Protected: How to Hunt Turkeys: Everything Beginners Need to Know

By Bethany Beathard

I've heard it said, " Easterns make you a turkey hunter."   These birds are smart, skittish and not known for making anything easy. Add in limited time and you've got to be sharp with your strategy from the first setup to the final call. Eastern turkeys are no joke. I've hunted them for a couple of seasons, and there is a difference between them and other turkeys I've also hunted. They're arguably the most hunted and pressured subspecies in the U.S. and they act like it. These birds are smart and quick to bust you if anything feels off. Dense woods, thick underbrush or wide-open fields only add to the challenge, with such a wide variety of hunting terrain.

To stack the odds in your favor, it helps to understand their daily rhythms. Mornings usually start on the roost with some gobbling; if you're lucky, then birds fly down and head to feeding spots. After that, there's often a mid-morning lull when gobblers get tight-lipped but might still be on the move looking for hens. If you can key in on where they like to strut or travel during this time, you will have a better chance of intercepting them.

If you're crunched for time, lean on digital scouting tools like onXhunt to pinpoint potential hot spots, think open ridges, food plots or scratchy leaf-covered areas where birds have been feeding. Better yet, get out the evening before your hunt and just listen. A gobble or some fly-up noise can tell you exactly where to start the next morning.

Time-Smart Setups for Success

When you've only got a day or two to hunt, you can't afford to waste time sitting in dead zones. The goal is to be where the turkeys already want to go, not just where you think they might wander. Start by sneaking close to the roost if you can do it safely and without bumping birds. Get set up early and stay quiet. A hen decoy and soft tree yelps at fly-down time can sometimes pull a tom in right off the limb. If that doesn't work, shift gears and think mid-morning movement, focus on trails, field edges or known strut zones where a gobbler might swing by solo.

It's a balance between patience and mobility. If you know a spot is usually productive, it might pay to stay put. But if you're not hearing or seeing anything, don't be afraid to pack up and move. Just be smart about it, listen for gobbles, look for fresh sign and use the terrain to stay hidden as you go.

Decoy Tactics for Short Hunts

When you're working with just a weekend, there's no time for trial and error. You need a setup that works. One of the most versatile and beginner-friendly options is a solo hen. It's non-threatening, can work in almost any setting and won't spook shy toms. If you're targeting a more dominant bird and you think he's in the right mood, a jake and hen combo can spark a fast reaction. If they're fired up, that jake might be the last straw that pulls them in. Be aware that this combo can also lure in a group of jakes. They are like a group of teenage boys trying to impress everyone.

When setting your decoys out, consider the placement. You will want to set them about 15-20 yards in front of you, angled slightly, so a tom's approach gives you a clean shot. If birds are coming from a particular direction, like a trail or a known strut zone, keep the decoys just off that path to naturally steer the tom where you want him. Turkeys will be wary of going to areas they normally don't travel. I once sat in a blind out in a field and had a tom at 90 yards for 45 minutes, but he would not commit because that wasn't his usual path, and he knew something was off.

Also, don't be afraid to leave the decoys in the bag altogether. In thick woods or tight funnels, birds may be too close when they see them, causing them to hang up or get suspicious. Sometimes, especially in pressured areas, the most convincing decoy is none at all.

Calling Strategies When You Only Have a Weekend

Short hunts call for smart calling, I mean this can be applied to any hunt really. Turkey will be turkeys, and if the calling is off, they will not buy into it.

If you're new or under pressure, keep it simple. A box call or even a push-button call can sound great with minimal effort and lets you focus on your setup and shot opportunity instead of perfecting your technique.

Using locator calls, like owl hoots or crow calls, can help you pinpoint a roosted tom fast without giving away your setup too early.

Once you're working with a bird, less is more, especially with Eastern gobblers. These birds have been around the block and can get suspicious of overcalling. Stick to soft yelps, clucks and purrs. If you're working a henned-up tom, call to the hen, not the tom. Try soft, chatty clucks and purrs to irritate her. If she comes in to challenge you, the tom's likely to follow.

