Gear Notes: Spring Turkey
Having the right gear with you during an adventure can really help things go smoothly. I’m not saying that a guy can’t just grab his shotgun, walk into the woods, and kill a turkey, but it’s never happened to me. Because of that, I took a couple items this Spring with me that I knew would make the overall experience a little better for me and my son.
Gerber – Armbar Scout
I never head on a hunting and fishing trip without a knife…or two. Most of the time they’re fixed blade, drop points. Gerber has recently convinced me that a folding knife with a few additional features is a good thing to have handy. I used their Armbar Scout this Spring and was very pleased to have it with me. Aside from providing a sharp blade, the Scout comes with a saw, scissors, can/bottle opener, as well as a hammer feature and pry bar. After getting stuck in deer camp one year trying to make chili with no can opener I’ve vowed to never get caught without out one again. I’ve also found out on more than one occasion that having a pair of scissors is a great idea (especially when notching tags!). The item I was most impressed with and used a surprising number of times was the saw. I didn’t think much of it when I first opened the Armbar Scout but when you’re trying to find a good spot to sit while still concealing yourself from wary turkey eyes, trimming a few key branches makes a big different. Not only did I use the saw to trim a few branches off larger trees but I took out a few saplings that were impeding my view and would have been in the way when swinging my gun into position. If you’re a single blade type of person or would like to upgrade your folding arsenal I wouldn’t hesitate to add the Armbar Scout to your collection.
The tool I assumed I would benefit the least from on the Armbar Scout from Gerber, turned out to be one of the more useful accessories. The saw blade aided in trimming branches and saplings in several different locations during my Spring turkey hunt. It helped put me in comfortable yet concealed positions so that when a gobbler arrived I would be ready.
I’ve found scissors to be a very handy tool to have in the field over the years. The Armbar Scout provides an easy to operate and extremely sharp pair at your disposal. They come in real handy when notching tags!
Sawyer – Permethrin Insect Repellent Treatment
Bugs are annoying. Not only are they annoying, but in some cases they can be hazardous to your health. I highlighted my use of Sawyer’s Picaridin bug spray to thwart off pesky Florida mosquitoes earlier this year but for my turkey exploits I took my fight a step further and added their Permethrin insect treatment to my arsenal. The unique thing about the Permethrin treatment is that it goes on your clothes, gear, tent, etc. repelling mosquitos and killing ticks. Rather than only putting bug spray on your bare skin you put it on your pants and shirt for added protection. I put a heavy dose on my son and I this Spring to keep ticks from latching on to our clothing while walking through tall grass. We also sat right next to a swamp and could hardly see through the swaths of mosquitos. Fortunately, after treating our clothes they left us alone so we could enjoy the hunt. With Spring now past you’ll still want to pick up some Sawyer Insect Repellent Treatment to keep you bug free this summer while doing all your prep work for the Fall deer season.
Sawyer’s Permethrin Insect Repellant Treatment was key to keeping me in the woods and focused while hunting turkey. Not constantly swatting at mosquitoes only improves your odds of getting the drop on an ole tom turkey.
During my son and I’s turkey hunting and fishing weekend we would be traveling through high grass and sitting near a swamp. I doused us both in the Sawyer’s Insect Treatment and never had to pull one tick off of either of us. The mosquitoes minded their own business too allowing my son and I to enjoy our time together.