The bare necessities

[btroj]

I don't worry all this stuff. I hunt deer on 120 acres, it is private land, barb wire fence, cabin in the middle. I don't worry much about getting lost. I don't even carry TP, easier to walk back to the cabin and a warm crapper.

I like the cards. I would take a book. Seems every time I try to read my wife does and wants to talk to me. I know she would have a phone.

[405]

Exactly. It all depends on where you are at or could get to. If exhausted after the 200 yd trek from 4 wheeler or 4 wheel drive to the blind, then not much is called for except maybe for a "Life Alert" pager. On the other hand I get a kick out of some of the "macho minimalist" posts that read something like, "all I ever need is an over-sized Bowie strapped on my belt and some toilet paper". Hah!

For anyone who does go on foot a little farther than the neighborhood stroll, there are basic absolutes that should be carried... for the sane of course. I also like the obligatory small, cheezy "space blanket" idea that gets promoted. Get into a cold, wet, stranded situation.... wrap up in one of those things and report back. They are a sure recipe for hypothermia! At best, the larger ones can be used for a fly cover to keep rain and wind off.

In open country, where the closest vehicle or town can too far to walk to or for those few who do hunt on foot and can cover lots of country, I think the "bare necessities" change.

This photo is of me on one of those hunts some years back. The closest town or vehicle is 75 mi away. No roads, no cell towers every 5 mi and even if sat phone had been available, the weather could easily prevent aircraft help for DAYS. The bare necessities were NOT an over-sized Bowie hanging on the belt and some TP in the pocket.

[nanuk]

Hey 405, what were you hunting?

and how would you get it all out?

[Hardcast416taylor]

What with all the items jammed into the day pack, plus a little extra ammo for a possible handgun or for the main firearm. Nobody mentioned taking along a firearm!Robert

[trickyasafox]

I love the butt out! make sure you have a separate bag to store it in after use. I also carry alcohol wipes to clean up after dressing game.

As I have bad allergies, I also bring a couple benedryl / generic equivalent. It is not uncommon for the dander on a fur bearing animal to set me sneezing while dressing them out.

I carry:
- a small fixed blade mora with a finger guard and plastic handle. weighs a couple ounces.
- a bright flashlight- generally a solarforce that does over 200 lumens with good batteries
- a drag rope that hooks to my safety harness
- a cell phone with good charge (good signal where I hunt)
- one full reload for whatever gun I'm using (2 if BP)
- small FAK
- license
- blaze orange piece of clothing for walking in and out
- snack/drink
- latex gloves
- camera

in my pockets I normally have a lighter and other little assorted things that are handy.

all of it fits in my safety vest. I don't hunt in very remote areas, so if I get lost I can basically just walk in any direction for 30-40 minutes and hit houses. Most important thing I have is that vest- my father fell out of a tree a couple years ago. Thank G-d he was ok. Next day we went to the store and bought a vest each. they cost over 100 dollars but his safety belt obviously wasn't good enough to keep him safe in the tree.

[405]

Hey 405, what were you hunting?

and how would you get it all out?

Super Cub. Drop hunt- AK Peninsula.

Like any of those hunts you pack it out load by load to a pick up point or your camp. Then wait and hope weather allows a visit from the friendly cub driver.

Friends and relatives scattered around AK so have spent a lot of time there since the mid 70s. While the Peninsula can have the absolute worst weather, the worst I experienced on a drop hunt over an extended time was not on the Pen but in the upper Nushagak divide area.

On a goat hunt, my nephew was caught in a severe storm a few years ago down in Se AK, I wasn't along. He'd spike camped in high country and had 90+ wind, rain, ice roll/shred his tent down the side of mountain. He huddled (like not getting up!) in a sleeping bag wrapped in the remains of the tent for 3 days- til the weather broke.

[gnoahhh]

Like most of y'all I have fine tuned the gear I find to be essential, and carry it in a day pack. Thinking back to how my old man and his buddies hunted does give me pause. I don't remember seeing anybody back then (pre-40 years ago) carrying a day pack. I didn't start using a day pack until maybe 20 years ago myself. Pop would just stuff a couple candy bars, short piece of drag rope, and some ammo in the pockets of his Woolrich coat and come back in at dark, usually dragging a deer.

[Dorado]

Well, I like to be prepared but there is such a thing as being too prepared. If I'm hunting in a blind I'll take just a few things such as a knife, spare ammo, chair. But if I'm on foot I carry a bit more.
-Spare ammo
-Sturdy fix-blade knife on belt
-Paracord
-Strong rope about 50 feet
-Tarp
-Binoculars
-Assorted Ziploc bags
-Snack
-FAK
-Flashlight
-Headlamp
-Matches, Lighter, Magnesium fire starter
-Candle stub
-Bone saw
-Duct tape
-GPS
-Water
-Spare socks
-Space blanket works well to draw attention if you need it.
-Sling shot
Believe it or not all that really doesn't take up much room and isn't that heavy. A friend of mine taught me about carrying a sling shot. If you ever get a bird, squirrel, or something alarming on you a slingshot can be used to get rid of them without making a lot of noise.