If a wild turkey could smell, they would be just about unkillable. Why? They have absolutely incredible eyesight. Lucky for us, we only have to fool their eyes and ears to hunt them. Since the slightest movement or noise can put an ol’ long beard on alert, a turkey hunter has to be completely quiet and camouflaged to be successful.
How do you choose the best camo pattern for you? Consider these three points.
1) What part of the country will you be spring turkey hunting in this year?
You’ll need to know your environment before you choose a camouflage pattern. For example, you may live in New York but may be planning your first turkey hunting trip to the state of Texas. The terrain differences in these two places are drastically different and need to be considered when determining your camo choice. In the northeast, you may want to go with more of a woods-type pattern such as Mossy Oak “Obsession” or Realtree “Xtra Green”. If you were traveling to Texas, you might want to go with a more open pattern like Realtree “Xtra” or Mossy Oak “Shadow Grass Blades”.
Always remember to consider the terrain you will be hunting in when choosing a camo pattern for spring turkey hunting.
2) What time of the spring will you be turkey hunting?
This is probably the most overlooked aspect of choosing a spring turkey hunting camouflage pattern. During the few weeks of spring when most turkey seasons start to open, there are a ton of changes taking place in the woods. Depending on the weather of the turkey season opening day, there will be little or no green in the woods. Patterns such as Mossy Oak “Bottomland” or Realtree “Hardwoods HD” are great choices. Within a couple weeks of opening day, there will be more green beginning to appear in the spring turkey woods. A smart turkey hunter will pay close attention to the details and adapt his camouflage pattern according to the changes he sees. As green starts to creep into your hunting area, Realtree “Xtra Green” and Mossy Oak “Obsession” patterns are excellent choices.
3) Dress for Success!
Now that we have discussed items to consider for choosing a particular camouflage pattern, let’s think about different camouflage options for different weather conditions. There is nothing worse than being uncomfortably hot or cold in the spring turkey woods. Early in the spring it can still be very cool in the mornings, and if the wind is blowing, it can be downright freezing. If the weatherman is calling for cold or cooler than normal temperatures, consider wearing some cold weather whitetail or duck hunting gear. As long as the patterns match your terrain, which they typically will in the early season when temperatures are still colder and the woods haven’t started to green up, your deer or duck hunting camouflage clothing can pull double duty for you. Both the Drake and Non-Typical Brands are excellent choices for cold weather camouflage clothing.
Now, let’s talk about warm weather conditions. When temperatures soar into the 80’s, or even 90’s, you’ll be downright miserable if you’re not wearing the right clothes. Our number one choice is the Ol’ Tom Brand by Drake which is available in both Mossy Oak and Realtree and is available in both early season and late season patterns. The Ultra Dura-Lite fabric used to make the Ol’ Tom clothing line is perfect for warm weather conditions. Cool and breathable material is essential when choosing a warm weather fabric to hunt in.
Concealment and comfort are a must when it comes to spring turkey hunting. A turkey hunter knows that paying attention to all the details will help him be more successful in the spring turkey woods.
Good luck out there!
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