What should you have while hunting?

[nkielborn]

After reading the article about camping and what needs to be brought, I decided to see what people thought should be brought while hunting. I am new to hunting and no one else in my family hunts so I am having to learn it all myself. I started off fishing and then I started thinking about hunting and wanting to try it out.

So my question is what is needed for a single day hunt? I have been told and heard quite a bit from people but after reviewing everything i have been told i realized that if I brought everything i was suppose to i would have a pack that was well over 50lbs.

I know you should have certain basics like firestarters (matches, lighter), maps, water, and food. As wells as having guns, knives, sharpner and extra ammo (which shouldn't be needed but doesnt hurt to have). What else should i make sure I have on the hunt.

If I was so luckly to actually take a Calfornia black tail or mule deer how should I plan to take it out basically what method works best. This is part of the reason I assumed weight to be an issue since I ll be carrying everything out. And hopefully one day in the future I ll get some pigs and black bear what are the best methods to take them out. I have bought some books about hunting but I am always trying to learn more.

[dirty habit]

Small first aid kit always goes with me...
that "just in case" has saved my ass a few times now

[Desertfox]

Usually the determining factors for me are as follows:

1- How long am I staying out.
2- Weather
3- Terrain (also to include familiarity)
4- What Game

Ok, lets say I am hunting on my lease, all day for whitetail deer. Terrain is relatively flat and familiar.

Weather is a balmy 72 and sunny.

Besides what I am wearing, including head net and gloves-

I will put in my pack,Hunting lisence, 2 water bottles, tissue, snickers bar, two cheese crackers packs, gum, Powdered wind detector, flashlight and extra batteries (small) knife on my side and my weapon (loaded, no extra ammo). First aid kit optional on my lease due to the fact that stands are already up and my truck will be less than a mile away.
Archery season means take first aid with me.


When I hunt Colorado in the mountains, for elk or muleys the decision is different-

Clothing differences aside- Good boots are a must- My backpack has a rack on it to carry alot of weight if I should be successful on my hunt-

ADD THE FOLLOWING:

Compass, MRE, iodine tabs, first aid, extra ammo (5 rounds), GPS, Cell Phone(doesn't get signal most of the time), another flashlight, More Batteries, Emergency Blanket(small folded silver) lighter and matches.

No firestarter needed around pine pitch.

This is just basic stuff in my back pack for hunting mountains and terrain less familiar to me. The weather can swing bad on you at elevation so, I prepare.

There are surely more people to add to this but you generally do not need to take everything in the house.

You can snack on something and survive for that hot meal at home or camp after daylight hours. You obviously need more water if it is hot and you are using it.

[Art Eatman]

Leaving severe winter and Rock Mountains out of my thinking:

If I'm only going to hunt within two to four or so miles from my base--camp or vehicle--I only carry a minimum amount.

Spare shells. Some rope. Smallish hunting knife for field-dressing. Toilet paper to mark the spot where Bambi's lying, if I have to leave him, go get hauling-help and come back and find the spot. In open country, 7X or 8X binoculars. If the weather's warm, a canteen. A bandanna has lots of uses, but particularly for around my neck in late afternoon when it chills down.

IOW, not much "stuff".

Art

[rantingredneck]

I'm like these other guys in that how and where I'm hunting determines for me what I take.

If I'm bowhunting, typically I only do morning/evening hunts and don't take quite so much stuff. In my waist pack will be a small pack of beef jerky and maybe some crackers and a water bottle along with my drag rope, pull up rope, monocular (I pack small), calls. I carry a fixed blade knife on my belt during bow season and a folder during gun. I carry a three arrow quiver attached to that waistpack. If I'm in unfamiliar territory I'll add a small first aid kit and a GPS. If I'm gun hunting I could be out all day and will add some extra food (still not much) to what's listed above as well as extra water. I typically wear my clothes in and out so don't worry about packing them per se. I typically carry a full magazine and one full reload's worth of ammo.

I typically keep liquid dish soap and water in the truck. That way when I've made a kill and get it back to the truck I can wash the blood off.

[buck460XVR]

basics I take on every hunt.....compass, knife, rope, T.P.,coupla disposable antiseptic wet wipes, something to munch on and something to drink. Rubber gloves iffin I'm deer hunting. Now that I'm older and more fragile and with technology the way it is I usually take the cell phone along also. Unless I'm going real deep for an extended time, I leave the first aid kit in the truck....T.P. and rope/string work just as well. Extra shells and license are no brainers. I also leave a map on the dash of my truck of where I intend to hunt so in case someone needs to find me they know where to start lookin'.........

[john in jax]

As mentioned above if hunting close (a mile or two) to your vehicle or camp GO LIGHT.

