Think I'll try it

Welcome to the ADDICTION!!! After you're first hunt if You're not hooked, its probably not for you.

One of the first things I'd recommend doing is gettin yer hands on a couple turkey hunting videos. Watch em and get an idea of how to set up, listen to the calling, pay attention to the cadence used.

Like Danf said get yourself a few calls, and practice, practice, practice!! I would recommend maybe a box call, a couple "pot" style calls maybe 1 slate and 1 glass, push pin calls are some of the easiest to learn so maybe a couple of them as well. I wouldn't jump off the deep end with calls yet. Just get a few and learn the basic techniques. Then after you have the cadence down, maybe try a mouth call or 2. These are more difficult and may take a few before you find one that works with the shape of you're mouth. These aren't for everyone but if you can learn to use em they'll free up your hands when that big ol'tom comes struttin in. I have found the Primos "Sonic Dome" series mouth calls are the easiest to use. Also a couple locater calls never hurts, just pick from Owl calls (usually work better for roosting birds), crow calls (crows and turkeys aren't the best of friends and usually a gobbler will sound off at the sound of a crow), Red Tail Hawk, coyote, the list goes on and on. Usually the locater calls that work will vary from place to place.

Next a decoy or 2 can sometimes make or break a hunt, usually a good rule of thumb is if a tom docent see the bird he hears, he wont come, this isn't always the case however.

A good Turkey vest isn't a necessity, but it can make carrying all you're calls, decoys, bug spray, water bottle etc. out into the field a lot easier. Most also have a foam padded seat that flips down and allows ya a dry, soft place to set while you try and call that long beard in.

One of the most important items is you're camo! Turkeys have excellent eyesight (as well as hearing, its sometimes said that if they could smell, you'd never even see one!!) When you are turkey hunting you need to be covered head to toe, (shirt-jacket, pants, face mask, gloves, hat as well as boots). Avoid shiny buckles, and snaps when choosing these items. Always remember a turkey can see a million times better than you so if you see it he definitely will.

You also need to have a good shotgun and a load and choke that work well together. ALWAYS pattern you're gun, make sure you know you're limitations with the load you choose.

I think this will get ya started, just keep a few things in the back of you're mind about turkey hunting: 1) Nothing works every time, turkeys are the most unpredictable critters you'll ever hunt. 2) Some of the worst callers in the woods are real hens, you dont need to be a "Championship caller" to kill birds 3) Be patient, and be prepared to have you're butt handed to ya on a regular basis! Thats what makes it so fun!!!

Good Luck Buddie, Enjoy Yourself and the wonder that is "The Spring Woods"!

Parson... having them walk up to ya during deer season just isn't the same as having a gobbler with it's head glowing white as he gobbles over and over again as he struts back and forth. Your heart will be pounding away for sure as you work your first gobbler! Gobblerfreak gave some great advice to you! The main thing I think with turkey hunting is that beginners just can't even begin to realize how keen the turkey's eyesight is. The little movements that you can get away with while hunting deer will get you busted quick when turkey hunting! Even watching the turkey videos aren't good at teaching how still you must be, since they all show "cut away" video of the hunters calling and moving around AFTER the kill has already been made. A lot of time those movements shown are faster than what was made in reality. In other words you gotta be still, and make your movements when the gobbler is facing away from you.

Hunting near Scottsburg will give you plenty of birds so you should have good action. Keep asking questions.....plenty of good gobbler hunters on here to give sound advice! Hope ya get hooked on turkey hunting, it's a blast!!!

When they get close enough to hear the "spit drum" then you'll be absolutely hooked . Seeing the look on Dan's face when he got his last spring was well worth the 10 year wait. There is just something about being in the springtime woods at 0400 and watching the woods come alive that will renew your soul way before you ever worry about losing sleep.

Parson, You got yourself one mean turkey killin machine there in that O/U. You could actually research (shoot / pattern) several different loads and chokes and find which one performs close and which one performs best way out there. Then use a different load choke combo on each barrel! One for up close and the other to knock em out of the park!! Best of both worlds!! I have heard of tons of guys doing this. In-fact Browning just came out with a new fully camoed O/U that is taking the Turkey hunting world by storm.

As for chokes, some lead loads do like factory full/extra full/super full chokes while other loads like Hevi-Shot tend to like the after market "Turkey Chokes" best. This is what I mean by patterning. Find yourself a few guys with the same brand gun as your's, try their chokes out, as well as maybe a choke or 2 of you're own. Then throw different loads into the mix till you find what works the best. This can be a somewhat expensive endeavor, however once you find the right combo its well worth it. You could also go to the NWTF website WWW.NWTF.com and look under the Shotguns forum and ask the members what choke / loads tend to work best in yer particular gun. Trust me theres page after page, after page of gun/choke/load tests on there to read! Much cheaper this way!!

As for the shiny gun, simply run down to Wal-Mart, Meijer, or yer local sporting goods store and purchase a gun sock, or there is also camo tape which can be used to cover the gun, this isn't like the old camo tape where once the gun gets wet its ruined. This stuff is vinyl and resists water, wont leave yer barrel/receiver rusty, doesn't leave a sticky/gummy residue once its removed. look for this stuff in Cabelas catalogs or at yer local sporting goods store. Or if yer crafty enough go to the local fabric store and pick up some camo fabric, a little velcro and maybe some elastic and a camo cover can be made with little effort and expense.

Hope this has helped answer some of yer questions.