What else do you bring?

[21H40]

I'm just getting into hunting, and I'm working on adapting my military experience to this more civilized mindset.

I've got a rifle and scope, but that's about where I'd stopped planning. I doubt my 3-point sling will be very helpful in the woods, and I started wondering what all of you more experienced white-tail hunters keep with you.

Kinfe? 4" or 6" blade? Complete bugg-out kit? 7 magazines with a couple of grenades?

Thanks

 

[Exmasonite]

just getting into this myself but here's what i came up with:

knife for sure... always have my EDC folder (BM mini griptilian).
also bringing a small fixed blade if lady luck hits and i have to do some cleaning. will be the CRKT falcon this weekend.

flashlight: nice, bright handheld w/ red and blue filters. blue is good for finding blood (if it is right at dusk, etc) supposedly. been looking into a good headlamp in case i need to go hands free in the dark but i'll have hunting buddies this time around.

rope: bringing 100' of paracord. helps w/ dragging/carrying/hanging deer

Gloves: got some of those latex arm sleeves that cow vets use to minimize the bloody mess (again, i'm the optimist)

water. body needs H20 to keep warm.

father in law recommended milk jub for "recycled water" if you will. don't want to be peeing around your blind/stand.

couple of those disposable hand warmers. just in case.

map of the area you're in isn't bad if you don't know the land real well.

nice foam pad to sit/kneel on. if you have a decent blind, a folding chair will do fine if there isn't one there already.

good luck! subscribing to this one to hear more info/thoughts!

 

[goalie]

1. Binoculars. Looking at someone through an optic attached to a weapon is a no-no, plus, binoculars are easier on the eyes for long-term glassing.

2. Map and Compass.

3. Knife with a 3-4" blade. I personally use a Hella Godbit with a 3" fixed blade for deer-sized game.

4. Deer stand, stool, or cushion to sit on. I personally use a Summit Viper climbing stand for most of my hunting, but it depends on your terrain. Always use a harness with an elevated stand.

5. Water bottle.

6. Cliff bar (or other energy bar)

7. Petzel Tikka headlamp. Hands-free beats hand-held every time in the woods.

8. Waterproof matches and a lighter.

9. Field dressing gloves.

10. Clean dry towel.

11. Toilet Paper.

12. Scents.

13. Drag rope and other parachute cord for pulling rifle/stuff into tree behind me.

14. Digital camera:



15. Good hunting buddies.

 

[Legionnaire]

Goalie has a good list. I'd add:

16. Dry wool socks.

17. Several 4 to 6 inch lengths of light gauge galvanized steel wire. Better than twist-ties for holding branches out of the way, attaching tags to the ear, etc.

18. Poncho.

19. Basic first aid kit.

20. Lunch!

 

[mejeepnut]

What you don't need to bring with you is where you are going and when you expect to return,leave that with someone else.
Good sharp quality knife that fits your hand with at least a 3" blade,compass,at least 10 feet or rope/cord but 20 feet is better,space blanket or 2,Something dependable to stat a fire with,Something to snack on like raisens/nuts/m&ms,Water,at least 1 full box of ammo,proper clothing for expected weather,one of those cheap clear plastic rain ponchos that folds up to less than the size of a pack of butts,small flashlight,pen or pencil,and the knowledge to survive a night out because of getting lost or hurt.
I hunt in Maine and days are not bad this time of year but the nights can get cold.Be prepaired for the climate in your area.The only thing I have listed that can be a hassle is the water,everything else fits in the pockets of my hunting vest or coat.The water bottle fits but I always feel it and it can get annoying but I always have it.

and reading the posts above add toilet paper in a zip lock baggie to the must have list!

