pride

Okay guys and gals,

Newly minted turkey hunter here. I've recently had the opportunity to pickup a shotgun (older Rem 11-87 3" 12-ga. 28" barrel, still need to pick up an x-full choke) and while I've never hunted birds before I'm super excited about hunting turkey. I'm gearing up for fall. I'm planning on patterning my new shotgun next week and I've got a couple hikes planned out with the wife and kid that will also serve as scouting for some public land areas I'm interested in hunting. The problem is that despite all the videos I watch about turkey calling, and recommendations for gear etc., I still am broke. I've given myself a budget of about $150 to $200 (after the gun and ammo, of course) to buy the essential stuff I need for a hunt. I've written out things I think are essential for the hunt and things that I'd like. Unfortunately, I don't have a seasoned friend to take me out and show me what's good and what's bad and basically how to hunt turkeys, so what I'm hoping for is that I can draw on the collected turkey-killin' knowledge on this board to guide me straight.

Essentials:
- camo gloves -> do they need to be camo? Can I just use black gloves
or is that just as bad as having my pasty white hands moving around?
brown maybe?

- camo face mesh - any recommendations here? Or should I go all hardcore and pickup some camo facepaint?

- box call - I know that the calls are the biggest deal in turkey hunting. Should I spend most of my budget on a good call? Or are there mid-range to cheaper options that will work for the run-of-the-mill newbie like me? I know that there are push button calls but I think they are illegal here in Missouri.

- slate/pot call -> Should I get both? One or the other?

Things I'd like
- camo for my body -> I was originally planning on hunting in my Carhartt brown jacket and jeans, but people on the internet keep stressing how full camo is essential. I don't know about you guys, but I don't have the extra $300 to drop on a full camo suit =( Is full camo essential? Can I hunt in light brown or is that not a good idea (Here is a picture of my jacket
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/regular-carhartt-quilted-flannel-lined-sandstone-active-jacket?a=1593959)

Additionally, is there a company that sells like a camo cover I could
wrap myself in?

- Mouth call? I know that mouth calls can allow both hands on the gun
and are good for that final lure, but are they absolutely essential?

- Binos? Them seem like they could eat up my budget for a decent pair,
even used. Can I hunt without them?

- Shock call? Essential for my first fall season or not?



Finally, is there anything I'm completely overlooking? I wish I knew
some people that I could talk to/hunt with but I'm by myself and on
public land. Thanks in advance for the help, everyone. I'm so excited
for this I can't even explain it.

RPD63

Welcome to the obsession! A lot of very knowledgeable folks here.....and a few that hunt Missouri.

JW

Gun (You do not need to Camo your Gun!)
But always sit with the Sun at your back!

I also use an Remington 11-87 SP 3" and have for 28 yrs or more. I swapped out my barrel for a 21 inch cantilever barrel but your 28 will work just fine.
I use a Hastings 0.665 Extended Full Turkey Choke
And I shoot Winchester Supreme #4 Copper Plated (55 yard patterned gun)
And do add Tru Glo sights
I used the Pro series pictured on top
Why sights. You are shooting a tight pattern. Using the sights forces you to Keep your Head down and stay focused. No sights and you will lift your head and MISS.....been there done that! Not fun!
Stay away from the magnetic brands you will loose them. The screw on stay on.

My Shotgun used by my daughter on her first bird.
[img][url=https://flic.kr/p/cez1A5]
Now I added a 21" Cantelever barrel and a Nikon scope after I could no longer see the back ramp clearly on my Tru Glo open sights and this was due to old age. Yep I am an old guy - retired!

And a free target for you to pattern your gun with - use trap loads to start it is cheaper. Rule of thumb. 8 to 10 pellet holes in the neck bone, skull , eye , only dictates your lethal yardage. Start at 10 yards with traps loads and try a 25 cent dot and try to blow that dot off the paper. Once you do that add this target.
Now my aim point is the red dot at the waddles. My actual pattern is the red circle. That way I am always looking at the head. The waddles is one thing all toms have and is easy to see as it is where the feathers stop and skin starts.



Gloves
Any glove will work - make sure they are long enough to cover your wrist.

Face Mask
I hate face paint but that is me.
I also hate tight fitting masks as they fog my glasses
I hate mesh over my eyes
A over the head mask in addition to a hat can be hot
I use a half mask that I can pull up easily or pull down quickly. The back is all black and it has a nose bridge piece of moldable lead.


Box call -
A great call that won't break the bank.
A Waterproof - Chalk Free Call
Quaker Boy Waterproof Box Call


My other call I used for many years.
A push pin call is not illegal in any state....easy to use and also needs chalk at times

Lynch World Championship Box Call. It is a double sided call a plus as you can gobble with it by shaking it.

You will need chalk too - always keep chalk in a plastic bag to keep it dry




Pot Calls
Get out to any sporting goods store and try any pot call you can. I would stay away from M.A.D. calls tho....Woodhaven is good, Primos is good,.
I actually carry 3. I have a copper faced pot call and a slate over glass double sided pot call. Also have 6 different wood strikers. But you need to try and find things that you can use that sound good.

