For years I've enjoyed spending the beautiful spring days out turkey hunting. I enjoy it so much that I sometimes can't help but spend all day out in the woods listening for gobbles and trying to make a move on a wary old Tom. Because I'm so determined, I end up packing a lot of gear. There are times I've forgotten things and times I've learned what I can't live without. This is the list of gear that usually fills my turkey vest and gets tossed into my hunting pack, with all the must-have necessities I've come to require.
My Personal Turkey Hunting Gear List
- Mouth Calls: Any Primos model
- Box Call: Primos Heartbreaker
- Decoys: Dave Smith Turkey Decoys
- Ground Blind: Bog Grave Digger Blind
- Blind Chair: NexCam Axis Chair
- Archery Setup: Mathews Prima Women's Bow, Easton Arrows, and Rage Broadheads
- Shotgun Setup: Winchester XP Waterfowl Hunter 12-gauge Shotgun in Realtree Timber with an Invector Plus Turkey Choke and EOTech XPS2-0 Holographic Sight
- Shotgun Shells: Winchester Longbeard XR 3-1/2 inch, Size 5 shot
- Shooting Sticks: BOG Death Grip Tripod
- Knife: Cold Steel Click N Cut Knife
- Saw: Hooyman Megabite Compact Hand Saw
- Trail Camera: SpyPoint Link Micro-LTE and Link Micro-S-LTE
- Insect Repellant: Ranger Ready Repellants
- Face Concealment: DSG Neck Gaiter
- Warm Weather Top and Pants: DSG Bexley 2.0 Ultra Lightweight Ripstop Tech Shirt and Bexley 2.0 Ultra Lightweight Ripstop Tech Pants in Realtree Edge
- Thin Gloves: DSG D-Tech Liner Glove 2.0 in Realtree Edge
- Boots: DSG Women's Rubber Hunting Boot 2.0 in Realtree Edge
- Turkey Vest: No preference, as long as it's in Realtree Edge
- Seat cushion: Hunt Comfort Fat Boy Seat Cushion
- Pack: BOG Backpack
- Recording Equipment: Tripods and cameras with a long XLR cable for the microphone outside the blind
- Scouting Tools: Phone with HuntStand App
- Drinks and Snacks: Diet Mtn Dew, Hint Water & Cherry Pop Tarts)
For some further explanation of a few things, I'll share some extra details. For one, the decoys I prefer are a Dave Smith Breeding Hen and Jake, and I'll sometimes add an Upright Hen to the spread as well. The Ranger Ready bug repellant I use is awesome, and there are two types: Permethrin and Picaridin to keep away both ticks and mosquitos.
Also, the BOG Backpack I use is still so new that it may not be available yet. Keep checking BOGHunt.com for news on when they release them. Oh, and the turkey vest I use is a super-old youth model from about 15 years ago that's not made anymore.
I shoot still photos on a Sony A7SIII DSLR camera and use a Sony FX9 for my big camera. I usually use a 70-200mm Sony Lens or a 100-400mm Sony Lens. Then there's a GoPro 9 for the small camera on my decoys, and an older GoPro 6 in my blind for a wide shot of all the action, pointed back at me while I'm hunting. Then I use a Sony AX100 as a small handheld back-up camera plus a ShotKam on my gun.
I especially like to use the HuntStand App to see property lines, tree cover, and other natural features to help decide what to do and where to do it while I'm turkey hunting. Finally, a lot of this gear can be found at Fleet Farm, one of the retailers I really like. Check there before you buy anywhere else!
Some people may think this is simply too many items, but usually I'm out hunting for the entire day and want to ensure I have everything I could possible need! The longer you're in the field the better your odds, so you might as well bring it all.
READ MORE: NEW MOM MELISSA BACHMAN TALKS ABOUT HUNTING WHILE PREGNANT
