Whether you want to catch turkey for dinner or to hunt, there are many ways. To start, you'll need to find where the birds roost at night (by using digital mapping apps or by doing good old-fashioned boots-on-the-ground scouting). Next, sneak within a few hundred yards of where you expect to find a tom roosting and listen for him to gobble. If he does, you can set up a call to lure him down from the limbs and catch him in the open.
Wild turkeys are often seen strutting through neighborhoods during the breeding season and may become aggressive if they lose their fear of humans. They can even become a nuisance, attacking pets or blocking the entrance to homes and cars. To keep them from becoming a problem, it is important to show them who's boss through hazing, which includes making loud noises such as shouting or waving your hands in the air. Opening and closing an umbrella and throwing tennis balls can also scare them.
The thigh and leg meat of wild turkeys is darker than that of their domestically raised cousins, but it's just as tasty. You can cook it in the crockpot or on low heat and use it for tacos, enchiladas, sandwiches and soups. To get the best flavor, make sure you trim off the spurs and tendons before cooking. If you're not a fan of the dark meat, try adding turkey bouillon to the crockpot before cooking it. This will turn it pink and taste more like ham than chicken.