First timer. Need tips for spring season

Hey guys, I am looking to get into turkey hunting this season for the spring and fall season. I have a gun and a bow. I want to use my bow but I'm not sure if I can use it. I have all the cloths. I just need help on the tag rules and price and some good calls and decoys. I'm looking to spend about 80 bucks on calls and decoys. Thanks for the help!

Goose- One thing to try. The night before you hunt, go up to your land and just watch and listen. A lot of times, Toms will gobble right before they roost and few times while on the roost. This will let you know where the birds are roosting. Ounce you have the roost figured out you can figure out the next mornings set up. I like to get within a 100 yards or so of the roost but to close and spook them. The birds will fly down from the roost and go their strutting area. This area is a little harder to find but if you use your eyes and ears, you will quickly figure it out.

Hey guys, thanks for the help so far. i not have a slate call, 4 mouth calls and 3 decoys. I have close to 300+ private acres i hunt on. i am the fist person to ever hunt them so im hoping they wont be pressured. there isnt any feilds but there are some clearings i plan on hunting. im gunna set up right next the the 1 acre on pine trees we have. I am going to be using my bow because i have a good blind. i also have a benelli super nova i am going to bring just incase of a malfuntion. I am going to be getting a left over tag in march. thanks, GooseSlayer

I forgot to mention, Deer and Turkey Expo, first weekend in April in Madison. Lots of good seminars, cheep stuff to buy and stuff to see. I go every year. There have been times I did not see all the booths because I spent so much time in the seminars.

Watch a few hunting shows too. If you can make it past the promos and the babbling, you can see how and what birds do. And also hear the calls and get some tips. They always use decoys in the shows but Im with Foundry, I don't use them except in a rare situation. Killed more without then with.

One gobler call is all you need. Find some pine trees. Preferably a whole thicket of them. In rows. Turkeys love to roost in pine trees. Be there at sunrise, if not a little sooner. Or be there at dark when they roost. Calling in toms is a lot of fun. Trouter

Go see some seminars! One hour long seminar will put you ahead more than a months worth of reading on here. Buy a book and an instructional tape. You can not HEAR on here. Sounds, calling and cadence. The sounds you hear and make are more important than anything. I don't like decoys, never will. I kill my bird every year with out them. I think your money would be better spent on learning. A professional hunter Bill Eyze I think his name is, is a good one to see, as are many others.

The 1st order of business is a location, general then specific. Do you have private land lined up or public? Then I'd do some scouting, turkeys often follow a loose pattern. That can include the same remote field edge most mornings, etc.. Then the most important item is to be near that field edge before light, hidden with a decoy a bit on the far side of where you expect the approach. That setup trumps most calling issues, almost don't need to call. I know, calling is part of the fun. As with most critters, once they are locked in, coming towards you, little need to call. There is a term called 'turkey slow', which has to do with movement. You have to be extremely careful moving while a turkey is in sight. It's best to move the gun a bit when the turkey has it's head behind a tree, ideally. Movement methods learned in the turkey woods are beneficial for other types of hunting, deer & predator comes to mind. If it's your 1st time I'd leave the bow at home. No need to go overboard but get familiar with your shotgun. It does take some specific aiming to properly place your potentially(distance dependent) tight pattern. The center of the neck is the target. My favorite loads are Remington "HD" in size 6, like 'Hevi-Shot'. At closer ranges many types of loads work just fine. I'm not big on a blind, I like light & maneuverable. Give turkeys a little credit too, they may not like a fresh blind on their favorite field edge. If you know where they like to roost(through scouting or 'putting the turkeys to bed')I would set up in the dark between the roost & their favorite field edge. Against a tree in full camo works well. If on a field edge I'll settle in the woods a tree or 3 to be just a bit inside the woods, well hidden. Keep all safety aspects in mind, for you & for others. The basic 4 rules always work. Turkey hunting seems as safe as sitting on the couch, but stuff seems to happen out there.