Using totes ?

[The Woodsman]

How do you use them?

I have seen some that look like a handle and some that look like a belt/sling..... any pictures of gobblers strung up?

What's better and why? Does it prevent bloody backs and legs on the hunter?

I am used to just grabbing the legs and heading out.

Uneducated,
Denny

[hunter22]

Denny,

My tote is made out of nylon cord. The top part is a handle and the bottom part has two straps, one for each leg. I throw the bird over my shoulder and grip the handle. It takes some of the strain off your arm by gripping the handle instead of a leg. I still get bloody.

The best way I have found to tote a gobbler is to take my vest off, open the game bag, place the bird in the open area, and close the game bag back together. It pulls on your back but I think is more comfotable than the tote I use.

[Gobbler Commander]

 Denny I like to put them in my vest but its better if i can get someone else to carry the bird out of the woods

[callmakerman]

The first bird I ever killed on my own I tossed him over my shoulder and walked a long way out of the woods to my car and said never again. Why carry a bird that way when your vest has a built in game bag and the bloody mess stays in the game pouch.

[Shadetree Callers]

Theres nothing more satisfying than a vest heavy laden with a warm gobbler !

[Spring Dragon]

Good question and one a lot of guys ask.  Here is my take on totes.

Carrying a bird by the legs with my arm bent clean up by my neck, above my shoulder, with my wrist bent in a fashion it wasn't designed for tends to strain and hurt... especially on long hikes out.  Also, the legs of a bird aren't really comfortable to grasp and my hands cramp.  Rainy days, turkey legs get slippy too.

I don't like to use my game pouch on my vest, that is if I am wearing one, blood gets in there, stains, stinks and its hard to wash my Bob Dixon.  Secondly, my vest pouch is usually full of items such as toilet paper, food, drink bottle, pruning tools, umbrella and more.

As for the blood issue on your clothes and then usually on your car seats too...  I solved that problem which I will show in a picture below.  I carry a couple 1 gallon freezer bags or empty bread bags in my vest or pockets and some rubber bands.  I pull the bags over my turkey's head, neck and wattles then cinch them tight with the rubber bands...no more bloody clothes and mess.

My totes are designed to comfortably distribute the weight and load and have your hand in an "ergonomically correct or physically comfortable position".   The antler I use is of large diameter/mass so not to strain the hand muscles.  I designed it such a way that the brow tine portion of the handle hooks under, or cups if you will, the knife edge of the hand.  This prevents slipping and strain.  The lanyard is adjustable in length to fit the user best for them (e.g. where you feel most comfortable with your arm and hand, and also for the persons height.  I set mine so that my right hand is on my right chest muscle with my elbow tucked comfortably at my side and the birds legs over the top of my right shoulder.  You can also hang the bird off your shoulder and just have the lanyard over the shoulder like a sling.  I've seen guys do both.  I dont like the style that splits your fingers apart and you have to turn your wrist, again, not comfortable.  I put alot of thought into my design, I made it very practical/functional, comfortable as well as quick & easy to attach.  Everytime I use mine I am glad I had it.

Sadly, I do not have any good pictures of me using my tote.  I am usually alone and no-one around to snap a photo.  But here are some pictures of friends using them and one of me from the back showing the use of blood bags.  Hope I didn't bore anyone, wanted to be thorough and answer your questions.  They aren't for everyone but those who use them wonder why they didn't before, and... I think they're pretty cool.---Jason

Blood Bags over heads

Tote use/carry




Not one of my totes but is how I use mine & another carry option

[boxcaller]

seen alot of different totes over the years from our customers,..baseball bats, deer antler, broom handles, leather straps,..the one common feedback i would see from most hunters is that they all had a very long strap on their tote,..the nicest one i saw this spring was one made from deer antler with a leather strap,...with a flat shoulder pad on the strap,...similar to a gun sling,..and he held it in the opposite hand of the shoulder it was on.  i will say those things are good for walking out on private ground,..but you gotta be careful on public,...even if you have the orange on it.    we've also been doing the bag over the head trick for some guys,......but i always liked the blood stain on my back and legs,..kinda like a badge of honor,.....It's like when we used to play football and you would see how much "war paint" from the other teams helmets you could get on yours.

[ferocious calls]

Received a tote yesterday as a trade item from Harry Romig of Harrisburg, PA maker of the Double Talker turkey call.
Harry fixed beads onto the cord so it doesn't dig into your shoulder. Nice piece.

[Old Geezer]

I use, and make, the type of tote that is a wide leather strap with two nylon loops at each end.  One loop for the head and other for the legs.  Strap goes over the shoulder, with bird riding comfortably under the arm, leaving both hands free.

Ralph

[professorwingbone]

I've been using a tote I made many years ago with a deer antler and a leather shoestring. It's very comfortable and pretty simple.....no where as nice as Jason's. To conquer the blood stains on the pants problem, I just save a few plastic bags from our local newspaper, carry a rubber band and the problem is solved.

Fred

[Lowcountry Longbeard]

Dang I "sho" look good from all sides, but still not as good as Jason's tote!  They work great too, I had just hauled that bird up a 20 degree slope for a half mile and it made it much easier.

[strutnrut]

I like the sling type myself

[The Woodsman]

Good points guys! Thanks for the info!!

Denny

[savduck]

I use both types, but lately find myself using the sling type. Here is a buddy of mine using my sling strap on a gobbler he shot with me this spring

[firedup]

I also have tried a bunch of things over the years but a few years back I rigged up a sling using an gun type sling.  It has antislip material that goes against the shoulder. A couple of nylon cords on each end secure the bird. Folds and fits well in my pocket. I tie the birds head down further toward the chest, fold the head in under the wing and then make sure that the side with the head folded in is against my body. Head stays in and no bloody mess. Carried up hill and down hill and more than too many miles.  And as a gun sling it is adjustable.  Hands free. Never looked back at trying to hang on to anything again. Another good option is a shoulder strap off a soft type travel bag. They are often curved and also have the non slip material.