what do you put in your survival pack?
- Thread starter cajun47
- Start date
DiscoRacing
New member
Since I dont go but 200yds or less from the house... I dont take anything but gun, ammo, and knife.
Sgt.Saputo
New member
If I'm just going hunting I take food and water for the day, gun, ammo, knife, zippo lighter, compass, and some odds and ends.
55 gal lawn type trash bag, 10x20 2 mil painters drop cloth, pancho, aloe extract, latex gloves, chem hot pack, chem cold pack. ace bandage, used dryer softner sheets, tinder, assorted prestrung sewing needles, map, compass, 100ml 190 proof multi purpose elixir, MRE, cargo cord, string, backup leatherman, leather gloves, 1st aid kit, skin mend herbal ointment, Pur scout water filter, l liter water. All in a three pouch fanny pack.
Crankylove
New member
Spare pack of smokes, couple lighters, few feet of rope, some fast acting sugar (for the diabetes), spare ammo for the rifle, couple cans of diet coke, some bandaids and large dressings...............and the MOST IMPORTANT ITEM EVER.........toilet paper.
Dr. Strangelove
New member
toilet paper
more toliet paper
cell phone
matches/lighter
compass
map of the area
GPS
spare batteries for whatever needs them
skinning knife
2 flashlights
walkie-talkies
water filter
change of socks/undies
spare orange vest
water
3 rounds hunting ammo for all my hunting rifles
stainless coffee mug
gloves
chem-lights
pen
MRE, crackers, preserved food of some sort
book (your choice, it's there to read)
camera
Additional items depending on weather and/or location:
handheld VHF
pistol w/ammo
MSR Whisperlite™ stove + fuel bottle
additional freeze-dried food
extra shirt, thermals, etc.
medical kit
more toliet paper
cell phone
matches/lighter
compass
map of the area
GPS
spare batteries for whatever needs them
skinning knife
2 flashlights
walkie-talkies
water filter
change of socks/undies
spare orange vest
water
3 rounds hunting ammo for all my hunting rifles
stainless coffee mug
gloves
chem-lights
pen
MRE, crackers, preserved food of some sort
book (your choice, it's there to read)
camera
Additional items depending on weather and/or location:
handheld VHF
pistol w/ammo
MSR Whisperlite™ stove + fuel bottle
additional freeze-dried food
extra shirt, thermals, etc.
medical kit
mitchell koster
New member
Man thats heaps of stuff to bring. You must be going way out.
i take my ridgeline rain jacket and a knife.
MK
i take my ridgeline rain jacket and a knife.
MK
in south louisiana many times everything is wet. i keep a small jar of petroleum jelly in my pack. smear a little on a paper towel or tissue paper, roll it up tight and it will make a nice little hot fire to get damp tinder burning. i tried it several times and it works great.
Just the basics....
spare compass, whistle, alcohol wipes, aspirin (over 50 years, here)
lighter, space blanket, & "hex tablets" for fire starting.
Tube of petroleum jelly sound better for fire starting.
Day pack has the thermos, sandwich or peanut butter cups ( GREAT when chilled/frozen)
plus the equipment for field dressing.
spare compass, whistle, alcohol wipes, aspirin (over 50 years, here)
lighter, space blanket, & "hex tablets" for fire starting.
Tube of petroleum jelly sound better for fire starting.
Day pack has the thermos, sandwich or peanut butter cups ( GREAT when chilled/frozen)
plus the equipment for field dressing.
I'm never more than 1/2 day from a road where I hunt, but I always have a lighter and matches (a little redundancy never hurt) compass, knife, rope, and I'm notorious for always carrying way more ammo than I'll ever need. By the way I like that petroleum jelly idea- think I'll try that.
Dr. Strangelove
New member
mitchell koster said:
It all fits in a little pack I can wear or strap to my climbing stand. Better safe than sorry!
I use an old M-16 pouch for a personal First-Aid kit. It includes most everything I can imagine needing, except morphine. 
Lesson: Do not forget to include two doses of Immodium-AD.
For a hunt in a new area, I'd never go alone. That means a radio of some sort to contact my hunting partner. GMRS preferred, HAM/HT may be better especially with a good antenna.
On a hunt, I'd have at least a good area map and possibly a GPS. A small daypack will contain hunting gear & extras for cold/inclement weather (gloves, socks, t-shirt, MRE, trail mix).
Kit would include:
1 ea : Ace Bandage
1 ea : Chapstick
1 ea : Whistle, loud
2 ea : Matchbook
1 ea : Magnesium firestarter
1 Pk : Cheap Cigarettes (fire starter/stale smokes)
1 Pk : Dryer lint (firestarter)
2 ea : Power bars or food bars
1 Pk : Beef Jerkey, small
1 ea : Tang packet (orange drink w/sugar)
2 ea : Freeze-Dried Coffee packets
1 ea : LED headlamp
1 ea : Spare folding knife w/lanyard
1 ea : compact poncho
1 ea : 8x8 plastic sheeting
8 ft : Paracord
10 ft: Fishing line - medium duty
1 Bot: Halazone/water purification tablets
2 ea : Chem lights green
1 ea : Lithium Glo-Toob light - Amber
1 ea : Spiral bound notebook
1 ea : Small pencil (golf type)
1 ea : Signaling Mirror w/aiming hole
1 ea : Flare Pen for signaling with flares
Some of this stuff is redundant, but so what.
