cleanly and I suspect that I can shoot out to 60 yards if I really wanted to...
I hope my 2 cents has helped you and I wish you lots of luck!!!

I hunt small woods, and getting one to fly to you of the roost is 50/50. But if they heard you, they'll often be back around in an hour or two. Sit tight and call sparingly.

So I should shoot different types of ammo out of my shotgun and which ever handles the best is what I will use. I have a bass pro shop in the area so I dont think I will have any problems finding what I need. Thanks for all the information I appreciate it. Any more suggestions go ahead and keep em coming. Im writing this stuff down haha.

Stick with basic stuff at first.
1) Location that has birds, use locals knowledge if possible
2) Get your weapon dialed in and know what the pattern will do at different distances
3) Learn to make a few basic calls, get a CD to listen to it driving to work
4) Get a hen and jake decoy

Find some locals that can help you find places that have birds you can hunt. Most choke tubes and turkey loads will kill birds, nothing exotic needed. Do some practicing at different distances so you know what your gun and pattern will do. Get a hen and jake decoy, again, nothing fancy needed. Learn to make some calls. A box call is pretty easy to learn, but I think diaphrams work best and are much more versatile especially when birds are closing in. Get a CD that you can listen to when driving to work etc and learn to use a diaphram so you dont drive any one crazy lol. Turkey hunting is a BLAST!!

Welcome to the awesome world of turkey hunting and welcome to the forum. Here you will find answers to your questions and we are a community made up of avid turkey hunters with tons of advise. Fell free to as any question and check out our archives for awesome advise. This is the place to be and join our spring turkey hunting contest. Its the biggest and best on the net. Welcome

Brian Warner, North American Hunting Club, lifetime member


Now, start scouting....NOW. Get to know the birds in several areas. Don't be surprised if they change up ythey're habits a bit as the season approaches and more hunters start scouting or get hunting. Watch now for what they do when they get a bit sppoked. Where they go and how they get there. This way, when the pressure gets on them You'll be able to have some sort of idea what to expect until they get figured out a bit by the rest of the hunters out there. They'll only make as much of a change as they need to so they feel secure. The longer and the more pressure they feel the more they will vary from the norm. Be careful and don't spook them too bad as well as give them a break between scouting tris to an area. Also, LEAVE THE CALLS AT THE HOUSE. Just watch and listen, especially early mornings and in the evening. Try to locate roosting areas and the direction they travel to feed and water. Keep in mind, turkeys don't nessacarily eat grass, but they DO drink the dew from the grass as they feed instead of hitting a puddle or creek for water. Look for dusting places and areas where the grass hoppers like to hang. Another good spot is near pastures where the cow patties are near the wood line. They like to come out, flip over dry patties and catch the bugs underneath. They also like to pitch down out of the roost but land at or above the same level they flew down from. In other words, if they are roosted on a hillside, they will tend to fly down towards the bottom of the hill but turn back towards it to land.
Finally, get yourself a GOOD call and practice with it. OUTSIDE and away from the hunting area.
The last thing you want to do is get the birds your going to hunt to get used to hearing a call, any call that is not the real thing. Kinda like we can tell the difference between a real person talking and one on the TV even though the sound system is great.
OWLS don't hoot in the daytime and when they do, the turkeys don't care. Crows are daytime worries for turkeys, Owls are nighttime trouble. Hoot in the dark or fist light and then switch to a crow call. Nothing is more help than to get a murder of crows helping you out. Blow your crow call and get the other crows answering you all around and listen for the gobbles in between. They'll help you find gobblers twice the distance from where you normally would. Practice and get good at your crow calling.
Most of all, have fun and be safe. A small orange ribbon (3 ft) nearby you is a good thing. Gives other hunters an idea tht you maight be there. If you see one, look around for a hunter or decoy. It won't bother the turkeys but it might keep you from ducking a load of #4s.
GOOD LUCK!!!

Welcome to one of the most addictive sports on the planet! I went to a seminar many years ago hosted by Ray Eye, one of the things he told us that stuck in my head was "just try to sound like the noisiest b**** in the woods, and something will come in eventually and take a look".

But that definitely doesn't apply when you approach roosted birds in the morning. Usually, we do not call at all until we hear them hit the ground, and then, it's on!!

Do some good pre-season scouting, locate some birds, and you will have the time of your life!

Best of Luck,
Jeff

I strongly recommend going with another experienced hunter for the first few times, even if it means not taking a gun. You will learn more in 2-3 trips out with a good hunter than you will hunting by yourself all season. That was a big mistake that I made my first couple of seasons 30 years ago. My best friend was a great hunter and terrific caller (made the Grand National Finals several years) but I was stubborn and determined to do it myself. I didn't kill a turkey the first two seasons because I kept screwing up opportunities by not setting up correctly, calling too frequently or infrequently, being too aggressive at times and not others, etc, etc.

Read the tips and tactics section on this site, join the NWTF, and spend time talking with good experienced hunters. Videos can be helpful as well.