One underrated but powerful strategy? Go silent. You can bust your own hunt by over-calling or not using the correct sequence. Sometimes, backing off the call and letting a tom think you've lost interest can trigger him to come check your setup. They don't like being ignored and they definitely don't like thinking they missed a chance.

What Worked and What Didn't

Even on short hunts, real-world examples show how quick decisions can make or break success. One of my recent wins came from a classic morning roost setup. Kristen and I slid into a pop-up blind near the swamp edge, where trail cameras had caught consistent turkey movement. Despite a slow start and pretty quiet roost, patient calling and a solid decoy spread, two hens and a half strut jake paid off. We first had a bearded hen come in, fired up and whooped up on our hen decoy, but decided to stay and feed. It wasn't long after when a fired-up tom strutted in and committed hard to the jake decoy. He was down by 7:20 a.m., proof that being set up early, minimal calling and holding still works. But it doesn't always go perfectly. On another hunt, we had a decoy mishap where the placement was just too open in the field. A tom spotted the decoys quickly, didn't like what he saw and never committed.

Also, a reminder, when things go quiet, don't panic. Wind, hunting pressure or even temperature changes can temporarily shut birds down. Be patient and ready to move, change your calling cadence or even go completely silent and listen. Flexibility kills more turkeys than sticking to a rigid plan.

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By Brad Fitzpatrick

If you’re looking for new big-game, waterfowl, target, or self-defense loads, you’ll find all this and more on the floor of the 2025 SHOT Show.

There are thousands of new products on display at SHOT Show each year, but some of the most exciting new products for the new year come courtesy of ammunition manufacturers. Never willing to settle for the same old cartridges, propellants, and projectiles, ammo brands are forever improving upon their products, and that results in better options and improved performance for hunters, shooters, and LE professionals. This year a number of noteworthy new ammunition products will debut during SHOT Show 2025, and these include everything from lead-free hunting and target shotshells to new defensive handgun ammunition and several new cartridges. Perhaps the most noteworthy of these is the launch of a brand-new rimfire round from Winchester that is set to take on the oldest established cartridge in existence, the .22 LR. But regardless of your favorite platform or shooting application, there are new loads to get excited about on this list.

Apex Ammunition

For 2025, APEX Ammunition is adding a 3-inch 20-gauge load to their popular TSS/S³ family of blended waterfowl ammo. The new 20-gauge load combines  ⅞-ounce of premium No. 2 steel with ¼-ounce of No. 7.5 TSS. This blended load offers maximum versatility and value by combining steel shot, which is affordable and highly effective for close shots over decoys, with TSS pellets that are extremely dense and carry more energy at extended ranges than non-toxic pellets. TSS pellets have a density of 18.3 g/cc, which is 56 percent denser than lead, and this allows companies like APEX to add smaller No. 7.5 TSS pellets to their blended loads, filling out the pattern while still retaining outstanding downrange energy and improving penetration thanks to the smaller surface area of TSS pellets. The steel pellets in this load are zinc-coated to reduce friction and improve patterning.

APEX TSS/S³ waterfowl ammunition is loaded with their tungsten-grade wads, and these blended loads offer the benefits of both steel and TSS shot, making them a great option for serious waterfowlers.

Check these out on: apexammunition.com

CCI

This year CCI’s Blazer is adding hollow-point options to the affordable Blazer Brass line of training ammunition. Four new Brass HP options—9mm 115-grain JHP, .40 S&W 180-grain JHP, 10mm Auto 180-grain JHP, and .45 ACP 230-grain JHP—round out the company’s line of FMJ brass ammunition and offer an affordable and reliable training option with improved terminal performance over traditional FMJs. The new Brass HP loads will be sold in 50-count boxes and come with reloadable brass cases.

