Turkey Hunting Gear Essentials | Outdoor Life

When it involves gear, turkey searching will be as minimal or maximal as you select. Many of the early, fabled turkey hunters wanted little greater than primary camo, a name or two, and a shotgun. Today, lots of turkey hunters don habitat-specific camo, shoulder turkey-specific shotguns, and set ultra-realistic decoys. Depending on who you ask, what constitutes a needed piece of turkey searching gear will range wildly. Ultimately, the gear you want will depend on your searching technique. If you favor ready a tom out, you may not thoughts lugging a ton of apparatus into the woods. But if you happen to plan to run and gun, packing mild is the best way to go.

Regardless of your strategy, I’ve compiled a listing of turkey searching gear (some needed, some luxurious) that may make your time within the woods extra environment friendly, satisfying, and, hopefully, extra profitable. I’ll cowl all the things you’ll want or need this turkey season, together with:

• Shotgun
• Turkey Ammo
• Turkey Choke
• Camo
• Turkey Calls
• Decoys
• Turkey Vest
• Red Dot Sight
• Insect repellant
• Ground Blind
• Turkey Hunting Boots
• Miscellaneous Gear

Shotgun

If you have already got a shotgun, there’s no want purchase a turkey-specific gun whenever you’re simply beginning out. But, if you happen to’re like me and don’t want a great excuse to purchase one other gun, you could find the greatest turkey searching shotguns to scratch that itch. There are loads of choices on this checklist to suit budgets, model loyalties, and preferences. Here are just a few choices to contemplate:

Remington 870

Whether you favor the Turkey Camo, a traditional Express mannequin, or RemArms’ newest rendition, the Fieldmaster, this shotgun has turn into the bane of gobblers in all places. It’s the PBR of turkey weapons—inexpensive, constant, and it will get smoother the extra you utilize it. I’ve been searching with one for the previous 15 years, and it nonetheless performs. The 870 additionally produced essentially the most constant patterns in Outdoor Life’s greatest turkey masses check. If you need a workhorse shotgun, this one tops all of them.  

Mossberg 940 Pro Turkey

This semi-auto has a ton of options that make it a severe turkey gun. The recess on the highest of the receiver means that you can mount a pink dot and preserve a cosy cheek weld. It additionally is available in 18.5- and 24-inch barrel choices, which makes it simple to maneuver in tight cowl. And if you happen to’re planning on working 3 1/2-inch masses, the burden and gas-driven design take up lots of the recoil with out punishing your shoulder.

Stevens 301 Turkey Obsession .410

TSS masses have made the .410 (the place authorized) a lethal gun for dropping longbeards. The recoil pales compared to the 12 gauge, making it a extra manageable choice for brand spanking new or youth hunters alike. I do know a number of severe turkey hunters who’ve transformed to the .410, the Stevens 301 particularly. This light-weight (about 5 kilos) break-action shotgun features a one-piece rail, an extra-full choke, and a 26-inch barrel.

Turkey Ammo

In the historical past of searching ammo and cartridges, turkey masses are nonetheless comparatively new. With the resurgence of turkey populations within the 90s, ammunition corporations began releasing turkey-specific ammo. These shotshells with greater payloads, denser patterns, and flight wad management know-how made killing turkeys extra environment friendly than conventional lead masses. Today, there are many choices, and you may learn our full evaluate of the greatest turkey ammo right here. It’s price going with turkey-specific ammo, wether you select lead or TSS. The greater load weights and elevated variety of pellets are price the additional price.

Winchester Longbeard XR

For any pictures inside 40 yards, Longbeard XR is extremely efficient. Patterned by means of a Remington 870, the XRs delivered 125 of 297 pellets inside a 10-inch circle at 40 yards, the best share (42 p.c) inside the OL turkey load check. And at roughly $2 per shell, the Longbeard XR’s value is quite a bit simpler to abdomen than TSS masses.

Apex GT-3 TSS

During the OL check, the GT-3s produced one of the best sample, placing 270 No. 9s inside a 10-inch goal at 40 yards. It additionally produced a raging 1,488 fps muzzle velocity. So, if you happen to’re in search of one of the best load to place pellets in a turkey head, the Apex GT-3s will ship a lot.

Federal Heavyweight TSS

This TSS load from Federal makes a superb choice for lengthy vary pictures. It carried out as one of many hardest hitting masses within the turkey load check, driving 21 pellets by means of 27 items of cardboard within the Brister Box. At $75, these TSS masses aren’t low-cost. Federal at the moment gives them in 7 or 9 shot, a mix of seven/9 for 12- and 20-gauge, and a mix of 8/10 shot for 20-gauge. You also can get No. 9s for the .410.

