My heart begins to race as I anticipate him coming into the area where my Renzo’s Decoy silhouettes are strategically placed in front of me. To entice him in, I let out a soft yelp followed by a roaring gobble.
There is a real thrill in hearing the gobbles rumble through the cool morning air and watching as the toms, strutting in the open fields, chase off competitors. And in witnessing The occasional spurring and the much popular hen fight. Yes, this time of year again will soon be upon us- spring turkey hunting! But will you be ready when the time comes?
Are You Ready?
There are plenty of things to do to prepare for the upcoming turkey season and you should get started planning as early as possible. If you prepare properly your chances for success this season will greatly increase--but where to begin?
Scouting
I begin with scouting. I usually start scouting before the snow melts. I am usually out shed hunting, checking what deer in the area have made it through the winter while also noting the travel corridors they are using. At the same time I check for turkey tracks and droppings. I follow their tracks and try to find the locations where they are roosting and feeding. If I see them in a field I watch them with my binoculars and observe their activities. I will scout all the way up to the start of the season to keep track of the progress of the strutting activities and locate the fields they are feeding in. The spring hunt is all about where the hens are. You want to follow their feeding patterns and roosting areas. If you have a large group of hens, the toms will come to breed them. I try to keep track of what activity I see in each area to help better understand their movements. I like to use an aerial photograph to show the locations where I see turkey and deer because deer scouting can be done at this time as well. (Hunting Maps by Mapcard can be found right here on bowhunting.net and are invaluable for really knowing your hunting area.)
Turkey Hunting Equipment
Along with scouting, I have to get my equipment ready for the season. I start with getting all my camouflage ready to go; hats, gloves, jackets, shirts, pants, and face masks. I wash items that need it and make sure they are all in good condition. Then I make sure my favorite turkey vest is in good condition.
Make sure to buy good equipment because it will pay for itself in the long run with many years worth of hunting. Make sure all zippers and pockets are still secure and stitching is in good condition. Check all snaps, Velcro and seams as well for wear or damage. Also check your boots; whether you wear rubber boots or hiking boots is a personal preference but make sure they don’t have excessive wear and they are in good condition. Replace boots now, before the season begins.
Once my camouflage is in order I check my blinds for wear or damage. This includes zippers, stitching, seams, Velcro, and the poles. (See Double Bull for the best in Ground Blinds)
Turkey Calls
Then, it is on to the calls. Make sure your box calls do not have any damage to them, clean them with a dry cloth and chalk them. Test them to make sure tuning is not needed. Then get out your slate calls and clean them including your strikers. Sand and test them for functionality. I buy new diaphragm calls for each season. I like to have a couple of spares handy in case they get damaged or lost. I practice with these calls all year round to keep my calling abilities fresh. Make sure to practice with all your calls. Practice goes a long way in this case and can make a difference in whether the turkeys come to you or not. No two turkeys sound alike so you can sound a little different but if you make squeaks or any odd sound with your calls they will be very wary of them. Once your calls are set leave them out for practicing.
Your Bow
Once you have your calls set up and ready to go it is time to turn attention to your bow. Your bow is very important and is often overlooked by many hunters. Make sure the bow is in good working order, if there are any loose parts take it to an archery shop before using. It is a good idea to take it to an archery shop every year and have them check it for wear or any damage. Regular maintenance is important.
Check Your Sights
Once you have the bow ready to go it is time to sight it in. Many people don’t sight in their bows every year; they figure it worked good last year when it was put away but has not been shot since. It is very important to know your bow’s range. Be sure to practice at ranges from 25-30 yards. Some people like to shoot farther but I wouldn’t recommend it. Once you sight in your bow in don’t stop shooting it. Take it out as often as possible to make sure you are comfortable with it and accurate. Your heart will be pounding enough and you will want complete confidence in your equipment.
Until Opening Day...
Between now and the opening of the season, continue to scout and practice your shooting and calling so your skills are honed for the season. When the time comes to take the shot, you'll have total confidence in yourself and your equipment to make a good clean kill and have a memory that will last a lifetime
