Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

Ha!  Odd first post perhaps but something I'm curious about. Back in 1994 I was fortunate to walk into the woods in the dark and blindly set up 60yds from a roosted Tom. He flew down, walked in and got himself shot (turkey hunting sure is easy, huh? Lol!)

So, per all the the pictures I had seen and still see to this day, I picked him up by the legs, tossed him over my shoulder and headed out of the woods. By the time I got to my truck, my butt cheek felt wet. Felt back there and brought up bloody fingers, cripes, the bird had been bleeding from the head the entire walk out and absolutely soaked me in blood.

I never carried one that way again but it's standard to see a hunter carrying a bird this way. I can't be the only one to experience a soaking.

Anyone have that happen?

Hughdamnright. Feels like waxed canvas back there after a few seasons

Quote from: Ranger on February 22, 2025, 09:29:32 AMHughdamnright. Feels like waxed canvas back there after a few seasons

LOl!

Been soaked many a time.   ;D  :D
...And will continue looking forward to it for as long as I can throw them over my shoulder.  It is part of my personal ritual in turkey hunting...and I have no plans to change to any other carry-out method.
Now, if a guy is going to end up in a public setting afterward, it is a good idea to have a change of clothes handy. :icon_thumright:  :toothy12:

a bread bag and a piece of string (or a big rubber band) works good. 

I use Turkey tote, head up behind shoulder. Works well. If bird is carried with head down, blood will leak out of the mouth. I never mind a little blood though, means I had a great day in the turkey woods!

Like you and many others I carried my bird out over my shoulder just like you saw in the magazines and TV. I had a mile walk back to my car coming out of a swamp. When I was done a swore, I would not do it ever again. In my opinion that's why there's a game pouch in the back of my vest. Just easier to carry my gun and move about the swamp and woods with the weight on my back and not my shoulder.

I agree with some of the other posts everyone should experience at least one or more turkeys over the shoulder and getting your butt wet...HAPPY TIMES.... LOL...

But I now carry a turkey tote ... I ask Glenda Green to make me a simple one from the material she makes the shoulder straps of her satchels. She put loops on the end of it and it will roll-up really small and take up very little room... It's only inch wide and very comfortable while over the shoulder carrying that gobbler...

I've done my share of over the shoulder....tote does make it nicer than spurs digging at your hands. Give me a nice vest carry all day long. No mess in the truck. Best and bird go right in the back.

Bloody butt is a rite of passage.

After you've passaged..... Carry a shop rag and some cord or a couple zip ties to keep the mess where it belongs.

Before my mom passed away in October 2022, she saved the little bags the newspaper came in when it rained. I have a bunch of them and I always use them and a rubber band around the neck before the walk out. I  Thank God for my mom each time I am fortunate enough to need one.  It's the little things my friends! Give thanks and enjoy the memories.

Blood is part of the sport to me. I still gut deer and turkeys without gloves. I have carried them out on my shoulder, used my vest, and used a turkey tote. I prefer the tote for comfort, though.

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I started with the over-the-shoulder carry; looked cool but was a pain. Started using the game bag built into my vest and things are a lot easier and cleaner. Depending on how much of your bird it swallows up, it can also help keep your success more discreet if on public lands and wish not to advertise it.

Use my vest pouch the majority of the time. But sometimes, you just want to carry him over your shoulder!!! Those wings bouncing, that head slapping the back of your vest or arse. A little bloody butt. Just feels right!

When I'm on the road, I may wear the same couple pairs of pants for 2 weeks. So I try to minimize bloody butt. Will get some funny looks when in a check-out line. My last turkey of the season is normally carried over my shoulder. No worries about bloody butt because those pants are finally getting washed.

I did splurge and buy a fancy cool customized turkey tote after social media told me I needed one. Used it a few times and now its decoration. If I ever get a vest without a pouch on back, I may start using it more.

