doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Shell/Speed bags.

I have a nice a leather shell bag my Wife gifted me that I really like but I find it larger than necessary for my type hunting.

I generally carry a small bag made by Dooney & Burke. Rumor is it is a purse. Don't care, it was $15 at an estate sale.


Brings me to another option. We just got a Duluth Trading Co. store open here. These were on the rack. Oil cloth w/leather trim. Poor boy speed bag.




What do you gents use for long treks in warm weather?

John

["What do you gents use for long treks in warm weather?"] John

I use a strap vest...Geo

I used to have some kind of military bag on a shoulder strap I'd wear when wading for wood ducks. It kept the shells above water and was easy to jettison if I stepped in a hole.

Same here.
Speed bags are for shooting not hunting.

I use this or one like it
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018167393/midwayusa-shell-pouch-with-belt-black
Two sections, one for live and one for empty and doves

Mike

p.s. you know for a 15 dove limit, you will need a few shells at the ready, you know 16 or 17

Ok, speaking of vests, time for my vest rant. Why is it that I can't find any lightweight bird vests with lots of pockets for water bottles, snacks, phone, keys etc.? No mesh (gets tangled in brush), no blaze orange (don't need or want it in the desert), no hand warmers (same), no shoulder pads (adds bulk and weight), no camo (khaki is just fine and reflects heat better than camo), yadda, yadda, yadda. My favorite vest was an old Cabela's cotton/nylon item in light sand color, with a couple of water bottle pockets, internal zip and velcro pockets, outside chest pocket, big bird bag in back plus a couple of zippered compartments for jackets and lunch, and cinch straps across the shoulders to carry rolled up stuff on longer treks. Weighed next to nothing and dried quickly when soaked with sweat. Ideal vest, so of course discontinued long ago.

Everything I find now is either very heavy or covered in blaze orange, or usually both, and none come with all the features of that old Cabela's vest. I have old vests from Columbia (decent but discontinued), Pella (nice but bulky and heavy), and a selection of stuff from Cabela's, Gamehide, etc.

Who still sells a lightweight tan vest with lots of pockets? I hate strap vests.

Like this one for $14.99??

https://www.uniformswarehouse.com/polycotton-tactical-vest-40220.html

OR

this one for $99

https://kevinscatalog.com/kevin-s-extremely-lightweight-poplin-bird-vest

The ultimate bag is your pockets!

https://www.uniformswarehouse.com/polycotton-tactical-vest-40220.html
That's a tacticool vest. Where do you hide the pheasants?


https://kevinscatalog.com/kevin-s-extremely-lightweight-poplin-bird-vest
Price is decent, has water bottle pockets. No pic of the back. But has two things I do not want: shoulder pads and mesh panels.
No info about inside pockets, no chest pocket. No mention of cinch straps on the back, but I can always add those (have done so on other vests).

CZ, I used to think so too. I grew up on the farm in Iowa and then Missouri. Lots of pheasant and quail. I always wore a vest with shell and game pockets over clothes suitable for the weather, 60 to -20 degrees.

Florida has changed my game. Walking up snipe @ 80-85� makes one go light. I usually wear a long sleeve Columbia cape shirt and carry a shell bag over the shoulder. Birds go on a strap to air out until I can get back to the truck. Snipe are 8 birds to the limit so I seldom carry more than 20 shells.

RARiddell,
I learned quick that pants pockets are the wrong place to carry shells while high stepping in 6 inches of muck.

Small bags suitable for shell carry are hard find.

John

Hunting in tropical heat demands minimalism.
I like long sleeve vented shooting shirts.

I've vascillated between belts and strap vests.
Leather is for the butt or peg.

I settled on cheap strap vests with no buckles in front and a mesh game bag. Easy on easy off. Launderable. Versatile.

I don't want to find any moldy leather.

YMMV of course.

The primary issue is how much weight do you expect to carry, and where on your body to you want the weight to hang.
Horses for courses.

Snipe don't require much.
Tropical hunts are usually short. I'd say weight wise, water is the issue. That cries out for a couple disposals bottles in the pouch, Crush them when empty. 2" waist belt.