Ok, gonna have a lot of questions over the next few weeks. I just applied for a spring turkey tag for two different areas of the Ruby Mountains of NE Nevada. The draw results will be available on February 20th. The season will be from April 3rd to May 2nd. I have a Mossberg 500 12 guage that I plan to use. (3 in.) The times for the season are from 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1:00 PM. The area that will be hunted (if I draw) will be mainly creek bottoms and meadows, with areas of aspen, sagebrush, and pinion juniper, as well as mountain mahogany and other shrubs. The mountains are steep mountains in one range that go from valley bottoms (6000 feet) to about 10,000 feet elevation. The birds will most likely be hunted at about 7000-8000 feet elevation.

What loads should I use? Calls? How far should I practice to? With what chokes? Camo recommendations? Any other comments? Tips?

This will hopefully be my first turkey hunt, so any tips would be great! I am very excited as this is the first turkey hunt this area has seen! I hope I draw! Wish me luck!

Thanks guys!!!

I would say spend some time reading the board and the back pages. This will help you alot of questions you have , if you get stuck then fire it out to some of these guys, they'll help ya. good luck on your tags. Some time I would like to hunt Navada myself...BT

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I like HeviShot, #5, 3" 1 1/2-1-3/4 oz. You can also get 4x5x6 HeviShot from Nitro

http://www.nitrocompany.com

which I think is even better than over-the-counter "straight" HeviShot.
As for chokes, you might aspire to a tight choke with a high percentage of pellets at 40 yards, but I will caution you that a tight pattern at 40 yards means an even tighter pattern (read no pattern) at 20 yards, and I have killed more birds at 20-25 yards than 40.

Get a decoy, one or two hens will probably do.

Camo--can't tell you what Nevada woods looks like--I wear MossyOak Break-up. I think any pattern probably works. To me, the big deals are camo gloves and a camo facemask and camo hat. Gotta have those.

As best you can, sit in the shade and don't move when working a turkey.
Use a tree wider than your shoulders for a backrest/safety. You can usually add branches to create a makeshift blind.

If he's coming, shut up.

Get a pushbutton call first, then maybe a box call (I like my QuakerBoy Grand Old Master). You can add other calls like a slate, a glass, mouth diaphragms, etc., over the years.

You also need a locator call or two, probably a coyote and a crow for Nevada, though I'd defer to the opinion of any Nevada hunter for what works the best as a locator call in Nevada.

Watch a bunch of turkey hunting videos.

Don't wear anything red, white or blue. Be safe, think safety at all times. Know and be sure of your target. Too many hunters get shot by rookies (and others) who get excited, so be safe, be safe, be safe.

Get an orange tote bag for carrying your turkey out and bring your camera.

Thanks for the replies guys! Unfortunately I do not know anybody that hunts turkeys, and I know quite a few people who hunt. Up till this year, all of the turkey hunts have been in Western Nevada, so not a lot of people around here have hunted them. I am going to talk to the game wardens and biologists over the next couple of months as well as read some turkey magazines. Thanks again!

Back when I started I made up for my lack of calling skills with scouting.

If you scout enough and find where the gobbler likes to strut,you can score on some birds.

Calling will come to you over time as you listen to birds calling,scouting will keep you in the game.

Scouting can be as easy as leaving early for work and driving around looking for strutting birds.
Or sitting on a ridge with binoculars.

Ten years in now and I'll be out before the season driving the backroads.

Good luck

Charlie hope you get drawn!!!I'm firm believer in what the Mailman talks about here,"preseason scouting"!To be able to put all your equipment to work you need to be in the birds first!!Learn the country,roads,skid trails,creeks,meadows,just the general terrain.Roads,trails,snow in the meadows,and creek bottoms offer great opportunies to look for sign.If you come across loggers,or individuals working up in the area you plan on hunting stop by and talk to them and ask if they've seen any birds around cause this could put you right in em.Once you've located the birds,DONT CALL to them but do what you can to monitor them by using bino's and your ears plus reading sign.Try to find where there roosting,traveling,and feeding,because turkeys if left unharassed can be very patternable.I would definately be out in the hills a week or two before season before daylight,set-up in a good area to listen for those early morning gobbles.This will clue you possibly in on a regular roosting area and a great opportunity with someplace to start.Even if you have to take a little vacation to scout I would do it.I know the country your hunting is huge which in my mind is all the more reason to find the birds first!One other thing is I wouldn't throw all my eggs in 1 basket,even if you find some birds look for more because theres a distinct possibility you may not be the only one hunting them..Hope this helps ...Bob.. Oh one other thing,in the country your hunting in I would invest in a good box call,in big country it travels further than most and can help in pulling birds in or getting a response than most calls out there.Theres many to choose from,my own particular favorite is Quakerboys mini boat paddle...good luck..

Thanks again guys!

I will definately be out scouting about 3 weeks before the season starts if I draw. the competition shouldn't be to bad for there are only 15 tags in that area this spring. I also just bought a turkey hunting book from the NRA. Can't remember the title or author, but I have always trusted what the NRA publishes.

Its going to be forever before Feb 20th gets here!