CCI has a reputation for offering some of the most reliable, accurate, and innovative rimfire products on the market each year, and for 2025 they’re adding a couple of new products to their lineup, including Suppressor MAX .22 LR ammunition. With a muzzle velocity of 970 fps, Suppressor MAX is safe for use in suppressors and yet it will reliably cycle semi-auto .22 pistols and rifles. The 45-grain segmenting hollow point provides excellent terminal performance at low velocities, and that will make this new CCI load extremely appealing to anyone who runs a can on their rimfires. CCI is also offering a new .22 WMR load specifically designed for personal defense, Uppercut .22 WMR. This .22 WMR load features a 40-grain hollow point bullet that is engineered to offer the optimal blend of penetration and expansion, providing the best possible performance from .22 WMR handguns, but it will also work in .22 WMR rifles. The .22 WMR is certainly on the light side for personal defense, but having the right bullet like CCI’s Uppercut makes a major difference in downrange performance. Booth #11838

Check these out on: cci-ammunition.com

Federal Ammunition

Federal has been offering ammunition for hunters, shooters, and law enforcement professionals for over a century, and this year they’re adding a new .44 Remington Magnum load to their HST line of personal-defense ammunition. These 240-grain HST loads offer more energy than 10mm Auto, .357 Magnum, and .44 Special loads yet they produce less recoil than Federal’s full-power .44 Magnum hunting and bear-defense loads. In addition to premium HST bullets, these rounds come loaded with quality propellants and primers and feature nickel-plated cases.

Other new additions to Federal’s handgun ammunition lineup include the addition of .45 Colt and .32 H&R Magnum Hydra-Shok Deep offerings. Both loads come with nickel-plated cases and sealed primers, and both are designed to balance bullet expansion and penetration. The .45 Colt load comes with 210-grain HSD JHP bullets while the .32 H&R Magnum features 80-grain HSD JHP bullets. Also new this year for .32 H&R Magnum fans is Federal’s 85-grain American Eagle JSP practice load, an ideal choice for those who carry a .32 H&R revolver, and a light, affordable practice load for .327 Federal revolvers. Handgun hunters will be happy to hear that Federal is offering a new 10mm Power-Shok load with 200-grain JHP ammunition, a load that is suitable for a variety of game, including deer and hogs.

Perhaps the biggest news this year from Federal, though, is the launch of their new 7mm Backcountry hunting cartridge. There are plenty of 7mm cartridges currently available, but because the 7mm Backcountry utilizes a Peak Allow steel case, chamber pressure can be increased to levels well above what could be sustained using brass cases. The result is increased performance, especially with shorter barrels. With 170-grain bullets, the 7mm Backcountry achieves roughly 3,000 fps from a 20-inch barrel, which is about 150 fps faster than a 7mm PRC from a barrel of the same length. The Peak Alloy steel is far better than the cheap steel alloys used in imported ammunition, and Federal nickel plates the cases for durability and smooth cycling. Because the cartridge diameter is smaller, it will fit one additional round in the magazine compared to other modern 7mm cartridges. Because it works well in rifles with relatively short barrels, the 7mm Backcountry is well-suited for use with suppressors. Federal will also offer 7mm Backcountry ammunition loaded with 155-grain Terminal Ascent bullets as well as 168-grain Barnes LRX bullets, 175-grain Fusion Tipped, and a whopping 195-grain Berger Elite Hunter bullet with a G1 ballistic coefficient of .755.

Though the 7mm Backcountry is certainly big news, it’s hardly the only new rifle ammunition available from Federal this year. There’s a new 6mm ARC load available in the Gold Medal target line this year, and that round is loaded with an 108-grain Berger boat tail bullet with a very high BC. There are also some exciting cartridge additions coming to the Terminal Ascent, Barnes TSX, and Barnes LRX ammunition lines this year as well, and Federal is adding a new .22 LR load to their HammerDown family. The new 40-grain .22 LR Hammer down ammunition features a copper-plated hollow-point bullet that is designed to operate flawlessly in .22 lever guns and offers lethal downrange performance on small game.

