The two ways to learn how to turkey-hunt both work. You can learn all about turkey hunting by yourself through trial and error, which is the slowest way to learn to turkey-hunt and means you’ll make the most mistakes. Or, you can hunt with the best turkey hunters anyone knows and learn from them what they do, why they do it, when they do what, and what not to do.

When I started my turkey-hunting career, I was in college, back in the 1960s when very few people hunted wild turkeys, due to their small populations. But because my university was located in a rural section of Alabama, a high percentage of my college friends had taken from 25-50 turkeys each before they arrived at college. They were willing to share with me what they had learned, and how they became successful.

Besides my college turkey-hunting mentors, I asked at the local barber shop and the hardware and grocery stores, “Who’s the best turkey hunter in town?” I was given several different names, and I asked each of them if they would teach me to turkey-hunt. They all were willing.

Then when I became an outdoor writer, I was fortunate enough to interview, hunt with, and learn from many of the nation’s best turkey hunters. Several were World Champion turkey callers and Grand National Turkey Calling Champions, and many had won more than 50 turkey-calling contests all across the nation.

While obtaining my turkey-hunting education, I’ve written what I’ve learned from each of these great men to pass that information on to my listeners. One mantra I’ve always subscribed to is: “To get from where you are in the outdoors to where you want to be, find someone who is what you want to be, and do whatever they tell you."

Turkeys: Today’s Tactics for Longbeards Tomorrow includes hunting strategies with pros Will Primos, David Hale, Eddie Salter, Preston Pittman, Allen Jenkins, Terry Rohm, Paul Butski, Larry Norton, and others.