Vest or back pack for turkey hunting?

[zacattack]

What does everyone prefer? I have both but not seeing much point in keeping the vest as it seems like I could carry everything easier with a pack. Anyone else have this dilemma or thoughts on the matter?

 

[Poser]

When I lived in TN and hunted WMAs and farms, I used a vest. I’m not sure if I put much thought into it or not because that’s just what you do when you turkey hunt in the East. It does have the advantage of organization. Biggest disadvantages are that is does not carry weight well and it is hot -too hot for serious hiking.

Since moving out West where turkey hunting involves climbing a few thousand feet and being out in the mountains and backcountry where I carry full rain gear, insulation layers etc, a vest in no way makes sense. I carry a pack with calls in the hip pouches and an inflatable butt pad. Actually heading out I. A few hours to bivy out overnight.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Out West or in the South, a vest is best for me.

 

[zacattack]

When I lived in TN and hunted WMAs and farms, I used a vest. I’m not sure if I put much thought into it or not because that’s just what you do when you turkey hunt in the East. It does have the advantage of organization. Biggest disadvantages are that is does not carry weight well and it is hot -too hot for serious hiking.

Since moving out West where turkey hunting involves climbing a few thousand feet and being out in the mountains and backcountry where I carry full rain gear, insulation layers etc, a vest in no way makes sense. I carry a pack with calls in the hip pouches and an inflatable butt pad. Actually heading out I. A few hours to bivy out overnight.

I feel the same way. I grew up in the southeast and if you weren’t sweating to death in a turkey vest with about 10 lbs of calls, a few decoys and a foldable chair, you weren’t really turkey hunting.

Really thinking about ditching the thing for a small day pack.

 

[Blackhawk45hunter]

This is my first year hunting turkeys but I’ve been using my Kifaru Door Gunner with a Sherman pocket. I have my possibles pouch, TP, snacks, calls, and rangefinder in the pack. The Sherman pocket is being used as a grab-it to hold my collapsed and folded decoys and stakes.

compact and it doesn’t get held up on brush as I’m sneaking through brush at 5am

 

[LookinforDirt]

I actually just went through this decision. I ended up buying a MR Pintler, bag only (already have a frame). It can handle multiple purposes. Catch is I have a Hill People Gear Recon Bag I use for carrying the mouth calls, pot and peg, crow call. Little items for the hunt. I attach my binos and range finder to it as well. My pockets handle the rest. The pack carries decoys, shooting tripod, chair (if I choose), extra clothes & rain gear (if needed), water, snacks, etc. But for where I hunt turkey in MO I can get away with the Recon bag and a pad to sit on nearly always. I’ll often put a small water bottle in the bino pouch because I don’t really need binos in the timber.

 

[zacattack]

I was thinking about maybe a small Kifaru pack like a 22 mag, already have a frame, or maybe the Stryker

 

[Jimss]

I use my oversized Kifaru EMR2 here in Colo and sometimes in the Midwest states. I usually pack out my toms whole....sometimes for than one. A large pack is a lot easier to pack out toms in rough, remote areas with hands-free. I often secure my shotgun to the frame when hiking in and out in the dark. I can't imagine lugging a tom or 2 out of the places I hunt without a pack. I use compact decoys but if I used full sized decoys an oversized pack would be a lot easier than a vest or lugging around a bag.

 

[Wassid82]

I like to be safe and wear my hunters orange vest.

 

[zacattack]

I like to be safe and wear my hunters orange vest.

For turkeys?

 

[Wassid82]

yes I'm sorry it was a joke.

 

[zacattack]

I did wonder. My sarcasm meter is a little off, have a newborn at the house so brain isn’t functioning up to par.

I was like man if you can kill a turkey in an orange vest you’re a better man than me.

 

[Turkeyfreak12]

For me it depends on the situation. I run both and have had success with both. It depends on the person more then anything. If I’m packing a ground blind I’ll run my mystery ranch pack. If it is just a day hunt I’m running a vest.

 

[Agross]

I go the daypack route. I just picked up a used Badlands superday pack on here and have been using it for turkey hunting . Seems to be working great.
I like to wear vests for layering, but don't like having them full of crap in every pocket. I just feel cluttered and like I'm gonna make a lot of noise if I move around at all, if that makes sense.

 

[hobbes]

I've tried a pack and prefer a vest. I don't like digging around in a pack and don't like the need to pull it off every time I put my back against a tree. I've hunted primarily Western birds (CO, MT) for the last 14 years and Midwestern birds 16 years before that and prefer the vest either location.

 

[TheArdentOutdoorsman]

I like the vest I bought over a pack for the element of comfort. It has padded back support and thick butt cushion (cabelas tactical tatr 2).. If it wasnt for those factors I could get away with a pack but comfort to me is essential bc I dont use a blind and we all know how good turkeys can spot movement.

 

[Poser]

For you guys using vests out West, you don’t mind the vest when you have, say, 2,000 feet of switchbacks to climb?

 

[SoDaky]

Pack. Most times i carry xtra clothes and gear.

 

[notradame]

I gave up on the turkey vest in favor of a large fanny pack which allows me to carry all of my gear with the exception of my decoys which fold neatly and can be carried in my fold-up ground lounger which sports a sling that goes over the head/shoulder leaving the other shoulder free to carry my shotgun via a sling. I tried a back pack as well as a vest but settled on the combo described.

 

[Chordeiles]

I use a 15 year old Fieldline waist pack, designed for turkey hunting.
I also wear an Ol Tom vestless shirt on most days.
I carry a pot call, diaphragm calls and locators in the shirt pockets.
The waist pack is mostly for a box call, snacks, water bottle, TP and maybe a rain jacket.
I don’t use a blind or decoys.