Do you use a pack frame for turkey hunting?

[Bukwild3]

I'm from the south were everyone uses vest for turkey. I don't carry 100 calls like some people do. Just my diaphragm, a slate and striker, hen decoy and the small amount of hunting gear that I normally carry hunting. Since I have gotten into hauling weight with my pack (kuiu) I seem to have gotten use to not having the weight on my shoulders. Noticed this last turkey season. I'm gonna use my pack this year and was wondering about hauling a bird out without messing the fan up. Was thinking about a small game bag clinched up at the base of the fan and placing it in the bag with the fan out the top. Has anyone had any experience with hunting this way?

 

[Wally Dog]

No. My turkey vest has nice pouch for a bird.

 

[TheSurveyor]

I'd be careful carting a bunch of feathers by my head. Maybe tie them up with some orange flagging at least.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I use my SG bag for everything, I typically gut the bird in the field then put it in a game bag and then into my bag. The bird will fit in entirely and the feathers are protected.

Also I put a blaze vest and hat in my bag for the pack out... just in case...

 

[BrentD]

I use a simple shoulder bag - usually one that used to take to the office. I only occasionally carry a collapsible decoy and I carry my bird out using a slip on rifle sling that has loops on both ends. I loop the legs and put it over my shoulder and go. Tail-up, it is very safely carried although protecting the fan is not a priority for me.

I like to travel light because I often move a bit to close up on birds or cut them off. A pack would be hard to negotiate in the timber I use without raising a ruckass

 

[BrentD]

I use a simple shoulder bag - usually one that used to take to the office. I only occasionally carry a collapsible decoy and I carry my bird out using a slip on rifle sling that has loops on both ends. I loop the legs and put it over my shoulder and go. Tail-up, it is very safely carried although protecting the fan is not a priority for me.

I like to travel light because I often move a bit to close up on birds or cut them off. A pack would be hard to negotiate in the timber I use without raising a ruckass

 

[LopeHunter]

I use an integrated vest that has pockets for box calls, slate call and reed calls plus has a foam pad seat that unlocks to pop down for a seat and has an orange panel to pull out if carrying a bird in the pouch.

I run and gun on the ground in the spring so this vest is perfect for my style of hunting.

 

[kansasdad]

I have a turkey sling, made by Primos that is pretty slick for getting birds back to the car.



I also have taken out many a bird in the batwing of my pack (the expandable flap covering the front of the pack) with no problems with a fan getting damaged.

One fall I had a pretty sweet problem.......three big birds-of-the-year down, and as long of a hike back to the car as Kansas can offer. They weren't all going to fit into or be securely attached to my pack, so I ended up taking off my belt and wrapping up six legs into a bundle and then hoisting the bird bundle over my shoulder. I ended up with sore hands and shoulders where the belt pushed down hard, but I was a happy turkey hunter indeed back at the parking lot of the public wildlife area.

 

[Flatland Crusoe]

I've always used turkey vests, but also always recognized that they were all poorly designed from a weight bearing capacity. Last year I was on my first western turkey hunt after years in the Midwest and myself and my friend ended up taking 2 toms a few miles into a burn full of ridges and canyons. I had a turkey vest and he had his Exo pack and I thought it was a pretty horrible packout and he hardly noticed he had a bird.

I've always felt that adding some call pouches and a seat to a decent day pack from a real backpack brand would go a long way towards making a good turkey vest. I think for most turkey hunting situations turkey vests are fine because you just aren't going very far with a bird. I may try using a Sitka ascent call vest this year for turkeys in conjunction with one of my frame packs.

 

[Bukwild3]

I wouldn't haul out without orange. Too many people that don't have a clue out there.