looking for a list of recommended equipment,
Well, ok then, now that we're in hunting forum....
-Shotgun with full, x-tra full, or ultra full choke. Some people put optics (scopes, ESDs) on their turkey guns, but it's not necessary. This will be my first year to use anything but iron sights. I'm running with a Nikon Omega 1.65-4x36mm scope on my turkey rig this spring.
-Ammo that patterns well in your gun through said choke (preferably 4, 5, or 6 shot) - shell length doesn't really matter unless you try to shoot them past 40 yards. Having said that, I have shot at them at 40-45 yards, and I use a 2 oz. 6-shot load in a 3.0" shell. I think 5 shot is perfect, and 4 shot is better than 6 for longer ranges (past 35-40 yards), and 5 or 6 shot is better for closer ranges. But any/all will work fine.
-A collapsible bipod or tripod or monopod (pole cat, steady stix, etc.) is highly recommended, for a good shot. The height needs to match your chair height.
-Some camo clothing helps - cover your hands and face with something, even if not camo. Obviously, try to match the camo to your actual hunting grounds. Mossy Oak's "Brush" is a great all-purpose camo, IMO. Leafy / 3-D camo can be a bonus, but not really necessary. Sitting still is 100 times more important than having ANY camo, let alone 3-D camo.
-Locater calls (gobbler, owl, crow - I like the plain gobble or even just a standard yelp from a loud box call for a locater; as a result, I see no need for crow or owl calls.)
-Lure calls. Box and/or push-pin and/or slate and/or mouth calls for yelps, clucks, purrs, & cutting/cackle. Practice those calls. Box and push-pin calls are the easiest to learn; slate calls the 2nd easiest and a close 2nd at that, and mouth calls the hardest, by far.) I like to have a mouth call in, and a slate & stick call in my hand. The slate call, which is the easiest to learn to sound very realistic on clucks & purrs will (hopefully) get them coming toward you. Then when you spot them or hear them within 60 yards or so, slowly put the slate call down and pick up the shotgun and get pointed in their direction, and
shut up & sit still. They will probably not need any more calling because they will see your decoys, but if they see you move and start to back out, hitting a mouth call yelp without moving can sometimes give them the confidence to turn back your way.
-Decoys. This can be 1 or more. Most people put down 1, 2, or 3 decoys. They can be hens, jakes, or a combination. Usually I put down 2 decoys: One is just a hen, and one is a decoy that's made to look like a jake mounting a hen, with two heads that swivel in the breeze - it works well if a tom sees it. If I'm not going far from the pickup / camp, then I will take 2 hens and the hen/jake one. I like the decoys to be right near me and right in front of me, maybe 5 yards away or 10 yards away tops. Spread them around so that at least one can be seen by anything coming through the woods from different directions, at different angles through the trees. Get the decoys up as high as you can get them, and as uncluttered by immediately-nearby brush/grass as possible, in a slightly opened up area.
-A camo chair or turkey vest - just something to sit on and keep you comfy.
-A blind *definitely, definitely* helps to not be seen, and is highly recommended, *at least* for your initial morning setup, despite what you read above. The more movement you can hide the better. The best scenario is to figure out where they're roosting (the hard part), then figure out where the fly down area would be (easier), and then set up a blind in some trees adjacent to the flydown area with your back to the morning sun. Put your decoys out in the flydown area. Do all that and your successful hunt will be over by 7:45.
-Some amount of blaze orange gear (a flag or hat or whatever) to wear while just walking around, then hide each time you set up.
-The usual assortment of hunting stuff: earplugs, water bottle, knife for gutting, flashlights, compasses, etc.
Probably THE most important hunting tip is to call a moderate to heavy amount UNTIL you think one is coming closer (gobbles get louder). Once you determine that one is coming toward you, then SHUT UP and quit calling. You have to just let them come in. If they START coming in, they will CONTINUE to come in until they reach you, provided they're not hung up by a creek. So calling AFTER you know they are coming in can ONLY serve to hurt you - by making a call that sounds fake or too intense, etc., it could scare them off. You only call if you are getting NO response (no gobbles), OR one is gobbling but going AWAY from you or staying put. Once they're moving toward, you shut up and wait - they will see your decoys from a long way out and come on in even if you are silent, regardless of they they keep gobbling or not.
Another important tip: Keep your eyes open. Turkeys will come in to your calls without making ANY noise a lot of times, and you can get shot this way, so be on the lookout even if no auditory response. This happens far more likely with some combination of these things:
1. Jake groups
2. Late in the season - any male
3. Hens (you're not there to shoot a hen, but they might come in an 'call for you' after they come in, if they see your hen decoy and get jealous)
4. Later in the day (after 8:30 or 9:00 am)
5. Eastern birds
