Solo hunting survival kit- what's in your bag?

I take a GPS, water filter, bottles of water, snacks, my climbing harness, cell phone (which is worthless in most of my favorite spots), snacks, packable rain gear, and possibly a light jacket. All of this is in my pack. Then there may be extra goodies on my ATV. It all depends on which farm I am on.

You guys obviously face more possible danger/discomfort than I do in hawaii, so my gear bags probably a little lite on real survival gear. I use an xl alice pack so ive got plenty of room.
usually i carry double the water i think ill need, extra knife, vienna sausages and regular snacks. My phones my major life line so booster pack and a waterproof container for both. I also usually carry a 6*6 tarp folded up between the frame and the bag, and a roll of paracord. Oddly perhaps i carry a spare pair of socks....and last but not least a basic first aid kit as most.of my hunting is on lava rocks and you have nicks and dings at the end of the best day.

Sidearm with 2 full mags, paracord, folding saw, 2 pocket knives, water bottles, lighters, flashlight, granola bars, cellphone, belt, towel, toilet paper, thermacell, whistle. I can pretty much handle any situation I could get in with those items. From broken bones, lacerations, to being totally lost with broken bones and/or lacerations. I also layer and pay attention to the weather forecast.

I don't carry actual survival gear. A GPS, compass, Bic lighter, toilet paper, safety belt, mini .22, and lock-blade knife are it. Sometimes a bottle of H2O and jerky.

I have a 6 gallon bucket I use as a seat deer hunting. I have the usual assortment of snack food and water. I carry extra ammo .
I also carry a couple of road flares.

In the pack:
USGI gore-tex bivvy sack, one rolled up contractor size heavy trash bag, two mountain house FD meals, spork, water filter & 1 liter water bottle (full), waterproof "storm" matches in match safe, extra compass & a map, FAK - mostly bandages & first aid tape, extra flashlight, candle lantern & 1 extra candle, I/2 roll TP in ziplock bag, extra socks in ziplock bag, orange bandana and a extra hat for the season

In pockets;
bic lighter, blast match, cell phone (usually turned off) wallet, pocketknife, camo bandana to cover my big white Santa beard.

On lanyard around my neck; compass & whistle.

Usually have my 1911 in a Miami classic shoulder rig with two extra mags

Meplat 308 said:

In the pack:
USGI gore-tex bivvy sack, one rolled up contractor size heavy trash bag, two mountain house FD meals, spork, water filter & 1 liter water bottle (full), waterproof "storm" matches in match safe, extra compass & a map, FAK - mostly bandages & first aid tape, extra flashlight, candle lantern & 1 extra candle, I/2 roll TP in ziplock bag, extra socks in ziplock bag, orange bandana and a extra hat for the season

In pockets;
bic lighter, blast match, cell phone (usually turned off) wallet, pocketknife, camo bandana to cover my big white Santa beard.

On lanyard around my neck; compass & whistle.

Usually have my 1911 in a Miami classic shoulder rig with two extra mags

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You forgot the mule to carry it all.

Off the top of my head, in a small pack, three liters of water, lunch, fleece cap and gloves, maps and compass, usually a GPS too, just for fun, a first aid kit, contractor bag, parachute cord, sheath knife, headlamp, lighter, cable saw, wet fire, water purification, metal canteen cup, and up to 2000 calories of meal replacement bars. If I'm carrying my .410 I've got a small tarp, parachute cord, a flashlight, whistle, compass, lighter, wet fire, and scalpel blades in the stock. Part of my EDC includes a Leatherman tool, a lighter, and a small Streamlight.

Nice thread. As the weather is nice, this has reminded me that I should clean my gear, survey out the old stuff, play some games with my daughter using the old stuff, and replace it.

H&Hhunter said:

Paracord holds the world

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I always thought it was duct tape...

2 knives, med kit, food, water, hatchet, small shovel emergency poncho, Id like to get a small .22 to put in the jeep, and a fire source along with whatever guns im using for that day.

With a bit of variation, about what the western mountain boys carry. Everyone's kit is a little different. Aside from being able to take care of the game animal I have shot, I want to get through a night "on the mountain" safely, if I have to. And a couple of times I have had to.

L.W.

Yup If you're going to be in the mountains or somewhere like that, you'd better carry more, especially water and extra clothing.