FWIW: If you have any nuts in trail mix, adding these to an infant fire can really flare up the fire as the oils begin to burn. I also like the vaseline idea.
Lost Procedure: Before sunset, find nearest ridgetop or high ground. Try radio. Try whistle. Try 3 gunshots. Note wind/cloud directions. Locate suitable area for shelter, ideally near ridgetop or clearing. String Glo-Toob on fishing line on/near ridgetop in strobe mode as high as can be safely done.
Start small warming fire. Surround with rocks for radiated warmth. Monitor radio. Put chem sticks and flare unit on lanyards tied to jacket/pocket zipper. Before sleep, use knife to make some magnesium chips or scrapings to quickly flare up a fire. Find about six sizeable leaves. Coat topside with chapstick. If search aircraft heard, flare fire with a touch of magnesium, and add leaves to make smoke. Add wood/green leaves to keep it going. Get into open ready with flares and signal mirror.
Lesson: Do not forget to include two doses of Immodium-AD.
For a hunt in a new area, I'd never go alone. That means a radio of some sort to contact my hunting partner. GMRS preferred, HAM/HT may be better especially with a good antenna.
On a hunt, I'd have at least a good area map and possibly a GPS. A small daypack will contain hunting gear & extras for cold/inclement weather (gloves, socks, t-shirt, MRE, trail mix).
Kit would include:
1 ea : Ace Bandage
1 ea : Chapstick
1 ea : Whistle, loud
2 ea : Matchbook
1 ea : Magnesium firestarter
1 Pk : Cheap Cigarettes (fire starter/stale smokes)
1 Pk : Dryer lint (firestarter)
2 ea : Power bars or food bars
1 Pk : Beef Jerkey, small
1 ea : Tang packet (orange drink w/sugar)
2 ea : Freeze-Dried Coffee packets
1 ea : LED headlamp
1 ea : Spare folding knife w/lanyard
1 ea : compact poncho
1 ea : 8x8 plastic sheeting
8 ft : Paracord
10 ft: Fishing line - medium duty
1 Bot: Halazone/water purification tablets
2 ea : Chem lights green
1 ea : Lithium Glo-Toob light - Amber
1 ea : Spiral bound notebook
1 ea : Small pencil (golf type)
1 ea : Signaling Mirror w/aiming hole
1 ea : Flare Pen for signaling with flares
Some of this stuff is redundant, but so what.
FWIW: If you have any nuts in trail mix, adding these to an infant fire can really flare up the fire as the oils begin to burn. I also like the vaseline idea.
Lost Procedure: Before sunset, find nearest ridgetop or high ground. Try radio. Try whistle. Try 3 gunshots. Note wind/cloud directions. Locate suitable area for shelter, ideally near ridgetop or clearing. String Glo-Toob on fishing line on/near ridgetop in strobe mode as high as can be safely done.
Start small warming fire. Surround with rocks for radiated warmth. Monitor radio. Put chem sticks and flare unit on lanyards tied to jacket/pocket zipper. Before sleep, use knife to make some magnesium chips or scrapings to quickly flare up a fire. Find about six sizeable leaves. Coat topside with chapstick. If search aircraft heard, flare fire with a touch of magnesium, and add leaves to make smoke. Add wood/green leaves to keep it going. Get into open ready with flares and signal mirror.
Long ago when I was a training aid for folks going to war,we did a lot of field training excersizes in the mountains of Colorado though the school year,including winter.We traveled with web gear only,no sleeping bags,no fires.I have lasted through January and February nights with a poncho over me and a small can of sterno to light occasionally between my feet.Use a big strno can to refill the little one.It isn't fun or comfortable,but it can be done.
Wearing something like wool ,good boots,a shell that will block wind,keep you dry,all good.One of those throwing tomahawks is actually pretty light,they make a little one.Being able to do some splitting makes wood that will burn.
Whether a canteen cup or any of the small pot/cup/kettles will let you sit down and have a cup of tea or bullion,and think.Stay dry.Your lighters are pretty good till they are wet.They don;t spark so well.The metal match will work.If you have a little 4/0000 steel wool,to catch the sparks,blow on it with some firestarting stuff.
One of those Garmin FM radios might be real good.Most places,you will get chatter.Likely they can hear you.If you can get a gps position to tell them,they may find you.
Here is a good trick to remember.We had a guy come on the radio who cut his thigh field dressing.Fresh snow was about 26 in deep.He had no GPS,no skills to tell us where he was.We told him to hold down the push to talk key on his radio and fire a shot.We took a compass read on the direction of the shot and timed the delay from when his shot came over the radio till we heard it.From our position we relayede an azimuth and distance to his outfitter.They located him easily.
Some critical gear is important but the best survival kit is between your ears.