 

[dakotasin]

rifle w/ a full magazine (usually means 4 rounds), and 1 cartridge in each front pocket (never know when you'll get into coyotes or badgers, etc).

everything else goes in my pack - and if it don't fit, it don't go... i don't stand hunt, so i'm sort of a minimalist, and you need to consider your hunting style (ie, spot and stalk or still hunting means you are up and under your own steam all day, and weight becomes a tremendous issue):
- gps
- laser
- binoculars
- spotter & tripod
- cold weather gloves
- beanie
- 2 20-ounce bottles of water
- 20 oz diet coke
- reeses peanut butter cup (these last 2 items constitute lunch... i don't take breaks, i fer sure ain't leaving the field, and they get the energy up and make sure i finish out the day w/o weight or bulk)
- tags
- 4" knife
- leupold lens pen

and that's it. i wear waterproof 800 gram thinsulate boots if its cold, 200 grams if it isn't (but still waterproof), a hat of some sort, and layered clothing.

works for me.

 

[eliphalet]

Gun, license,tags, knife, binoculars. plastic bag for the heat/liver. Thats all I carry for the most part on my person. Water and munchies if I am away from the rig for a few hours. I try not to carry a lot with me as I plan or at the least hope on dragging a deer on the way out.

 

[Troutman]

<<and the knowledge to survive a night out because of getting lost or hurt.>>

Yes.
A cell-phone and or two-way radio helps.
An emergency blanket (some first-aid kits have them); they fold small to fit any pocket.
One has to protect themselves against Hypothermia (cold weather). You don’t want the body temp. to drop below 95 degrees (37 Celsius) (hypothermia kicks in).
In Hot weather (Heat/sun stroke, life-threatening). Shade, keep the body cool and hydrated.

 

[retrieverman]

I generally only carry my gun, ammo, cleaning knives, binos, flashlight, and maybe some deer scent and grunt call.

I used to go to my deer stand with a huge bag of useless crap. After 25 years and more than 150 deer, I have figured out that basically if I have a gun, ammo and knife, then I am good to hunt. Everything else is just dead weight. As I listed above though, I do still carry a few non essentials.

 

[ZeroJunk]

It really changes depending on where you are hunting.Coastal plain paper company forest that is as flat as a pancake is completely different from mountainous terrain.On a cloudy day in the coastal forest you can get as lost as you have ever been 300 yards from your truck. A compass is critical.
I have had 1765 acres leased for many years and know it like the back of my hand.I am usually not over 1/2 mile from the truck, so my list is small.A small flashlight,cell phone,folding knife, sandwhich,water.

I will tell you this. If you are tracking a blood trail at night,sometimes unfortunately for several hundred yards, you need the biggest lense flashlight you can find.If you are close enough to your vehicle you may save time by leaving your tracking flashlight there. Mark the trail as best you can with toilet paper,or surveyors tape(take this with you when you leave)using a smaller light and if you haven't found the deer inside 100 yards go get something bigger because you can expect the blood trail to diminish.

 

[Art Eatman]

I've mostly been a walking hunter, operating out of some sort of base camp, be it cabin or pickup truck. So, I carry very little. Large folding pocket knife, toilet paper to flag where Bambi's lying so I can come back and load him. If it's an all-day hunt, I'll take a canteen and maybe some munchies. Some extra shells, but I've never needed them.

If it's stand sitting, which isn't easy for me, I'll take a paperback book. I've trained myself to read a paragraph, check the outside world, repeat...

Rocky Mountain big country, anti-get-lost stuff is wise. Small country, it's really hard to get into trouble, absent terminal stupid. At least, I never had any trouble in the jungly stuff along the Appalachicola River bottoms.

I've always preferred travelling light...

 

[MCgunner]

I've often thought I'd like to maybe try rifle grenades.

In my M65 field jacket (hunting coat) I have a good knife for field dressing, head lamp (I like that Ray-O Vac with the red, white LEDs and the halogen spot) to find my way in the morning, duck and goose calls (okay, not of use while deer hunting, but this way I don't forget 'em when I'm duck hunting), and a camo head cover because my head is exposed in the stand.

