Wild turkey
Ridge birds and river-bottom birds. Turkey in NorCal is a patience hunt with a vest full of calls and a reason to be in the timber before deer season.
Where they live
Oak ridges, river benches, and the edges of ranch country where a flock can see you before you see them. Roosts matter. So does not walking the same trail every Saturday.
How we hunt it
Spring is about not calling too much. Fall is about finding the flock and not educating every bird on the ridge. We would rather sit quiet for an hour than burn a setup in ten minutes.
Before you go
Separate spring and fall rules in your head. A turkey tag is not a deer tag and the methods are not the same. Read the current season on the Board, then the booklet.
Dates and rules on NorCalHunt are the desk's briefing notes. Confirm every season, tag, and refuge rule with CDFW before you leave the driveway.