Turkey Tote and Spur Shield
When you’re miles from the truck with a 20-pound turkey on the ground, this homemade turkey tote and the spur shield could come in handy. Don’t skip the spur protection. Sharp spurs can rip up a new jacket or even your shoulder.
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Illustrations by Ryan Kirby |
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You’ll need:
- 48 inches of parachute cord
- three pieces of water hose: two 1 1/2-inch-long pieces and one 3 1/2-inch-long piece
- a strip of old T-shirt (4 inches x 16 inches)
- 12 inches of leather bootlace
- 5 inches of 3/4-inch heat shrink tube, black electrical tape or duct tape (to wrap the T-shirt strip)
Make the handle by running one end of the cord through the 3 1/2-inch hose section. Double the parachute cord and make the first knot near the handle. Tie another overhand knot four inches below the first knot and then a third overhand knot 3 1/2 inches below the second knot. Insert one end of the T-shirt between the first two knots and wrap the shirt around the cord to create a cushion. Slide the heat shrink tube over the cushion and shrink it with a blow dryer at or over the knots. If you don’t have shrink tube, wrap with electrical tape or duct tape instead.
For the spur protection, drill a 1/4-inch hole about 3/8 inch from the end of each short hose. Run the leather lace through the hose and through the second piece. Double the lace and tie an overhand knot to keep them together. Installation is obvious. Store in a resealable bag in your vest.
Dave Merrill
Wilmington, N.C.
Dave, thanks for the great turkey tote and spur shield tip. One question that needs to be asked is: What kind of monster North Carolina turkeys are you hunting where the spurs require heavy rubber shields to carry them out? Do you hunt with a Kevlar turkey vest and a 10-gauge shotgun? I’m jealous and will be watching my e-mail for the invite to hunt these Jurassic turkeys. In the meantime enjoy the NWTF multi-tool from the Reader Tips closet. — P.J. Perea, Turkey Country senior editor