When I'm Out Hunting

[AL9426]

Hey Guys,

I will be going hunting soon for the first time and I'm just curious of all the things I will need besides my gun of course and how many shells should I bring.

I would love it if they were put into a list.

Thanks in advance for the help...I always seem to get the advice I'm looking for on The High Road thanks to smart people that know what they're talking about.

 

[JG2000]

What are you hunting and how long will you be out there?

 

[MakAttak]

Also, where will you be hunting?

 

[AL9426]

I'll be hunting squirrel in eastern kentucky on the top of a mountain where my grandfather is taking me, he has lived in those mountains his entire life and has taken many squirrels up there. We will probobbly be out for a couple of hours.

 

[Bitmap]

I you are using a .22 I would absolutely take at least 4 or 5 boxes of shells. You might be forced to take a break and do a little plinking while you are there and you wouldn't want to run short.

At least one of you should take some type of game vest or bag to carry your game out in.

A knife with a small, sharp blade would be good for field dressing them.

A flashlight if you are going out anywhere near evening.

Water to drink and wash up after cleaning the game.

A snack of some kind.

Best of all, ask your grandfather. He knows best what you need and he will like it if you ask him and offer to bring whatever is needed.

 

[omcjf]

I'd bring a good hat and some field glasses to keep the sun out of your eyes. Other than that, everything's been covered here.

 

[MDHunter]

Eh, One Other Item...

Toilet paper (or paper towels) in a plastic baggie. I also bring 2-3 wetwipes in a separate plastic baggie.

Never know when you're gonna need to answer nature's call....

 

[Neurosis]

Been a long time THR lurker, but I had to chime in on this one. I just got into hunting 2 years ago and would consider myself a late starter (didn't start shooting and hunting until I was 30). I was taught by old school farmers that at least the three most important things being:
1. Your firearm.
2. Bullets to put in your firearm. Bring extra.
3. Toilet paper. Stuff a whole bunch in your pockets or put a small roll in a ziplock bag in your back pack. You may think that you've finished your morning business, but there's just something magical that happens as soon as you step foot outta your truck and into the woods that causes that urge appear. I sh*t you not (all pun intended). It's happened to me and others that I hunt with on numerous occasions.

 

[TAB]

Don't forget water proof matchs/lighter/fire starter, a flash light, ear plugs(yes you need them). knife/ multi tool and a rain jacket/pancho( can be used for alot more then just rain.

 

[Wildfire]

Let Grampa guide you.

Hey there:
Just go and have fun.. Let Grampa guide you . Pretty sure you won't be needing any survival gear. That TP is not a bad idea though.

 

[AL9426]

I'll be using a new mossberg 500 20 gauge...according to my grandfathers inside knowledge that he let me in on =p

 

[K3]

Toilet paper (or paper towels) in a plastic baggie. I also bring 2-3 wetwipes in a separate plastic baggie.

Never know when you're gonna need to answer nature's call....

3. Toilet paper. Stuff a whole bunch in your pockets or put a small roll in a ziplock bag in your back pack. You may think that you've finished your morning business, but there's just something magical that happens as soon as you step foot outta your truck and into the woods that causes that urge appear. I sh*t you not (all pun intended). It's happened to me and others that I hunt with on numerous occasions.

I laugh at this, but it's absolutely true. I always keep a couple of ziploc sammich baggies with these very important supplies. Otherwise you may end up using a sock or cutting a piece of shirt. Don't ask me how I know that.

Pocketknife
Small stone for sharpening (I know that deer hair can dull a blade in a hurry - not sure about squirrel)
Snacks like small boxes of raisins.
Box of strike anywhere matches
Make sure you dress a little warmer than you think you might need to. You can always remove a layer if need be.

Rifle and ammo of course. If your rifle is scoped, you may want to carry a little screwdriver or allen wrench in case your glass takes a dump on you. That way, you can remove it and still use irons.

Edit: Didn't see that you were taking a shotgun until just now, so disregard the last piece of advice.

 

[Snarlingiron]

Holy cow. A couple of hours? Take your gun, a dozen rounds of ammo in your pocket, a granola bar and a bottle of water. You can almost clean a squirrel with your bare hands. A small pocket knife will be adequate. One thing I always carry, and I mean always when I go into the woods is a compass. Doesn't have be be an expensive one, but you never know when you might get turned around, even on a fairly small tract of land. I have an inexpensive backpack that I have permantly rigged up for hunting. In it I keep:

1. waterproof match carrier full of kitchen matches
2. police whistle
3. bottle of water
4. lightweight jacket
5. survival blanket
6. compass
7. Leatherman tool
8. handwarmer packs
9. powerbars
10. small roll of parachute cord
11. small colapsbile saw
12. 1/2 dozen zip lock bags
13. toilet paper
14. small first aid kit (bandaids, neosporin, scalpel blades, gauze, ibuprofen)

This is always packed, and the items in it are dedicated and used for nothing else. This way, whenever I have an opportunity, I just grab the backpack, throw in fresh water and powerbars, get my gun, and take off. This is certainly overkill for a 2 hour trip, but since it is just sitting in my closet waiting, the easiset thing I can do is grab it up and take it along. It has stood me in good stead many many times.

