Reddit reviews Bowhunter's Guide to Accurate Shooting (The Complete Hunter)

Start with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for your state. That should answer most of your technical and legal questions. As a general rule of thumb, whitetails are only hunted in the fall/early winter (Oct-Dec), thought that varies from state to state. Turkeys generally have 2 seasons - Spring and Fall. Again, check with your state DNR.

If the state wildlife biologist is worth anything (ours isn't) he/she should be able to give you some insight into what the game you are hunting is eating and where they have been sighted in the highest numbers.

If you've never hunted before, you might want to consider starting small (i.e., squirrels). That will help you to hone your stalking and still hunting abilities. Plus they usually have a long season.

You also might want to consider going on a guided hunt for your first outing. First, you'll be able to learn from an experienced hunter; two, you should have a better chance of success; and three, it will help to get the first-timer jitters out of your system.

If you're teaching yourself, be prepared for a lot of frustration as you figure things out. A book can only teach you so much. There are some things you just have to learn through trial and error.

As to the archery aspect, I would suggest reading "The Bowhunter's Guide to Accurate Shooting" by Lon E. Lauber. It's a slightly dated book, but an excellent tutorial on all aspects of bowhunting. Also, I would suggest getting involved in a local archery club or, if you have the time/energy, start one.