Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting Whats in your turkey vest?

I think it will be interesting to learn what other Turkey hunters are packing in their vests, the reason I am curious is I was recently turkey hunting on a section of some my favorite public land and ran into a fellow turkey hunter that was wearing a vest that was bristling with Multiple box calls along with several striker type calls, he had At least 2 turkey decoys stuffed in the game pouch, he also had a lanyard around his neck that had probly a half dozen other calls attached ( locator calls i presume) , ive seen duck hunters with fewer calls around their neck....I thought he looked rather comical, almost like a clown 😂....I am a run and gun type hunter so over the last 33 years of Spring turkey hunting I have removed calls that I rarely used.......My vest content is now very minimal, I only carry 3 diaphragm calls, 2 locator calls (owl, crow) a pair of cotton camo gloves, a camo headnet, 3 extra shotgun shells, a couple Cliff bars and a 24oz bottle of water......What do you tote in your vest? Are you a minimalist like me or do you look more like the guy I ran across recently?.......Good hunting 👍.......Hb

Not shown are camo insulated or non-insulated gloves, head net, 16oz bottle of water, deer jerky, two packs Quaker cranberry/almond flat bars and couple Snicker bars. Late season I add Absorbine, Jr. for black gnats and mosquito repellent.

3 mouth calls
2 friction calls, usually slate/glass and copper/slate
4-5 strikers
4 shells
Turkey tote
Tail fan
Gloves
wind proof lighter
Pruners
10oz water

I hunt big blocks of public ground. It's steep, heavily timbered and most often requires a whole bunch of boot leather to kill a gobbler. My vest will have several diaphragm calls, a box call, a couple pot calls and 3-4 strikers, a crow call, I owl hoot by voice, five extra shells (coyote and hogs), camo facemask, deer jerky, apple and 32 ounces of water, compass and topo map, cell phone for the camera as there is no cell service.

Ha! Sounds like you hunt country exactly like i do, you better have some good boots on or you will pay with blisters 😂...Yeah I forgot the cell phone, i hardly ever have service but I need it for the camera...Hb

I don't have a vest, but thinking about getting one of the alps grand slams that has the removable kick stand seat.

I go out all day...4 AM to 8 PM sometimes so I take more

I carry a green nlyon brief case with a one box call and one push pull call.
Battery charge pack for my phone.
orange hat
extra gloves of weight for the day because early season MN starts out below freezing
camel back of water
energy drink
granola bars & lunch
survival kit items
toliet paper kit
Book / magazine to read in the blind
Land map
Pruner

On my back...
A dark green canoe #4 envelope pack
low height folding chair
chair pad
2 mesh fences
jake and hen decoy - bulky plastic primos ones
Rain gear if needed

On my neck - compass and owl / coyote howl / crow call (which I rarely use)


Yea.. I seem heavy, but I set up on one spot and usually get my bird mid-morning when the toms go quiet and I sit in funnels
.I'm fidgety so I find the blind helps me and I can read and sit for a long time.

My concern about getting the vest with the seat... my little bladder makes me get up more than I like so I would be resetting up the kick stand all the time.

I love the chair because a bum knee makes getting up off the ground harder.


But I am toying with getting a vest to consolidate. Just not sure on the chair part.

I don’t carry a vest.

Trumpet around my neck for a turkey call and owl hooting with my voice is the best locator I’ve found. I used to carry several different calls but what’s the point. If you locate one and get in close as possible without spooking it, they’re really not hard to call and you don’t need a bag of tricks. I too hunt large tracts of timber. No decoys either. Few extra shells in my packet, bug spray in pocket later in the season. Besides that just my normal every day carry pistol,light,knife.

Way too much, but I’ve used it all at one time or another to aid in killing a gobbler. Lets see, off the top of my head:
Toilet paper
Mesh bag for morels
Pair of gloves
Face mask
Compact binos
Slate, glass, crystal and copper pots
3 strikers
Gobble tube
Sand paper
Power bars
Bottle of water
Owl hooter
Crow call
3 or 4 diaphragms
Zip ties
An ink pen
3 extra shells
Flashlight
A fluorescent orange hat

I hike all over God’s green earth most days, I just try an lose 10 or 15lbs before the season to make up for the best weight! I’ve never in my life called in a bird with a box call, despite carrying one for over 10 years and using it repeatedly. I ditched it for the gobble tube 2 years ago, and it already paid off.

Gobble tube?

Does it only make gobbler noises?
Got any pics? links?


I didn't have luck with my box call this year so I might be looking.
I cant run a diaphragm call to save my life.

Alps grand slam vest. Get rid of the kick stand cause it sucked to wear

1 or 2 bottles water, couple snacks, TP, 3 extra shells, 4/5 mouth calls, owl tube, peacock call, predator call

One slate and 2 strikers

Multi tool

The little plastic umbrella bags they have at front entrance of stores for putting wet umbrella in and a couple hair ties from my wife. Put this on the turkeys head after you shoot and rubber band in place. Keeps blood off your pack and the back of your legs. Thank me later for that one!!

Rarely carry decoys, but typically only take the avian x hen if I do

I use a three pocket belt bag.
box call
slate call
easy yelper
3 mouth calls
face mask
gloves
3 extra shells
Nalgene bottle
flash light
license and tags
orange tape

A big ole boy about 6'3" x 250#

Nailed it!

lol

Lmao!...good post 👍.....Hb

I got a new vest about five years ago. Off the top of my head:

TP, water, 6 shot shells (I use a sxs 20 ga.), mouth calls, box call, slate call, binoculars (small 8x32) gloves, face mask, chalk, sandpaper, leatherman tool, small folding saw, license, pen, solunar table, spare batteries for my hearing aids, a flashlight, two pair of rubber gloves, and tube of chapstick.

If it looks like it might rain I carry a lightweight rain coat. I hunt private land, some of it mine and some of it my neighbors. Sometimes I use a 20 ga. smoothbore flintlock and carry supplies for that in a small leather pouch and leave the shotshells at home.

I ditched the vest several years ago. Too hot and I end up with a wheelbarrow load of junk I don’t need. I have a leafy hooded poncho with a kangaroo pouch that holds plenty...
But here’s my every day carry-
Gun with three shells in it and two extry in the shell holder that a buddy made for me.
Lanyard my son made me with crow and woodpecker call.
I usually eat a bacon or sausage biscuit on the way.
Seat
TP
Water
Gloves
Mask
Couple mouth calls. If it’s gonna be windy I’ll grab a box or slate.

LOL, how did you manage to loose the grip cap from your stock?

Damn good question. I know it’s layin’ in the gravel pit where I verified my sights. I guess Benelli was running low on TP, sanitizer and gorilla glue.

I have never seen one come off like that. I have two M1's that I have hunted the hell out of for 20+ years and never even knew that was put together like that.

They supposed to be sending me another one. If not I reckon it’ll be a good place for extra TP..