Hunting survival gear

bill k · April 8, 2005, 12:19 PM

Deer season is only six months away and I'm getting ready to go. I'm reorganizing my day pack and looking for ideas of what I might overlook. There was an excellent article in "Hunting" a month or so ago that suggested items to include in your pack. Since my filing system sucks, I can't find it.
What does everyone put in their day pack in case something bad happens, i.e. you get lost or hurt and have to spend the night.

NRA4life · April 8, 2005, 02:50 PM

This is generally what I carry, not exact, but it hits the main staples: Small flashlight, knife, extra food, water, some kind of communications device (cell phone, VHF or FM radio, etc.), bic lighter, waterproof matches, some light weight extra clothing (if it's cold), GPS (not all the time), a piece of heavy plastic (to make a shelter if necessary), rope, fire starting material, about 10 paper towels (doubles as toilet paper), leatherman, spare ammo, compass, spare gloves, small first aid kit.

Sometimes there's other stuff too, depending on the situation. If I know I'm going to have to pack an animal, I'll cary my homemade collapsible pack frame, additional rope, plastic trash bags or meat bags, and a small bone saw.

If I think there's even a remote chance of an overnight bivouac (sp?), I carry a lightweight fleece blanket.

I'm probably forgetting some things as well.

bill k · April 8, 2005, 03:27 PM

I found my magazine the article was in, "Field and Stream" March issue.

Al Thompson · April 8, 2005, 05:11 PM

Biggest thing (IMHO) is to have someone at the camp or at home know where your going and when you'll return. Back before cell phones, buddy and I walked a loooong ways to a phone to call another buddy to come get us when our truck got stuck.

I've been places here (recently) where cell phones don't work.

Jseime · April 9, 2005, 04:00 PM

knives- several sizes and degrees of quality (nice home built knife, gerber gator, 12 dollar knife i use to skin.)
hatchet
GPS- dad won it and had no use for it so now its mine
Tags
Habitat certificate
spare ammo
gloves+hat

that about has it i always know that ill make it home even if i have to walk because i hardly have to go anywhere to get to deer.

stevelyn · April 11, 2005, 03:58 AM

I would add:
Rain gear (doubles as windbreaker).
A milsurp poncho and liner.
Magnesium firestarter.
Spare socks.
ACR Firefly strobe beacon.

Lawyer Daggit · April 11, 2005, 06:18 AM

I carry:
Water
Survival blanket
Snake bite kit- compression bandages
wound dressings
Panadol
GPS
Walkie Talkie
Knife
A muesli bar
Surveyors tape to mark trail with
Compass
Maps
Torch
Spare batteries (walkie talkie / GPS /Torch take AA- I find it easier to standardise.
Spare ammo
Sun hat
Matches
Some tinder for fire lighting in emergency
Whistle

JKump · April 12, 2005, 09:44 AM

Since I am not hunting to far from my home or civilization. I don't carry that much. Extra ammo, a .357 mag handgun, a good knife, compass, lighter and my cell phone.

Joe Demko · April 12, 2005, 11:27 AM

The place where I hunt is sufficiently rural that I wouldn't be appreciably less "out in the boonies" if I just hunted off the porch rather than walking out to my stand. Since I'm only about 10 minutes walk from the house, I don't carry much out with me. Of course, that didn't stop me from being a stubborn doofus who wouldn't come in out of the cold a few years ago. If anybody ever tells you that frostbite and hypothermia are fun, he is a liar.

Dogjaw · April 17, 2005, 09:43 PM

Michigan national forrest in November:

candle

tin foil - wrap around base of candle and make a wind break / reflector for the flame. Also doubles as a reflective signal during daylight.

2nd compass

1/4" rope

hand warmers

large garbage bag for emergency rain poncho or shelter

soup can for melting snow with candle - eating 32 degree snow removes 144 times more body heat than drinking 32 degree water.

magnesium fire starter and/or birch bark for kindling - lights easy and burns hot

folding pocket tree saw

Strike anywhere matches in waterproof container (I keep a butane lighter in my inner pocket, because they don't work when cold).