I often hunt alone and in areas where a minor problem could mean at least 1 night in the woods, maybe 2-3. My wife wouldn't worry about me until after midnight and it would be sunup before anyone started looking for me. On multi day hunts it might be 3 days before she even missed me. I still don't carry much. The main thing is enough clothing to keep me warm and dry depending on weather, This takes up most of the space in my bag. Even with temps in the 20's I often walk into my hunting area in just a T-shirt and get dressed with warmer gear when I sit down. Basic first aid gear, a few snacks, a couple of bottles of water, water filter, compass, GPS, extra batteries etc. Not a lot of food is needed even for several days.

A large heavy duty garbage bag , or 2, can be used to keep you warm and dry and takes up almost no space in a day pack. Just sit down, pull your knees up to your chest and cut a small opening to see out. Bright colors get you found quicker than black. A lit candle inside the garbage bag provides a surprising amount of heat and makes the best fire starter. They will burn for hours and are easy to light. Two candles and multiple lighters in case one fail. A coaches whistle is great for getting the attention of searchers that may be close by even if you are too weak to shout.

Para cord is useful, but about 10' of 1/2" wide nylon webbing is even better for some things. Neither takes up much space and both are in my pack.

I haven't hunted in years. If I were going solo anywhere now, or even with someone else I would pack a basic kit with topo map, compass, first aid, couple bottles water plus a pocket filter, a little food, Goretex bivvi bag, fire making items etc. Signal mirror, whistle - and a satellite personal locator beacon. The last item will have S&R looking for you very quickly.

Patocazador said:

I don't carry actual survival gear. A GPS, compass, Bic lighter, toilet paper, safety belt, mini .22, and lock-blade knife are it. Sometimes a bottle of H2O and jerky.

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Toilet paper. I knew that I was forgetting something.

My walking hunts of anywhere from three to twelve miles in a loop began either at my truck or my hunt camp. I rarely carried much of anything except basic needs. Knife, rope, remainder of a box of cartridges, toilet paper to flag the brush by a dead Bambi, maybe a canteen. Lightweight binoculars. Rarely any sort of food. I usually "watered up" before heading out.

Captcurt said:

Toilet paper. I knew that I was forgetting something.

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Funny how offten i say that as im get another new muscle shirt........

I admit to having a 'thing' about hunting light. I suppose it originated from my Quail hunting days. We used to really cover the miles.
In my hunting clothes pockets I carry a small flashlight, leatherman multi-tool, handkerchief, permits, binoculars, juice pouch.
In my atv saddlebags, I keep water bottles, bug spray, tp,hunting knife, tomahawk, flashlight, zip ties, duct tape, survey tape.

FL-NC wrote:
Does anyone else do this?

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For the most part, I hunt on the family farm.

We have 65 acres wooded that has barely had a human being set foot on it in fifty years that is habitat to all sorts of game animals. So, I don't have to go much further than a half-mile to be in the middle of that stand of trees and I can walk that in fifteen minutes or so.

My web gear always has a couple magazines of ammunition in it along with first aid supplies, snake bit kit, knife, plastic bags, kleenex/toilet-paper and legs cut from old pantyhose (used to tie things up - very effective, saw it on Wild Kingdom back in the 1960's). I add my cell phone and a couple bottles of ice water and I'm good to go for as long as am going to care to be out there.

Since I can walk back home in just a few minutes, I don't feel the need to prepare to "rough it" like the people who are going to have to hike a long distance just to get to there.

Where I used to hunt when I was younger, I only had a 50 cal flintlock and my survival bag. It was usually 10 above to 20 below zero in muzzle loader season in North Western Pa in January. I carried waterproof matches, flare gun, 2 full packs of charcoal sticks for my 4 hand warmers, home made fire starters, a small buck saw, first aid kit, about 15 quickloads for my 50 , 2 packs of beef jerky and my compass and walkie. If I crossed the wrong crick in the Cogley area, I could have a 25 mile walk until I came out of the woods and found a road. I also took my old GPS but it didn't work very well in the woods especially if it was snowing. I relied on my compass more than the GPS.
All of my family took the same equipment when hunting there and it was geared for surviving the night if we got lost. Dragging out a deer was secondary. That's what the walkie was for. We were assigned our hunting spots by our elders who knew some of the area and we knew where those places were, so if someone called we already knew how to get there to help them.
Road flares? I didn't have access to them, that would have been the ultimate fire starter. We took empty Copenhagen Snuff cans and cut strips of corrugated box board and rolled them up inside the can. We then poured melted wax in there and filled it up. Grab the end in the center and pull it up for a wick. Those things burned hot!
We were always told that if we got lost to build a big fire and hunker in for the night and they would find us in the morning. I made it my passion not to get lost but I still did a couple times.
That was back in the early 70's when I was a young man in my teens.
Now, at 60, I live in North Carolina, most we have to worry about here in the winter is the ticks.
Survival gear here in the woods in the winter in deer season is totally different, panty hose to keep the ticks off, and something for the poison ivy. That's about it.

