Pack your pattern board bag
As if your wish list wasn't long enough…
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Items required for a range session may include, but are not limited to, a forearm rest, targets, staple gun and staples, ear and eye protection, note pad, choke tubes, ammo, tools and cleaning gear, etc. These items can be difficult to find and carry to the range if stored loose and in different locations. |
Early each spring, we find ourselves somewhere between the end of deer season and the beginning of turkey season with a shotgun that needs to be patterned, or at least the gun's pattern and optics need to be checked. At the same time, there are chores that were neglected during deer season, and scouting trips necessary to prepare for the gobbler opener. It is during these hectic days when we realize we're running out of time to spend on the pattern board range.
Carrying a turkey gun that hasn't been patterned is asking for trouble, especially if adjustable sights and optics are involved.
Frantically, we look for our turkey loads, screw-in choke tubes, pattern board targets, hearing protection, shooting glasses and the staple gun and staples. The search for our gear takes us all through the house and usually ends in the garage, tearing through mountains of stuff.
Having a range bag and keeping all your pattern board range gear in it can speed up trips to the range and ensures you have what you need when you get there. Hunters who keep a well-equipped range bag simply grab their bag and shotgun and head to the range for a fun afternoon.
Here is how my pattern board range bag is equipped. In fact, I have several range bags for the different guns I shoot.
The Basic Range Bag
The heart of a range bag is the bag itself. Several companies make range bags, including MidwayUSA, Uncle Mike's, Bagmaster, 5.11 Tactical Series, Boyt and Blackhawk. You want a bag made from water-resistant nylon. It should have a large main compartment and side pockets with strong zippers. Since a full range bag can be heavy, select one with a shoulder strap.
Take your time when shopping for your range bag and get one that best fits your needs. Good range bags are not cheap and range in price from about $50 to $200, but with care, they will last years.
What to Carry
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Spending time at the pattern board range before season assures fewer misses during the spring gobbler season, but it requires some gear to be a successful range session. |
Telling a turkey hunter what to carry in his range bag is like telling him what to put in his turkey vest. Here is a list of some of the basic gear most of us have in our bags. Add or subtract to suit your personal needs.
- shooting glasses
- hearing protection
- binoculars for studying patterns from
the shooting position
- shotgun tools
- choke tube wrench
- shotgun cleaning kit
- targets, including large and head-and-neck
targets
- staple gun and staples
- gun rest
- notebook and pen
- shot shells – a variety of shot sizes and brands
- bag for spent shotshells
- garbage bag
- optic lens cleaner
- a variety of choke tubes for your shotgun
- measuring tape or laser range finder
I learned the hard way to keep a small tool kit in the bag with wrenches, screwdrivers, hex key wrenches, etc., that fit your shotgun and scope. You will probably discover loose screws and scope bases while on the range. Be sure you have a wrench that fits the choke tubes on your shotgun. This is probably the most often forgotten item needed on the pattern board range.
A compact cleaning kit is worth carrying, especially if you like to clean your shotgun bore between shots. I find it much easier to clean my guns at the range than when I get home. Optics, such as a scope or red dot, should also be cleaned, so keep an optics cleaning kit in your bag.
My shooting range is equipped with a heavy-duty rifle rest, but many other ranges I use are not, so I keep a small rifle rest in the bag. This makes patterning much quicker.
I keep a canvas sack in my range bag to collect spent shotgun shells and a plastic garbage bag for used targets and other trash. Leave the range clean.
My pattern board is made from wood, so I include a staple gun and a box of staples. If your range uses another type pattern board, you may carry another type of target fastener. Eye and ear protection are a must. I carry an extra set of each, just in case something happens to my main set. If there is a range visitor, it is nice to offer protection to them.
Keep your range bag clean. There is a tendency to let the range bag become a garbage bag, containing spent cases, empty water bottles, sandwich bags and shot-up targets. Make it a policy to keep it clean, and you will enjoy the service it gives you when going to and from the range. When storing it at home, keep it in a secure place, especially if ammo is kept in the bag. Don't borrow tools or gun cleaning supplies from it. They have a way of never returning. — J. Wayne Fears
WANT MORE? > For more information on range bag supplies, visit www.midwayusa.com, www.unclemikes.com, www.bagmaster.com, www.511tactical.com, www.blackhawk.com and www.boytharness.com.