2 small flashlights and extra batteries

4 plastic bags for emergency foot heat. Place bags on feet and put boots back on. Creates vapor barrier and air pocket. Place items that need to stay dry in them.

Extra pair of wool gloves

toilet paper

Dave R · April 18, 2005, 10:36 PM

The lists here are all good. There's another way to look at it--what will kill you in the wilds?

Hypothermia is the main killer. Have a way to stay warm and dry. Space blanket, pocho/rain gear, fire starting materials. If you can stay warm and dry, you can survive for a coupla days, at least.

Thirst is the second killer. Have a way to carry and purify water, and know how to get it.

Hunger is the next killer. You can't carry enough food to last long, so that's more a "how d you recognize/trap/prepare what's available in your area. I hear locusts can be prepared so they taste like shrimp.

Communication/signaling is last.

Most of the lists address all these needs. But if you can address these 4 principles, I believe you are in good shape.

Shell · April 19, 2005, 09:36 PM

To add to your food list... pine cones are high in vitamin C, though I've not tried one. Cattail roots can be dug and eaten, supposed to be similar to potatoes. Willow bark has "natural asprin".

April 8, 2005, 12:19 PM	#1
bill k Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2004 Location: Dog Creek, CA Posts: 457	Hunting survival gear Deer season is only six months away and I'm getting ready to go. I'm reorganizing my day pack and looking for ideas of what I might overlook. There was an excellent article in "Hunting" a month or so ago that suggested items to include in your pack. Since my filing system sucks, I can't find it. What does everyone put in their day pack in case something bad happens, i.e. you get lost or hurt and have to spend the night. __________________ Retired Air Force 8th TFW The Wolfpack

April 8, 2005, 03:27 PM	#3
bill k Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2004 Location: Dog Creek, CA Posts: 457	I found the issue I found my magazine the article was in, "Field and Stream" March issue. __________________ Retired Air Force 8th TFW The Wolfpack

April 8, 2005, 05:11 PM	#4
Al Thompson Staff Alumnus Join Date: May 2, 1999 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,574	Biggest thing (IMHO) is to have someone at the camp or at home know where your going and when you'll return. Back before cell phones, buddy and I walked a loooong ways to a phone to call another buddy to come get us when our truck got stuck. I've been places here (recently) where cell phones don't work. __________________ http://www.scfirearms.org/

April 9, 2005, 04:00 PM	#5
Jseime Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 1,775	my pack includes knives- several sizes and degrees of quality (nice home built knife, gerber gator, 12 dollar knife i use to skin.) hatchet GPS- dad won it and had no use for it so now its mine Tags Habitat certificate spare ammo gloves+hat that about has it i always know that ill make it home even if i have to walk because i hardly have to go anywhere to get to deer. __________________ I love the smell of fresh shotgun in the morning.

April 11, 2005, 03:58 AM	#6
stevelyn Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2004 Location: Fairbanksan in exile to Aleutian Hell Posts: 2,560	I would add: Rain gear (doubles as windbreaker). A milsurp poncho and liner. Magnesium firestarter. Spare socks. ACR Firefly strobe beacon. __________________ Herman Cain '12 Squished bugs on a windshield is proof the slow/heavy bullet theory works.

April 8, 2005, 02:50 PM	#2
NRA4life Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2001 Location: WA Posts: 183	This is generally what I carry, not exact, but it hits the main staples: Small flashlight, knife, extra food, water, some kind of communications device (cell phone, VHF or FM radio, etc.), bic lighter, waterproof matches, some light weight extra clothing (if it's cold), GPS (not all the time), a piece of heavy plastic (to make a shelter if necessary), rope, fire starting material, about 10 paper towels (doubles as toilet paper), leatherman, spare ammo, compass, spare gloves, small first aid kit. Sometimes there's other stuff too, depending on the situation. If I know I'm going to have to pack an animal, I'll cary my homemade collapsible pack frame, additional rope, plastic trash bags or meat bags, and a small bone saw. If I think there's even a remote chance of an overnight bivouac (sp?), I carry a lightweight fleece blanket. I'm probably forgetting some things as well.

