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Whether you're drawn to the crisp stillness of spring mornings or the golden hues of a fall forest, hunting wild turkey offers an exciting, accessible way to connect with nature and learn valuable skills.

In this guide, you'll learn the basics of how to hunt turkey, what gear you need, where to go and how to stay safe. We'll also walk through species identification, calling techniques, regulations, recipes and ways to get involved with conservation-minded organizations like the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF).

Whether you're starting from scratch or just looking for a refresher, this page will help you head into the field with confidence.

Meet America's Wild Turkeys: Know Your Subspecies

The U.S. is home to five wild turkey subspecies. Most hunters will encounter one of these four:

Eastern Wild Turkey

Location: Most of the eastern U.S.

Merriam's Turkey

Location: Mountainous West and parts of the Great Plains

Osceola Turkey

Location: Found only in Florida

Rio Grande Turkey

Location: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, parts of the Southwest

Each subspecies has its own habits and habitats, understanding this, what subspecies you are hunting should factor into how you hunt them.

Turkey Hunting Regulations: What You Need to Know

Before you hunt, it's critical to understand the rules. Turkey hunting regulations vary by state, including:

Check Regulations by State

Where to Hunt Wild Turkey

Turkey hunting is possible in nearly every state and opportunities abound on both public and private lands.

Public Lands

• National forests, wildlife management areas and state lands often offer spring or fall turkey hunts.
• These areas may require special permits or sign-in procedures.
• Scouting is key. Visit ahead of time if possible.

Private Lands

• Many beginners hunt with a friend, mentor or family member on private land.
• In some areas, guided hunts or outfitted experiences are available.

Use NSSF's Where to Hunt Map to find public and private turkey hunting opportunities near you.

Where to Hunt Map

What Gear Do You Need to Hunt Turkey?

Shotgun Chokes Ammo Turkey Calls Camouflage Decoys Extras Shotgun

In this video, Travis Sumner with the National Wild Turkey Federation discusses the importance of selecting the right gauge, shotgun, choke, and ammunition for making a clean, ethical shot on a wild turkey. It also emphasizes the need to ensure that the shotgun fits the shooter and to practice shooting at the range to ensure a consistent shot placement.

12 or 20 gauge is the most common.

 

Chokes

Wild turkeys are tough animals to harvest so a tight-patterning shot is imperative.

In this video, Travis Sumner with the National Wild Turkey Federation explains the basics of choke types used for turkey hunting.

Ammo

Turkey loads in 3" or 3.5" shells with #4-#6 shot.

Turkey Calls

Box calls, slate calls, diaphragm (mouth) calls-learn to use more than one.

Camouflage

Turkeys have exceptional vision. Ensure you are covered Head to toe, including gloves and face mask.

Decoys

Properly set decoys can give you that little extra; decoys can give a gobbler a reason to come in when calling isn't enough.

In this video, Travis Sumner with the National Wild Turkey Federation breaks down the types of decoys, strategy, set-up and safety.

Extras

Turkey Vest: Keeps your calls, shells and tags organized.

Binoculars, headlamp, field knife, blaze orange (required in some states)

Turkey Hunting Tactics and Tips

Patterning Your Shotgun Scouting Using Decoys Calling Basics Safety Patterning Your Shotgun

• Pattern your shotgun before hunting to know how it performs at 20, 30, and 40 yards.

• Always identify your target and what's beyond it before shooting.

Learn More:

How to Pattern Your Shotgun for Turkey Hunting

 

Scouting

• Scout before the season to locate turkey roosting areas, feeding zones, and travel routes.

• Look for signs like feathers, droppings, scratch marks, and tracks.

• Set up between the roost and feeding areas-preferably before first light.

 

Using Decoys

• In spring, hen and jake decoys attract curious gobblers.
• Place decoys in open areas where turkeys can see them.
• Don't overdo it. Sometimes one hen decoy is enough.

Calling Basics

• Start simple with a push-button or box call.
• Use soft yelps and purrs to simulate a hen.
• Listen and respond-don't call too aggressively if turkeys are quiet.
• In fall, you may imitate turkey flock sounds instead of gobbles.

In this video, Travis Sumner with the National Wild Turkey Federation explains the basics of turkey calling.

Safety

Decoy Safety

Like every aspect of hunting, safety is a key concern when using decoys. Here are a few tips on decoy safety.

Ground Blind Safety

Turkeys have incredible eyesight, so camouflage is a must-but so is staying visible to other hunters.

• Use hunter orange when moving in or out of the woods.
• If using a ground blind, mark it clearly with orange from all sides.
• Never stalk turkey sounds-other hunters may be calling.

Learn More:

Ground Blind Safety for Deer and Turkey Hunting

Join the Turkey Hunting Community

Get Involved

Meet the NWTF

Founded in 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring wild turkey populations and preserving North America's turkey hunting heritage. 