(https://i.imgur.com/6Eo544Q.jpeg)

Over-the-shoulder makes for a great photo...  Not a bad way to go for a short walk back...  But yes, I once carried a bird out that leaked blood in a similar manner, and it appeared that I had a severe and embarrassing medical issue that needed immediate attention (as the leaking blood pooled were I normally sit).  I did NOT stop to eat out on the way home...

Much of my hunting is done in a steep canyon in which I generally have to walk down and hunt saddles and draws...

I am a small guy, & I have had walks over 2 miles back up steep hills...  Carrying a bird back over my shoulder is horribly uncomfortable and miserable.

I have tried the totes, and they simply do not work as well as putting a bird in the game bag of my vest (making sure the weight is distributed and the vest is cinched tight).

For an arduous walk out after success, I want something that distributes the weight on both shoulders, and can be cinched up so that the weight is not banging against my #ss the whole walk out.  The game bag in a turkey vest is not super wonderful, but still better than any other of the other strategies I have tried.

I am lazy, and if I have a 200 yard walk back to the vehicle, I will throw him over my shoulder and walk back.  If I am a 1/2 mile or more downhill from my vehicle, I will take the time to pack the bird in my vest properly and pack it out.

I am intrigued by the game bag/back that comes with the Kuiu vest.  I do not see any other similar sold alone game bags on the market.  I have used a decoy bag/pack, but the cloth was not designed well for the issue of blood.  I'd love to see a game pack with a lining (for blood) that could be cinched up, and distribute the weight of the bird properly for a long walk out.

I've had the bloody pants and it is kind of a rite of passage.  I mostly use my vest game bag, it's the easiest way I've tried.  The newspaper plastic wrap bags is an excellent solution for over the shoulder.  But I now get my newspaper on line. 

I bought a tote with a rubber shoulder strap when I started hunting the mountains, sux over the shoulder for 11 miles!

The Sitka vest has a unique carrying system and it works great!

For me, I use the zippered game bag provided in the back of my vest.  Personally, I want to get back to the truck without anyone knowing I killed a bird, if there are other hunters around.  Less visibility is more in my Book!

When I was young=very poor I had the bloody butt. Then I bought a vest, greatest thing ever for packing a turkey!!!

I have a sling that I use when hunting big ground or it has warmed up too much for a vest. The totes work but not near as comfy as a game bag in the back of a wide strapped vest.

I can not think of the last time I slung one over my shoulder. I am getting old!

I made a tote out of paracord. I loop one end over the head, the other end over the feet and carry it over the shoulder like a purse. I have a velcro weight lifting belt my grandson left here and I use that to wrap around the bird to keep the body and wings contained.

I know guys don't mind the blood but I'm not getting into my nice truck all bloody.
I got a Real Avid sling years back and it's been great. Just like a turkey purse
Head up...no blood. Hands and shoulder free for gun, etc.
If I'm successful, gun over one shoulder (decoy bag over gun bbl.), turkey sling over the other. Makes it much easier on an "older" fella.


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They're hard enough to kill, I like the head slapping the back of my leg!!  My favorite pants are some simple cotton basic woodland camo w bloodstains on the back
     JT

Hey, thanks to all of you for the fun and interesting takes.

Thread summary....it's a nice problem to have!

Oh yeah ! Good times....(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250222/bd0d8848dcf1047b35736022ebb6fc1a.jpg)

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I just put the pad on my vest down and let it catch all the blood


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Turkey tote.  As previously stated, it is part of the ritual.

I put them in my vest, that way I'm hands free and he's mostly concealed. Easier, cleaner and safer that way.

The blood on your back side is a privilege! I love walking out of a store or ole cafe and the old timers ask what you hear and I say nothing then turn around and walk out with blood dripping!

A paper towel inserted up into the esophagus will help a lot.

Quote from: Dougas on February 23, 2025, 12:06:34 AMA paper towel inserted up into the esophagus will help a lot.

Don't you find it difficult to breath when you do that?

I'm the rare person that breathes through the skin.

Quote from: Zobo on February 22, 2025, 09:30:44 PMI put them in my vest, that way I'm hands free and he's mostly concealed. Easier, cleaner and safer that way.

