Countdown To Flydown: Final Prep Before Opening Day
Spring Turkey Checklist
By: Paul Campbell & Chad “Gobbles” T.P.
Countdown to the Flydown: Final Prep Before Opening Day
It’s almost here. You can hear it in your dreams and feel it deep in your sou. That first gobble cracking the dawn, echoing through the hardwoods like a promise. Spring is here and optimistic turkey hunters from across the country will venture into the woods in search of those magical moments and the chance at harvesting a Wild Turkey Gobbler.
For turkey hunters, this final stretch before opening day is a special kind of madness. The anticipation is real—and the preparation matters.
Here’s your final-week checklist to make sure you’re dialed in, confident, and ready to roll into the woods with purpose.
🦃 1. Gear Check – Don't Get Caught Slippin'
This is the time to lay it all out. Your vest. Your camo. Your boots. Your calls. Your shells. Go through every pocket and every pouch and every scenario you might encounter in your travels.
Replace batteries in optics, flashlights and lanterns
Treat clothes and boots for ticks, and replenish bug spray and thermacells
Recondition your slate and pot calls, replenish sand paper and scotch pads
Buy new mouth calls. Bacteria can grow on calls from previous seasons
Sand your strikers and check your box call for proper chalk and tuning
Inspect the reeds on locator calls, they can stick after years of use. Clean as needed
Pack extra gloves, face masks, and socks—because wet gear ruins mornings
Test your decoys and stakes for any breaks or malfunctions
Double-check your license and tags for each State-Green Jeans don’t play
Review each State regulations and check new game laws, rules are changing often
Are there special regulations in the States you are hunting? Decoys,
Verify turkey Totes, hydration bladders, water bottles, pruners etc are in good shape
👉 Pro Tip: Pack a small essentials pouch with a multitool, lighter, flagging tape, and ibuprofen. It’s not glamorous, but it’s saved more than one hunt.
📍 2. Pattern Your Gun (Even If You "Did Last Year")
If you haven’t patterned your gun with your current choke and turkey loads this year, do it this week.
Why?
A clean barrel and a fresh lot of shells can behave differently
TSS, lead, or blended shells can all hit differently—even from the same gun
New optic? You better double-check it
Get that 40-yard pattern dialed in, and don’t ignore your close-range POI either. That 15-yard shot can sneak up fast.
🎙️ 3. Call Practice – But With Intention
Don't just sit on the porch yelping into the void. Practice with purpose.
Record yourself and listen back
Focus on transitions—yelp to cluck, cutt to purr etc.
Know which call you'll use for different scenarios. Windy mornings might change up your calling plan. Be flexible and be prepared
If you’re using multiple call types (mouth, box, pot), practice situational control: when and how to use each effectively
Being proficient at several different call types can help a Turkey hunter in the Spring woods.
You don’t need to sound like a competition caller—you need to sound real enough to fool one old bird. That’s it.
🗺️ 4. Final Scouting – Roost Talk & Boot Leather
You’ve probably been glassing and listening for weeks, but now it’s time to pin it down.
Slip in at dawn and listen from a safe distance
Look for fresh scratching, tracks, and droppings
Identify entry and exit routes to likely roost trees
Drop pins on secondary setups—because gobblers rarely read the script
Avoid over-scouting your prime spot—don’t educate the bird before the season starts
Check your State regulation for calling to turkeys prior to the season. It’s generally a good idea to use a locator call only. Those turkeys don’t need a calling lesson before the season starts!
🌲 5. Mental Prep – Be Calm. Be Humble. Be Patient.
Opening day rarely goes how you dream it. Gobblers may be henned up. It might be dead silent. You might hear 10 different birds and not see a single one.
That’s turkey hunting.
What you can control:
Your woodsmanship
Your setup choices
Your patience and your pace
Prepare your mind just like your gear. Get up early a few days this week. Go for a walk in the woods. Watch the sun rise. Get in that turkey state of mind.
🚨 Final Thought: Be Safe. Be Legal. Be Grateful.
Whether you're chasing mountain longbeards, swamp gobblers, or Midwest field birds—remember: every hunt is a blessing. Be safe. Know your target. Respect the land, the bird, and the hunters who came before you.
Opening day is almost here. Let the countdown begin. 🦃
Spring is the best time of year for a Turkey hunter. Be safe. Be legal. Be grateful.