Turkey hunting minimalist.

[chad fenton]

Do you consider yourself a minimalist.  Let me know why you do and what your bare minimum consist of.  I am sure alot of hardcore minimalist are not on this forum but there has to be a few here.  I kinda couple being a minimalist with being an older hunter.  I am not old (36) but see my self every year not wanting to carry so much crap.You've got to consistantley kill birds though or it must not be workin for ya. 
Ther is something to be said for hittin the woods with your (1) favorite call, a shotgun and a couple shells and gettin the job done year in and year out.

[Marc]

I have headed out for a quick hunt with a GPS, a handful of diaphragms, a box call, and shotgun with shells...  Maybe binoculars as well...

[Ericbrooks]

I have killed a lot of birds with a diagram, shotgun, and binos

[troutfisher13111]

I've killed most of my birds carrying my gun & ammo, compass, knife, tags, and a couple diaphragm calls. I didn't get into more calls until about 3 years ago.

[silvestris]

I pare my crap down as low as I can, but I have a number of callers that make the call that I desire at the time better than another I am carrying and it is hard not to carry them.

[JLH]

I carry a bow, couple pot calls, handful of strikers, bottle of water and decoys...and always have binos around my neck.

Don't run and "bow" too much....never use a blind...mostly get in the right areas and wait them out.

Patience kills a lot of birds for me....and with a bow and no blind, I watch a bunch more than I shoot.

[mikejd]

Id say my brother. He actually doesn't even carry a call sometimes. He says why do I need a call I have you. You make a call every time I ask. He carry's a gun an 2 shells.

[paboxcall]

Hunting off the mountain bike consists of: the single shot, a trumpet, long box, scratch box in the shirt pocket, small seat cushion and a stacked frame mouth call.  Water bottle rides on the bike.

[HOOKS1]

Here's mine:
20 gauge & 3 shells
cushion clipped on belt loop
water bottle clipped on belt loop
compass
trumpet & cane call
tube call
couple of mouth calls

[wvmntnhick]

when I go to my buddy's camp the terrain we hunt dictates what I carry. It's steep as all get out there. Often times I'll just grab a locator, diaphragm, box call and gun. Have had very few issues there. The birds aren't pressured as much there either so that helps. I've not killed a pile of birds this way but enough to make me feel as if I could do it if I had to.

[turkaholic]

I hope all you minimalist don't forget toilet paper. Oh ,I guess if your a mini you would of surely use leaves.

[perrytrails]

Hunting off the mountain bike consists of: the single shot, a trumpet, long box, scratch box in the shirt pocket, small seat cushion and a stacked frame mouth call.  Water bottle rides on the bike.

In some areas a bike is awesome, get back in there quick for sure.


That being said for years I had my gun, shells, crow call and mouth calls.

After getting older and getting a vest, a sling, I'd never go back. Water bottle, tp, skeeter dope, a flip down seat, a way to pack your bird out are just a must for me. Quick access pockets for gloves and face mask a must.

My main reason for a vest is all my stuff is always there. Those early mornings put wear and tare on ya after several weeks of hunting. I tend to get absent minded at 4am.

That's why I use the vest, get dressed grab gun and vest and I have everything I need. That's minimalist for me anyway

[Yoder409]

Gun & shells
1 box
1 slate with one or two strikers
1 or 2 diaphragms
binos
TP
knife
license

......................all fits EASILY into a small-medium fanny pack

will carry water and granola bars if I am in a hot climate and/or gonna be putting serious mileage on my boots

[possum58]

I don't like carrying a bunch of stuff. Many times all I carry is my gun stuffed full of shells (3 or 5 depending on state I'm hunting in) toilet paper and pencil to fill out tag and that's it. I can call with my mouth/voice. I'm taking toilet paper everytime cause I have bad guts and 9 out 10 time I'm going to need that paper! lol

Other times I carry my gun a pot call and a couple diaphragm call and a seat.

Once in a great while I get crazy and vest up with a couple different friction calls, mouth calls, flashlight, extra shells, knife, bino's and a gang of little items I sure don't need to be carrying. About 10 minutes into my walk to where I plan to set up I ask myself why am I dragging all this junk along with me?

My buddy drags enough stuff along to stock the shelves at Cabela's, never uses most of it but he carries it anyway. Works for him and my way works for me so I guess to each his own.

[ziggy]

the more years i chase the birds the more i realize what i like and don't like and pare back accordingly. this year i'm trying an over the shoulder pack where i can throw some shells, a call or two, some tp and hit the woods. i still have my super elite 3 vest for those long afternoon sits, but i'm looking forward to being a little more mobile with this pack and not having to tote around a 15 pound vest with all my crap in it that i may use once a season..

also have some birds scouted on some public land that i'll use a mountain bike to get to. first time using a bike this year, or really targeting public land aggressively, so we'll see how it goes. only two more weeks til the opener here in sc! birds are strutting, weather is warming up, life is good.