Hunting Pack List
- Thread starter 300wsmman
- Start date
fisherman66
New member
1. Duct Tape
I put together car kits and re-vamped my daypack survival kit after Mr. Lee went missing in Oregon. I've read a lot of survival stories and advice from some notable experts and some not-so-reliable sources. As a result, I've come up with some ideas of my own. Here they are:
Since you'll be hunting Elk, you'll already be carrying a capable rifle, ammunition, knife and water. I would also recommend rain gear and an extra layer of wool or polypro clothing (to include hat and socks) as well as a waterproof map and compass. I made up a small survival kit that always goes in the bottom of my pack, regardless of whether I am ten minutes from the house on 100 acres or hiking in the backcountry. It contains:
Gerber multi-tool
Signal mirror
ball-less whistle
blaze orange handkerchief
space blanket
duct tape
two large heavy duty trash bags
two quart sized ziploc freezer bags
water purification tablets or purifying drinking straw
magnesium fire starter
butane lighter
lifeboat matches
wire saw
fishing kit (hooks, sinkers, flies, braided line)
compass
50 ft. genuine 550 para cord
small knife
pencil and paper
safety pins
First-aid kit (small bandages, steri-strips, bandage tape, needles, dental floss, tweezers, alcohol prep pads, sting-eez, neosporin, aspirin, immodium A-D, benadryl and zantac 150)
I highly recommend the book "How to Stay Alive in the Woods". It's older but extremely well written and contains tons of woodcraft that has been largely forgotten. If you can afford it, carry a personal 406 mHz ELT. Above all, practice using all the equipment in your kit. It's harder to make fire using the magnesium fire-starter than you think.
Since you'll be hunting Elk, you'll already be carrying a capable rifle, ammunition, knife and water. I would also recommend rain gear and an extra layer of wool or polypro clothing (to include hat and socks) as well as a waterproof map and compass. I made up a small survival kit that always goes in the bottom of my pack, regardless of whether I am ten minutes from the house on 100 acres or hiking in the backcountry. It contains:
Gerber multi-tool
Signal mirror
ball-less whistle
blaze orange handkerchief
space blanket
duct tape
two large heavy duty trash bags
two quart sized ziploc freezer bags
water purification tablets or purifying drinking straw
magnesium fire starter
butane lighter
lifeboat matches
wire saw
fishing kit (hooks, sinkers, flies, braided line)
compass
50 ft. genuine 550 para cord
small knife
pencil and paper
safety pins
First-aid kit (small bandages, steri-strips, bandage tape, needles, dental floss, tweezers, alcohol prep pads, sting-eez, neosporin, aspirin, immodium A-D, benadryl and zantac 150)
I highly recommend the book "How to Stay Alive in the Woods". It's older but extremely well written and contains tons of woodcraft that has been largely forgotten. If you can afford it, carry a personal 406 mHz ELT. Above all, practice using all the equipment in your kit. It's harder to make fire using the magnesium fire-starter than you think.
I like the above kit with a few modifications.
1. Magnesium starters can turn dangerous when they get wet. They tend to break off and get on your skin - burning all the way through. There is another type (non-magnesium) that can be soaked for hours and will strike when soaking wet.
2. If you aren't going to be in an area with fish - delete the fishing kit. Replace it with a quarter pound of jerky (not the spicy stuff because that will make you thirsty).
3. If your multi-tool has a knife, the other one becomes redundent.
4. You should have some extra dry clothing - especially socks and thermal underwear.
5. Several energy bars.
1. Magnesium starters can turn dangerous when they get wet. They tend to break off and get on your skin - burning all the way through. There is another type (non-magnesium) that can be soaked for hours and will strike when soaking wet.
2. If you aren't going to be in an area with fish - delete the fishing kit. Replace it with a quarter pound of jerky (not the spicy stuff because that will make you thirsty).
