First off get yourself some calls, mouth and box calls, get a locater call also. A crow call is most common but a coyote howler will work also, something loud and natural. Start researching areas that hold birds, it can take some time but you can find all you need to get started by searching the web. Game and fish magazine actually has some decent info on their website, it should at least give you some starting points on areas to look. I've found many good spots out of state by researching online, from there its a lot of foot work. I wouldn't worry about getting lined up on a bird before the season starts, in my experience hunting merriams and rio mountain birds, the hunting only gets better as the season goes. generally the gobblers are henned up, its real cold and lots of snow on the ground early so the birds are less vocal. As the season wears on they lose their hens, the snow begins to melt and the gobblers start searching for more hens making them easier to call. Not only that the hunting pressure is about gone. On my trips to Idaho I dont go until the last week, it ends 5/25, I still get snowed on but the birds are fired up and its a lot of fun. Run and gun seems to be the preferred method of most western turkey hunters but i think this is because of the lack of turkey hunting experience that most hunters out west have. It takes a long time to figure out how to call turkeys effectively, especially if you only get to harvest one bird a year. I could go on and on about turkey hunting, if you have any specific questions, ask!
