Turkey gear hacks

[GLS]

I learned 5 years ago on a 32 degree morning the value of a walking staff as turkey gear. To my regret, I didn’t have one when I was knee deep in swamp water moving to a gobbler. I stumbled on a submerged log and fell to my knees. Since then, I won’t go in the woods without one. It also helps get my tenth of a ton off the ground by leaning into it when I get up if a tree isn’t around. For almost a half century of chasing gobblers, I discovered early the value of a compass. It’s not just for getting in and out of the woods, but for laying an azimuth on a bird on a limb. One can’t depend on a distant bird gobbling enough to guide you to him, especially if he shuts up. I get my bearing on first gobble and move in using the compass. Obstacles, such as water or thickets, can turn a hunter around. But the compass knows the way. My staff had a “Y” at the top formed by two branches. I chiseled out a flat spot wide enough to hold my Cammenga wrist compass with strap holders broken off and stubs smoothed flush with a Dremel tool and stone. Two coats of spar varnish twice sealed the bare wood for the E6000 adhesive application to hold the compass in place. I whipped paracord around the base to act as a bumper against limbs, etc. The Cammenga has tritium illuminated features so no flashlight is needed to view it in the dark or “charge” the old style phosphorescent material which never seems to hold the “charge” long enough for my purposes. Cammenga markets both a phosphorescent and a tritium illuminated one. The tritium illuminated is the more expensive but also more useful.

Possibles bag. I don’t wear a vest. I prefer carrying gear in a water proof West German military surplus “bread bag” that I found on Ebay. It comes with a cloth sling which is narrow but serviceable. I modified the sling to accept two small carabiners that clip to a buffalo leather turkey tote which offers a wider strap for my shoulder. It is easily removed for carrying a turkey which frees up the uncut cloth strap which is folded up and taped with electrical tape when not used. The leather strap was made by Detroit Leather Shop. Gil

 

[sea trout]

Thanks for sharin. I haven't ever heard or thought of that use for the compass before, That is slick news!

You should post a pic of when your wearin your bag ready for a hike so we can see how that set up looks

 

[GLS]

That would be a violation of the witness protection rules I live under.
However, I occasionally carry it hanging from my walking staff over the shoulder hobo style. I carried a turkey a la hobo this year with the rig. Gil

 

[Gaswamp]

I have always bin a fan of a possibles bag

 

[tad1]

That’s a nice looking set up! There’s times I wanna ditch my vest and somehow simplify my arrangement a bit. How do you like your seat cushion? I find those absolute necessity for times when you’re pinned down n trying to be still.

 

[GLS]

Most of the time I leave it attached to the shoulder strap and position the bag to make that possible. On occasion against a knobby trunk, I'll position it for my back rather than backside. I've had the same cushion in a double thick version, but the thinner works for me. Gil