5 Essential Turkey Hunting Gears To Make It Count

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5 Essential Turkey Hunting Gears
To Make It Count
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Introduction

• A clear spring morning, gobblers and big toms on
  the chase, and adrenaline at its peak! Does it
  get any better than that? Only passionate turkey
  hunters know. Turkey hunting goes back as far as
  1620. And while this sport took a backseat some
  forty years ago, theres no keeping the
  come-of-age hunters away from woods.
• Whether you are a newbie or a pro, heres a look
  at five must-have hunting gears to amp up your
  hunting spirit.

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1. Say Yes To Camouflage Blinds

• Turkeys have excellent eyesight and can detect
  hunters from a distance. So, blending with your
  surroundings is your best cue.
• When its early spring and the overgrowth is lush
  and green, a camouflage blind with its green
  patterns will help you blend easier and remain
  undetected. Also, blinds are a great cover if
  youre out with a novice hunter who can draw in a
  few mistakes.

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• Pro tip
• Turkey hunting is no different from deer hunting.
  The key is to move less and focus more. If a big
  tom spots you, remain still. Wait for the animal
  to change ground, which is your best opportunity
  to aim and fire. A hunter shifting positions too
  often invites bad luck. If a turkey feels
  threatened, it will fly back deep into the
  jungle, leaving you on a wild goose chase.

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2. Gunning It Right

• In turkey hunting, a headshot equals a kill shot.
  Precisely because you don't want to put a bullet
  through its body as it will affect the bird's
  meat after the kill. The shotgun, turkey loads,
  and right choke do make a difference.
• Let's start with your primary gear shotgun. The
  preferred shotguns for turkey hunting are 12 and
  20-gauge. Seasoned hunters already have them, and
  a little modification can turn them into great
  turkey shooters.

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• Ensure the sighting system resembles a typical
  gun that shoots a single projectile. Vortex
  scopes are a great option as they single out
  point-shoot.
• When hunting for the first time, consider Vortex
  red dot sight, especially in a short-range
  shooting scenario. Besides, they promise
  excellent field view, and you can do without
  magnification at a realistic distance.
• Try to have at least two inline beads in your gun
  to allow decent alignment. For pro hunters
  looking to get better at their game, consider
  mounting optics on your gun. It will not only
  make you faster but also help you focus better.
• In a typical close-range scenario, handguns for
  turkey hunting will come in handy. Fair warning,
  handguns demand excellent command over your
  weapon and marksmanship.

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3. Chokes and Ammunitions

• Both 12 and 20-gauge shotguns have
  interchangeable chokes to screw things in and out
  of the barrel end. To make it ideal for turkey
  hunting, swap the default to a dedicated turkey
  hunting choke. That way, you can put more power
  into a single shot.
• For hunters who plan on shooting from a distance
  beyond 25 yards, say with at least a 3-inch,
  12-gauge, you are looking at a full choke.
  Anything more than 35 yards demands an
  aftermarket choke.
• The last significant bit is the ammo. There are
  particular turkey loads available that come in
  different sizes. The popular ones are number 4
  and number 6 loads, which maximize range and add
  to the killing power. Typically, a 2 ¾-inch and
  3-inch magnum tungsten load is enough to put a
  turkey to stop well over 50 yards.

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4. Keep a Rangefinder Handy

• Setting a yard-killing zone is the last step
  before you make a turkey call.
• Rangefinders can help you gauge the distance of
  trees and bushes and ensure theres nothing
  between your gun and the animal. So, when a
  gobbler passes, you know when to pull the
  trigger. Typically, a Vortex rangefinder carries
  a magnification of 7x and above, along with
  angle-compensation and fast-scan mode to track
  movement.

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5. Turkey Calls Can Be Your Best Friend

• Undeniably, turkey calls are great modern-day
  hunting gear. Especially glass surface pot calls
  that can mimic a range of turkey sounds to draw
  it out in the open. It does require a little
  practice, but soon enough, you can master all the
  basic turkey callings like purrs, clucks, soft
  clucks, and cutting. Spend time learning the
  basic calls and using them to your advantage to
  bring the animal into your shooting range.

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Follow the Basics to Hunt Big

• There is no surefire formula for turkey hunting.
  If a method works for a seasoned hunter, it
  doesn't mean it's the best strategy for you. In
  fact, you might have to try a few different
  methods to know what's working at your end.
  Sit-and-call remains the popular way of turkey
  hunting, but if you like to sprint and hunt, by
  all means, go for it!

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• Novice hunters must remember that turkeys are
  alert animals. So, whatever you do, never spook
  them, or else you go back home empty-handed. If
  these animals take flight, it's nearly impossible
  to draw them back to the same place.
• The turkey hunting season opens in the spring of
  2024. And, among other kinds, the gobblers, with
  their large, dark feathers giving a radiant
  finish under the sun, remain the most wanted.
  With the right hunting gear, you will always have
  a better chance to make it big.