It might not be as big as deer or trout, but those who love turkey hunting love turkey hunting. A large majority of Pennsylvania's 250,000 turkey hunters will be in the woods at least an hour before dawn on Saturday. With barely contained excitement, they will try to get comfortable in a spot with good visibility while ensuring that they have good screening protection from behind. Either a scope or fiber-optic sight helps place your shot in the right place, the gobbler's head and neck area. Such sights make you aim carefully, which, while unusual for most shotgun shooting, is necessary when shooting big, strong, tough gobblers.
Full camouflage is de rigueur, including a hat and face mask or full paint facial make-up.
I genuinely hate to get up really early. But when I do rise early and get into the woods well before dawn, I marvel at my distaste for early rising. A dawn woodland is a wonderful place. It is a place to see and hear nature's most secretive animals, from flying squirrels to bobcats and coyotes. No time of day can compare to dawn, not even the most beautiful sunset.