what gear do you carry

[rickyp]

my hunting friends all say I carry way to much stuff with me. I dont think I do even thought the truck is only a mile or less away
this is what Ialways carry  when hunting
1) a whistle
2) at least 3 knives, one is my swiss army knife that i always have with me,  one is a Wyoming skinning knife, and the last one is a buck brand folding knife
3) compass
4) a 55 gal. trash can liner (I use this as a poncho if i get cough in a storm)
5) pin, paper, a few Small wire ties, deer tags and about 100 feet of high strength fishing line a few safety pins. (all in a small zip lock bag)
6) cell phone
7) matches or lighter ( maybe  a 9 v. battery and a handful of steel wool)
flashlight
9) a bottle of soda and candy.
10) about 1/2 roil of toilet paper with the tube removed ( this makes a great blood trail marker and then you always have the other use for it)

then the "normal things" like gun, ammo, proper clothing, license, deer stand safety harness

 besides the normal things what do you carry with you on every hunt?

[Geno]

I like a small back pack, I get kidded too, by I like having tools and comforts with me. The contents change all the time, generally batteries (GPS and flashlight), flashlight, extra compass, maps, 2 knives, brush shears, tracking tape (10 feet or so of the ornage ribbon stuff) candy bars, can of soda or water. one of them space blankets (never needed it, but weighs nothing and folds small, its there if I need it.  toilet paper (never know) couple tie wraps for tags etc.. whistle, bullets, camera, gloves, water proof matches, FRS radio, cell phone. only about 4  pounds, dont notice it on my back, gives me a feeling of security.

[rickyp]

I carry everything in a turkey vest. I use to use the back pack but I found it doesn't work well with  my tree stand. the vest is lighter  works well with a tree stand on my back and more convent when I need something.

[John]

I bought some Viet Nam era web gear about 30 years ago. Suspenders, canteen/pistol belt fanny pack, and a couple of little snap pockets that fit on the suspenders. I've used them ever since, for all kinds of hunting, both bow and rifle.

I generally carry a folding saw, a knife, some rope, bum fodder, compass, lunch,  canteen of water, and if it's gonna rain a pancho tied to the bottom of the fanny pack.

I'm always familiar with the area, so I don't need a map. I feel that my pistol or rifle holds pleanty of ammo, so I don't take extra.

I sometimes hunt hogs where there's no road access, so that folding saw has come in handy a few times for cutting down a pole to carry a deer or a hog out to where it can be gotten to with the truck.

Oh, forgot, I also carry a couple of pair of rubber gloves. I've started wearing those the past few years to gut deer and hogs, and also a large zip lock bag in case I decide to keep a liver or a heart.

[HoCoMDHunter]

Ricky - I like your list.  Not too much and it packs small.  I'm not sure what you use the fishing line for though.  Field sutures?   What I would do different --- I carry one good knife and two small flashlights.  One of the lights is an inexpensive LED light I picked up at Wally World, the other is one of those Pelican lights - great flashlight with 2 AAs.   I use TP for trailing deer as well.  Can't beat it.

[DzrtRat]

I depends on what and how I'm hunting.

When I'm predator calling, I just carry a rifle and a couple of hand calls.  No extra shells or anything else that might make noise.

I hunt big game mostly in southern Arizona so I don't use a tree stand.  If I'm hiking a ways, I'll add binoculars, high energy snacks, water, and a few feet of parachute cord to the list.  If I'm riding my mule, I might add a spotting scope and a soda.

The knife goes without saying 'cause it's considered daily wear.

[rickyp]

the fishing line can be used for
1) tyeing of the entrails when field dressing
2) if i forget the wire ties the string is used for the field tag
3) if i should need to make a primitive shelter I can use the string to tie off  cross members or a lean too or if i can cut the trash line  tie the fishing between 2 trees and drape the liner over ti and make a small tent
4) make a small game snare
5) used with the safety pins and a stick  for fishing
the use are limitless I use the 80# spider wire

[.22 coyote]

Sounds like a reasonable list.  My favorite extra is a GPS.  I use it to see how far I hiked, to mark areas where I want to return, to be able to wander or track game without having to pay attention to "where I am", and to be able to make a more or less bee-line hike back to the vehicle no matter where I've wandered off to.  Sometimes I carry one of those "light-weight" closed-cell folding chairs (like a stadium chair) for sitting in the snow and for an emergency sleeping pad.  And like some others, a couple of those LED key chain flashlights, as well as an LED headlamp.

[rickyp]

I haven't had much luck with a gps. it probably is operator error
 i just couldnt  walk fast enough to keep it it updated. when I was driving i had no troubles with it.

[myronman3]

what 22 coyote said.  gps and a folding chair.  food and beverages, too.  and i bet your friends aint laughing when they need to borrow something from you.  
 hey rickyp- what kind fo gps do you have?  mine is a garmin etrex- my bud is planning on getting one really soon; sounds like he should avoid the kind you bought.

[rickyp]

I forget teh one that I had, I couldnt get it to work for me so it found a new home. I was told I should get one with a eletronic compass and it should help some

[Duffy]

I generally am within a couple of miles of my rig so I don't pack much. Most of the stuff I carry with me everyday like a cell phone, Leatherman, pocket knife, ear plugs. Add to it while hunting a Wyo knife, Bino's, Nitril gloves, a couple of rubber bands, some string, oh yeah and my gun!  Most of our hunting is spot and stalk, or to try and  be in the right place at the right time so packing alot of stuff just drags you down or just make's more noise. I used to bring a bunch of goodies but have trimmed it down over the years. If I were hunting unfamiliar ground and/or far from camp I would pack more stuff.

