If you are heading out to one of the states that allow air rifle turkey hunting this fall, make sure you have all the right turkey hunting gear on hand to ensure a successful hunt. Not only will you need a .22, .25, or .30 caliber spring piston air rifle, you will also need the following list of the best turkey hunting gear to bag that big tom you have set your sites upon.
1. Foldable Turkey Decoys
What’s turkey hunting without the right decoy? One of the greatest benefits of air rifle hunting is that it is much more stealthy than using a traditional firearm. You don’t want to blow that by crashing through the trees and underbrush with heavy or awkwardly shaped decoys. Enter the Gobbstopper Portable Decoy.
These decoys fold up nice and small, allowing you to stick them in a pack or hunting vest easily. When you are ready to deploy them, simply unfold so they spring into shape as either a realistically rendered and colored three-quarter strut jake or a three-position hen. The small, lightweight stakes let you stick them into any type of ground easily.
2. Button Turkey Calls
No turkey hunter is complete without a call – you need something to help draw those birds to the decoys and into your site. Skip right to the chase by packing a push-button Quaker Boy call this year. This model has the button inside the call frame, so there are no chances of accidentally pushing the call before you are in position and ready. The natural mahogany creates a smooth and natural cluck or yelp that is just in the range that attracts the gobblers.
Although this call doesn’t have the raspy sound of some other calls, the sounds are just natural enough to pique the interest of your prey.
3. Diaphragm Calls
Sometimes you need more rasp to draw out the toms, which is where the multiple reeds in a well-made diaphragm turkey call come in handy when looking for turkey hunting gear. The Undertaker UT-3 meets this need in a simple to use batwing style that even those new to using a turkey call can master sufficiently to draw the gobblers within range. This is an aluminum call with thin latex reeds, which ensures that it is sturdy enough to stand up to long tramps in the field as you look for the perfect spot to set up.
4. The Perfect Vest
For most turkey hunters, the vest is the preferred method for toting all the bits and bobs you need on the trail. Introducing the Redhead Striker, a hunting vest that gives you all the storage you need for your turkey hunting gear while also being comfortable. It comes with a variety of pouches and compartments, including a built-in game a decoy bag, memory foam padded back for comfort, and plenty of interior pockets for calls and turkey hunting accessories. The adjustable straps are also padded, so you can tighten up your load for silent travel while still remaining comfortable.
5. Si Scopes
Just like hunting with any weapon, air rifle turkey hunting does depend upon using a quality sight or scope. Don’t simply settle for a stock scope or try to make a scope meant for other firearms serve your purpose. Instead, invest in a scope specifically made for air rifles. Air rifles have twice the amount of recoil of a similar caliber firearm, which means a firearm scope is too sensitive to handle use on an air rifle. This makes the proper scope one of your turkey hunting essentials.
The Hawke Sport Optics HK3012 is a good midlevel scope for those looking for quality and value. The HK3012 features the clear sight and vision that Hawke Optics is known for, while also providing a large field of vision even at high magnification levels. It can also handle the bumps it is likely to take on a trip after some gobblers, while also being lightweight enough so that it barely even affects your load.
Planning the perfect hunting trip begins with packing the right new turkey hunting gear. Check out some of these hunting gear list recommendations so your next turkey hunt results in a fat gobbler in your pack.