turkey hunting series question 9 - preparation for April

[birddogdad]

What are you doing NOW to prep for April opener? I get this is vague but you can discuss ALL aspects of your pre season process....

[Dan-o]

I have a mouth diaphragm by my garage stairs. 

Once or twice a day as I go by, I throw it in and try to get good yelps/putts/purrs the first time.

I hate not having confidence that I can make a turkey sound without having to "tune up" 

[baldopepper]

Been hunting the same general area for over 30 years.  Honestly have got it down pretty pat where to find them and how to hunt em when I do find em. My prep is to simply make sure I've got a handful of shells and my gun is clean and working.  Last few years I've kind of found it fun to find one particular tom and just hunt him. Chased one for two seasons before I finally out smarteUd him. Best prep I know of is find an area that has birds and get to know it intimately
  After a few seasons you get it figured out what they're gonna do and where they're likely gonna be and it gets fairly easy to get one. Just a great time to be out in woods and actually shooting one is anticlimactic. 

[birddogdad]

so as some of you know, i run several states. By no means a 49'er! But, my now time includes deciding on a "new" state to run. lots of logistics there, onx.... research county harvests... public access....dates allowed to hunt ect (for non res delays like montana just did messed up my plans already this coming season). every state has specific rules to follow, like hunt hours, not every state lets you run daylight to dusk for turkeys or reaping (effective but not a big fan here for public hunting). I also get all my licenses in hand, hate having to stop in route and get. Ammo (TSS)  this year could be worse than past too,  i expect source supplies are problematic with all the tariff and waring going on. check batteries in red dot and head lamps too! gear treated with sawyers and i do uv blocker.

something  when hunting that i always try to do is work a new area that i have not been before one day or even half day if that is all i have... I have made some really great finds that way too!

[pickardjw]

Pulling out a few diaphragms for the truck, and making sure I have plenty in good condition for the season.

Gonna pattern the shotgun in the next few weekends, make sure I don't need to make any adjustments to the red dot.

Need to do the permethrin treatment on my hunting clothes for the spring. I do a 5 gallon bucket soak method below. Works GREAT when combined with tucking pants into socks/boots, and tucking shirt/midlayers into pants. Important to use water based permethrin, not oil based.

19:1 Ratio of water to 10% Martin's permethrin.

3 Gallons of water (384 oz) mixed with 20oz of 10% Martin's permethrin for a 0.5% dilution. Soak for 2-3 hours. Spin cycle in the washer then hang dry.

[Billy74]

Got my new red dot patterned.  Permethrin treatment this weekend.  Getting the dust and cobwebs of my camping stuff.  My hardest chore is getting out the door on time if its a day trip.  I like to be out the door before 3am to be in place before sunrise. Still have never left on time lol.  I always seem to have more to do at 2:30 am than you would think is possible.


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[pickardjw]

Got my new red dot patterned.  Permethrin treatment this weekend.  Getting the dust and cobwebs of my camping stuff.  My hardest chore is getting out the door on time if its a day trip.  I like to be out the door before 3am to be in place before sunrise. Still have never left on time lol.  I always seem to have more to do at 2:30 am than you would think is possible.

Coffee the night before in a Stanley thermos is my trick...if you have a good one it'll still be too hot to drink after 8 hours! Cuts a solid amount of time out of the morning routine.

[bhammac]

This exactly......

Pulling out a few diaphragms for the truck, and making sure I have plenty in good condition for the season.

Gonna pattern the shotgun in the next few weekends, make sure I don't need to make any adjustments to the red dot.

Need to do the permethrin treatment on my hunting clothes for the spring. I do a 5 gallon bucket soak method below. Works GREAT when combined with tucking pants into socks/boots, and tucking shirt/midlayers into pants. Important to use water based permethrin, not oil based.

19:1 Ratio of water to 10% Martin's permethrin.

3 Gallons of water (384 oz) mixed with 20oz of 10% Martin's permethrin for a 0.5% dilution. Soak for 2-3 hours. Spin cycle in the washer then hang dry.

[Torrent50]

I had some purely cosmetic things done to the shotgun (completely unnecessary, but I just felt like it) and just got it back and together so I need to get it out and shoot a few shells thru it to make sure it's working right after the complete tear-down.  I got a new vest (also completely unnecessary) so I have gotten that set up and ready to go. 

Permethrin treatment is next on the to-do list and continue practicing with my calls. 

Also some phone calls to timber companies to verify what is open/closed where I plan to go.

[birddogdad]

Im hearing TSS is going thru the roof and going to get scarce with tarriffs and military actions...

[Russ McDonald]

Pretty much nothing.  Got a few new mouth calls that is about it.  Gear up for the annual turkey camp in Newport.  I am going to be camp chef again because I have a food handler cert.  I was dumb to get that

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[TheYoungSelfStarter]

Pretty basic but make sure my calls are dialed (the commute to work and gym haha), car/truck is all square (keeping an eye on my tires right now, won't hurt to get a new set before, oil change in about 1k miles as well). Gun got cleaned right after duck season.

Not so much hunting related but spring turkey weather usually means warm weather here, which brings outdoor plans with friends and family (park days, ambitious first boat day, hikes, etc.). No one counts down the days like you will, so it doesn't hurt to remind those you love which weekends/days you will be away in the woods (sometimes more than once haha).