ALWAYS with me when hunting (easily fits in pockets and a small pack or vest):
a map
a compass
a drag rope or drag harness to drag the game out
knife
yellow rubber gloves (not the thin latex, but the thicker house cleaning kind)
lighter
little flashlight
marking/trail tape
snack food (energy bar, peanuts, raisins, etc...)
bottled water (I also pack some mountain dew, but I'm a caffine addict)

Extra stuff in the vehicle is stuff like:
xtra clothes / shoes
xtra drinks
xtra food
back-up pair of eye glasses
back-up compass
back-up knife
garbage bags
shovel
machette
big maglite flashlight
rope and straps
tools
and so forth

[Desertfox]

Just to add to my previous post, I keep a gallon of water with a cap full of chlorine bleach in it in the truck. This is for after bambi surgery. The rubber gloves are now available in field dressing packets at wal mart, etc. for about a buck and a half and have regular gloves plus arm-length field dressing gloves. HANDY!

Drag rope- good idea, I always use my safety harness from whatever tree stand I happen to be hunting in, when success stumbles upon me. Pulls great from the harness and leaves my hands free for bow/rifle etc.

Thanks for the ideas above! I will be making a back up supply pack for the truck with clothes, compass etc.

I do carry handi-wipe packets in my bag. Personal Hygiene. Bowseason I carry a little bottle of Scent Killer spray. Big bottle in the truck. Always T.P. for numerous reasons stated. Trail Marking is perfect and first aid obvious.

The one thing noone mentioned is to take your witts with you. Know your own limitations! Know how far you can safely go. If you are not comfortable doing something in the woods, don't do it. Keep hydrated even in the winter. Don't lose your mind when you encounter game. Hunt with a friend if possible until you are comfortable alone, or just hunt with a friend forever. Macho and Mother nature collide every fall and we all know who wins every time.
Each of the above sentences has novels written about them.

People die every year due to ignorance in the woods. Some are even tough guys that lack preparation. Safety first may sound like a bad tv commercial but everyone in this forum that has hunted any length of time practices it.

You can have fun and be smart and sensible at the same time. Don't forget to be courteous to other hunters while hunting. These are not things that you can learn in a few forums. You pick up something new everytime you go out. Good luck.

[WeedWacker]

You can find lists of what to put in a Survival kit for emergencies. If you are taking deer a knife needs to only be about 3" - 4" long and can fold. Lightweight skeletal frames are good since you will probably be in hilly country. As for rifle a .30-30 would be good as a starter. Marlin makes good lever actions but a bolt will give better accuracy over longer ranges. Remington 700 in .308 win is a good choice as well. A rope and a stick are essential for draggin the deer out if need be as well. Just get it to a place where you can get a motor vehicle to it. As for cleaning, gut it right then and there if you can (duh) and get it draining soon. Maybe even quartering it and packing it out would be better than taking a whole deer depending on where you are. anything i'm missing?

[FirstFreedom]

http://www.boardtracker.com/search/?search=hunting+gear&page=1&cat=1&order=1&scope=4&sitelimit=thefiringline.com&boardid=&for=0

[rem33]

Don't forget your License and or tags.
I have a uncle that tagged his deer with last years tag. He didn't get his deer the year before and had never removed that tag from his wallet. So when tagging the deer he grabbed the wrong one. It was not fun at a check station but looking back now it is. After several tense minutes the fish & game folks let him re-tag and sent us on our way.
At that time here besides tagging the deer you also needed to sign, and placd the date on your license after the kill. He had done that.

Never forget
License, tags
Gun, bullets
Knife.

Lots of other things are nice to have along but these are a must have.

[UniversalFrost]

BEER:p

Just kidding.

I like to carry a gps if it is an area that I am unfamiliar with or if I am spotting sites for stands. small first aid kit. cell phone or small radio if alone in treachorous terrain (calling for first aid when I break my leg etc.. Plus the gps is good for giving them coordinates to get you). waterproof matches, some type of food (jerky in a sealed bag, mre, etc..) I also always have plenty of water. A good foldable poncho (type that fits in your pcoket) is great when hunting and get stuck in the rain over night. one of those emergency thermal sleeping bags (again pocket type). Maglight, flashlight, etc.. Also a good knife (I like a semi serrated blade) and a good smaller pocket knife.

I usually pack all this stuff into a hydrastorm S.T.R.I.K.E. pack that has a 100 oz. water pouch.

This is great for going out to remote areas where you plan on being there a couple of days. More than that and I would want to expand my pack list a lot.

Also, if alone or with a buddy in the woods and figuring out how to get your game out of the woods, you can make a travois (drag sled) from small trees and then drag it out. or just bring one of those roll up sleds and several feet of rope and drag the sucker out that way.