Federal has been driving shotshell design and development for decades, and this year the company is offering a long list of new and innovative shotshell products. Most notable, perhaps, is their Master Class line of sporting clay shotshells. Designed specifically to improve your score at clay games, these shells offer a new Podium design wad that is optimized for use in Federal’s straight-wall hull. These shells feature a new, stylish look and feature premium wads, hulls, shot, and other components that are suitable for high-level sporting clay and FITASC shoots. Three 12-gauge loads (two 1-ounce, one 1⅛-ounce) will be available initially, but you can expect the Master Class family to continue to expand over the coming years. Also new from Federal is their 16-gauge BLACK CLOUD load that comes with a blended  ⅞-ounce load of premium zinc-plated steel and Flitestopper shot (60/40, respectively) and Flitecontrol wads. There are also four new 16-gauge Ultra Steel loads this year, but for those who like to hit their birds with the heaviest steel payloads possible Federal is also adding a 3½-inch 12-gauge and 3½-inch 10-gauge loads to their Ultra Steel line. Both will come with 1½-ounce loads, and there are blended 10- and 12-gauge loads available as well. There are new HEVI-Bismuth loads available in 16 and 28 gauge this year, and fans of the 28-gauge will be happy to hear that in addition to the HEVI-Bismuth load Federal will also be offering a Heavyweight TSS 28-gauge load as well as a 28-gauge Rob Roberts 28-gauge Custom Shop TSS turkey load as well.

Check these out on: federalpremium.com

Hevi-Shot

HEVI-Shot is offering some new additions to their line of hard-hitting turkey loads for 2025. First up is HEVI-Bismuth Turkey, which is being offered in both 12- and 20-gauge loads. This ammunition mixes both No. 4 and No. 5 HEVI-Bismuth shot for a lethal non-toxic load. There are four new HEVI-13 Turkey loads this year, all of which are loaded with HEVI-Shot’s 12 g/cc tungsten pellets, which offer 20 percent more knockdown power than comparably sized lead pellets. HEVI-13 Turkey will be available in 12-gauge or 20-gauge 3-inch loads this year, and shooters can select loads with either No. 6 or No. 7 tungsten. There’s a new addition to the company’s Magnum Blend Turkey loads: for 2025 HEVI-Shot is adding a 28-gauge 2¾-inch Magnum Blend offering that features 15/16 ounce ounce of blended Nos. 5, 6, and 7 12 g/cc tungsten pellets. There are also two new 2 ¾-inch 28-gauge turkey loads joining the HEVI-18 Turkey lineup this year, one with 1 1/16 ounces of No. 7 shot and the other with 1 1/16 ounces of No. 9 shot.

In addition to HEVI-Shot’s new turkey loads they’re also offering HEVI-Hitter Waterfowl loads this year that offer 20 percent tungsten pellets over 80 percent steel pellets. These layered loads are available in 12, 16, 20, and 28 gauge and combine the affordability and short-range effectiveness of steel pellets with the heavier (12 g/cc) punch of tungsten. There are four new HEVI-Steel layered offerings this year, including 12-gauge 2xBB and 2x4 and 20-gauge 2x4 and 3x5. Also new is a 1 1/8-ounce HEVI-Steel 16-gauge 2¾-inch load that is available in 2, 4, 6, and BB. There’s also a new 16-gauge, 2¾-inch load in the HEVI-Metal Longer Range lineup that also comes with 1⅛-ounce payloads. Lastly from HEVI-Shot are new 100 packs of popular HEVI-Steel and HEVI-Hammer loads in both 12 and 20 gauge.

Check these out on: hevishot.com

Hornady

The big news from Hornady is the .338 ARC (Advanced Rifle Cartridge). This unique round was designed to function in AR-15 rifles. The 307-grain SUB-X bullet at 1,050 fps offers 1.6 times more energy than the .300 Blackout subsonic for improved terminal performance. There’s also a 175-grain HP that offers a muzzle velocity of 2,075 fps. With an overall length of 2.260 inches, this cartridge will function flawlessly in AR-15 rifles and is also a great option for lightweight micro bolt-action guns. Hornady designed the .338 ARC to be cleaner than other subsonic rounds, and it functions with a 1:8 twist barrel for both supersonic and subsonic loads. It is also engineered to provide reliable subsonic and supersonic operation with the same gas settings.

