A tree wider than the shoulders and higher than the head conceals a hunter's outline and provides protection from a shot fired from behind by a hunter stalking a call. A cushion will provide comfort for a hunter who must sit quietly for a long time. Hunters are responsible for their own safety and the safety of others, and they should avoid colors that resemble those found on turkeys. Black, blue, red and white should be avoided, even for socks or handkerchiefs. Decoys should be carried concealed in a camouflaged or hunter-orange bag so that another hunter will not mistake a decoy for a live bird.
Many hunters attach a strip of orange tape to the tree against which they are sitting.
As a tom prepares to leave the roost, he usually quiets his chorus of gobbles and sometimes crashes through twigs and limbs on the way to the ground. Toms usually gobble immediately after leaving the roost, and hunters should give them some direction with a soft series of yelps. It is important to avoid calling too aggressively, but if a tom moves away from a hunter, more raucous pleading might be necessary. If a tom is accompanied by hens, it can be difficult to call him away from them, but a skillful and experienced caller who has mastered a turkey's vocabulary often can influence even a tom following a harem of hens. Becoming a skillful caller requires many hours of study and practice, but a first-time turkey hunter can learn much from instructional videos and audio tapes available where calls are sold.