Turkey Choke

Tightening your sample’s unfold offers you extra pellets in a concentrated space out to longer distances. This will increase your vary and your shot’s lethality. For this purpose, turkey chokes are key. If you’re simply getting began and planning taking pictures a lead turkey load, you may as well go together with your manufacturing unit full choke. But the next turkey-specific chokes offers you higher patterns.

Primos Tight Wad

I’ve been working this price range choke in my major turkey gun for years, and I’m in no hurry to alter it. In my 870 it produced one of the best patterns within the turkey load check. It works nice with a wide range of ammo, they usually’re broadly accessible.

Carlson’s Long Beard XR

Optimized for Winchester Long Beard XR, this choke is designed to make an already potent load even deadlier.  

Carlson’s TSS

Not each super-full choke works nice for TSS. Luckily, Carlson’s gives a wide range of chokes particularly designed for TSS masses. You’ll must know one of the best choke constriction in your TSS turkey load to get essentially the most out of your sample, however these are glorious choices price contemplating.

Camo

Turkeys have unimaginable eyesight, so some camoflauge is essential. The sample itself isn’t as essential because the shades inside it. For occasion, vibrant inexperienced camo that’s meant for the late season will stand out significantly through the early portion of the season earlier than leaf-out. Regardless of the sample, even the greatest camo for turkey searching received’t make up for ill-timed motion. The camo patterns beneath will cowl most terrains and seasons. Just make sure that to put on a facemask or use face paint to cowl up your mug.

North Mountain Gear ¼ Zip Leafy Jacket

Leafy fits may help break up your define greater than common camo. This leafy jacket from North Mountain Gear scored the best within the ghillie swimsuit check, and its versatility makes it nice for bowhunting whitetails too. 

Voormi Blowdown

This refined camo sample helps you mix in whether or not you’re turkey searching or going to your youngsters soccer recreation. It’s one of many least conventional camo patterns but in addition one of many coolest. Its sample and colour make it a flexible piece of camo that ought to adapt to most areas and instances of yr.

Mossy Oak Bottomland

Chasing longbeards can lead you to darkish, damp creek bottoms or swamps. This is the place Bottomland shines, particularly when you have an early season opener earlier than greenup.

Realtree Edge

This traditional camo sample suits a wide range of terrain. Whether you’re searching subject edges, massive tracts of timber, or a mixture of hardwood and coniferous forests, Realtree Edge adapts properly to all of them.

TrueTimber Tundra

An glorious choice in case your turkey opener consists of snow. TrueTimber Tundra options grey and brown on this white sample to assist your turkey searching gear mix in when there’s a great blanketing of snow.

Calls

Calling a gobbling tom into vary is the thrilling a part of turkey searching. Having a wide range of name choices will be the distinction in punching your tag verses consuming it. On windy days whenever you’re making an attempt to strike a distant gobbler, a field name offers you the quantity and vary you want. On the opposite hand, a mouth name offers you a handsfree benefit whenever you want your gun on the prepared, particularly if you happen to’re coping with a cussed gobbler that’s hung up simply out of vary. The slate or glass name provides you a dynamic vary of quantity and sounds. And except you possibly can hoot like an owl, plan on shopping for a locator name, too. Since turkey calls are pretty low-cost, you need to get considered one of every sort whenever you’re beginning out. Then see which of them suit your type of searching and sound most real looking whenever you run them.

Of course, none of those will do you a lot good with out apply, so take into account the next calls after which get to working towards.

WoodHaven Ninja Ghost Cut

The WoodHaven Ninja Ghost is a superb mouth name for inexperienced persons or common callers. The three-reed design and ghost minimize make it simple to run, and it produces crisp, real looking yelps. It’s not essentially the most dynamic for knowledgeable mouth callers, however it requires minimal air strain to make clear, constant turkey sounds.

Shane Simpson Hunting Diaphragm Calls

Shane Simpson gives a bunch of mouth calls with particular cuts, relying in your mouth’s air channel. Simpson additionally gives video instruction on learn how to decide which a part of your mouth you constantly push air by means of, which is paramount to determining which name and cuts work greatest for you. He additionally designs each name, so high quality stays constant.

Lynch’s Fool Proof Box Call

Fool proof for a purpose, this field name is simple to run, and it’s forgiving if you happen to occur to make a mistake. It’s arduous to discover a field name that doesn’t work, however I’ve been utilizing this one from Lynch’s for nearly 20 years, and it nonetheless produces crisp, loud yelps.

