Nothing beats a frost-covered morning watching the sun rise during deer season. A close second might be a warm spring morning, sitting quietly in the woods and hearing a distant gobble echo through the ridges. Turkey hunting has become my second favorite species to pursue, and once deer season ends, I find myself counting the days until the spring season arrives.
Growing up, I went turkey hunting a few times with friends and their parents, but we never saw much. It wasn’t until about five years ago that I started taking it seriously. A buddy invited me to hunt his property, and that trip sparked what has now become my second hunting obsession. Hearing a gobbler sound off in the distance was one of the coolest experiences I had ever had in the woods.
Unfortunately, that hunt ended without a bird.
We knew exactly where the turkeys went because we watched them fly up and roost that evening. Back then, we couldn’t hunt on Sundays in Pennsylvania, so we packed up and headed home. I remember thinking how different the outcome might have been if we could have slipped back in the next morning.
Now, I’d like to say I’ve been successful since that first hunt.
But the truth is, five years later, I still haven’t tagged my first spring gobbler.
What I have gained over the past few seasons, though, are a few lessons that have made me appreciate turkey hunting more. I’m hoping this is the year everything finally comes together.
Here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way.
Scout the Birds
I’ve written before about how important scouting is for deer hunting, and the same principle applies to turkeys.
Early on, I relied too heavily on calling to locate birds. Some days, gobblers will answer every call you make, but other days they stay completely quiet.
Scouting removes the guesswork.
Try to walk the property a day or two before you plan to hunt. Look for scratching in the leaves, droppings, tracks, and feathers. If you can locate where birds are feeding or roosting, you’ve already increased your chances of success.
Five years ago, we watched those birds fly up to roost. If we had one more morning to hunt, we probably could have slipped in 50–100 yards from those trees and had a real chance at one.
The Early Hunter Gets the Turkey
Once you’ve located birds, getting into the woods early is key. Turkeys are often most vocal around dawn. Gobblers will sound off from the roost to establish territory, warn off rivals, and attract hens.
If you’re set up before daylight, you have a great opportunity to pinpoint where those birds are and position yourself accordingly.
Many successful hunts happen within the first hour after fly-down.
Know the Calls
You don’t need to be a championship caller to kill a turkey. In fact, mastering just three basic calls can take you a long way:
- Yelp – the basic turkey call – Yawk yawk yawk.”
- Cluck – an attention call – “Puck.”
- Purr – a content feeding sound.
If you can make those sounds naturally, you’re doing enough to convince a curious gobbler to come investigate. This video by SITKA, “ Top 5 Turkey Calls,” is great for understanding and learning these calls, plus more.
Have the Right Gear
The good news about turkey hunting is that you don’t need a ton of equipment.
A simple setup works just fine:
- 12 or 20 gauge shotgun
- Turkey choke and loads
- Full camouflage (hat, face mask, and gloves)
- A turkey call
- Patience
Turkeys have incredible eyesight and are constantly scanning for danger. Wearing full camouflage and sitting against a large tree helps break up your outline.
Once you’re set up, movement needs to be almost zero.
Take the Right Shot
Since I haven’t tagged my first bird yet, I’m not about to make things harder on myself by using a bow.
With a shotgun, aim for the head and neck.
Avoid shooting when a gobbler is fully strutting. Wait until the bird lifts its head and exposes its neck. That gives you the best chance for a clean, ethical shot.
Ideally, keep your shot distance between 20 and 40 yards. That’s why patterning your shotgun before the season starts is so important; you need to know exactly how your gun performs at different distances.
Hoping This Is the Year
These tips are just a few things I’ve picked up while chasing these incredible birds over the past few seasons. My biggest challenge now is simply finding the time to put it all together.
But each spring, I learn a little more about the birds and the patience it takes to hunt them well. With a little luck, maybe this will finally be the year I can tag my first Pennsylvania gobbler. And if it is, you can bet I’ll be writing about it here.
Have you tagged your first spring gobbler yet? Or are you still chasing that first bird like I am?
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