Carrying Your Bird Out Of The Woods

[NEhomer]

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?

[Ranger]

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

[NEhomer]

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

LOl!

[GobbleNut]

Been soaked many a time.    
...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.  

[sswv]

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

[Tom007]

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!

[callmakerman]

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.

[Greg Massey]

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...

[dantheman]

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.

[Yoder409]

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.

[Candyman]

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.

[Happy]

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.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[mcw3734]

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.

[deerhunt1988]

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.

[Marc]

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.