I also like to carry a small pair of bonoculars OR my 4x Bushnell laser range finder is neat to play with when you're passing the time on stand and don't have an internet connection. I sit there and zap landmarks to get an idea of ranges when I'm hunting a new area. It's cool out west spot and stalking, too, for obvious reasons and out there the 10x bonocs are a must. I wanna get a new spotting scope if and when I go back out west, too, very handy. Out there, I carry a pack, works when you're out all day spot and stalking to shed clothes as the morning heats up and you can carry lunch, canteen, spotting scope, shooting stix, etc on it. A good pack is a wonderful thing out in the mountains when you're hunting on foot. I love doing that, but it doesn't really apply down here in the bush for whitetail. It's all stand hunting here.

Oh, for spot and stalk, I have a belt I made up with various survival stuff, fire starting stuff, multil-tool, space blanket, water treatment tablets, compass, that sort of thing. I also have a holster I can put on it for my .357 medium frame (mostly for back packing, but I often take along a handgun for rabbits). AND, now days in the 21st century, I find a GPS VERY handy.

Something else I take to my stand, might not work out in New Mexico's mountains, is my cell phone. I can call 911 if I apprehend a trespasser (always a possibility) or if I get snake bit (lots of buzz tails down here) I can get help if I think I need it. I also keep a snake bite kit in that "survival belt", but I don't often wear that when I'm stand hunting. I try to remember the snake bite kit, though, and in warm weather I wear my leggin's.

 

[redneck]

Last year was my first time on whitetail, and we hunted within walking distance the whole time, so your needs may be different.

I carried:
muzzle loader, ball starter, 3 speedloaders, extra caps

3-1/2" blade drop point knife

flashlight (inova T3, compact but very bright)

small pad of paper, pen, and cable ties (for making temporary tags, required before going to check station in ohio)

License

Cell phone

Pocket knife and multi tool (mostly out of habit)

Everything fit easily in the pockets of my carhart bibs and hunting vest and didn't load me down at all. This year I will add a pair of sleeves/examination gloves like mentioned above. Going to try carrying a pair of binoculars as well, although the only pair I have are 8x32's and they may be a little bulky. Depends on how much time we spend sitting vs. walking.

 

[22-rimfire]

Good posts. It really depends on how knowledgeable you are of the country or area you are hunting. I would take a topo map. If nothing else, you can look at it when you're not busy. Depends how close you are to your camp or vehicle too. Much can be left in the vehicle or camp.

I take along some plastic surveyors flagging to mark blood trails or key turning points to where my stand is located. You can usually see them with a flash light. I remove the plastic flagging that I put out on a blood trail (usually very short pieces tied to twigs). If the blood trail ends or you loose it, the flagging really comes in handly as you don't have to search for blood where you've already found it. You can also sight down the line of flagging to help you with direction a wounded deer might me traveling after you lost the trail. Remove the flagging after you are successful.

Other things mentioned: flashlight, rope, gloves, hunter orange vest and hat, wool scarf to keep wind from blowing down your neck, ear plugs kept loosely around your neck if you have time, monopod, munchies, compass, binoculars, scent, toilet paper or paper towels, a few zip locks, matches, knife (folding and 3-4" fixed blade), ammo and of course you firearm.

 

[W.E.G.]

my favoite pillow - perfect for that nap right after the sun comes up

 

[K.L.O.sako]

i take an old army radio backpack (A/N store for 15 bucks) with 1 liter water, small binocs, grunt call, 30 ft of 1/2" rope, a heat seat, a lens cloth, a knife, some munchies, and a few rags to wipe off with afterwards. the knife i use is a 6" cold steel tanto, and some say it's to much but, i have found that i can remove the anal canal without breaking the pelvic bone in half. less chance of busting the bladder.

