Turkey

Spring turkey hunting in May starts with locating roosted birds, setting up before sunrise, and using simple, realistic calls. The best time to hunt is early morning and mid-morning after fly-down, when gobblers are most active and responsive. Staying patient and minimizing movement are key to success.

To build a ground blind, choose a location with natural cover, use branches or brush to create a concealed structure, and position shooting lanes for clear visibility. Effective blinds blend into the environment, minimize movement visibility, and provide concealment from a deer or turkey’s line of sight.

If you're looking for the best caliber for turkey hunting, consider a 12-gauge shotgun. With its power and pattern density, it's the most popular and versatile choice among hunters. Smaller shotguns, such as the 20-gauge or .410 bore, can also be effective, and so can certain rifle calibers (though be sure to check your state's rifle laws before heading out).

The best turkey hunting tools help hunters scout smarter, find land, mark sign, track wind direction, and adjust to changing weather conditions. HuntWise combines mapping layers, land ownership data, markers, offline maps, topographic tools, and HuntCast weather features to help turkey hunters plan setups, locate birds, and hunt more effectively.

The 12-gauge is a go-to turkey-hunting shotgun, but with modern ammunition such as Tungsten Super Shot (TSS), the 20-gauge is fast becoming an option for hunting birds at greater distances.

Hunting turkey on public land requires scouting, early access, and adapting to hunting pressure. Success comes from locating less pressured areas, arriving early, and using subtle calling techniques to avoid competition from other hunters.

The best turkey calls for beginners include the box call, mouth calls, and the push-pin call.

While the older hunter in your life probably tossed a handful of shells into their pocket and set out into the field, modern equipment such as turkey vests have become an invaluable tool for organization, comfort, and storage. 

North Carolina's 2026 spring turkey season opens in early to mid-April with a season bag limit published by the North Carolina Wildlife Agency. Fall turkey runs in October-November where offered.

One of the best ways to find land to boost your chances of bringing home a turkey is to scout digitally with HuntWise. Locate field, water sources, and timbered cover before heading out for your hunt.

Decoys play a pivotal role in turkey hunting. The key to their effective use lies in realism, strategic placement, and using the right amount. Various factors, including the season and flock sizes, can influence their success. 

As the landscape changes in color and the days get slightly warmer, hunters across North America prepare for exciting hunts. If you haven't already been out for a turkey hunt or chased down a coyote or wild hog, you may be wondering what to hunt before deer season rolls around again.