Wearing something like wool ,good boots,a shell that will block wind,keep you dry,all good.One of those throwing tomahawks is actually pretty light,they make a little one.Being able to do some splitting makes wood that will burn.
Whether a canteen cup or any of the small pot/cup/kettles will let you sit down and have a cup of tea or bullion,and think.Stay dry.Your lighters are pretty good till they are wet.They don;t spark so well.The metal match will work.If you have a little 4/0000 steel wool,to catch the sparks,blow on it with some firestarting stuff.
One of those Garmin FM radios might be real good.Most places,you will get chatter.Likely they can hear you.If you can get a gps position to tell them,they may find you.
Here is a good trick to remember.We had a guy come on the radio who cut his thigh field dressing.Fresh snow was about 26 in deep.He had no GPS,no skills to tell us where he was.We told him to hold down the push to talk key on his radio and fire a shot.We took a compass read on the direction of the shot and timed the delay from when his shot came over the radio till we heard it.From our position we relayede an azimuth and distance to his outfitter.They located him easily.
Some critical gear is important but the best survival kit is between your ears.
Rather than toilet paper, put some paper towels in a ziplock bag. They work better than toilet paper. Also save some of those moist towelettes that you get from fast food places and stuff a couple of those in there. One paper towel cut into halves plus one moist towelette will clean you up better than many handfuls of toilet paper (lesson learned from changing many poopy diapers).
reloader28
New member
flint sticks
The paper towels are better fire starter, too.
I allways have 3 ways to light a fire....
1. windproof/ waterproof matches
2. Zippo lighter
3. some kinda flint stick
I carry a Zippo lighter for ease of lighting a fire, but gave up on Bics long ago. Even a little moisture and they're worthless. I dont think a Zippo is better when wet, but its alot nicer for firestarting as it can be used hands free.
A Vasoline coated cotton ball and some kinda flint stick works awesome. Just make sure you leave a little dry cotton inside the ball. It will still burn fine when COMPLETELY saturated, its just harder to light.
I even held my flint stick (metal match, whatever they're called) under water for a minute and it still thru sparks like it was dry. I would recommend one of these (or a magnesium stick) and cotton balls to anyone in the outdoors. Its probly my favorite method.
The paper towels are better fire starter, too.
I allways have 3 ways to light a fire....
1. windproof/ waterproof matches
2. Zippo lighter
3. some kinda flint stick
I carry a Zippo lighter for ease of lighting a fire, but gave up on Bics long ago. Even a little moisture and they're worthless. I dont think a Zippo is better when wet, but its alot nicer for firestarting as it can be used hands free.
A Vasoline coated cotton ball and some kinda flint stick works awesome. Just make sure you leave a little dry cotton inside the ball. It will still burn fine when COMPLETELY saturated, its just harder to light.
I even held my flint stick (metal match, whatever they're called) under water for a minute and it still thru sparks like it was dry. I would recommend one of these (or a magnesium stick) and cotton balls to anyone in the outdoors. Its probly my favorite method.
A day's hunt
In the water pack.
2L water
1 roll toilet paper
2 snacks
1 spare fixed blade knife
1 flashlight
1 box matches
50ft clothes line rope
1 pr insulated gloves
1 snake bite kit with extra gauze
22 lr pistol if not on my person
In the shell/game bag
1 box or more shells
1 compasss
1 map of area if available
another snack
hopefully some meat fer da pot
On my person
1 bowie knife
1 folding pocket knife
1 cell phone
1 zippo lighter
In the water pack.
2L water
1 roll toilet paper
2 snacks
1 spare fixed blade knife
1 flashlight
1 box matches
50ft clothes line rope
1 pr insulated gloves
1 snake bite kit with extra gauze
22 lr pistol if not on my person
In the shell/game bag
1 box or more shells
1 compasss
1 map of area if available
another snack
hopefully some meat fer da pot
On my person
1 bowie knife
1 folding pocket knife
1 cell phone
1 zippo lighter
Last edited:
Doodlebugger45
New member
Some good ideas in here that I hadn't given much thought to before.
Everyone mentions bringing a lighter and that's a good idea. But you should also bring some waterproof matches in some kind of container that is fairly easy to open. You can make your own waterproof matches by dipping a kitchen match in soft candle wax. The reason for this item was described to me by a friend who had an experience while hunting. He wasn't lost but he did get very wet and cold before he decided he needed to stop and build a fire. He said his fingers were so cold and numb that he couldn't make the lighter function. Luckily he had the waterproof matches. Much easier to strike a match than to operate the little wheel and tab on a BIC lighter.
Everyone mentions bringing a lighter and that's a good idea. But you should also bring some waterproof matches in some kind of container that is fairly easy to open. You can make your own waterproof matches by dipping a kitchen match in soft candle wax. The reason for this item was described to me by a friend who had an experience while hunting. He wasn't lost but he did get very wet and cold before he decided he needed to stop and build a fire. He said his fingers were so cold and numb that he couldn't make the lighter function. Luckily he had the waterproof matches. Much easier to strike a match than to operate the little wheel and tab on a BIC lighter.