That depressing period between the end of fall hunting season and the beginning of next fall’s hunting season can feel like a lifetime. Luckily, there’s turkey season. It’s the perfect excuse to get back into the field and enjoy longer, warmer spring days.
Turkey hunting is no walk in the woods though. Those older, wary toms have a knack for staying one step ahead of even the most seasoned turkey hunters. To maximize your chances of tagging out this season, you’ll need to make sure your turkey hunting kit is dialed in before the season begins.
Whether this is your first foray into the turkey woods or your 40th, this turkey hunting gear guide should be a good starting point for compiling your own turkey hunting kit.
Turkey Hunting Base Layers
The debate between merino base layers vs. synthetic base layers is never-ending. The truth is, both have their benefits and can do a great job of managing moisture and regulating your core temperature. This is especially true during turkey season, when weather can range from freezing rain and snow to hot and humid, depending on what region you’re hunting.
If you’re hunting a heat wave down south, Badlands’ Andaire Long Sleeve and Andaire Pant will maximize air flow and keep you cool. For more variable temps, you might opt for the Badlands synthetic Algus Short Sleeve or Algus Long Sleeve, which will wick moisture away from your body to keep you dry.
You can also layer underneath another base layer, such as the synthetic Stealth CoolTouch™ Hoodie or Variant Merino Hoodie. The Stealth CoolTouch Hoodie comes in both Approach OG and Approach FX camo to break up your shape, and the integrated hood and facemask maximize concealment from well-educated turkeys. The Variant Merino Hoodie also comes in Approach OG camo and, being a heavier Merino fabric, will be a little warmer, even when it gets wet. Check out all Badlands’ turkey base layers here.
Turkey Hunting Mid Layers
A versatile mid layer should be a staple in your gear kit no matter what you’re hunting. Throw on a grid-fleece like the Badlands Flex Full-Zip Hoodie or Flex Half-Zip Hoodie and you’ll trap more warmth against your body on cool mornings. As the day warms up, you can shed your outer layer and turn the Flex Hoodie into your new outer layer. Shop all mid layers for turkey hunting here.
Turkey Hunting Pants
There are a lot of great Badlands turkey hunting pants to choose from. You can definitely get away with wearing something you’d wear for western big game or whitetail hunting, but we especially love the Ion X Pant for turkey hunting. The next generation of the best-selling Ion Pant, the Ion X Pant features new 4-way stretch fabric for flexibility and comfort as well as water-resistant, reinforced seams. Long story short — they’re durable enough for crawling through thick underbrush, they’ll keep the water at bay when the grass is covered in morning dew, they’ve got pockets for calls and snacks, and of course they’re camo to break up your shape when you’re leaning against a tree. See the lineup of turkey hunting pants.
Turkey Hunting Outer Layers
You can do a lot with durable rain gear, even if you’re not too concerned about getting caught in an afternoon downpour. The Badlands Exo Rain Jacket is a great outer layer in the turkey woods. Windproof and waterproof, yet ultra-quiet and breathable, the Exo Rain Jacket is great for that little bit of extra protection from the elements when it’s wet or cold. When it warms up, simply pack it into your turkey hunting vest.
Boots for Turkey Hunting
For the most part, you can get away with wearing the same hunting boots you’d wear for upland hunting or big game hunting for turkeys. Unless it’s unseasonably cold, you likely won’t need anything with insulation. A good uninsulated leather hunting boot will serve you fine. Just make sure you’ve recently waterproofed them with a quality wax or cream. Even if it’s not rainy, early morning dew on knee-high grass can soak your boots in a hurry. Alternatively, break out the rubber hunting boots and you won’t have to worry about water at all.
Other Turkey Gear Accessories
Don’t forget about other turkey hunting essentials. A good bino harness is just as useful in the turkey woods as it is on a western big game hunt. Check out the versatile Bino Mag 2, Bino EZ or Bino X2 to not only protect your optics, but to keep other hunting accessories handy too.
The classic Badlands Trucker Hat is a great way to keep the sun off your face, and when combined with an Algus Neck Gaiter, you’ll have your head well concealed from birds. Badlands Algus Gloves and Flex Gloves are also great for turkey hunters. The Algus Gloves are lightweight and breathable, while the Flex Gloves have a more durable leather palm if you need to crawl into position for a shot.
One more thing: Do yourself a favor and buy good bug spray — it’s not worth taking chances with ticks. Besides a good bug spray for your skin, consider laying out all your turkey hunting clothes the day before and giving them a thorough spray down with a product like Permethrin to keep the ticks at bay. Trust us, you’ll be glad you did.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to finding the best gear for turkey hunting, sometimes you just have to get out there and see what works best for you, your hunting style and where you hunt. Gear can’t make up for hard-won experience, but as you refine your turkey hunting gear list and upgrade your turkey hunting kit, you’ll be able to get more out of every trip into the turkey woods chasing that spring thunder.
