Optics: Not a lot of non-turkey hunters would ever think that the use of optics was an important part of the turkey hunter arsenal. But successful turkey hunters can tell you that optics are a key component to being successful when it comes to turkeys. Small light optics are some of the best choices. Strong power is not a necessity, but clarity is. Optics in the 4x or the 6x are sufficient. With most agreeing that anything over 8x being far too strong for the use of these optics. Bushnell Legend are a good affordable option for most turkey hunters. Another great choice are the Zeiss Terra ED 8×42 are also great optics to choose from. The use of quality binoculars is a must for all turkey hunters.
ThermaCell: I have said many times that nothing has revolutionized hunting as much as the ThermaCell mosquito appliance. If you have ever tried hunting in the south, you know how aggressive, and relentless the mosquitos are in the south. There are swarms of biblical proportions in every woodlot and every swamp. Most of the places turkeys like to inhabit, are also wonderful mosquito habitat. The ThermaCell appliance will allow you to enjoy your hunt bug free. If you are turkey hunting without a ThermaCell, you are missing most of the joy of hunting turkeys.
Decoys: When it comes to decoys there are those who swear by them and those who do not use them at all. Of the decoy users there are two types, the very realistic type such as those made by Avian X and David Smith Decoys, and then there are those that are anything but lifelike, such as the Funky Chicken by Wild Game Innovations. Those who use the full body decoys will say that the realism is critical to convincing mature birds to commit. While the odd looking decoy of the Wild Game Innovations, causes some reactions in turkeys that is unexpected. Regardless of which camp you are in, there are times when the decoy is magical and the use of them can be the convincing factor to bring in the wary old toms.
Locator Calls: This may seem obvious to many, but I know a lot of turkey hunters who never use the locator call. This call can be vital under the right circumstances. When gobblers have lock jaw on all of your hen sounds, often times, the locator call can be the tool to locate the birds you are hunting. Some types often used are crow calls, peacock calls, coyote howlers, hawk screamers. All can work well to get a tom to gobble and give away his location. Once a tom is located, a plan can be made to move in and set up to try and convince him you are a hen.
Pack: when you have to carry a lot of stuff to your setup nothing beats a great backpack to get it all there. Of those available, you will want one that is light, easy to load, and durable. Alps Outdoorz is the brand to meet all of these needs. From their modular Pathfinder to the durable Pursuit there is a pack to fit the need of all turkey hunters. These packs have plenty of storage to haul all of your gear to the turkey woods and are able to get your bird back out when you are successful. A good quality pack is very necessary when hunting all day and over a lot of terrain. The ability to haul all of your gear over long miles comfortably is crucial. You cannot miss when using any of the Alps Outdoorz packs.
Lights: All hunters are in need of good quality lights to get into and out of the woods when hunting. Whether you choose a head light or a hand held light there are some things that are common. First it has to be dependable. Few things are as maddening as reaching for your light and it not work, or work poorly. A good dependable flashlight is a key component to all turkey gear.
Recently I was able to test, the Factor equipment Cossatot 1000 XL Tactical flashlight. This light is rechargeable with a standard USB and the battery lasts a long time. With four brightness settings, the light is capable of many uses. It comes with a holster, but the belt clip is sufficient. Light and compact the Factor Equipment Cossatot 1000 XL tactical flashlight is one that you can depend on to get you in and out of the woods.
Gear for turkeys is very specialized and while a lot of the gear can be used for other hunting, such as packs, optics, and clothing. Much of it is unique to chasing turkeys, and all hunter who desire to pursue these birds are well advised to collect many of these for your arsenal so when you are after them again, you will be prepared.
