HUNTING -- Spring wild turkey hunting seasons are knocking on the door.

All of the rules for Idaho and Washington are in pamphlets at license dealers or online. Check them out before your hunt.

• Washington's youth-only season for hunters under age 16 is April 4-5.
• Idaho's youth-only season for hunters age 10-14 is April 8-14.
• General spring gobbler seasons run April 15-May 25 in Idaho and April 15-May 31 in Washington.

Two spring gobbler tags are available to hunters in both states, and fall seasons also are set.

"Spring turkey hunting holds a special allure for many hunters," says Phil Cooper, Idaho Fish and Game Department spokesman in Coeur d'Alene. Calling a gobbling male turkey into range is an exciting challenge for all hunters, novice to experienced hunters alike.

"If the hunter moves or blinks at the wrong moment, the turkey can spook and be gone in a fraction of a second," he said.

Be mindful of safety when planning and executing a hunt.

If you're using a decoy, here are tips from the National Wild Turkey Federation:

• Decoys should be set 20 yards in front of a hunter in an area with a clear sight line of 100 yards.
• Sit down with your back to a tree wider than your shoulders. 
• Should another hunter come into view, call out to the hunter in a clear voice to let them know you are there. 
• Do not use a turkey call to alert the hunter to your presence, and do not wave your hands.  Your hand motions, in line with a decoy, could give the other hunter the illusion that the decoy is a moving turkey.

"When you decide to move to another location, look around carefully to see that no other hunters are approaching before you move," Cooper says. "You might even see a silent turkey approaching that you had not known was in the area."

"Never make turkey calls as you walk.  Your movement, combined with the turkey sounds you are making, could be all it takes to allow another hunter to create the image of a turkey in their mind."

• Click here for more information about hunting turkeys and more safety tips.
• See helpful turkey hunting tips and tactics from the National Wild Turkey Federation.