What's in your pack?

G

griz

New member
Just as a way of seeing the different ways people approach a day of hunting, I wonder what you put in your daypack or carry with you on a normal hunting day? Sometimes it seems to me like I've got to much junk in the pack but it has all been used at one time or another. My list, roughly in order of frequency of use:
1. Foam pad to sit on.
2. Water bottle.
3. Parachute cord.
4. Mini mag flashlight, sometimes a Pelican light too.
5. Depending on weather, gloves, bug net, disposable hand warmers, etc.
6. Book.
7. Small and medium size fix blade knife. (Small folder always in pocket)
8. Extra ammo.
9. Surveyors tape.
10. Binocular.
11. Compass.
12. Matches and lighter.
 
1. Surveyors tape
2. Coffee
3. Ammo
4. Small binoculars
5. Twisty Ties
6. Knife
7. Drag kit
8. Zippo
9. Jerky
10. 100mph Tape
11. Ripcord
12. Surefire 6P
 
tree stand, locks and harness
Camo-Tex 3-D shell
thermal underwear
clothes to match the weather of the day
sleeping bag
head gear
extra pair of gloves and socks
2 flashlights
2 knives (one is a multi-tool)
Camel Pack (water)
small snack
TP
compass
gps
orange tape
rope
plastic bag
wipes/paper towels
game bag
cow caller
small first aid kit
small survival kit
hunting license and ID

Total weight is about 70 to 80 pounds.

Average hike is about 1 mile.
 
It looks like a lot of us think along the same lines, or at least have had similiar experiences out in the woods.

maglight and light sticks
2 compass and a map of the area
TP and paper towels
plastic bags, cheese cloth, folding saw, several knives
binoculars, cell phone
pad and pencil, paper back book
bright pink plastic tape to mark a trail
matches or lighter, tender
space blanket, rain poncho
small first aid kit
water, food (high energy bars)
bug gloves, hood, spray
extra ammo for whatever guns I am taking
change of socks, shirt
length of parachute cord
 
Mannlicher

Do you use the light sticks with the "lantern holder" (I don't know what to call it) they sell or just the stick? I ask this because the only time I tried one it was not bright enough if it was behind me and in my eyes when held in front.
 
Walkin' huntin': Maybe half a box of spare ammo. 3-1/2" folding hunter knife. Toilet paper--it'll help locate a dead deer when you come back for him, as well as the usual use. 15' of light rope. Sling for throwing rocks in canyons. Depending on the weather, maybe a daypack to carry my outer layers of clothing. Walking at 30 degrees at daylight ain't the same as 80 or 90 degrees at 2PM.

Sitting or stand hunting: Extra ammo, paperback book, canteen, same knife, rope and toilet paper. Maybe even an old blanket to wrap around my feet, early and late. Camo face net, sometimes. Old WW II aircraft seat pad, if it's rocky country.

I try to keep it simple and light.

:), Art
 
Well, depends on what season we're talking about. Recently bought a Mossy Oak backpack on sale at Wally World, so here's what's generally been in it.

Camo Raincoat
Compass (and Map)
Waterproof Matches and Butane Lighter
Spare Skinning Knife (Spyderco Wegner)
Swiss Army Knife (the Rucksack model)
Streamlight Scorpion, Spare Batteries
Ammo of some sort
Binoculars (small)
Bug Spray
Some Nylon Rope
Small First Aid kit
Garbage Bags
Wipes of some sort
Colored Tape (Hot Pink or Orange)
Snacks


Like Art, I try to keep things simple and small, but there are a few good ideas in this thread I may have to consider. Thanks for contributing to the weight of my pack!!!
 
1. Extra ammunition for primary
2. Extra ammo for pistol
3. Surveyors tape
4. 4 MREs
5. Compass
6. Map
7. Olive drab poncho
8. Face paint
9. Paracord
10. Skinning knife
11. Bow saw
12. Matches
13. Small first aid kit
14. Non-side Particle removal system(toilet paper)
15. Water
16. Pork rinds (snack)
17. Extra socks
18. Battery operated short-wave radio transmitter receiver
(perfectly good for calling in an air strike)
19. Binocs
 
Hmm.