 

[dust_101]

Here's something I found out, and take with me each time... an empty soda bottle (larger than 20oz if your needs vary) with the label removed filled about 1/2 to 3/4 up with smashed peanut shells. It really absorbs the odor of recycled water if you can't make it back to your truck/cabin/etc

Also take more than 1 knife, in case one gets lost it never hurts to have a backup.

Oh, and being a diabetic I always have these with me, but they make GREAT firestarters and good to just have anyways, the small alcohol pads in wrappers, small and easy to just put in a pack. If you're starting a fire, get a spark on one of those and POOF they light right up with all that alcohol....

 

[uk roe hunter]

you guys take a lot of stuff. i take my rifle, 3 rounds in the mag and chamber. 3 more in my pocket. My knife and some latex gloves. a short length of rope for deer dragging or hanging in a tree while it bleeds. clothes appropriatte to where i am and the conditions, mobile phone. binos and a long stick for shooting off when on foot.

however, my car is normally within 5 miles not like it is a big problem.

steve

 

[Kimber1911_06238]

rope, gloves, socks, water, para cord, scent away spray, extra fleece pullover, a couple rounds of ammo or a couple arrows, tags, license, cell phone, binos, 2 knives, flashlight, tp or kleenex, lighter, and compass as well as my camo clothes.

 

[aguyindallas]

I always take a couple extra bottles of water, sandwiches, matches, a backpack, small hunting stool, lighter, knife, handgun, rifle, extra ammo.

Most of all, ALWAYS notify somebody where you will be.

 

[elrod]

Where are you hunting and what kind of hunting? I am assuming (yeah, I know) you are hunting deer in Alabama. But are you still, stalk, or dog hunting? Bare minimun for any of the three is a gun full of ammo, a bottle of water, and a cell phone. And, as mentioned in a previous post, always let someone close to you know where you are, and when you expect to return. Those are the bare essentials. Those yankees will have you buyin' a pack mule if you aren't careful. Generally, here in Dixie, you won't be that far from civilization (at least not out of cell phone range). Good luck!

 

[21H40]

elrod-

I'll be in 'Bama doing a mix of stalk and stand.

I'm a big fan of lightweight walking, and I imagine I'll be bring a buttpack with cellphone, water, munchies and dry socks, for the most part...

Thanks everyone for your input. I enjoy looking at the differences in individuals through a common denominator like deer hunting. There's a real balance for comfort and safety in most of these posts.

All I need now is a day away from the office:banghead:

Thanks again

 

[MCgunner]

Something else I take to my stand, might not work out in New Mexico's mountains, is my cell phone. I can call 911 if I apprehend a trespasser (always a possibility) or if I get snake bit (lots of buzz tails down here) I can get help if I think I need it. I also keep a snake bite kit in that "survival belt", but I don't often wear that when I'm stand hunting. I try to remember the snake bite kit, though, and in warm weather I wear my leggin's.

Shhhhh, but I have heard that Santa is bringing a new pair of waterproof gortex lined snake proof boots..... Don't ask how I know.

 

[redneckrepairs]

Here on CO i bring a box of ammo , rifle , suitable clothing , my cooking skills ( i normally wind up camp cook ) and a fine bottle of scotch . The scotch stays sealed unless and untill i take game , then it is given to them who help me drag the dammed carcus back to camp and hang it lol .

 

[qbpc]

I have hunted Bama and some parts hogs are a problem. I recomend extra ammo. Also bring enough to stay the night as in emer. blanket and engery bar and water. You never know when you might fall, twist or break something and you have to wait and be picked up or found.
My fanny pack always had emer. blanket, ammo, cheap pull over plastic emer. rain parka(like $1 at wallyword needed this thing a few times), compass, 2 flashlights(don't get camo flashlights they are hard to find in the dark when you drop them), insect head net, para cord, knife, some type of fire starter, engery bars, socks, ski cap, and compact binoculars. Carried a water container what ever works for you and my pockets had gloves, knife, licsenes, ID, and other general stuff.