Also new this year is Backcountry Defense handgun ammunition, which is designed to offer threat-stopping straight-line penetration against large, dangerous predators. The heart of this ammunition is Hornady’s new DGH (Dangerous Game Handgun) bullet that features a protected point design that locks the core to the jacket for straight-line penetration without deflection—key features when selecting a bear-stopping bullet. Because it uses a heavy-for-caliber jacketed bullet instead of a hard cast bullet there’s no lead smoke for improved awareness and faster follow-ups. Seven new Backcountry Defense loads are offered this year, ranging from a 138-grain 9mm+P load to a 500-grain .500 S&W Magnum.      Hornady is also expanding their existing ammunition lines this year as well. The popular .22 ARC cartridge will now be available loaded with a 70-grain CX monolithic bullet as well as an 80-grain ELD-X hunting bullet. A bit of good news for fans of the 6mm GT as well: factory ammunition will be available for this cartridge from Hornady starting in 2025.

Check these out on: hornady.com

Nosler

Nosler is taking aim at America’s most popular big-game animal with the launch of their new Whitetail Country centerfire rifle ammunition. Whitetail Country is available in a variety of popular cartridges like .270 Winchester, .30-30, .308 Winchester, and .30-06, and there are also two straight-wall offerings: .350 Legend and .45-70. The .350 Legend and .45-70 loads feature Nosler’s straight-wall jacketed soft point lead-core bullets which are engineered to expand reliably at extended ranges, and the bullet’s ogive is optimized for reliable feeding. Non straight-wall cartridges come with Nosler’s Solid Base jacketed lead core bullets that offer an accuracy-enhancing boat-tailed bullet profile and offer consistent, reliable performance at a variety of ranges. This American-made ammunition is optimized for whitetails and comes loaded in high-quality brass with superb propellants for a very affordable price point.

Check these out on: nosler.com

Remington

Remington has continued to expand their classic Core-Lokt line of hunting ammunition, and for 2025 the company is offering Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun ammunition. Building on the rugged and time-tested Core-Lokt design, these bullets are optimized for lever-action rifles and feature a flat polymer tip. Ballistic coefficients are also improved for better downrange performance. For example, Remington’s 180-grain Core-Lokt Tipped bullet features a BC of .212, which is considerably better than the soft-point 180-grain .360 Buckhammer load that offers a BC of .163. This translates to better downrange performance with flatter trajectories, more energy, and less wind drift. Six new Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun loads are available for 2025: .30-30 Winchester 150-grain, .35 Remington 200-grain, .45-70 300-grain, .444 Marlin 240-grain, .32 Winchester Special 170-grain, and .360 Buckhammer 180-grain.

There are other new additions to the Remington Core-Lokt family this year, too: Remington is working with Bill Wilson of Wilson Combat and adding an 150-grain Core-Lokt .300 Ham’r load. Also new for 2025 is a .300 Remington Ultra Magnum 180-grain load to their Core-Lokt Tipped line.

Remington’s new shotgun products include their Premier Royal Flush line of upland hunting ammunition. These loads feature plated lead shot for consistent patterns. With shot sizes ranging from No. 4 to No. 6, you can find the right load for hunting everything from preserve birds to wild-flushing late-season roosters. Also new this year is Remington Duck Club, an economical steel load available in both 12- and 20-gauge offerings that’s ideal for a variety of situations.

Fans of steel shot should also check out Remington’s new Nitro Steel Duplex 20 gauge. Available in three different 3-inch, 1-ounce loads, Nitro Steel Duplex comes with a blend of 2x4, 2x6, or 4x6 shot, making it a versatile, affordable non-toxic load for your sub-gauge duck gun.

Remington’s rimfire line is extending in 2025 with the introduction of Wheelgun 22, a 39-grain truncated-cone lead .22 LR bullet optimized for use in revolvers. Wheelgun 22 is low velocity and low noise, making it the optimal choice for plinking. Remington is also releasing Standard V, a 38-grain lead round-nose .22 LR bullet made for the economical shooter. Also new for 2025 is Remington’s revamp of the .22 Short. These will be offered in both a 29-grain plated round nose and a 27-grain plated hollow point. All of these new loads, as well as the existing offerings from Remington, will include new technological advances and can be identified by the “R” head stamp.

