Spring turkey hunting is no easy feat. It is a sport that requires skill, knowledge and strategy.

A few tips and tricks:

Best Time

•Early Morning: Turkeys are most active and vocal at dawn when they leave the roost to forage for food.

•Late Morning: After the early morning flurry, turkeys tend to settle down. However, if you're hunting in an area with heavy pressure, late mornings can be a good time.

•Weather: Turkey activity increases on overcast days and calm, cool mornings.

Scouting

•Pre-Season: Before the season starts, identify patterns. Look for droppings, feathers, tracks, and bathing areas. Observe early morning routines.

•Habitat: Hardwoods, open fields, plots and agricultural fields make for good foraging.

•Technology: Trail cameras and maps can track movement and locate roosting sites without being physically present.

Finding the Roost

•Listen: Generally, turkeys gobble the most right after they wake up, before foraging for food. In the evenings, turkeys will head to their roosts to sleep.

•Look: Roosts are often in tall, mature trees because they provide good visibility and safety. Look for droppings, feathers, or tracks near the base of trees.

•Do Not Disturb: If you accidentally spook them, they may change their roosting habits.

Getting Close

•Silence: Avoid making noise when approaching and be mindful of wind direction to mask human scent. Turkeys have excellent hearing. When you're not calling, remain still, stay calm, and be quiet.

•Crawl: Turkeys have keen eyesight, so crawl toward them. If hunting in open areas, use a decoy as a distraction.

•Natural Cover: Use bushes, trees, or tall grass for camouflage. If you don’t have cover, stay motionless.

Be Patient

•Patience: Gobblers may take their time approaching your setup-- don’t call too much or move too quickly. When the turkey stops moving, wait for clear view of the head or neck.

Spring turkey hunting success hinges on strategy and patience. The combination of scouting, knowing the best time to hunt, getting close, and playing it smart with calls and decoys can make for an incredibly rewarding experience.