Besides the fact that turkeys can see color, some studies have shown that a turkey seems to be able to perceive everything within its range of vision in an instant. Therefore camouflage is just as necessary as the skill of holding and sitting still.

Hunting gear and apparel is a big business—and for good reason. The appropriate dress when hunting can mean the difference between failure and success. Take a look and you will see what is available and recommended to wear when going for a turkey hunt. Start by discussing different boots options. It is important to say that generally, it is best if camouflage-colored boots are used instead of regular black or brown boots. If the hunter is able to pull the pant legs down or have other precautionary covers that will hide the boots well, he might be able to use a pair of the brown and black variety.

It is also important to note that turkey hunting season is in many states in spring and fall and temperatures, as well as rainfall, can vary greatly. In spring, for example, a hunter might need lighter boots. In the fall, closer to winter, an insulated pair of boots might be the best choice. There are also rubber boots available, which are preferred by some hunters that hunt in the more moist areas of the Deep South. If the budget is an issue, the midway, a lightly insulated boot, might be the way to go. Warm socks might be more economical for the wallet. Also keep in mind that the hunter might have to walk many miles in his boots to get to the hunting place and back and this is why comfort is one important factor. Also, if the hunt is in an area where there is a snake problem, snake safe boots or snake-proof protection around the lower legs is highly recommended.

Pants and coats should be of camouflage color, since the hunter does not want to be seen by the prey so early that he never has a chance to get even one shot off. The most popular option is a lightweight, maybe lightly insulated pants, where hunters have the option to wear warm shirts and long underwear under it for those cold days. Often times, hunters also purchase a waterproof camouflage pants and rain jacket to be able to hunt in sun shine as well as rainy weather. Some of the manufacturers even offer pants that are more tear and poke proof to keep the hunter safe from cacti and other poky plants.

The jacket, as mentioned above, also depends on when the trip is planned. In early spring and late fall, the jackets should be much more insulated and keep the hunter warm, which may be important in late spring or early fall.

Many hunters also prefer to wear a camouflage vest. The vest needs to have a multitude of pockets of different sizes to store different hunting tools such as the different calls of the turkey.

Even though it seems that many hunters forget or do not even consider concealing their head, it is one of the most important parts of the body to be concealed. A turkey can easily spot a bright, shiny face with no difficulty. Anything from ski mask, net masks, to baseball hats and warm winter hats are available in the beautiful camouflage color.

If the hunter does not like facemasks, camouflage paint can also be used. Newer on the market are camouflage glasses. These glasses prevent the turkey or any other game that is hunted from seeing the bright white or other colors, and shine in the hunter’s eyes and therefore the animal will not run away.

Prepare for Optimal Turkey Hunting Circumstances

Before you prepare to take aim, take the time to set up the right kinds of circumstances for success. Spend the day before you go hunting scouting out the location. Late afternoon is a good time to go turkey scouting. What exactly are you looking for? Look for signs of turkey activity, including, most importantly, turkey sounds. You will want to scout at least until nightfall. When it is dark, turkeys will fly up into the trees to roost for the night. They do this in the evening, close to dark. If you think you may have missed seeing the turkeys going to roost, but you suspect that they are up there in those darkened boughs, you can elicit a response by hooting like an owl or crowing like a bird. This is a good way to get a response from nearby turkeys. However, if you do not hear anything, do not despair. This does not mean that there are no turkeys up in the trees—they may be simply fast asleep or not in your immediate area of the woods. However, if you do hear a response, this means that you have successfully set up your hunting area for the next day. If you are able to make it a practice to note where the turkeys are roosting, you are much more likely to experience a fruitful hunting season the next day.

Finding the Perfect Location to Take Aim

One of the most successful parts of setting yourself up for turkey hunting success is to learn to use effective calling in a the right location. Cultivating a good box call or slate call is a great way to scout for turkeys. Let us say that it seems you have perfected the perfect yelp for attracting male turkeys. Where should you be in relation to the turkey in order to get the best possible shooting position? The best location you can find should ideally find you on equal elevation between you and the gobbler. Avoid calling a gobbler uphill. Calling a turkey downhill is usually not very productive, either.

Shooting Practice Pays Off in the Woods

Do not assume that your shotgun will allow you to shoot and hit every gobbler that comes your way. Your goal is not to wound or cripple a bird, which is what can potentially happen if you neglect to pattern your shotgun before the hunt. Before heading out to the woods, practice patterning your shotgun at 30 to 40 yards. You will ideally want to practice with a large piece of paper using a turkey head target. This will allow you to see the heart of your shotgun’s pattern. Practice using different shot sizes, including 4, 5, or 6 shot. You will, of course, also want to practice judging distance. Using a decoy can also provide good shooting practice. You may want to place the decoy at a fair distance to help determine range. Don’t be afraid to practice with aids, even if you have never tried these before. Colored beads, two-power scopes and laser dots can help eliminate misses.