FL-NC said:

Olympus's thread on solo hunting inspired me to start this thread, so here goes. Yes, I hunt alone, probably as much as I do with friends. The difference is that when I'm solo, I take some additional precautions. First, I let the woman know where I'm going, as in the nearest address. I also show her on a map the general area (on a map I leave with her) or even a lat-long. This information isn't for her to go looking for me- its to pass on for whoever is looking for the body. If she was to try to find me, there would be 2 lost people. In addition, I carry a survival kit. I ALWAYS have a 70 oz camel back filled, knives, chem lights, 2 flashlights, fully charged cell phone, map/compass, biodegradable engineer tape, snacks, and clothing that will see me through the next 24 hours. My survival gear for a solo hunt has the following: 15' paracord, a cheap poncho, a broken down MRE, a lifestraw, magnesium fire starter, wire saw, a military IFAK first aid kit, 2 pencils, 6 tracer rounds (turns your hunting rifle into a flare gun) and a pad of waterproof paper. When I hunt solo I use either 223 or 308 cause there's no tracers in 243. The IFAK attaches to the outside of the camel back with the MOLLE fasteners. The rest of it goes in a fanny bag I wear but when I go up a tree I leave it at the bottom rung or on the equipment line. Its not that much more stuff but its cheap insurance. I got some pretty in-depth survival training in the military, and was trained to get by with much less- but why not be prepared? Does anyone else do this?

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Add a space blanket and a CAT Tourniquet and I think you'll be able to take care of any major life threats. A couple instant heat/cold packs wouldn't hurt either in case you become hypothermic or have possible heat exhaustion/stroke. Just know how to use these things as they won't help save your life if you don't know what to do with them! (By the way, they're simple to learn and easy to use.)

Patocazador said:

You forgot the mule to carry it all.

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I'm constantly dumping my hunt pack and weighing every item in a vain attempt to lighten the load.

-First aid kit I made myself. (gauze, tape, quick clot, antibiotic ointment, finger splint, SAM splint, burn gel, moleskin, various meds)
-Fire starter (cotton balls with vaseline, trioxane tablets, UCO survival matches, flint&steel) all in waterproof containers
-Bug dope (100% DEET) and a bug net
-Compass on my watchband (it's as accurate as my GI lensatic, weighs 8 oz less)
-Paper maps
-Food for 48 hrs (calorie dense foods (high calories per overall weight of food) and often one Mountain House pro pak, plus gatorade powder)
-Water (2 qts in a bladder, 1 qt in a canteen)
-GI Canteen cup (here is where I could drop some weight. GI cup = 12 oz, but I've seen them made of titanium that weight 1-2 oz)
-Water treatment chem tabs
-GI Poncho and 4 tent stakes (shelter)
-Dry clothes (poly-pro base layer, smart wool socks, wool hat & gloves, fleece neck gaiter)
-Toiletries (T.P., wipes, hand sanitizer)
-Knives-all folders (Swiss army w/ locking serrated blade and saw; Case w blade, gut hook, and saw; skinning knife)
-Diamond knife sharpener
-Hand Axe/Hatchet (I keep vacillating between keeping this and dumping it.)
-550 Cord (about 15 ft)
-Space blanket
-Signal Mirror
-Handheld VHF Ham Radio
-Headlamp
-Chemlight
-GPS
-Personal Locator Beacon (turns your 2 week fight for survival into a 4 hr wait fr your helicopter ride home)
-32 cal revolver w/ at least 12 rds total (good for hares and grouse, signaling, etc)
-Ammo (additional ammo for whatever rile I'm carrying)

Lastly, a mule to carry it all. =)

Edit: P.S.: I used to carry fishing line and hooks, but I have enough trouble catching fish with a rod and reel and real lures,so I tossed it. (Hey, I saved at lest 2 oz.)