WoodHaven Cherry Classic Crystal

With sufficient apply and care, you can also make this name sound as stunning because it seems. The Cherry Classic Crystal has a large quantity vary, and so long as you give the floor and striker common upkeep, it’ll sing. For comfortable purrs, clucks, and cuts, this name stays a staple in my turkey vest.

Hook’s Custom Calls Harrison Hoot’n Stick and Crow Calls   

Not everybody could make a sensible owl name with their mouth. These locator calls from Hook’s Custom Calls make an ideal addition to your turkey searching gear as a result of they’re simple to make use of, ultrarealistic, and aesthetically pleasing to the attention.

Decoys

Decoys give a tom the visible affirmation he wants to shut the space to your calls, particularly in open nation. Decoys aren’t a necessity, they usually’re no assure both, however they’ve benefits. When a tom comes into your setup, he’ll be targeted on the decoy, which may help you transfer into place for the shot with out drawing consideration to your self. And the greatest turkey decoys are lifelike sufficient to idiot even the wariest gobbler into vary. Unfortunately, they’ll idiot different hunters as properly. For that purpose, it’s essential that you just transport decoys in a bag or pack whenever you hunt public or personal floor with different hunters, and keep away from utilizing them in tight cowl. Here are among the most real looking decoys for turkey searching in protected situations.

Montana Decoy Wiley Tom 3D

These real looking 3D targets simply fold for storage, and the tom consists of the choice to make use of an actual fan with it. The hen additionally consists of a number of stake positions for various physique postures. For versatility these decoys are a pair of aces.

Dave Smith Mating Motion Pair

No one makes extra real looking decoys than Dave Smith. While his lifelike decoys embrace a premium price ticket, this pair gives a comparatively inexpensive value for the distinctive high quality.

RedHeadvert Foam Decoy 3-Pack

A price range choice decoy pack, these comfortable bodied decoys are simple to stow and deploy. Just don’t anticipate lifelike options.

Vests or Packs

Turkey vests embrace padded seats, extra pockets than you’ll ever want, and (sometimes) a recreation bag to stuff decoys or a useless gobbler. Still, some turkey hunters are staunchly against them. Maybe as a result of the greatest turkey vests garner an obnoxious cult following, or these hunters desire a minimalist strategy. If that is you, take into account a small fanny pack or bag to arrange your calls, or repurpose your overbuilt bino harness and stuff it with gear. I’ve examined among the greatest typical and not-so-typical turkey vests.

SITKA Equinox Turkey Vest

For run and gun turkey hunters, the Equinox turkey vest has all the things you want—a small pack that holds as much as a 3-liter water bladder, silent magnet pockets, and a fast deploy seat. At over $200, that is the Cadillac of turkey vests, however it does an ideal job of maximizing storage capability with out including bulk.

ALPS OutdoorZ Little Bear

If you don’t need the added weight or bulk of a vest, this fanny pack from ALPS OutdoorZ has loads of room to carry your turkey searching necessities.

SITKA Mountain Optics Harness

A non-traditional choice, this bino harness has loads of cupboard space proper at chest top, making it simple to entry your gear with out a ton of motion. And if you happen to want a rig in your searching binoculars anyway, this harness will pull double responsibility.

Red Dots or Optics

Red dot sights show you how to get on track rapidly they usually maintain you from pulling your head off the gun on the shot. Adding a pink dot to your shotgun can even show you how to be extra correct at longer ranges.

There are loads of strong choices that match a wide range of turkey searching gear budgets. You don’t need to go for broke, however you don’t need to go the Cracker Jack route both. Here are just a few choices Outdoor Life editors have examined.

Vortex SPARC Solar

This photo voltaic powered pink dot makes use of a small photo voltaic panel and CR2032 battery to preserve battery life. It produces a crisp dot with 10 brightness settings. The streamlined physique received’t snag on brush, and the closed emitter design makes it extraordinarily sturdy for the turkey woods. I used it to bag a longbeard final season, and it’s rapidly turn into considered one of my go-to items of drugs.

Burris FastFire 4

This versatile pink dot is inexpensive and gives 4 totally different reticle choices. The pink dot isn’t tremendous crisp, however gives glorious brightness settings, and the optionally available hood means that you can convert it to a closed emitter design.

Crimson Trace CTS-1550

This low profile, price range pleasant pink dot is a no-frills choice for the business-only turkey hunter. The 1550’s small footprint blends into your shotgun’s receiver superbly, and the three MOA gives good crispness and brightness for its value.  

