There is a huge variety of hunting equipment available these days, due to the growing popularity of turkey hunting and ever-increasing numbers of turkey hunters. Turkey hunting was a much simpler activity in the past.

The hunter, dressed in his usual garb and hat, places his favorite slate call, box call, wing bone or scratch box into his jacket on the way out of the house. He picks up his double-barreled shotgun and a few shells in his pocket before walking out the door.

This is him, the turkey hunter — all ready to do battle with a wary old gobbler. But what other equipment will he have with him?

Having lots of choices and options is a very good thing when it comes to hunting equipment. Today’s modern turkey hunter has more choices than he ever had. But sometime, it becomes overwhelming to a beginner. Before going to hunting, you have to decide first what you are going to use to haul all of your equipment. This will also help determine the type and amount of gear you carry with you into the woods.

Turkey Vest, Back pack, and fanny pack are the three basic choices for packing turkey hunting gear.

These vests come in many different styles including the full vest or jacket style. Some prefer vests because of the many separate pockets and the game bag on the back that lets you carry decoys easily plus the gobbler if you are successful that day.

Backpacks allow you to carry much more gear than the vests. They also can be removed and even used as backrest if necessary.

The least expensive option are the fanny packs. They are popular to many hunters since you can carry some gear but you are not weighed down as much as with a backpack or vest. They also provide quick access to everything inside.
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Turkey hunting is one of the most enjoyable and the fastest growing forms of hunting today. The most successful turkey hunters use different techniques just to locate a bird. Many techniques are applied and each turkey hunter would swear by their methods.

There are certain truths though that most hunters will agree upon. Some of them are obvious enough, like, being in a camouflage helps hunters stay hidden within gun range. Or movement is the supreme enemy of the turkey hunters. Much more than this, practicing makes your skills as a turkey hunter better. And the excitement of the turkey hunt will hone the hunter’s alertness.

Like any sport, there are certain rules and regulations one must follow, here are some rules you need to remember:

• You will need a turkey hunting permit and a small game hunting license – it is required when hunting wild turkeys. You can only buy one turkey permit each year. If you have filled your limit, you may call for another turkey hunter but you can never bring any fire arm or even a bow.

• Using rifles and hand guns are not allowed. You can only hunt using your bow and arrow, shot guns with shot sizes no larger than number two or smaller than number eight. These are the only weapons for catching wild turkeys.

• And you must fill out the tag which only comes with your permit and attach it to the turkey you shoot straight away.

• Do not disturb hen turkeys or their nests.

• Searching with a dog during spring is not permitted. But you may hunt with it during the fall season.

• You must not use any intensifying device to locate or hunt turkeys during open seasons.

Here are also some tips for a successful and safe turkey hunting season:

• If you will leave your gear and your turkey with another person, make sure to leave the following information for emergency purposes.
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Bow hunting is not easy. One of the most difficult things to do is to get close enough to the prey and fire that bow of yours. Nevertheless, once gun season comes to a close you will end up being in that scenario one way or another at one point in time when hunting. Hunting with a bow, during the times when gun season is over is a daunting task. There aren’t that many places to hide, because most if not all leaves are gone by this time and the hunter needs to be cautious and experienced. Many hunters try hiding on trees to be able to avoid being detected by their pray. The most popular pray is deer, and deer hunting with a bow is an excellent and rewarding pass time. Hunting deer with a bow gives the hunter an advantage when doing so in a close area. Many experienced bow hunters hunt for deer at pine forested areas where deer go to hide. Hunting in such areas takes away the deer’s advantage, the advantage it would normally have due to the bows limited range. It is best advised to find a heavy trail leading into a forested area, an area with pine, climb a tree that oversees the vicinity. Have in mind that the best range to fire a bow is within a 50 yard radius. It is imperative that you find a good spot to hide. Staying on the edge of this area will inevitably drive your pray away. You will stick out like a shore thumb and will never get a good chance to fire that bow of yours. Experienced hunters know well that deer, especially during the end of the hunting season, are extremely cautious when entering or approaching open hardwoods. Nevertheless, they are relaxed and carefree when entering a pine thicket. A thick pine area provides deer a good hiding place, it is close cover that allows them to feel secure and don’t expect anyone to be there. (more…)

Go to the magazine section of your favorite book store or supermarket, and check out any periodical pertaining to the challenging sport of bowhunting. There is a good chance you will find an article discussing the pros and cons of technological advancements in bow and arrow design, material, and manufacture as well as in the myriad accessories offered to make bowhunting “easier”.

