Hi all I'm new to turkey hunting(never been so please excuse my noviseness)I live in NoVA and plan to hunt in orange county on a friend's property. I've scouted there for a few weeks now and I have seen them but only through good binoculars,can you recommend a few calls for a beginner and maybe tips on what to look for in a good location to call from/sit and wait(my guess would be high ground in a tree line)
Thanks alot for any wisdom you could throw my way

Hard to beat a good Box Call or a pot call (slate or glass). Woodmanship IMO means more then good calling (good calling helps for sure). When you scout the property get there before daylight and sit yourself up at pretty much the highest point and just sit down and listen. The birds will hopefully start gobbling before flydown and with a bit of luck you can determine when the flock is headed when they hit the ground. You'll want to be in that general direction on opening day. Lot easier to cause them to deviate their intended path to check you out then make them totally pull a 180 and head for you when the hens are leading them elsewhere.

While your scouting don't call. As far a practicing your calling lots of DVD's out there that show you how to do it and these days you can just go on the net and find out how to do it for free. PS. Good camo is a must and a good padded seat is most important as well. Hard to sit still for long when you have a sharp rock sticking you in the butt.

PS. I'm kind of fond of the Primo's power crystal and also the Primos heartbreaker box calls. However, there are lots of others out there. At some point you will want to switch to mouthcalls, but they take a bit more practice to master and you don't have much time before the season comes in.

Double PS. A decoy works and works well for the most part. If you are the only one hunting that farm, I'd think hard about putting a strutting decoy out. However, if you know for sure others are there I'd stick just with a hen for safety reason. Good luck.

First welcome. And also to an addiction that has gripped a lot of us. All your lessons will be taught by the birds themselves. But today like TUT stated there are many good books and how too's on the internet today for someone just starting out.

A push-pull pin box call is a great call also for someone starting out. But let me tell you I know many (including myself) that have one in stand-by, and have used it.

One mistake that I see some folks that are just starting out do is call way to loud. Try to keep it soft and then over time you will learn again from the turkeys when to call soft, aggressive and what type of call to give them. To start just try staying with the yelp and cluck.

But for now just get out there and enjoy and learn. If you can get with someone that has hunted them that would be a positive.


Earl

A few tips I will add:
A gobbler is much likelier to come to a nearby call than a distant one, so get as close as possible without showing yourself (usually 100-200 yds but varies with terrain and cover) before you hide sitting against a big tree and start calling (in that order).
If he comes to your calling he will know precisely where the sound came from so he is looking at YOU. His ability to detect movement and react to it (by fleeing instantly) is unparalleled, so you need to have your shotgun presented and your cheek on the stock before he comes into view, to minimize or eliminate movement before shooting.
If he answers your yelping then shuts up he is likely on the way and may gobble no more -- sit still and be ready.
Don't get discouraged. Experienced turkey hunters do well to kill one for every three they work. Babe Ruth struck out a lot.
Good luck and have fun!

Just to repeat what others have said learn patient. If a turkey has answered you and is then silent be ready for anything. I think the hardest thing is to let a turkey walk into your sight picture without moving. Stick with a friction call for starting out. Just keep going took me three years to kill one in the spring.