gobble gobble

[albinotrout]

Ok to start I should say that I don't hunt. Not because I don't like it, but because when I was getting old enough to go out with my Dad he ended up with a triple bypass and never went hunting again. So I ended up fishing more. With that said I am finding that turkey hunting is intriguing and wondering how to get started. I have a friend/coworker from West Virginia that hunts turkey and I was picking his brain recently. So i know that I have the right fire arm to start. That takes care of an expensive part of the sport. I own a 20g double barreled side by side. He told me will work great using size 4 or 6 shot. So now I need to go to the range and play. My question now is what else do I need to get started? Where to go for the birds and pretty much how to do it. Like I said turkey looks pretty intriguing to me.[cool] Thanks!
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[chickendude1234]

My question now is what else do I need to get started?

Patience, Lots of it. This year was my first successful year hunting turkey, and when I finally got my bird I spent an hour and half calling and waiting for a bird that I estimate was only 60 Yds away when I first heard him. My first turkey hunt when I was younger was unsuccessful because I was calling too frequently and scaring off all my potential suitors.

On the list of equipment I'd say camo everything and learn how to sit really still. Turkeys are very weary and can see pretty dang good. Also if you're planning on hunting this next spring I'd pick up a call and start practicing now. The more practice you have the more likely you are to sound like a hen that'll put out [] . Get on the NWTF website, they have a lot of good info and also they've got recordings of actual turkeys that you can practice to sound like.

As far as where to go, there are turkeys all across the state. My fiance's brother got his bird this year pretty much in his backyard here in the Ogden Valley. I, on the other hand, drove 200 miles south to get mine. You just have to find the resident flock in whatever area you decide to hunt. You can start by making friends with someone who spends a lot of time in the forest like a Ranger who is frequently on patrol, or maybe one of your deer hunting friends. The birds wont be in the exact same spot from deer season to turkey season but they'll be fairly close (within2-3 miles)

That's all the advice I can think of right now. Hopefully someone else will chime in. Also there are a couple of really good turkey forums out there on the net that can offer some advice and also some inspiration. Just google "turkey hunting forums" and brace yourself for the wealth of information that you'll be about to recieve.
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[dma_ayotte]

He said it all man! Get good boots n camo and a bag full of patients. Spring is lots easier to hunt then fall I found also. I like videos for hunting them birds u can see when to call when not to and what kind of calls n when. Good luck pm if you have anymore Q's man.
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[albinotrout]

I know I havea lot to learn and obtain before I can even go out. Thanks for the help.a
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[chickendude1234]

[quote dma_ayotte]Spring is lots easier to hunt then fall I found also. [/quote]

Also, the earlier spring season is easier here in UT, IMO. By the time the over the counter season gets here the birds have been hunted for a month straight. All of the people I know that got an over the counter tag were unsuccessful even though they were hunting the same flock that produced a bird during the draw season. They're extra call weary after a month of being chased and shot at and some of the hens may be on the nest already, signaling the end of the mating season.
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[albinotrout]

I think I want to get outfitted first and figure out what I am doing before I try for the state lottery. I think I want to go along with someone who knows what they are doing first.[cool].
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[albinotrout]

What would be a good call to get for a beginner?
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