A couple of years ago, I got ahold of a Filson Tin Cloth Strap Vest for a goodly amount off of MSRP, and I thought I had found the perfect hunting companion at last. Here it is a few years ago, chasing pheasants out at Buffalo Butte Ranch in South Dakota:
Prior to this, I'd gone through a couple of variations, and mostly had used a hand-me-down quail vest, or more recently a war belt with various molle pouches left over from the Marine Corps days. I like the belt approach, combined with a shirt with built-in gamebag, like this old (now discontinued) McAlister model:
But this is definitely a "light & fast" approach, you can carry a waterbottle and a box of shells and a few other items and that's about it. And you have room for 2-3 birds, before it gets uncomfortable. Kind of like an old Toyota compact pickup. Perfect for the steep slopes of NC’s southern Appalachians, where if you come home with more than 2 birds you had a once-in-a-lifetime hunt (NC grouse hunters measure success is flushes, not birds taken (or even shots taken). Hauling water for a dog on a long hot day by itself outstips the capacity of this system, not to mention having enough Ho Hos, Bear Claws, and spare shells.
As an alternative, where you might need a box of shells or two and you are likely to bring home a half dozen birds, a more traditional vest works great. The Filson Tin Cloth Strap vest has ample capacity for shells and game, like you might want for a preserve hunt, but it is also not set up for lugging a lot of water, firstaid for you/dog, an extra layer, lunch, and the things you might need to have on a big full-day walk. It also lacks a belt really of any sort, so muchof the weight falls on the shoulder straps. Its an F-150 type vest. Perfect for a daily driver, but not really a work truck
Enter the WingWorks model. Full ton truck, my friend. I am set on having one, but they have ceased production on new orders for the time being. What ever to do?