Binocs
Couple Snickers bars
Some TP
Knife
Pistol + spare ammo

All in pockets or belt, no pack. Guess I pack light. :)
 
I hunt within 1000 yds of the house so I carry a knife, my gun & pistol fully loaded, a drag line , 1st aid kit, and plastic gloves and 2 plastic bags for the heart and liver.
 
I usually take :
extra ammo (pistol and rifle)
apples or bannanas
cell fon
knife
hankerchief (sp)
blaze orange ass-pad
cough-drops
chewin' tabaccy
mini-mag lite

Gator, what do you use to call in the air-strikes on? And what kind of range does it have?

Fezwig
 
I was surprised to see only one person carrying a space blanket. These things really do work to hold in heat and the large ones can even be made into an emergency pup tent. I carry two. I actually slept in one once, and was quite warm.
 
Keith: Circumstance. If I were hunting where for some reason it's possible to be caught out overnight, I'd add water, some sort of food, and a space blanket (or two) to my list.

(If I wuz gonna poach in the next-door state park, I'd have my backpack and some garbage bags, 'cause I'd butcher out that sucker right on the spot. :D )

Art
 
(I typically hunt on land owned by Spartacuses' family, in GA, so I'm not worried about getting caught out in 0' weather or blizzards!)

Water
Knife
Flashlight
Snack(s)
P bottle :D (usually stand hunting)
Sidearm
Binocs
Book

Last year, I was trying to reduced load, and only carried a two-cell Maglite with me. Wouldn't you know it- twice a whole herd of wild pigs surrounded me as night fell. The Maglite was just too weak to pick them out. I'll be bringing my SureFire 6P back with me this year!
 
Last edited:
For a typical half day hunt ...

water
rifle w/5 rounds
revolver - loaded
knives - 1 folder, 1 fixed
2 pc collapsible sharpener
550 cord - 20 ft (for dragging)
strikin' paper
compass
small flash light
poncho - on really windy or rainy days
 
Righto!

I tend to forget that not all hunting is done six miles off some abandoned logging road!
In your cases, I'd chuck the space blankets and bring a snake bite kit and a cell phone. And perhaps a bottle of fine bourbon just in case I get a busy signal.....

A hunting joke.

911 recording:

Hunter: "911? My hunting partner is dead, so never mind the ambulance and just send a hearse out here."

Dispatch: "Are you sure he's dead?"

Hunter: "Oh sure, he clutched his chest, rolled his eyes back and fell over."

Dispatch: "Well... let's just make sure he's really dead before we write him off, shall we?"

A pause followed by a muffled gun shot.

Hunter: "OK, now what?"
 
Yeah, the "Now what?" is a real killer...

Back when I lived near Austin, I just walked back to my woods, got into a tree stand, and sat. Generally in the mornings the most useful item was a blanket to wrap around my legs. I did some stalking, but there was more success in "just sittin'".

Shoot the deer, gut the deer, walk to the house for the jeep.

At Terlingua, I make a walking circle of anywhere from three or four on up to (The Record!) 24 miles. Well, 24 was Then; six or eight is the max, Now. Depends on mood or attitude. It's common for the temperature to be below freezing at daylight, and climb to the eighties during the middle of the day. So, travelling light is The Rule. Most likely, any deer killed will not be all that far from 4WD picking-up.

But I still say that toilet paper is the most important item.

:), Art
 
Deer call, nasal spray (for allergies), cough medicine (usually need it during hunting season), pistol in my holster (just in case I run into the PETA folks), extra bullets (in case dam Yankees invade again while I'm out huntin'), buck knife (for field dressing if I have to), flashlight (because I get there early or leave late), EXTRA PAIR OF SOCKS, canteen sometimes (water or Gatorade), rope, wet wipes, and warm gloves.
 
Fezwig,

I threw in the shortwave thing just to see if anyone paying attention. :D I used to bring along a 2 meter (range depend on battery power and weather conditions) in case things go very very badly.

A long time ago my dad and I were fishing and a radio saved us from being stuck at sea for days.

Since then I've never gone hunting/fishing without the ability to make contact with civilization. (Usually my wife's cell phone these days. I just turn it off so she won't call me about picking up a gallon of milk on the way home.)

Last year a friend of mine was hunting with his brother. His brother broke his leg. His police radio helped get him out of there in a hurry.

Gator
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top