Close to the vest!

Prep for your next turkey hunt

The pursuit of turkeys is one of the most proactive types of hunting you can do. Unlike deer hunting, for the most part, where you wait in ambush, you are actively trying to locate, call in and kill a male turkey. All these pieces to the puzzle of success start with preparation and practice. Outside of your regular scouting regiment for turkeys, there are several things you can do to prepare for the season ahead. We’ll focus on the turkey vest and what you should have to cover all your bases when you step into the woods for your spring hunt.

Clear It Out

Each year when I start preparing for turkey season, I pull out my trusty vest and completely empty it of all contents. I typically find extra, pine straw, leaves, bark and other foreign matter so it’s a good time to turn it upside down and beat it around a bit to loosen any stowaways that might be hiding in the nooks and crannies.

Out with the Old, In with the New

Once everything is out, I like to organize, clean and test all my calls. If I have diaphragm calls with stuck reeds that won’t free up or are mis-formed, I pitch them and make plans for new ones.

Test it First

I chalk my box and rough up my slates, organize my strikers and test them all to be ready when the time comes.

Cover and Cut

There’s nothing worse than realizing you forgot your gloves and facemask when you hit the woods, so I make sure they’re clean and sitting in a top pocket ready for action. I check to verify my clippers and hand saw are there as well. These are invaluable for cutting “that one limb” out of your way or quickly making a blind.

Don’t Forget The Eyes

As I age, my eyes ain’t what they used to be, and binoculars become more and more valuable to me in the field. They have saved me time and time again as I come to the edge of a field, and with the naked eye it looks clear, but when I put my binos up I see a bird standing in the shade of the trees.

Deeks and Shots

I make sure my decoys are clean and have their corresponding stakes in place and in good working order to support them. Of course, having extra shotshells tucked away is always reassuring as you never know when you may be needing them.

Wear Before You Walk

One thing I would recommend is that after you have reassembled your vest, you should put your vest on and walk around a bit to make sure that you have the easiest access to the items you use the most and that things are not clicking or clacking together while moving around. Typically, you can make some minor adjustments to where things are positioned and stop those little noises that could potentially cost you a bird at the moment of truth!

Checklist

Here is a list of items that I always have in my vest.  This has served me well over the years and I can hardly think of a scenario where I haven’t used them.

• Facemask & Gloves– these are necessary and I even keep an extra pair in my pack
• Mouth Calls-Diaphragms, Crow and Owl
• Slate Calls– A must for your arsenal, can make soft purrs to loud cuts and yelps.
• Strikers– I have several made with different materials to give different tones.
• Sandpaper– For roughing up your slates and strikers
• Box Call– Always good to have for volume to get a bird to gobble in the late morning.
• Chalk– To touch up your box call in the field.
• Binoculars– A must…  Once you use them you won’t believe how helpful they are.
• Shotshells– never hurts to have a few extra.
• Saw & hand clippers– I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been glad to have them.
• Bird carrier– For those long walks out
• Decoys & stakes– Frustrating to have a busted stake when you need it most.
• Thermacell – Great for later in the season as mosquitos start becoming a problem.
• Small scale– Totally extra, but fun to weigh your bird in the field.
• Water– to keep hydrated and sometimes you may need it for a little cleanup.
• T. P.– This can be a life saver, especially after a breakfast burrito and coffee.

I hope this will remind you of something you might be missing in yours. I’d love to hear from you if there’s something you think I’m missing or that you just can’t go into the woods without. May the Toms flop before you!

-Chris-