Ryan

[Dave in WV]

I carry water instead of soda or carry both. I carry extra water to wash blood off my hands. Water is good to have to clean a cut too. I use a pack and depending on weather I carry more or less clothes. I have a down vest and a hand warmer made of fleece that has a belt on it. It's great for handgun hunting so you don't have to wear heavy gloves when it's really cold. I have a small hand towel in my pack to lay my revolver on when I'm deer hunting if I'm sitting on a large rock. My old rain pants are handy for dressing a deer to keep the blood off my hunting pants so they are in the pack too.

[.22 coyote]

Ditto on the disposable, air-activated hand warmers.  I use them in my gloves to warm up my hands, sometimes wrap one in a neck gaitor to get a sensation of over-all warmth, and I use them in my sleeping bag in cold weather sometimes instead of a Nalgene water bottle filled with very hot water.  They last a long time, if kept dry.  GPS:  I have an E-trex Vista with Garmin topo maps loaded into it.  99% of the time I use the map page for navigation.  I also keep the unit on all the time I'm hiking, and record a track, which shows up on the map display.  Between the track that is being recorded on the display, the arrow pointer showing my current direction, and using "North Up" with the map display, I know where I am relative to where I started or have been, and where North is at all times.  Now, doing all that compensates some for not moving fast enough to actually have the GPS pointer show actual direction.  It works well enough for me that I rarely, if ever, use the built-in electronic compass which, by the way, can be "programmed" in one of the set-up menus to "turn-on" when one's speed drops below a certain, programmable speed, and to switch back to satellites when a different speed has been exceeded.  This feature might be very useful for some folks, and I could see myself using it under certain circumstances.  One caveat:  one has to be willing to spend time both reading the manual and practicing with the GPS because there is so much packed into these little units it can be a bit overwhelming, and it is easy to forget how to make it do this or that.  I think of mine as a hand-held computer navigation system, which saves a tremendous amount of time and really boosts the confidence level when bushwhacking.

[.22 coyote]

Speaking of gloves for dressing game...I have been using Playtex dishwashing gloves with success in my small game hunting.  They cost less than $2 at a big discount store, don't tear very easily, go on and come off easily for repeated use during the day, and protect further up the arm.

[Dragon31]

I carry way to much.  I use and old ALICE pack that carries most of it.

1. Fixed blade knife.
2. Flash Light
3. Gerber folding limb saw
4.  Leatherman tool
5.  Blank tags and wire to tag my deer
6.  Bushnell range finder
7.  Scent cover
8.  Coffee thermos
9.  Snack
10.  Binoculars
11.  Pistol, BKH or Contender
12.  Two way radio
13.  Since I sweat like a pig, I put as much of my clothing in the pack as I can stand to be without on the walk in and change at the stand during deer season.

During turkey season I change off and use a vest and duffle bag to carry my needed and comfort items.
In the vest is my flashlight, snack, coffee thermos, and turkey calls.
In the duffle bag is turkey decoys, folding chairs and camo material

[444encore]

The woods, me in my birthday suit , a Bowie knife in one hand a doe bleet in the other and my liscense and tags nestled securely where the sun don't shine. :-D

[ihuntbucks]

I carry too much also,but better to be safe than sorry.Apart for usual stuff,ammo,gun,ect. I carry in a 3 pouch waist belt....paper towels,flash light,matches,water,beef jerky(it would be deer jerky,if I could ever kill one :grin: ),cell phone,map,flares,compus,rope,ponco,2 meter HT (ham radio)call sign NS4M,snakebite kit,can of sterno,...ect. Am most of the time several miles from truck and hopefully any other hunter.       Rick

[Mikey]

Now we know the source of all the Bigfoot sightings down in your area (LOL).   :-D , Mikey.

[Danny Boy]

I don't hunt light. For a day trip I carry:
first aid kit
GPS
matches/lighter
water and granola bars
binoculars  
ammo
folding saw (big game only)
flashlight (2) plus spare batteries
folding knives
nylon rope
two-way radio (if more than one in the hunt party)
cell phone
range finder (if hunting in open area)
hunting and surgical gloves plus hand warmer,
toilet paper
ear plugs
flare signal (2) plus emergency blanket
reading glasses plus an extra layer of clothing or rain gear depending on  the occasion.  

Danny Boy

[Questor]

1) Hunting handgun and ammo
2) Daypack
3) Binoculars (10x compacts)
4) Flashlight
5) Tablecloth
6) China and cutlery
7) Half baguette, brie, salad, and perhaps some berries or pastry
8) Caraffe of red wine
9) Varmint call (baby rabbit)
10) Two compasses

[tripper]

first  due to back injury i am forced to stay in my stand for the day and ride my atv to within a reasable distance if not to it
besides the norm reqired
2 compasses
food for the day plus
thermoas of coffee
letherman tool and folding knife, them are every day wear
2-way raidio for  emergency communitcation with others in party, if alone cell phone
lighter, and water proof matches, fire starter
 folding saw
chem. hand warmers
all handy paper
flash light
spool of heavy fishing line
space blanket
1 pair extra gloves
trail marker

[southern utah]

Were I hunt in Utah it may involve a 1-5 mile hike varying in elevation from 2500 ' to 10,000 ".  It could be in a 200 mile radius. I go light.
Fanny pack with knife, saw, garbage bag, lighter,matches ,fuel tabs,toliet paper, licence candy bar and water bottle.  Other items, compact binocs ,extra ammo (6-10 rounds), pistol ( either 629 44 mountain gun or 4" 686  in 357) and a 2 way radio. . New this year will be gps. Alot of the time it is open ranges with visibility for miles and little trees. I have hunted by using land mark for years.  Encore rifle with barrel depending on mood.