Aiming to Hit – Tips that Get Results

Here are some general tips that can help you get the best possible shooting aim at all times. One of the most adequate types of shots can be had with a tightly choked 12 gauge with a number 6 premiums, and a 2-¾ inch of shot. This is a good choice for clean kills under 50 yards.

There are a few materials available that might help a hunter pattern his gun. For example, many of the better hunting and sports stores offer turkey targets. If a commercially produced target is not preferred, a hunter may draw roughly the size of a turkey’s head on a paper and pin this paper to the usual target used to train.

To properly pattern a gun, targets need to be set up about every ten yards starting at twenty. This means 20 yards from the shooter, 30, 40 and then five yards distance for any targets after the 40 yards one. When shooting at the targets, try out different types and even different brands of ammunition, since most shotguns and rifles have different accuracy levels with different loads. If the hunter is lucky he has one of the few shotguns that is very accurate and there will not be much pattern work necessary. After setting up the targets, the hunter needs to aim at the turkey head. By shooting the head, he will learn several things about the gun (given of course that the shooter is a good shooter). First of all the hunter will learn from his shot pattern, where he has to aim at with the bead of the shotgun to be able to center his shooting pattern on the turkeys head. It will show if the gun is dead on, or maybe a tad bid high or low. As mentioned before, the hunter should try out different loads, so that he can learn which load gives him the best, most accurate pattern.

It is also important to make sure that shots are fired at the further away targets. This will give the hunter his effective range and the maximum at which the hunter can consistently hit the turkey head with this shotgun. To be able to determine this, the hunter needs to have at least four if not five or more shots strike the turkey head.

Patterning a shotgun properly takes some time, but it is time well spent. The more accurate a gun can be shot, the more game the hunter might take home. While if the hunter has to guess where to aim to hit the animal, he for sure will miss a target as small as a turkeys head.

For newbies to the hunting and turkey hunting sport, many hunting books, online pages and even employees at the local shooting range should be able to help. By the way, before going out there and try to pattern a gun in the backyard, make sure that it is allowed to shoot a gun in the backyard. Many states have laws that do not allow for the use of guns within city limits, especially in big suburban neighborhoods. If patterning the gun is still necessary within city limits, the hunter can go to the nearest shooting range and do it there.

It is also important that the hunter does not pattern his shotgun too much ahead of time. Time and even usage can change what the hunter has learned from his gun and therefore, patterning it just before the trip is the better choice.

So, before planning the next turkey hunting trip, it is important to check the gear for completeness and to make sure everything is packed. It is also essential to pattern the gun. The better the gun is zeroed, the better for the hunter, because the hunter can more rely on his skill than on good luck for aiming.

When turkey hunting with a shotgun, it is always important to aim for the neck or the head. Hitting the body or feathery part of the turkey might not kill to bird, but leave it wounded instead of dead. The turkey’s head and neck are very small targets compared to the deer and a good aim and a good choke are essential. There are many good scopes that might help bag that turkey, but one thing that is important before going on a turkey hunt is to pattern the gun in advance. Pattern means to do some target shooting on targets the size of a turkey head and neck. Using different ranges for the target to shoot at and different ammunition will help the hunter learn which ammunition gives him the best overall aim and accuracy. It will also show him exactly how he has to aim to get his shot into the center of the target when the gun pulls a little low or high instead of dead center. Patterning the gun is like pumping up tires for a long bike ride or making sure everything necessary for a trip is packed.

A good tip, especially for new hunters is to not to shoot a turkey when it is in mating or attack posture. A turkey that is all puffed up generally pulls the neck in and down into the feather dress and shields the target area the hunter is looking for. Therefore, do not pull the trigger ahead of time. Be patient and wait for the turkey to straighten and stick his head up high and then take the shot.

For bow hunters, it might be interesting to know that it is recommended to use razor-sharp broad head arrows as usually used for deer. The bow hunter does not aim for the head or neck, but rather for the bird’s vital internal organs.

Many hunters use such accessories as blinds. Whether it is a natural or a commercial portable blind, the function is the same, to conceal any unnecessary movement. This type of accessory is a great one for everybody that is not quite adept at completely sitting still for long amounts of time. Blinds are also a big item for bow hunters, since raising the bow, drawing the bow and aiming are movements that can easily be spotted by a bird. Bow hunting requires more movement in general than gun hunting and any cover and camouflage is important. Also, good equipment for bow and gun hunters are little stools or seat cushions. A stool raises the hunter off the cold and often wet ground and also provides for a more comfortable wait.

The last bits of accessories that might be used for bow and arrow, as well as for gun hunting are decoys. A decoy is an imitation turkey that not only gives the nearing turkey what it was looking for, but also helps distract the turkey from the hunter while the hunter is taking aim. But as always, before going on a hunt, checking the laws and regulations for the area is very important and should not be forgotten. These regulations can differ greatly from state to state.

