No. 4
SUCCESSFUL DECOY SETUPS
Today's decoys are some of the most realistic and deceptive I've ever seen. The photo-realistic decoys being produced have revolutionized the turkey-hunting industry, with their life-like images and movements fooling even the wisest of toms.

Always make sure that your decoys are placed within accurate and deadly range of your blind, keeping in mind that shotgun ranges might extend a bit farther than archery ranges. Turkeys are extremely tough birds with very small vital areas. I usually place my decoys 13 to 20 yards from my blind.

I use a spread of three hens and a jake, splitting them into pairs of two and spacing them about 10 yards apart from each other. I position the first pair of two hens 13 yards from my blind, one facing in my direction as if she were feeding toward me, and the other facing away from me at a 45-degree angle as if she were calling to, or looking for, the approaching tom. The other two, a hen and a jake, are placed at 18 to 20 yards from my blind and facing me. I position the jake two feet directly behind the hen, as if he were trying to mate her.

Separating decoys in this manner allows you opportunities to lure in two types of toms: ones interested only in finding lonely hens separated from their male companions; and those boss toms that not only want to mate with the hens but are intolerant of competition. They will show their dominance by attacking the jake.

The reason I face most of the decoys in the direction of my blind is because most toms will circle a decoy and eventually stop face-to-face with it, giving me the opportunity to draw my bow.

No. 5
CALLING TIPS & TECHNIQUES
What I enjoy most about spring turkey season is being able to call a boss tom to within range. Whether you use a pushpin, slate, box or mouth call, here are some handy tips that will help you in the field.

Clucks are a single note call, spaced out and done softly when toms have left their roosts and are trying to locate hens. Make sure not to make sharp hard clucks, which sound like "puck!" Those are warning signals that mean something is wrong.

Yelps are two-tone calls done consecutively by a lonely hen looking for companionship, usually in odd-numbered groups of five to seven. Hens usually use the yelp to find other hens or alert a tom to their location.

Purrs are used by contented birds, usually when they are feeding or as a sign of comfort while with a companion. I like to follow a purr with a soft cluck behind it. If a gobbler is close, this one really gets them going.

Cutting is a series of very fast, hard clucks in a staccato rhythm. It is used to locate gobblers throughout the day and have them shock-gobble back.

Gobbler calls are excellent in getting a boss tom jealous and making him think another gobbler is trying to take his hens. This usually results in him running to the call to do battle. Be extremely careful when gobbling, as this usually attracts other hunters, creating a potentially unsafe situation.

No. 6
BAGGING BIG TOMS
Aggressive tactics are what I call the run-and-gun. This doesn't mean run at the turkeys; it means to be aggressive in your tactics and be prepared to move and cover a lot of distance at a moment's notice. This works very well for shotgunners who are willing to be mobile and carry far less equipment. All you really need are your calls and two decoys.

When hearing a tom gobble from a far ridge or in an adjacent canyon, be prepared to move quietly and cautiously in his direction to close the distance. Become the predator. Stop every once in a while and do a couple of yelps with your call, listening for a response and making sure he's still in the area. When you pinpoint his location and are close enough, quickly set up two decoys, conceal yourself and try to call him in by doing some soft clucks followed by a yelp.

Non-aggressive tactics are for both shotgunners and bowhunters. Set up a stationary blind and try to lure a tom in by using calls and a spread of up to four decoys.

Bowhunting for turkeys is a different game altogether than shotgun hunting. The most difficult and crucial part is deciding when to draw your bow when a tom is at point-blank range. Turkeys are masters at picking out even the slightest movement, so you have to time it just right. I've found that the perfect opportunity to come to full draw is when a tom faces away from me and fans his tail feathers while circling the decoys in full strut.