Join the NWTF

Join the NWTF today and receive Turkey Call magazine, gear discounts, seed subsidies and access to mentored events near you.

LEARN MORE

Find Your Local Chapter

Start turkey hunting with support, safety and community behind you.

FIND A CHAPTER

Ready to Start? Your Next Steps

There's no better time to start turkey hunting. With a bit of scouting, some practice with your calls, and the right gear, you'll be ready to experience one of America's most exciting and accessible hunts.

1 | Take a hunter safety course

2 | Learn your local regulations

3 | Gear up and scout your area

4 | Practice calling and pattern your shotgun

5 | Find a mentor or join a local NWTF chapter

6 | Enjoy the sunrise and be patient

Turkey Hunting 101

The Official NWTF Turkey Hunting Course will teach you where to hunt, turkey hunting tips and strategies, the best shotgun for hunting turkey, and much more.

LEARN MORE

Field to Fork: Wild Turkey Recipes

Harvesting a wild turkey is rewarding but enjoying it around the dinner table with friends and family can make it that much better.

Wild Turkey Buffalo Cheese Dip

Make a creamy dip everyone will love.

Read more

Wild Turkey Schnitzel Recipe

This breaded and fried recipe is always a fan favorite.

Read more

"Instant Pot" Wild Turkey and Dumplings

Looking for a quick and easy way to use your wild turkey legs and thighs?

Read more

Hunt Like a Girl and Beretta USA: Champions of the +ONE Movement.

 

By Daphane Cassidy, NSSF Content Manager

There are moments in life that stay with you, not because of grand spectacle, but because of stillness, presence and a kind of quiet reverence that settles deep in your bones. For me, one of those moments didn't come during the shot or the celebration, but in the still blue hour before it all began, standing in a sunken pond blind, surrounded by reeds and mist, with a shotgun in hand and half a dozen women breathing deeply beside me.

Sharing our experience of the Hunt Like A Girl +ONE Waterfowl Hunt: Sponsored by Beretta. (Videography by: Sara Liberte)

Hunt Like A Girl +ONE^® Waterfowl Hunt

There's something uniquely powerful about watching someone experience their first hunt. As a long-time advocate of the shooting sports and a proud representative of NSSF's +ONE Movement, I've mentored many newcomers over the years but every hunt feels new again when you're guiding someone who's never stepped afield before. That's exactly what happened during the Hunt Like A Girl +ONE Waterfowl Hunt, held in partnership with Shoot Like a Girl, Beretta USA and NSSF, at Rocky Creek Retrievers in El Campo, Texas.

From the moment we arrived, the energy was electric, an eager blend of nervous anticipation and pure excitement. This wasn't just another event. It was a culmination of passion, mentorship and legacy-building. Four women, ranging from seasoned professionals to industry newcomers, had each invited a guest who had never duck hunted before. Some of these first-timers had never held a firearm. Some had been around hunting their whole lives, but just never had the opportunity to go. One of our newbies was here at the request of her sister, two were brought by colleagues and one was a friend chosen by our passionate +ONE contest winner. While coming from different backgrounds and comfort levels, what united them all was an openness to try something new and the courage to step outside their comfort zones.

The whole +ONE group together in the duck blind. (Photography by: Alexis Greene)

As part of NSSF's +ONE Movement, the goal was simple but transformational: bring someone new afield. The idea that if every hunter took just one person with them, we could change the trajectory of America's hunting heritage. And on this trip, we didn't just talk about it, we lived it.

The +ONE Vision in Action

The +ONE Movement is built on a simple truth: When we invite others to hunt or shoot for the first time, we pass down something deeper than skill; we pass down a way of life. It's not just a campaign, it's a cultural shift. And this hunt was a living, breathing embodiment of that vision.

(Photography by: Alexis Greene)

For me, mentoring is more than just a responsibility; it's a gift. You get to share in the adrenaline of a first shot, the quiet reverence of a morning sunrise over decoys and the genuine pride that comes from helping someone do something they never imagined themselves capable of. You see, the moment fear dissolves into confidence, when a woman who was hesitant to pick up a shotgun now smiles after folding her first bird over open water. You see self-doubt replaced with laughter and stories, shared around the fire or while walking through the field.

I had the honor of mentoring a few of the first-time hunters, guiding them through safety basics, shotgun handling and what to expect in a duck blind. Their nerves were real and completely understandable. But what never fails to inspire me is how fast that anxiety turns to exhilaration with the right encouragement and support.

The magic wasn't in instruction alone; it was in companionship. We laughed, learned, whispered advice and encouragement across the decoys. I watched one guest who was hesitant to even pick up her shotgun on day one light up when she successfully harvested a bird on day two. Another guest cried, not out of sorrow, but from the emotional weight of doing something she never thought she could do. She was joyful, overwhelmed, respectful of the life taken and empowered all at once. And honestly? So were we.