For the uninitiated, a choke tube is a piece of metal that is attached to the end of a shotgun. It is used to reign in the pellets of a shotgun shot so that they are dispersed in a more concentrated format. Choke tubes are almost always used on shotguns these days, even by law enforcement, but hunters especially make use of choke tube to make killing their prey easier. Choke tubes come in a variety of different lengths and widths, each of which offer a different level of concentration of the pellets upon firing. Choke tubes can be changed on shotguns as needed.

Choke tubes are especially important in turkey hunting for the reasons mentioned above. Not every shotgun is ideal for turkey hunting, and in fact, without a choke tube, most are not up to the task. With the right choke tube in place, however, you can make most guns do the trick.

When looking for a choke tube for your turkey hunting shotgun, the key thing to look for is a choke hold that not only compresses the pellets to the maximum level when the gun is fired but one that offers enough power to keep those pellets compacted over the distance between your gun and the turkey. The average distance from which most hunters fire on turkeys is about 40 yards or so, therefore you want to look for a choke hold that can keep things together for that distance.

To get this kind of response from a choke hold, usually shorter holds are better than longer ones, simply because the shot has less distance to travel overall when the hold is shorter. However, much of the deciding factor here will come down to the power of your gun. If your gun has a little more oomph too it, you can go with a longer hold.

As a general rule of thumb, you want a choke hold that compresses your shot by hundredths of inches, not more, which is another reason choosing the hold for your gun is important. A standard turkey shotgun usually has a barrel that is about .650 inches wide, and it often comes pre-equipped with a hold that reduces that to .600. Trying to put too much choke hold on your gun can have the opposite consequences. It can break apart the pellets and make the spray out unevenly, meaning you miss out on the kill.

The best way to find the right choke hold for your gun, especially if you do not have much experience with them, is to visit a gun a shop and consult with a professional. Choke holds can get a little expensive, so you don’t want to end up buying the wrong one. Bring your gun to the shop and explain about the kind of hunting you do. The shop should be able to help you choose a choke hold that is safe and effective for your gun and that will make your hunting experience more productive. Make sure you find out the return policy before you buy just in case the hold gives you some trouble when you actually try it out in the real world.

Besides the fact that turkeys can see color, some studies have shown that a turkey seems to be able to perceive everything within its range of vision in an instant. Therefore camouflage is just as necessary as the skill of holding and sitting still.

Hunting gear and apparel is a big business—and for good reason. The appropriate dress when hunting can mean the difference between failure and success. Take a look and you will see what is available and recommended to wear when going for a turkey hunt. Start by discussing different boots options. It is important to say that generally, it is best if camouflage-colored boots are used instead of regular black or brown boots. If the hunter is able to pull the pant legs down or have other precautionary covers that will hide the boots well, he might be able to use a pair of the brown and black variety.

It is also important to note that turkey hunting season is in many states in spring and fall and temperatures, as well as rainfall, can vary greatly. In spring, for example, a hunter might need lighter boots. In the fall, closer to winter, an insulated pair of boots might be the best choice. There are also rubber boots available, which are preferred by some hunters that hunt in the more moist areas of the Deep South. If the budget is an issue, the midway, a lightly insulated boot, might be the way to go. Warm socks might be more economical for the wallet. Also keep in mind that the hunter might have to walk many miles in his boots to get to the hunting place and back and this is why comfort is one important factor. Also, if the hunt is in an area where there is a snake problem, snake safe boots or snake-proof protection around the lower legs is highly recommended.

Pants and coats should be of camouflage color, since the hunter does not want to be seen by the prey so early that he never has a chance to get even one shot off. The most popular option is a lightweight, maybe lightly insulated pants, where hunters have the option to wear warm shirts and long underwear under it for those cold days. Often times, hunters also purchase a waterproof camouflage pants and rain jacket to be able to hunt in sun shine as well as rainy weather. Some of the manufacturers even offer pants that are more tear and poke proof to keep the hunter safe from cacti and other poky plants.

The jacket, as mentioned above, also depends on when the trip is planned. In early spring and late fall, the jackets should be much more insulated and keep the hunter warm, which may be important in late spring or early fall.

Many hunters also prefer to wear a camouflage vest. The vest needs to have a multitude of pockets of different sizes to store different hunting tools such as the different calls of the turkey.

Even though it seems that many hunters forget or do not even consider concealing their head, it is one of the most important parts of the body to be concealed. A turkey can easily spot a bright, shiny face with no difficulty. Anything from ski mask, net masks, to baseball hats and warm winter hats are available in the beautiful camouflage color.

If the hunter does not like facemasks, camouflage paint can also be used. Newer on the market are camouflage glasses. These glasses prevent the turkey or any other game that is hunted from seeing the bright white or other colors, and shine in the hunter’s eyes and therefore the animal will not run away.