Mating is their reason for living during the spring season, but gobblers still have to eat and drink at some point during the day, and this is particularly true of hens. Look for birds around any water source, open hay and agricultural fields, hardwood ridges or wherever mast is available. Food and sex, not necessarily in that order, is what life is all about for spring gobblers.

Once the locations of several strut zones and feeding areas are known, it is possible to set up in one spot, and if there is no action or another hunter moves in, you can quickly dismantle the blind and move on to an alternate spot. This run-and-gun tactic works well, but the key is in knowing the approximate "active" time of each area.

When birds have been patterned and I have decided where to hunt opening day, I prefer to get my blind set a few days ahead of time. While portable blinds don't seem to bother turkeys most of the time, I believe getting a blind set up early is the best way to go. This is not always possible, especially when hunting public land, but doing so gives the birds time to get used to the blind's presence.

Turkeys are not ignorant or oblivious to sounds that may come from a blind. These birds are always on the alert.

While modern portables blend in rather well, it pays to take advantage of natural cover. Instead of setting up in an open field in plain view, it is far better to tuck the blind inside the field edge, ideally surrounded by some ground cover. Hedgerows, the back side of stone walls (especially where there is some natural cover), or next to stacked hay bales are good places to start. In wooded areas or near water sources, setting up beneath overhanging limbs or in bramble thickets is better than setting up in the open. Use what cover is available, keeping in mind that the more natural a blind appears, the better your odds for success.

Another highly productive tactic is to set up near roosting birds. Two things are important here: locating roosted birds and getting set up before daylight without making your presence known. To make things easier, practice setting up your blind in the dark before the season opens.

Just as important is being familiar with how to dismantle and stow your blind in case you need to move to a new spot in a hurry.

Today's portable ground blinds are one of the best investments the spring turkey hunter can make. Their many advantages easily outweigh the expense and aggravation of owning one, and using a blind will definitely increase your success rate this season.