A Guide to Turkey Hunting
Are you getting into the sport of turkey hunting or just looking to learn more? You’ve come to the right place! Below is our comprehensive guide to turkey hunting!
About Turkeys
The Ocellated turkey of Central America and the North American wild turkey, are the two turkey species that are native to North America. The American wild turkey has five subspecies, Eastern, Merriam’s, Gould’s, Rio Grande, and Osceola. Male turkeys have more color and are larger than females and just because a turkey has a beard, does not mean it is a male. About 10% of females have beards too. You can learn more about identifying turkeys here. Turkeys can use up to 30 vocalizations, but the most common heard when turkey hunting are a gobble, cluck, and plain yelp.
What to Bring Turkey Hunting
Turkey Vest or Backpack:
If you are lugging lots of gear into the woods when hunting, a vest or backpack is a must-have. When you purchase a vest or backpack designed for turkey hunting, the pockets and compartments will carry your gear perfectly.
Knife or Multi-tool:
You should always bring a knife or multi-tool when headed into the woods to hunt, whether you use it for notching your turkey tag, field dressing your game or for use in an emergency.
Calls:
For a successful hunt, turkey calls are essential. Calling turkeys effectively does take some practice but you will need a call to bring turkeys into range. There are as many how-to videos online as there are types of calls, try and find one that works for you and practice, practice, practice.
Weapon:
Turkey hunting can be done with a bow or gun. You are not going to get very far if you don’t bring the proper ammunition when hunting for turkeys. Always make sure to sight in your weapon and pattern your shotgun before hunting. Here’s a good article on how to pattern your shotgun for turkey hunting.
Camo:
Wearing camo to conceal your movement is essential for a successful hunt. Wild turkeys have incredible eyesight, so make sure to pick a pattern that matches the terrain. Everything needs to be covered in camo – your legs, your torso, your head, your hands and even camouflaging your gun is necessary.
Blind:
Hunting from a blind for turkeys is helpful to conceal movement. Bring a pop-up blind or hunt from a hard-sided blind, like our Stalker or Phantom Hunting Blinds.
What to Know While Turkey Hunting
The most important detail of hunting is safety. Make sure to follow all safety guidelines, rules, and regulations. Visit your local DNR to learn your state’s laws for turkey hunting.
