TandK Turkey rig

[sndmn11]

I see @TandKHunting is launching some turkey specific products. I've never had an interest in turkey hunting, but this spring that may change. For those who are hunting Merriam, what all are you taking?

Turkey Chest Rig | Call & Optic System

T & K Turkey Chest Rig — a rugged, modular chest system featuring a bino harness and dedicated pouches for box, pot, and diaphragm calls.

tandkhunting.com

 

[dtrkyman]

Sitka vest, nice lay out, light weight and minimal, comfortable to wear and has a nice bird tote built in.

 

[Rogue Bay]

For most of my life I used an inexpensive turkey vest and it did just fine, but certainly had its flaws. Many of the pockets and pouches required two hands to operate, box calls weren’t secured and would squawk at inopportune moments, and the fit wasn’t great. Again, it worked but I’ve come to appreciate quality products for those subtle differences. And comfort has become a much bigger priority.

I’ve not used a chest rig for turkey hunting. Looks like it can accommodate most of what you need, but I do value a bird tote (works good for a decoy too) and the attached padded seat of many vests. It’s all personal preference and you likely won’t know until you give it a try.

 

[butcherboy]

I just use a cheap turkey vest that has a ton of pockets, a bird pocket on the back. It also has zip off sleeves for those cold mountain mornings. I carry one box call, one slate, and maybe two diaphragm calls. Almost every bird I have called in has been with that one box call. I use a rubber band over it to keep it from squeaking in the pocket.

 

[BigDuckHunter]

I just use my regular bino harness. Binos in their regular spot, couple mouth calls in one rangefinder pocket, couple snacks in the other. I’ve never seen the need for these vests that have room for 15 different calls. I can’t imagine feeling the need to use more than 2-3 and all I use is mouth calls.

 

[LongWayAround]

Their chest rig looks nice. I haven't carried a box call in years. I bring one slate with striker and a couple of reeds in the little plastic case.

I bring my backpack with a little folding H.S. seat and the usual day trip stuff. Water, snacks, foam pad to sit on, binoculars and extra layers.

It's the same stuff I bring for deer or elk, plus the seat and minus game bags (maybe one bag).

 

[Hnthrdr]

Depends. Now I’ll usually get by with a chest pack and a nut ruck, one water bottle, if it’s really gonna be a haul or really variable weather I have a little day pack I take. Like being as light as possible Turkey hunting, lots of the mountain birds have such big ranges that I may make a 4-7 mile loop trying to figure out which drainage they are in that day. Hardest part of mountain birds is trying to pattern them, once you do they typical aren’t too hard to kill

 

[RedRidge]

Whatever floats your boat I support, but dang 250$ for a “turkey” bino harness is madness IMO.

 

[mullet dredge]

I really like the idea of a chest rig, but how do you deal with carrying sufficient water? A 12oz bottle stuffed in there just doesn't cut it for me. I think the optimum setup is a chest pouch and some sort of hydration pack...

 

[TandKHunting]

Whatever floats your boat I support, but dang 250$ for a “turkey” bino harness is madness IMO.

It would be madness if it was Made in China or Vietnam, but our products are Made in the USA with a wide array of US materials and US labor.

It's in line with every major competitor of ours that makes gear in America.

 

[TandKHunting]

I really like the idea of a chest rig, but how do you deal with carrying sufficient water? A 12oz bottle stuffed in there just doesn't cut it for me. I think the optimum setup is a chest pouch and some sort of hydration pack...

We manufacture hydration packs that attach to our chest rig as well!

 

[RedRidge]

It would be madness if it was Made in China or Vietnam, but our products are Made in the USA with a wide array of US materials and US labor.

It's in line with every major competitor of ours that makes gear in America.

It’s ok for us to not agree.

 

[TandKHunting]

It’s ok for us to not agree.

Never said it wasn't okay for us to not agree.

 

[AlwaysChasinTailNHorns]

I run the final approach last strut Turkey vest. Magnet closures and some bungee closures so no zippers causing noise, pockets for two slates, four strikers, a box call, thermacell, and has two magnetic compartments on the shoulder straps for mouth calls, material is very soft and quiet, straps are extremely durable, shoulder straps have a lot of sturdiness to them, a TON of adjustability to fit different sized individuals, and their killer design that allows these small straps by the shoulders to pull the seat right into a seat cavity on your back for when you need to run and gun without having a seat smacking your behind and legs. It has a really nice draw string bag for decoys or gear in the back that buckles in, I use this for my rain gear and in the side compartment of that bag there’s a small compartment I store my full sized Nalgene in. Very well thought out vest that isn’t cheap but doesn’t break the bank has been going strong for me so far.

 

[roosiebull]

I see @TandKHunting is launching some turkey specific products. I've never had an interest in turkey hunting, but this spring that may change. For those who are hunting Merriam, what all are you taking?

Turkey Chest Rig | Call & Optic System

T & K Turkey Chest Rig — a rugged, modular chest system featuring a bino harness and dedicated pouches for box, pot, and diaphragm calls.

tandkhunting.com

I wear my main hunting pack (k4 with the 2200 bag) chasing mountain birds, I am used to having what I need with me, and I couldn’t get by with a chest rig. It’s also nice to have a place to put a bird when you kill one, and it’s not uncommon for me to get 5 miles from my rig. My main hunting area doesn’t turn into good habitat until about 3 miles from where I park

The weather can vary a lot too, more often than not I have a puffy and rain gear with me, when I set up, I generally use my pack as a rest

It depends on what you are hunting, close to your rig or treating it like elk hunting…

 

[IDVortex]

I've never 'hunted' turkeys the traditional way. So never understood the need for the turkey gear. Stick a plow on the front of your vehicle and just yeet the birds that way. Its worked for me so far for 2 birds.

 

[zacattack]

It would be madness if it was Made in China or Vietnam, but our products are Made in the USA with a wide array of US materials and US labor.

It's in line with every major competitor of ours that makes gear in America.

Are you going to sell just the box and slate call attachments?

 

[TandKHunting]

Are you going to sell just the box and slate call attachments?

Yes sir. Should have some ready to purchase next Friday in Coyote and Ranger.