Where do I start?

[MJinCP]

Bought a Remington 870 Express back in the 1980's and shot in a local trap league for a few years.  Loved it.  Never been hunting in my life.  Been wanting to try turkey hunting for a few years, keeping my ears open for anyone I know that might be interested.  Been too long, and seems all my friends are into cars, race cars, and motorcycles.  I'm looking for some direction.  I live in NorCal central valley, near Sacramento.  Recently bought some used camo clothes and boots off ebay.  Bought a sling and a turkey choke for the old 870.  I need someone to school me on gear I'll need/want, and where and what to do.  Any insight is appreciated.  I'm 62 now, and it's time to stop waiting around!  Thanks in advance.

[NCL]

Also in NorCal but further North. One thing missing on your list was a call. There are several You Tube videos on how to call which depends on the type call you select, I find that a pot call is easiest to learn but it may be different for you. You can PM me with specific questions

[wv mossy oak]

Youtube is a good place to get some good ideas, you just have to weed out the good from the bad and then what works the best for you.  Remember not all advise is good, use common sense. 

[GobbleNut]

MJinDP,...first of all, welcome to the fold.  You have come to the right place if you are wanting to become a turkey hunter.  You can shorten the learning curve considerably by reading what has already been written here and seeking advice on all things "turkey hunting".  I agree with the advice given to also refer to YouTube as a starter. 

The crucial element in hunting turkeys is there being turkeys to hunt.  If you do not already know where you plan on hunting, you have plenty of time to find turkeys between now and your spring season.  Do research on where your turkeys are (and the regulations involved in hunting them) and get out there and become familiar with those areas.  Seek permission on private lands where you find birds. 

Yes, you will see contradictory information given on the proper approach to turkey hunting.  The fundamental task at hand is to find turkeys, get them within sure killing range of your weapon of choice, and then kill/harvest them cleanly.  There are lots of ways to "get them within killing range", but the traditional approach is to use a turkey call to get them to come to you.  There are many nuances with that, and although you can learn the fundamentals from others, a good deal of the educational process (and enjoyment) of turkey hunting comes from your own experiences in hunting these birds. 

At its simplest level (for me, at least), I have an adage I always use when I go turkey hunting (and repeat to the others I hunt with).   Do I have "guns, shells, license, calls"?    Assuming I know where to find turkeys to hunt, no matter what else I might forget, if I have those elements, I can turkey hunt effectively and get by.   

[Bowguy]

Welcome. GobbleNut as always gave you great advise. You need basics and birds first.
If I can comment about the you tube advice. You won't know who is good or bad or have any idea as to anything. Be careful who you watch. Ask some fellas here perhaps who'd they'd recommend you watch to learn calling for instance. David Halloran has some great short  box call videos for one to start watching. What species are you hunting?

[Tom007]

Welcome to our great fraternity. Great advice given here. You will learn a lot reading threads on this forum. I've learned so much from all the people here. Reaching out like you did will always get you advice, have comfort knowing it's coming from experience on this forum. Welcome, best of luck to you.....

[ChesterCopperpot]

One thing I believe would be helpful would be to pick up the Lovett Williams "Real Turkey" recordings so that you can familiarize yourself with the sounds turkeys make and the context in which they make those sounds. You can find them on eBay or I think on Lovett's old site. Learning to call is a matter of trying to fit into that natural context and I think it's easier to learn the rhythm, the cadence from the birds than from people. You get an ear for the bird and then let that translate to learning to call. In the end, you don't want to sound like another caller; you want to sound like another bird.


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[MJinCP]

Wow.  Thanks very much for the warm welcome and all the great advice.  I appreciate it very much.  Trying now to get some traction on where to find turkeys and where I'm ok to hunt.  I want to get out and do some finding.

[ChesterCopperpot]

Wow.  Thanks very much for the warm welcome and all the great advice.  I appreciate it very much.  Trying now to get some traction on where to find turkeys and where I'm ok to hunt.  I want to get out and do some finding.

