Use whatever you got, I killed my first with an NEF single shot 12 and fixed mod barrel. After several years I built the for me ideal turkey gun - a mossberg 835 with 22" barrel, 12.5" lop hogue stock, and burris fast fire. I am 5'9", but prefer short LOP on my turkey guns - esp with a red dot...
Tristar and yildiz very similar, both Turkish guns. I think yildiz looks cleaner, but agreed Tristar if not near an academy. I have 686 silver spigeon in 28 with 30" barrels and love it! Would like a yildiz for those rainy days though, the beretta stocks spot easily with water but i don't want...
Like SW va? I'm mostly in GWNF in warren, page, shenadoah, and frederick. Those are extreme NW corner of state but I guess that's the "valley" vs "west"?
I just snagged a used rei magma 850 hoodie 2.0 in army green for about 85 shipped from their used gear site. They got solid reviews and are a steal for under $100. DWR, 13oz total, and 5oz 850 down. Still a few left in various colors/ sizes used...
Agreed - I think a box call tends to encourage over-calling in beginners. Most useful call (noise) for the beginner and most public land hunters is prob the soft purr and cluck.