Check these out on: remington.com

Winchester

Winchester is changing the rimfire game with the launch of their new 21 Sharps, and in doing so they’re taking on the oldest and most popular cartridge available today—the .22 LR. The .22 LR has been popular since the 1800s, and it’s estimated that there are around 2.5 billionrounds of .22 LR produced annually. However, despite its popularity and longevity the .22 LR is not without its issues. Foremost among those is the use of a heeled bullet that restricts bullet design. Faced with the option to change the .22 LR cartridge or bullet, Winchester wisely opted to redesign the bullet profile to eliminate the need for a heeled bullet. The new .210-inch .21 Sharps bullet can be loaded into .22 LR-sized cases. This offers Winchester the flexibility to use a wider variety of bullet designs than are available with the .22 LR. Winchester will initially offer four .21 Sharps offerings: a 34-grain JHP, a 37-grain copper-plated lead bullet, a 42-grain FMJ, and a 25-grain lead-free Copper Matrix bullet. The Copper Matrix is groundbreaking because it offers a rimfire option in areas where lead ammunition is banned. Velocities range from 1,300 fps for the 42-grain FMJ to around 1,750 for the 25-grain Copper Matrix bullet, and that translates into excellent terminal performance on small game. Winchester claims that the 34-grain bullet expands to an average of 173 percent of its original size while retaining 99 percent of its original weight and penetrating nearly three feet of gelatin. All of which means it performs appreciably better than the .22 LR. The design requires nothing more than a barrel swap to change .22 LR rifles to .21 Sharps, and the ability to use new, modern, and easy-to-manufacture bullets could potentially help mitigate periodic rimfire ammunition shortages that have plagued shooters.

Also new from Winchester is Last Call, a brand-new waterfowl load that utilizes 18 g/cc TSS shot for improved lethality on ducks and geese. TSS will be available in 12-, 20-, and 28-gauge offerings as well as .410.

Because it utilizes high-density TSS pellets, Last Call ammunition is loaded with pellets that are smaller in diameter (No. 5 to No. 9), and this allows for more pellets per shot. TSS’s incredibly high density makes it lethal on birds, reducing cripples and resulting in cleaner, faster kills.

Check these out on: winchester.com

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https://www.letsgoshooting.org/resources/articles/rifle/new-rifles-coming-to-stores-in-2025/

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Cheers to the incredible women of #SCINashville who made the Women Go Hunting Mix & Mingle unforgettable! 🥂 From once-in-a-lifetime auction items to @LDWF's Madison Sheehan’s inspiring message and a global gathering of women - this event truly had it all. Here’s to celebrating… pic.twitter.com/TdgsHMsT3P

— Safari Club International (@SafariClubIntl) February 3, 2025

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Shiras’ moose now roam Nevada, thanks to effective wildlife management! 🌿 Sustainable hunting supports conservation and habitat health. Curious to learn more about this success story? Visit here: https://t.co/xr0tpG5J3N

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Ducks Unlimited and its Conservation Programs Committee congratulate the winners of the 2024 Excellence in Conservation Awards. @DUConserve https://t.co/lYx1qmyziS

— Ducks Unlimited (@DucksUnlimited) February 6, 2025

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Shooting lanes and Mock Scrapes work great together!🦌 #deer #deerhunting pic.twitter.com/wp4EEGqwjk

— Deer & Deer Hunting (@deerhuntingmag) February 6, 2025

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(1/2) RESCUE STORY! ⛑️ When Wildlife Manager Matthew Binney got a call about an elk that fell into a ditch, Matt quickly hatched a plan. After chemically immobilizing the elk, he used a few vehicle tow straps and a nearby excavator to pull the elk back to safety. pic.twitter.com/GcY4PiR4Mo

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That Straight on look that hides his 5th point on both sides. pic.twitter.com/fVHQxtGouv

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Ice skating turkeys? I think we have seen it all! 📸: @Druryoutdoors pic.twitter.com/S38R0O8pwm

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These days, elk aren't very happy with Mr. Groundhog. #rmef #elk #huntingisconservation pic.twitter.com/Is1AqHRHxr

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