As mentors, we got to witness the +ONE movement from both sides: as seasoned hunters and as students once more, reminded of the awe and responsibility that comes with every shot.

 

The Morning Grounding: Becoming Present in the Blind

Each day began with what I can only describe as a grounding ritual, from the guidance of Karen Butler, Shoot Like a Girl founder, I was encouraged to create this moment for our hunters and step strongly into my role as a "Hunt Like a Girl" Mentor. Before any shots were fired, before any birds came into sight, we paused. We sat in that sunken blind, dew still clinging to the grass around us, fog curling low over the water and the horizon just starting to burn with the blush of sunrise.

Mornings from the duck blind. (Photography by: Alexis Greene)

We took a breath together.

We felt the wind on our faces and the earth beneath our boots. We noticed the weight of our shotguns in our hands. We listened to the reeds rustling, to the wings above, to each other. And we reminded ourselves to be here. Fully present. We were not just having an experience but creating this peaceful memory in nature, which we could always return to in our minds. It wasn't just about what happened, but how deeply we felt it.

I watched women with no prior hunting experience close their eyes and take it in. Later, several people came to me and said they felt goosebumps during that moment, as if something within them had shifted. They were completely present.

As a mentor, it was powerful beyond words. We weren't just preparing for a hunt; we were stepping into a moment that could anchor us for years to come.

Processing the Harvest: Turning Experience into Ownership

For many, the idea of cleaning and processing a harvested duck is intimidating. But that, too, is where empowerment lives, in the doing. Duck hunting, especially for first-timers, offers a uniquely approachable transition into game processing. With a small knife, a clear technique and a little guidance, anyone can go from uncertainty to capability in a single afternoon.

Learning the full process from hunt to harvest. (Photography by: Alexis Greene)

I watched it happen over and over. Women who hesitated at first now worked with focused hands and growing confidence, processing their ducks with care and purpose. You could see it on their faces: I did this. Not just the shot, but the follow-through. They were now providers in the most primitive sense.

That evening, we ate what we had harvested. It wasn't just dinner, it was a culmination. A celebration. The connection from blind to table made it real in a way no words or photos could. One participant turned to me and said, "I didn't know I could feel this way, so full, so proud, so connected."

The Power of Partnership

It's important to say that this hunt wouldn't have been possible without the deep collaboration between Beretta USA, Hunt Like A Girl and NSSF. Beretta didn't just provide equipment; they brought legacy. Their 500-year tradition in firearms was woven into everything we touched, from the smooth action of their 20-gauge shotguns to the warmth and functionality of the women's tactical and hunting gear. The women didn't just use Beretta gear; we lived in it.

And Hunt Like A Girl, what a force. Their team of women brought experience, mentorship and soul to every corner of the field. Their approach to safety, empowerment and connection reshaped how many of our first-time hunters viewed themselves, not just as students, but as emerging participants in something powerful.

Bringing Women In: Changing the Invitation

For generations, women were often excluded from hunts. Fathers and brothers hunted, but the girls stayed home. That's changing and Hunt Like A Girl is at the front of that shift.

One participant told me she'd always been curious about hunting, but no one had ever invited her. Another said, "My dad hunted my whole life, but he never thought to bring me."

That's what +ONE is here to fix. We don't need to talk people into loving the outdoors. We need to invite them in.

Your Invitation

If you've ever wondered whether inviting someone afield makes a difference, let me assure you - it does, because I've seen it. I've seen it in the eyes of women who once said, "I could never do that," and now say, "When can I go again?"

So, I'll leave you with this: Take the pledge. Invite someone. Be the +ONE that changes everything.

 

Want to experience this hunt from a Newbie's Perspective? Check out this article:

Into the Blind with a +ONE: A Newbie's First Duck Hunt

More photos from this +ONE Experience

If waterfowl hunting is on your bucket list—or if you’re ready to experience it like never before—this is the giveaway you don’t want to miss. North American Outdoorsman, in partnership with NSSF — The Firearm Industry Trade Association, is giving one lucky hunter and a guest the opportunity to experience a fully guided, world-class Saskatchewan waterfowl hunt from October 1–4, 2025 with Aurora Skies Outfitting. The total prize value is $4,990 USD, plus bonus hunting gear from top industry sponsors.   Located in one of the most productive flyways on the continent, Aurora Skies Outfitting delivers unforgettable waterfowl action, comfortable lodging and exceptional hospitality. Whether you’re a seasoned wingshooter or someone looking to take their first trip north, this is the perfect opportunity to chase ducks and geese in a setting known for its sky-darkening flocks and scenic prairie landscapes.

Don't miss your chance to win! This contest ends July 30th, 2025.

See Official Rules Here.