It is nice to have both calls - pot and box, but NOT Necessary! I just hunted with a box call for yrs.
The main reason I now carry a few different calls - each one sounds different. You never know what one is the ticket!

Calling
Do look at Lovett William Voices of the Real Wild Turkey volume IV or any Lovett Williams CD or the Kings of Spring NWTF which is real spring turkey calling to each other. I listen to them all the time traveling to and from my hunts and have for yrs. Helps tone my ears. I have a knack to hear drumming much farther than my partner and I am deaf in one ear!

Camo coat.
Camo Coat of some sort is a must. Find a way to blend in to your surroundings. Now I used the old style Military Woodland Camo for yrs.
The key here is MOVEMENT!. The Camo is there to help you blend in but even with camouflage movement at the wrong time and you are BUSTED!

Don't for get a Camo hat!
Sitting on the ground normal brown pants works. as well as brown leather boots.


Good Shock Call
Haydel Crow Call


Owl hooter
Primos Hoot Flute


Binos are nice but not needed. They can be added later.

What I have show you I have used for almost 30 yrs. There are others here who will show you their favorites I am sure. This equipment has worked well for me.

And I am going to Private Message a name of a person in your state for you to talk to once I have his permission. He also should be able to help you but I want to ask him first.

Oldtimr

As someone just starting ut, you don't need all the stuff you mentioned or will see advertised as "must have" equipment. You need a tight shooting gun, pattern it and don't exceed the distance where you have a nice tight pattern, remember, you are shooting for the base of the neck. Pattern the gun with the shells you will be using, I use 5s or 6s. You should have a decent cammo outfit and hat, Sportsmans Guide catalog or on line has good patterns cheap. I use brown cotton work gloves, about 3 bucks. You don't need a mouth call, a decent box call will do but a mouth call lets you have hands free and allows lots of diferent sounds. If you get one, practice with it until everyone around you wants to kill you. You can download turkey calls online. Something to sit on, that ground gets hard, my turkey vest has a drop down pad but you don't need a vest the first year if funds are limited. You can be effectively outfitted with what you need on the cheap. And, importantly, scout and ook for sign of birds feeding, droppings and dusting bowls and feeding scratching. Scout quietly and alone, unless an experienced friend is showing you how. Once you find an area, stay out of it until you hunt it, you can sit along the perimeter and listen for them to call or fly up and down from the roost. As far as the Carhart, I don't know where you live but it is too warm for that stuff where I live in spring trukey season, the last thing I want is a quilted lining coat and or pants when I am walking and making body heat. I wear a camo light jacket I can take off if I get warm, cam pants and a long sleeve camo shirt, none of them expensive. Good luck, keep asking questions.

sachiko

If a camo coat hurts your budget, go to a fabric store and get enough camo fabric to make yourself a poncho. It won't keep you warm. You'll have to wear a coat under it, but it will keep you hidden. You won't be moving around anyway.

JoeA

-Brown gloves will work.

-Calls: get a "slate call", Power Crystal & Sla-Tek are two good calls that work and are easy to learn with.

-Camo: No need to go crazy. Look for sales. Turkey's care more about movement than camo pattern.
A friend said,
"If a turkey is close enough to care whether I'm wearing Mossy Oak or Realtree, he's close enough to get shot at."

-Binos: Helpful but not always necessary.

Have fun fall hunting, BUT...don't try spring hunting for turkeys. It's just terrible, and we all would just hate for you to get afflicted with something that has no cure.

Arrowmaster

One thing you should do since you are starting off hunting the birds in the fall is learn the travel routes and know their roost trees. Set up near those areas. Now as for calling you should learn the kee kee call and the lost hen yelp. The Toms will be in their groups and the hens and poults will be in their groups. Read up as much as you can and scout as much as you can. Good luck

Sheridan

First you have to find them.

Ultimately you need to know where they "roost" !!!



So, then you have to "pattern" them (Follow them).



Set-up in good cover along their daily travel route.............................do not crowd their roost tree !!!


Camo from head to toe, bring a low slung chair or cushion and remain still.


Just watch at first....................... your opportunity will come.

CalHunter

If you follow the advice that's already been posted, you'll do just fine. Basically you want to blend in and not stick out or cause the birds to get nervous.

I spent maybe $50 on one of those inexpensive camo hats with an attached face mask, a light mesh set of camo gloves and a box call (easy to use and perfect for a beginner). You could use any color scheme that doesn't stick out or look unnatural in the surroundings where you hunt and you're ready to go.

You can always add more later but anything that breaks up your outline, looks halfway natural where you hunt and prevents your skin from shining will work. Not moving and having patience to wait for the birds is the most important part of turkey hunting.

pride

First off, you guys are all amazing. This is exactly the help I was looking for. Thank you all for the offers of help and advice on gear and everything. Based on all this I'm looking at some camo now, and I'm going to pick up a slate call. I'm tempted to go with facepaint, since it satisfies my inner desire to be an awesome warrior, but I think a face mask might be an easier option

JW, having hunted with glasses, do you find that the turkeys can see the glint off the lenses? I'm a little worried about it.

Also, with regards to facepaint, do you guys go with black or brown or some complicated camo pattern? Should I just go with a mask? The glasses fogging thing is worrying too.