X2
Hands free AND safe


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If it is a long walk or hot I just butcher and put in a pillow case. But mostly goes in game pouch.


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After a successful hunt with blood on my clothes, my wife says " got another one huh?

Have a fancy hand made deer antler turkey tote made by Harry Romig. Love it.

Quote from: Ranger on February 22, 2025, 09:29:32 AMHughdamnright. Feels like waxed canvas back there after a few seasons

I've been chuckling about this longer than I care to admit. So good.

Use to live that life. I'll take a hand free strap for the win.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250224/8bc25f19dd4a5ec2616d3e479013e7ec.jpg)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250224/392979698a5b964a5c344ba651bb1728.jpg)


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I have packed em over the shoulder, in vest game bag, and using a paracord tote that I made.  I prefer the tote.

I have always hunted private so if I got anything I could drive to it, this year looks like public so I will be using one of those turkey hammocks that are all orange this year. Should be interesting on crutches.

Over the shoulder for the walk out picture, then turkey tote for the actual walk out. ;)

Why would you do it any other way?

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The Good Lord made turkeys to be carried out by two feet over your shoulder with pride.
It's the exclamation point on a successful hunt for me and I don't mind a bit of a struggle once in a while. It's good for you.

Quote from: Number17 on March 06, 2025, 09:12:12 AMThe Good Lord made turkeys to be carried out by two feet over your shoulder with pride.
It's the exclamation point on a successful hunt for me and I don't mind a bit of a struggle once in a while. It's good for you.

My feelings exactly. I will admit there has been a time or two over the years that I have struggled enough that I considered an alternative method of carry, but for the most part, my attitude has been "by God, I am going to get this gobbler back to the truck by carrying him over my shoulder come 'hehl or high water'".  ;D

My buddy Del Crow, of DC Calls, made me, my wife and daughter custom totes that are beatiful and very handy. But I usually use the orange Tote bag that came with my Cabelas Tat'r 3 vest. Bright orange and good straps. Lots of blood in that old bag. Z

Umbrellas bags for wet umbrellas are excellent for this issue. If you go to a big church, or drop by any local funeral home and ask real nicely, I trust they will share a few with you along the way as you need them. Take a rubber band or two in your vest/satchel, etc. to keep that bag in place and you will have little to no blood on you when you reach the truck.

If it's a short walk, then it's just over the shoulder. If I am over a mile, this is how I like to carry them.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250306/cbcfcaf5494ec30e12371ddfce10a60c.jpg)


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Bread bag and big elastic band or piece of twine. Be sure to leave enough slack in the bag so the beak does not poke a hole in the bottom of the bag.

Many years ago I purchased packs of disposable plastic head cover bags meant just for this purpose.  They were bright orange and had an elastic band around the opening on one end. I ran out and haven't been able to find them anymore. I really liked them!

Quote from: King Cobra on March 06, 2025, 11:01:02 AMBread bag and big elastic band or piece of twine. Be sure to leave enough slack in the bag so the beak does not poke a hole in the bottom of the bag.

And a bread bag can also double as an emergency call saver for those expensive wood calls that you don't want wet when you get caught in a downpour.

I ain't killed a whole pile of turkeys, I've always just carried them over my shoulder but this year I got a paracord tote that im thoroughly looking forward to using this spring. Hopefully here in about a week and a half or so.

Over the shoulder every time. Bloody pants are a sign of a great morning.

Quote from: Hersh on March 11, 2025, 11:15:50 PMOver the shoulder every time. Bloody pants are a sign of a great morning.

Two kinds of people in the world.
The one's you have to explain that to, and the one's that know exactly what happened.

Had a lady at a gas station once exclaim "What happened to you! Are you Ok?"

I smiled and said, "I'm just fine. Had a good morning. Killed a turkey."

She looked me up and down and asked, "With your butt?"

Carrying a gobbler over the shoulder doesn't work when your riding a mile back to the gate on a bicycle! 


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I could not carry one like that. I have walked back to truck and then came back for it. If I could walk normal I think I would use my tote and carry it on one shoulder.