3. If your multi-tool has a knife, the other one becomes redundent.
4. You should have some extra dry clothing - especially socks and thermal underwear.
5. Several energy bars.
For fire starters, I was looking at picking up one of these Light My Fire Swedish FireSteel Fire Starter devices.
Along with the preparation part, your mental attitude is what will get you through. You need to be 100% confident in the items you include. Don't skimp on quality thinking that you'll probably never need it anyway. It's like CCW. If you need it, you really need it. Buy good quality and practice using the stuff in your kit in the dark, when you are wet, cold, tired and out of breath.
Every so often, I do a bare-bones solo camping trip where I experiment with bow-and-drill firemaking, field-expedient shelters, catching and cooking game, etc. I'm confident that I could survive several weeks, if not longer, with nothing other than what's in my daypack. I could set up camp like Grizzly Adams with what's in my truck.
Survival kits are highly personal, reflecting the beliefs of the person who made it or carries it. I like redundancy for the items I consider essential which is why I carry more than one knife and more than one signaling device. I also like the Mg fire starter since it's what I was issued in my A.L.S.E. vest in the Army. I'm very familiar with it and confident in my ability to make it work.
I'll admit that the fishing kit is of questionable utility but it takes up about as much space as a matchbook so I keep it in. I also carry a cyalume lightstick and a trioxane fuel tab that I forgot to mention.
I'll second the energy bar idea. My car kit has two MREs but they're too bulky for a day pack.
Every so often, I do a bare-bones solo camping trip where I experiment with bow-and-drill firemaking, field-expedient shelters, catching and cooking game, etc. I'm confident that I could survive several weeks, if not longer, with nothing other than what's in my daypack. I could set up camp like Grizzly Adams with what's in my truck.
Survival kits are highly personal, reflecting the beliefs of the person who made it or carries it. I like redundancy for the items I consider essential which is why I carry more than one knife and more than one signaling device. I also like the Mg fire starter since it's what I was issued in my A.L.S.E. vest in the Army. I'm very familiar with it and confident in my ability to make it work.
I'll admit that the fishing kit is of questionable utility but it takes up about as much space as a matchbook so I keep it in. I also carry a cyalume lightstick and a trioxane fuel tab that I forgot to mention.
I'll second the energy bar idea. My car kit has two MREs but they're too bulky for a day pack.
davlandrum
New member
Great list CJ.
I figure water, food, shelter, signal is what I need. We are back at camp every night, so if I don't return - I know someone will come looking for me soon enough. Worst case 2 days before I need to make some serious choices.
I have not been in griz country, but that would be pepper spray and large caliber lead slinger for me. That would add a certain pucker factor for me.
I figure water, food, shelter, signal is what I need. We are back at camp every night, so if I don't return - I know someone will come looking for me soon enough. Worst case 2 days before I need to make some serious choices.
I have not been in griz country, but that would be pepper spray and large caliber lead slinger for me. That would add a certain pucker factor for me.
What I typically carry in my 'week' pack. In a pinch it'll stretch to a week if you really need to, but it really isn't all that heavy.
1) A good fixed blade knife of around 4-6 inches. I've got bowie type I carry.
2) Lots of strike anywhere matches in a waterproof container. 20-30 of the wood stick type in an old plastic perscription container. Seal it up with some rv sealant and you don't ever haver to worry about water getting in. While your at it, stuff several cotton balls, or a bit wad of lint off of your dryers screen in there (dryer lint lights and burns like it was soaked in gasoline, hot, fast and bright).
3) Two of those 'emergency' blankets. They keep you pretty warm if you have curl up somewhere, and with two you can make a decent shelter if you have to. Plus they double as signal mirrors if you need one.
4) 50 foot of parachute cord.
5) A compass, and a good one. Along with a map of the area I'm gonna be in.
6) A good canteen (preferrably a metal WWII type with the cup that goes around the outside). With a metal canteen you can boil water in the canteen and the cup at the same time.
7) 14 of the powerbar energy bars. I don't like them but if I have to I can get by a week on 2 a day without feeling too bad (at 230 calories apiece).