 

[asknight]

Good grief guys, he's only going squirrel hunting for a couple of hours! He's not going into the outback for a week! If he loaded up with all of the crap we've listed for him thus far, he'd be so tired after a two hour walk of course he would need a gallon of water and a case of granola bars!

Just dump a box of shells in your coat or vest pocket and a small bottle of water in the other. A little bit of TP taken off the roll and folded will pack easily enough too. Better yet, since you'll only be out for a short while, go visit the outhouse before striking out on your hike.

4 or 5 boxes of shells? Uh, no. There is most likely a legal limit on squirrel and 125 rounds of 20ga is NOT required to limit out. The limit is 8/day 16/possession here in my area.

 

[redneck2]

Don't forget the 4x4 to carry all that stuff, and your gun bearers to help in the woods. The elephants can carry the portable kitchen and the other 8 tents for camp.



Or, you could take a small bottle of water, a small pack of kleenex (stronger than TP), and 6-10 shells. Very small compass is a good idea if you're not real familiar with the area.

 

[308win]

When I first started hunting I used to wear a 25rd shell belt, a vest or coat both of which had 16 shell loops that I filled, and three in the shotgun. After a while (much longer than it should have taken) I noticed that I was carrying most of the ammunition when I was done. Point is, if you are hunting squirrel with a shotgun, the most ammunition you should need is 10 or so shells. The most shells I ever shot was less than a box and that was dove hunting and no I didn't limit out.

ETA

As for the other stuff, toilet paper or handiwipes, small knife, matches, maybe a canteen depending on how long you will be out, compass if you don't know the area, and these days a cell phone.

 

[Bitmap]

Posted by asknight

4 or 5 boxes of shells? Uh, no. There is most likely a legal limit on squirrel and 125 rounds of 20ga is NOT required to limit out. The limit is 8/day 16/possession here in my area.

Posted by Bitmap

I you are using a .22 I would absolutely take at least 4 or 5 boxes of shells. You might be forced to take a break and do a little plinking while you are there and you wouldn't want to run short.

Try reading what I posted again. I highlighted the relevant parts for you.

BTW what difference does it make to the OP what the limits are in your area?

That reminds me, to the OP, get a set of the hunting rules and regs for your area and read them before you go. I'm amazed at how many times the rules change from year to year and guys that have been hunting for years aren't aware of the changes.

 

[charby]

To take.

pocket knife

Hunting vest
In the vest:
Up to a box of shells.
Toliet paper of some sort, I like those small packages of handy wipes.
Small cheap compass that works
Matches in waterproof case or couple bic lighters.
Cell phone
Bottle of water
A couple gallon sized zip locks to put dressed rodents in

Have fun!!

 

[asknight]

Bitmap, don't feel too bad. I had more information to work with than you. The OP came back and said:

I'll be using a new mossberg 500 20 gauge...according to my grandfathers inside knowledge that he let me in on =p

BTW what difference does it make to the OP what the limits are in your area?

The limits in the OP's area, and everywhere else, are likely quite less than 250 squirrels (4-5 boxes of .22) It makes no sense to be plinking in the middle of the squirrel thicket when you're supposed to be hunting.

 

[joebogey]

Well, I'll have to vote for the toilet paper most of all unless you carry the large red or blue hankerchiefs that can be cut or torn in half. But then the person in charge of washing your clothes is gonna ask why all of the perfectly good hankerchiefs have been ripped in two. And then you're gonna have to stand there all redfaced and explained what happened.
Not that anything like that's ever happend to me.

 

[qajaq59]

Sounds like you have a nice grandfather up there........

You likely wont need a compass. But take one along and practice with it. Also if you can look up the area where you're going on one of the topo maps in the web it might add a little extra fun to the trip as well.

And definitely take the TP.

 

[Skoghund]

Toilet paper, tear your handkerchief in half. Don't you have dock leaves in the USA

 

[22-rimfire]

You technically just need suitable clothing and your firearm & shells. But as the folks demonstrated in Northern California looking for a christmas tree, even a short trip can turn into something a "bit" longer. I would be prepared for minor difficulties if you had to spend the night.

I would take the following beyond what I mentioned above; folding pocket knife or any sharp short bladed knife is all you need (but you can take a fixed blade along too for fun), hat and coat (no matter the weather), gloves, firesteel and matches, some paracord (25 feet), zip lock baggies (qt and gallon size), munchies, some water, a parka if its rainy or windy (cheap $1.00 type works if it is not rainy as a backup), lunch, compass, binoculars for watching deer and turkeys, tiolet paper or paper towels, basic first aid stuff, and cell phone. All of this gear can go in your blaze orange vest that fits over your coat. Think layers, but don't over do it. You're just going squirrel hunting. All of this goes with you. Keep a tarp, army blanket or two, shovel, saw, and more rope and clothing in the vehicle if you are driving to the general hunting area.