Reach out to a game warden. That's often a great way to get an initial lead, and they're usually very happy to help new hunters.


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[Paulmyr]

Wow.  Thanks very much for the warm welcome and all the great advice.  I appreciate it very much.  Trying now to get some traction on where to find turkeys and where I'm ok to hunt.  I want to get out and do some finding.

Check your private messages I might have some info that could be of value to you.

[West Augusta]

First off, don't get discouraged.   It can take years to find and figure out turkeys. 
Second,  Have fun.  If you aren't having fun even when you don't find turkeys you won't last.
Third, welcome to the addiction.  I just turned 63 myself.   
You have crossed the threshold, you will never be the same and that's a good thing.
Tenth Legion.

[TRG3]

One of the great things about hunting a new species is that you get to figure out what works for you. It may take a few years, but you'll have confidence in what you know realizing that you'll continue to learn from each season's experience. I'm 79 and enjoy learning as an important part of the hunt. Shooting the animal is just part of that hunt. If possible, try to team up with an experienced turkey hunter who is willing to take you a few times in order to give you a starting point and to show you some basics. This may keep you from the frustrations often experienced by beginners when they "mess up" and get discouraged. As the seasons go by, you will learn that "messing up" is just part of the learning experience and, while frustrating, will make you more successful in the future. I've got 50+ years of chasing gobblers to prove it!

[OJR]

All very good advice. Good luck, and enjoy yourself. I am also 62, and the one thing I am never without in the turkey woods in something comfortable to sit on. It makes me more apt to be still and stay longer.
Check out a Glenda Green cushion. I bought one before last season and love it. It has an innertube that you can customize the firmness to your liking. The second thing is a turkey lounger. Alps and Browning are two I have used. They are probably made by the same folks, as they are identical.

Again, good luck and have fun.

[Marc]

I am south of you (in the Central Valley of California).  But, I got my feet wet hunting the Sacramento valley back in the early 90's.

There is a lot of land that holds a lot turkeys there...  There is also a lot of hunting pressure.  In many cases you will find more turkey hunters than turkeys.

I hunted some public land that took some physical effort to get to and to hunt...  More effort than I would be willing to put in currently at my age.  I also knocked on a lot of doors, and gained access to hunt some really, really good properties.  And in fact, had no idea how good I had till much later in life.

Start by knocking on doors in the off season...  If you know a friend, who knows someone, who has a cousin...  Follow up on that lead.  And, until you do find private access, start learning some of the areas, and put in for all of the special draw hunts available.

Start with a full-choke, and in California you need to use non-toxic shot.  Hevi-shot is worth the money (#6's would be my preference, followed by #7's), and a box of ten will last 3-4 years (the cost of which is nothing compared to the money you will spend on gas).

Green camo works in California...  Fancy turkey hunting camo, or green army fatigues...  But in California Spring turkey hunting, everything is green around you.

Easiest and most affordable calls to learn on are box calls in my opinion.  You don't need to learn about different strikers, and surfaces, and you don't have little sticks to loose.  Box calls are the easiest calls to learn to run, are the loudest calls (which can also be run quietly), and make some of the most realistic sounds....  Lots of good commercial box calls out there that are affordable...  I have several custom calls, but were I starting out, I would call Spring Creek, tell Mike you are hunting Rio's in California, and let him make whatever he recommends in your price range.

[Cut N Run]

I'm 61 and have been addicted to hunting and learning about the magnificent wild turkey for 40 years.  A suggestion I'd like to offer is to find an experienced local turkey hunter who would be willing to help show you the ropes.  You'll learn things from a mentor in a real life situation that all the videos in the world can't teach you. You'll also have someone to immediately answer questions as they come up...and tell you what NOT to do.  Part of learning to hunt turkeys is making mistakes and learning from them.  Turkeys are turkeys 24 hours a day, they are born knowing that they taste good, and almost every predator out there wants to eat them.  It's easy to se why they can be so wary.

I hope your turkey hunting journey is  full of adventure and excitement. Enjoy the ride.

Jim