kevin.303,
Here are my opinions:
Get a slate call and practice until you can sound like a turkey. You don't have to be fancy, you just have to be able to yelp and cluck. You may have to work on the slate with sandpaper here and there to get a realistic sound. A video really helps here. Scouting is as important as anything, trying to pattern them if your area affords them to stay in one general area. They will never do the same thing every day, but they may roost in a general area and stay with the same food source for a while. If you don't feel comfortable trying to slip in at dark and catch them at fly-down, then try to set up between their roost and where you think they'll go. Alot of videos give the impression that it's easy to sneak in close to their roost and call them right down to you. This is not always the case. Only experience will teach you how close you can get without bumping them. I have killed many more birds later in the morning, after they have been with hens and are responsive to a new love interest. Be persistent; if you set up on a bird but he ends up leaving, try to guess where he is going and get in front of him again. Decoys are great along with a comfortable butt pad for patient waits. Try to call less than you want and learn from your mistakes. As for shooting distance, pattern your choke and load and let shot densities dictate, usually 50 yds. max with a magnum load and good tight pattern. Good luck!
irkjr
