Carrying anything new in bird vest based on field experience?

[Clovis]

I am wrapping things up for this bird hunting season and starting to think through lessons learned and what to change for next year. This past season I had a spent shell stuck in shotgun barrel a long way from the truck and so have started to carry a folding cleaning rod set up. Small and light and could also be used to clear a barrel plugged with snow or mud. Anyone else carrying something new based on experience in the field?

 

[chemist]

Not sure about a new experience this season, but based on previous seasons I now carry hemostats, a small bottle of goldbond, and toilet paper.

 

[Clovis]

is the Gold Bond for you or your dog?

 

[chemist]

Gold bond is for me. The hemostats, are for my dog if he gets into a quill pig. I found my multi-tool to be inadequate. On that note, I also have a thick wood dowel that I drilled a hole in each side of with a rope run through to hold their mouth open.

 

[RockAndSage]

I picked up a bird finisher/dispatcher: https://adrenal-line.com/collections/finisher

 

[Spindrift]

Extra whistle for rangey pointers...losing a whistle can ruin a hunt.

Stout wire cutters

Quikclot, medical stapler and hemos.

5 yards of Paracord.

Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

 

[Clovis]

Gold bond is for me. The hemostats, are for my dog if he gets into a quill pig. I found my multi-tool to be inadequate. On that note, I also have a thick wood dowel that I drilled a hole in each side of with a rope run through to hold their mouth open.

I like the dowel idea--I am going to add it to my kit.

 

[menhaden_man]

Single use dude wipes

 

[j3h8]

Single use dude wipes

You aren't using them more than once? Fold and store for later?

 

[menhaden_man]

You aren't using them more than once? Fold and store for later?

Not with my diet!

 

[j3h8]

Not with my diet!

Need more wild game and less store bought food. That'll fix ya right up. Either that or eat just cheese before your outings.

 

[menhaden_man]

Need more wild game and less store bought food. That'll fix ya right up. Either that or eat just cheese before your outings.

Im mostly carnivore and eggs from my chickens. Its those dang microbrews that get me!

 

[huntineveryday]

I had been carrying wipes, added one of these this season.

Dirt Diggler Trowel (ultralight)

No more cutting your hand on your dig tool or trowel or having it rip through your backpack or dry bag. We designed our ultralight trowel to have no sharp edges. Easy on the hand while still getting the job done. Description Use the wide end for soft ground & the narrow end to punch through hard...

hilltoppacks.com

 

[TButtars]

More shotgun shells……. bird numbers were unreal this past season

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Next season I'll be carrying a bur/sticker comb for my Griff. He got into a patch of cockleburs you wouldn't believe this season, and it took me a good 30 minutes to pull them off before we could continue the hunt. My fingers were trashed by the end of it, and he lost a lot of hair. If I had a coarse metal brush with me we would've been on our way in 5 minutes without trashing my fingers or his fur. These pics don't do how bad it was justice, and imagine having a suit of cocklebur armor across the chest and brisket.

 

[Jason Snyder]

If you’re hunting in cactus county, a small metal comb is pretty valuable for removal.

Hemostats and tweezers. The dowel with cord is sure nice if you have to do quill removal.

I carry a small set of microspikes, a knife, InReach, food, water, whistle, gauze, wet wipes and a coat.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Also considering getting him some dog rec specs. The preacher's lice, burdock, and other annoying snaggy things get really close to his eyes, and Griff's face fur is just an invitation for it when they're head's down. Also considering the rubber boots for next season. My golden retriever never had foot issues, but the edges of Oscar's pads and the weird pad above the front feet get all chewed up, especially when there is crusty snow/ice.

 

[Speaks]

In my left pouch I carry a connobear tool, small med kit (quick clot, vet wrap, hemostats) a comb, and some eye wash, and a small multi tool.

In the back pouch I carry a shot sleep lead, a 10 foot check cord, some paper towel, and spare gloves.

Right pouch is shells, cell phone, and camera.

On the vest is inreach mini and pro 550+ hand held. Garmin watch on my wrist.

 

[dgfavor]

I carried absolutely nothing new this past year...in fact my stuff is all boringly, reliably old...including me.

One thing I'd recommend folks consider is the possibility of having to haul your dog out. I've seen a couple vest makers and stand alone products touted to haul out dogs but I would never recommend doing it the way they propose...unless the dog is already, unfortunately dead. I recommend fully carrying the dog in your bird bag if able to fully support their body weight and immobilize any broken/injured limbs. I packed a dog a few miles with a broken femur by carefully placing him in the bird bag, putting the vest on backwards, having my buddy buckle up the back and hauled the dog out fully confined. All that stuck out was his head. He stayed that way inside the vest, buckled into the back seat, for the two hours drive to the vet then I just hauled him right into and onto the vet table still confined/immobilized inside the bird bag. Strapping one to your back with webbing or such then suspending by their body weight would just be torture and/or worse.
This dog wasn't quite wanting to play dead or injured but you get the idea. If I had buckled the belt behind me she would have been much more confined.

 

[CjMelendrez]

following along! I am slowly doing more research for an upland dog in the next years. Doesn't hurt to start planning now.