8) A multitool with a good 3-4 inch saw.
9) Socks and thermasilk underwear.
10) Lightweight raingear. Pants/top I use Guide Series Tech 2.5 right now. Its dry, cuts the wind to nothing, and when stuffed with pine needles makes decent winter insulation.
11) Water purification tablets.
12) Some duct tape.
13) First aid kit (a good one with several needles, safety pins and a full thingy of dental floss. Need be dental floss makes decent sew yourself up thread.)
14) Rescue whistle.
15) One of those LED shake up flashlights. No batteries to go dead, and it keeps you warm *grin*.
16) A couple small candles.
Most of everything gets double wrapped inside of quart freezer bags. If I need them, they're still water proof, plus it keeps everything inside dry.
That's the basics. Weighs 4-5 pounds with the canteen full.
Most of the time I throw in a half dozen or so chemical hand warmers, and a Katadyn pocket water filter (which is worth its weight in gold in a survival situation). There's most likely a couple trioxyne fuel tablets, and a hatchet in there someplace. Considering I usually hunt with a blackpowder muzzleloader, I've got a good supply of either percussion caps in a waterproof container, or a good supply of flints, alont with a half pound or so of powder. I also typically carry one of those fire pistons. Oh, and a plastic sealable shaker of salt. Makes everything taste better.
After a while it typically gets a bit heavy, and I keep thinking I'm possibly going to pare it down, but I keep adding more items to it as time goes on.
1) A good fixed blade knife of around 4-6 inches. I've got bowie type I carry.
2) Lots of strike anywhere matches in a waterproof container. 20-30 of the wood stick type in an old plastic perscription container. Seal it up with some rv sealant and you don't ever haver to worry about water getting in. While your at it, stuff several cotton balls, or a bit wad of lint off of your dryers screen in there (dryer lint lights and burns like it was soaked in gasoline, hot, fast and bright).
3) Two of those 'emergency' blankets. They keep you pretty warm if you have curl up somewhere, and with two you can make a decent shelter if you have to. Plus they double as signal mirrors if you need one.
4) 50 foot of parachute cord.
5) A compass, and a good one. Along with a map of the area I'm gonna be in.
6) A good canteen (preferrably a metal WWII type with the cup that goes around the outside). With a metal canteen you can boil water in the canteen and the cup at the same time.
7) 14 of the powerbar energy bars. I don't like them but if I have to I can get by a week on 2 a day without feeling too bad (at 230 calories apiece).
8) A multitool with a good 3-4 inch saw.
9) Socks and thermasilk underwear.
10) Lightweight raingear. Pants/top I use Guide Series Tech 2.5 right now. Its dry, cuts the wind to nothing, and when stuffed with pine needles makes decent winter insulation.
11) Water purification tablets.
12) Some duct tape.
13) First aid kit (a good one with several needles, safety pins and a full thingy of dental floss. Need be dental floss makes decent sew yourself up thread.)
14) Rescue whistle.
15) One of those LED shake up flashlights. No batteries to go dead, and it keeps you warm *grin*.
16) A couple small candles.
Most of everything gets double wrapped inside of quart freezer bags. If I need them, they're still water proof, plus it keeps everything inside dry.
That's the basics. Weighs 4-5 pounds with the canteen full.
Most of the time I throw in a half dozen or so chemical hand warmers, and a Katadyn pocket water filter (which is worth its weight in gold in a survival situation). There's most likely a couple trioxyne fuel tablets, and a hatchet in there someplace. Considering I usually hunt with a blackpowder muzzleloader, I've got a good supply of either percussion caps in a waterproof container, or a good supply of flints, alont with a half pound or so of powder. I also typically carry one of those fire pistons. Oh, and a plastic sealable shaker of salt. Makes everything taste better.
After a while it typically gets a bit heavy, and I keep thinking I'm possibly going to pare it down, but I keep adding more items to it as time goes on.