April 11, 2005, 06:18 AM	#7
Lawyer Daggit Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Posts: 1,181	I carry: Water Survival blanket Snake bite kit- compression bandages wound dressings Panadol GPS Walkie Talkie Knife A muesli bar Surveyors tape to mark trail with Compass Maps Torch Spare batteries (walkie talkie / GPS /Torch take AA- I find it easier to standardise. Spare ammo Sun hat Matches Some tinder for fire lighting in emergency Whistle

April 12, 2005, 09:44 AM	#8
JKump Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 1998 Location: Middle Georgia Posts: 403	Since I am not hunting to far from my home or civilization. I don't carry that much. Extra ammo, a .357 mag handgun, a good knife, compass, lighter and my cell phone. __________________ Live everyday as if it is your last! Because someday you will be right. "Everyone has a game plan until they get punched in the mouth".

April 12, 2005, 11:27 AM	#9
Joe Demko Senior Member Join Date: September 14, 2000 Posts: 1,118	The place where I hunt is sufficiently rural that I wouldn't be appreciably less "out in the boonies" if I just hunted off the porch rather than walking out to my stand. Since I'm only about 10 minutes walk from the house, I don't carry much out with me. Of course, that didn't stop me from being a stubborn doofus who wouldn't come in out of the cold a few years ago. If anybody ever tells you that frostbite and hypothermia are fun, he is a liar. __________________ "No honest man needs a handgun smaller than a canned ham." Bill Ruger

April 17, 2005, 09:43 PM	#10
Dogjaw Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2001 Location: S.W. Michigan Posts: 560	Michigan national forrest in November: candle tin foil - wrap around base of candle and make a wind break / reflector for the flame. Also doubles as a reflective signal during daylight. 2nd compass 1/4" rope hand warmers large garbage bag for emergency rain poncho or shelter soup can for melting snow with candle - eating 32 degree snow removes 144 times more body heat than drinking 32 degree water. magnesium fire starter and/or birch bark for kindling - lights easy and burns hot folding pocket tree saw Strike anywhere matches in waterproof container (I keep a butane lighter in my inner pocket, because they don't work when cold). 2 small flashlights and extra batteries 4 plastic bags for emergency foot heat. Place bags on feet and put boots back on. Creates vapor barrier and air pocket. Place items that need to stay dry in them. Extra pair of wool gloves toilet paper __________________ There are three kinds of men: 1) The ones that learn by reading. 2) The few who learn by observation. 3) The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves..........

April 18, 2005, 10:36 PM	#11
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Location: Idaho Posts: 6,068	The lists here are all good. There's another way to look at it--what will kill you in the wilds? Hypothermia is the main killer. Have a way to stay warm and dry. Space blanket, pocho/rain gear, fire starting materials. If you can stay warm and dry, you can survive for a coupla days, at least. Thirst is the second killer. Have a way to carry and purify water, and know how to get it. Hunger is the next killer. You can't carry enough food to last long, so that's more a "how d you recognize/trap/prepare what's available in your area. I hear locusts can be prepared so they taste like shrimp. Communication/signaling is last. Most of the lists address all these needs. But if you can address these 4 principles, I believe you are in good shape. __________________ I am Pro-Rights (on gun issues).

April 19, 2005, 09:36 PM	#12
Shell Member Join Date: March 8, 2005 Location: sometimes southeast ohio when not trying to relocate Posts: 53	To add to your food list... pine cones are high in vitamin C, though I've not tried one. Cattail roots can be dug and eaten, supposed to be similar to potatoes. Willow bark has "natural asprin".