New turkey hunter

[TJFISHER]

Hi, I am going to put in for a spring turkey license and I have not hunted them before. I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice about calls and other first timer advice you would have for me. Thanks,

[Powerstroke]

Wow, this will get pretty heated as winter progresses, but I'll try and offer some stuff right now. Last year was my first year hunting turkeys and I'm hooked for life. That being said, I did NOT shoot a bird, in fact I didn't even see a gobbler.

Get a box call or maybe a calling kit from someone like Primos. Get one that includes a CD or DVD something to help you train on the calls. Diaphragm calls are the most versatile but are the hardest to learn.

You will need full camo and you will want to pick upa few different turkey loads and pattern them at different distances with different chokes. Its kinda expensive the first year cause turkey hunting isn't easy. Its a bit technical. Then of course you have to do some scouting unless you already know where you want to hunt.

[OUTDOORNUT]

Not to worry, your chances of getting a permit the first year is going to be ZIP. (unless you want to stand in a line at a station when the left over permits come on sale)That will give you plenty of time to practice your calling.

[Hotspotter]

Actually, your chances of getting a permit are highly dependent upon:

1. Where you hunt

2. What time/season you hunt

3. How many other hunters apply and hunt the zone and season you selected

I have gotten a permit to hunt 8 of the past 9 years, and only two of those years have been by getting a left-over permit.

Check back closer to application time (late Nov. early Dec.) and I'm sure we'll all be talking strategy on getting a permit.

Joel

[Powerstroke]

I also disagree with outdoor nut. If you want to hunt next year then go to the DNR HSOforum and look up the maps of the zones and the stats available. I found a couple different zones that offered a decent amount of tags and didn't sell all of them last year. After looking at those zones, I online scouted them and narrowed down my search by the amount of available habitat and the amount of time I would be able to spend scouting in the field. I picked an area zone and a time zone (A-H i think) and I got picked in my first application ever. I chose timeframe "D" cause it occurred on a weekend and I knew it would have a better chance of getting drawn based on last years applications.

Do your research and you will in the turkey woods next spring.

[FOOT]

TJ, practice on your call(s) and do some scouting and plenty of it. There is no harm in finding an area to hunt and securing permission for the time period you applied for even if you don't get drawn. Just make sure to keep the land owners name and phone number and call him/her if you don't get drawn.

As far as scouting. If you scout early the bird will most likely move some before you hunt so scout every weekend possible. Also they will move if there is a lot of hunting pressure in the area you want to hunt.

Try several different calls. I personnally can't get use to a diaphram call so I use box call, a slate call and 2 home made wingbone calls.

Practice sitting still. If you smoke or can't sit still this will lessen your chances.

Camo up, head to foot. Get a good face mask or apply camo face paint.

Good Luck