Insect Repellent

One of essentially the most difficult feats within the turkey woods is holding your composure (and sanity) whereas mosquitos swarm your face. They can suck the enjoyment and blood proper out of a turkey hunt. To fend in opposition to all biting bugs together with chiggers and ticks, insect repellant is a necessity.

While extra clothes corporations have began providing gear with built-in insect repellent, there are nonetheless strong choices for conventional spray utility merchandise. Loads of turkey vests embrace pockets constructed particularly to carry a ThermaCell. Like different gear, it by no means hurts to have just a few choices to ensure you’re absolutely coated. If there’s any chink in your armor, the bugs will discover it.

SITKA Equinox Guard Clothing System

I hunted out of this clothes system this previous season within the deep South and rapidly turned a fan. For essentially the most half, it retains the bugs away anyplace you’re coated, although I nonetheless needed to apply repellent to my head and face space. It’s an ideal choice if you happen to don’t need to lug round a Thermacell or coat your physique in DEET.

Thermacell MR450 Armored Mosquito Repeller

When it is advisable to breakout the massive weapons for buggy swamps, the Thermacell MR450 makes use of a repellent mat that warms over a component to maintain mosquitoes away. It doesn’t work nice for lively motion, but when it is advisable to keep stone-still whereas ready out a tom, the MR450 does an admirable job of holding pesky bugs away.

Sawyer Permethrin

Spray your garments as an alternative of your self. A single utility of Sawyer’s permethrin ought to final you a whole turkey season. Just you’ll want to solely apply the beneficial dosage.

Murphy’s Naturals Lemon Eucalyptus Oil

You may not need to use questionable insect repellent, so if you happen to desire the pure route, this eucalyptus oil from Murphy’s does an satisfactory job of holding you bug free, and it smells nice. Expect to reapply religiously.

Blinds

If you’re new to searching, taking a youth hunter, or bowhunting turkeys, the greatest turkey blinds can protect your motion whereas a gobbler strolls into your decoys. Blinds work greatest if you happen to can set them up properly prematurely of your hunt, as they could be a ache to tug round. Still, they’ve benefits which might be price contemplating if cowl is sparse otherwise you’re searching large open nation.

Primos Double Bull EncompassView

This massive blind gives loads of inside area and ample taking pictures home windows. The see-through blind gives loads of viewing area with out feeling such as you’re pigeonholed in a setup, however these premium options embrace a premium value.

Rhino Blinds 180 See-Through Blind

While it doesn’t have as a lot inside area as different blinds, the purposeful options (Silent-Slide home windows) make it an ideal choice for bowhunting turkeys.

Ameristep Pro Series Extreme View Hub

Plenty of area, see-through mesh, and several other massive taking pictures home windows make this inexpensive searching blind a steal.

Boots

There’s an entire large world of turkey searching boots turkey searching boots on the market match for a wide range of environments. Snake boots offers you safety and peace of thoughts within the South, whereas a light-weight climbing boot will maintain the burden down out west. Of course, a traditional rubber searching boot is difficult to beat in most circumstances. Here are just a few choices that ought to cowl most turkey searching terrain.

LaCrosse Alpha Agility Snake Boot

These light-weight snake boots provide loads of safety, and their streamlined design provides you the benefits of a typical rubber boot with the nimbleness of lighter footwear choices.

Merrell Moab 3 Mid Waterproof

Waterproof climbing boots work nice in steep hill nation or for run and gun hunts. Unlike different low or mid-cut boots that declare to have waterproof capabilities, the Merrell Moab 3s will truly keep dry.

Muck Edgewater

For price range hunters, the Muck Edgewater gives all the things you’d anticipate from a typical rubber boot and nothing extra. They’re delightfully easy. 

LaCrosse Alphaburly Pro

With tons of insulation choices, the Alphaburly execs are a flexible pair of rubber boots which you can put on out of your whitetail bow opener to the final day of turkey season.

More Gear You Might Need

• Pocket knife for cleansing your fowl
• Pruning shears for quietly clearing a taking pictures lane
• Rain gear because it’s wet within the spring by means of most of turkey nation
• Headlamp if you happen to’re making lengthy treks in the dead of night
• Binoculars if you happen to’re searching open nation or farm fields

Final Thoughts on Turkey Hunting Gear

The proper gear makes turkey searching extra enjoyable, however don’t anticipate it to bail you out whenever you haven’t invested in your calling or woodsmanship. Buy the gear that’s needed and make it your mission to study all the things you possibly can about turkeys. Then let your time within the subject and searching methods inform which further turkey searching gear you actually need.