This list is for those hunters that are interested in giving turkey hunting a try, but are not sure what they need to get started.  A fair warning, turkey hunting is addicting. So, if you already have too many hobbies, be careful venturing out on a cool spring morning in late march.  The good news is, if you are already a hunter, this is a hobby you can add without spending too much money.  Assuming you already have camo and a shotgun, the most important items for your Turkey Vest are:

  1. A Turkey Vest.  There are many styles and sizes, but the main function of a turkey vest is to carry your calls, gloves, face mask, etc. and have a nice cushion for those long sits in the woods.  The Beard Buster vest gives you everything you need without all the bulk that comes with some vests.  Larger is not always better, especially in the South where you could be hunting in 80 degree weather.
  2. Thermacell – This product should be #1 on the list, but you might want the vest to carry it.  Where I hunt in south Georgia, the mosquitos can be so bad that you could lose a pint of blood per hunt.  I’m not sure exactly what Thermacell’s secret is, but it works!
  3. Shells – There are many Turkey loads on the market, and for this product, you definitely get what you pay for.  After trying many different shells, I have landed on and stuck with Hevi-Shot Hevi 13’s .   With shot sizes of 5,6,and 7 all in the same shell, Hevi-Shot is just as deadly at 40 yards as it is at 10 yards.  It is also 20% more dense than lead, giving it an extra punch.
  4. Turkey Calls – If you’ve never practiced a turkey call in your life, and want to go hunting this weekend, your best bet is a push-button call.  Knight and Hale make a great starter call.  Just because this call is simple, doesn’t mean it’s not effective.  When I first started turkey hunting, I called in a bunch of birds with this call.  If you have time to practice, the mouth call is the best call for hunting.  It frees up your hands so they don’t ever have to leave the gun.  A fair warning, these calls can be difficult to figure out, and if you have a bad gag reflex, don’t even bother trying.  I have found the easiest mouth call for beginner is the Primos Sonic Dome .
  5. SNAKES – Not to discourage anyone from hunting, but snakes are out this time of year, and can be aggressive.  If you don’t want to spend $100+ on snake boots, buy this Snake bite kit to keep in your vest.  It could save your life.  If you are willing to spend the money on snake boots, there is no pair more comfortable than these Cabelas Boots.

If you want to head out to the Turkey woods this weekend, all you need is $100 to purchase all the items above, and you will be ready to shoot a turkey in the face.