If the magazine caters to the majority of bowhunters, the article’s author will most likely extol the virtues of the latest and greatest in compound bow technology, such as percentage of let-off, cam shape, cable material, riser material and shape, carbon arrows, fletching vanes, feet per second, etc. Don’t forget the sure-fire bowhunting success gadgetry like electronic aiming devices, electronic rangefinders, bowstring release triggers, etc. On the other hand, if the periodical is devoted to the more traditional side of the sport; i.e., hunting with recurve bows, long bows, self bows, Indian flat bows, wood arrows with feather fletching, then the opposing view will probably be proffered.

I tend to lean toward the more traditional bowhunting tackle; I shoot a Black Widow recurve and a Howard Hill longbow. I use a bow quiver on the recurve and a leather back quiver with the longbow. I prefer to hunt with home-made cedar arrows with feathers that I burn to size and shape and glue-on Zwickey or Wolverine broadheads. I twist up my own bowstrings. I don’t use a sight (can’t judge distance that well, anyway), which forces me to get pretty close before I feel comfortable making an instinctive shot. I prefer wool to fleece (own both), plaid to camo (own both), hunting into the wind to cover scents. However, I am not what some technophiles would call an elitist. I have my old-fashioned streak, but I have no problem sharing a camp fire or a tent with a fella and his high tech, “wheelie” bow. I just believe that if a guy or gal decides to chase game with a bow, all that matters is that he or she practices with whichever type of equipment he/she prefers, learns his/her effective range, and doesn’t try to shoot beyond it.

So, why am I writing this article about technology versus tradition? Well, as a traditionalist when it comes to bow and arrow, I gotta’ tell you, when it comes to safety and survival, give me the high tech stuff anytime! There was a time when I figured all I needed was a topo map and my trusty compass; did fine with them for quite a few years. That’s probably because I am blessed with a pretty decent sense of direction and because I hunted in the same area for several years. BUT…..

About ten years ago, my buddy and I decided to check out an area in the Cascades of Washington with which we were not so familiar. As bowhunters often tend to do, we got out of the truck and immediately split up (two guys make three times the racket a single bowhunter makes). After entering the forest to the west of the road and walking a couple hundred yards, I found and followed a game trail southward in what I thought was a parallel with the logging road we drove in on. I pussyfooted through the area for about three hours, covering probably only a couple of miles, and then I decided to head back to the truck in order to meet up with my buddy at the agreed-upon time. I still don’t know what possessed me, but instead of simply back-tracking the way I had come, I decided to head east toward the logging road with the intention of crossing it and hunting the other side of the road back to the truck. What I didn’t know was the trail I had been hunting did not parallel the road exactly; it was actually on about a 45 degree angle southwest to it. Anyway, I slowly headed in the direction of the road expecting to reach it in a few hundred yards; I didn’t. So, I shrugged and climbed the next ridge – still no road. I trudged down to the valley and up the next ridge – still no road. Now I was a bit concerned; so, I opened my pack to get out my topo – not in there; not in my pockets. I had left it on the dashboard of my friend’s truck! I hate it when that happens! I broke out my compass. I was, actually, heading east…well, more like southeast, but where in the world was that darned road? Should I go back the way I had come? By now I was even starting to doubt my compass and my sense of direction. I started to whistle and yell in hopes that my buddy or someone who knew where the heck he was would hear and come to guide me out of the forest. No response. After I calmed down a little, I decided to continue on the way I was going. After another hour of climbing over downed trees and four or five more ridges, I finally found the road. I turned north on it, but I came to a fork I didn’t remember. Not knowing which way to turn at the fork, I just prayed that I was on the main road, turned around and walked the five miles back to camp. My friend showed up in camp about an hour later intending to get our two other friends to go looking for me. I was pretty embarrassed to say the least.
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