Turkey Hunting Archives - Page 38 of 52

May 2, 2026

Find an open ridge and take advantage of the terrain to get a gobbler within range before he sees you.

Terrain, terrain, terrain

Hunters who pursue turkeys in the mountains have one thing in their favor that’s not available to those in other areas of South Carolina: the terrain. […]

Trumpets like these that Charles Hudson makes produce some of the best sounds of any turkey call — once you learn to master them.

Trumpet calls are often overlooked by turkey hunters. Also known as “artificial wing bones”, these calls are a bit more difficult to master than a box, slate or diaphragm call, but they produce the pure sounds that are difficult to mimic with other calls. […]

The low-lying land on either side of the Roanoke River are full of turkeys; it’s excellent habitat.

Avoid being seen, bugged while hunting

Craig Holt

Equipment needed when hunting wild turkeys remains the same, with only a few exceptions, in northeastern North Carolina. […]

Stick with soft purrs when calling a gobbler headed your way; they can be made with a variety of calls.

How much to call, which sounds to use

Craig Holt

Guide Clark Purvis, who called 16 gobblers to hunters during the 2012 spring season, said he prefers a Don Carter double-reed mouth call, but the frequency and loudness of calls depends upon what a hunter hears before he makes the first sound. […]

A 12-gauge shotgun is a common choice for turkey hunters, but use an extra-tight choke and pattern your gun and favorite load until you know exactly how it shoots.

Tight chokes, 12 gauges and No. 5 shot effective

Craig Holt

Although wild turkeys have been killed with many gauges of shotguns and pellet sizes, guide Clark Purvis said hunters can maximize their chances with a firearm specifically set up for gobblers. […]

A ‘stuffer’ gobbler decoy (left) can be the most-effective all turkey decoys under the right circumstances. It’s hard for a store-bought to beat the real thing.

Nothing like the real thing

Jeff Burleson

Over the past 20 years, turkey fever has set in across North Carolina, and every decoy manufacturer has amped up its styles and attention to detail. […]

Youth-Only turkey hunting is great chance to involve kids in the outdoors

Bill Howard

Youth-only hunting days are designed to entice adults to mentor young hunters without succumbing to the temptations of hunting for themselves, and this year, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission expanded youth-only turkey hunting from one day to a six, from the first Saturday of April through the Friday that precedes the regular-season opener. […]