I'm NOT talking 'backpack hunting' just a Day Hunt Pack. What do you NORMALLY carry for A Day Hunt?
I like/prefer light weight rifles because you carry them in your hands & arms. A heavy rifle becomes a burden during hours of Still Hunting/Stalking. In a Stand (shooting house as some call them) a heavy rifle doesn't make a diff.
This pic is of my backpack and what I "normally" tote ON MY BACK for a Day Hunt. It 'averages' 12 lbs. It'll vary a little but not a whole lot. I also carry light shooting sticks but they are NOT usually in the pack.
The pack itself is a 'Remington' brand and has multiple pockets. There is 1 pocket in the very top + 2 side pockets & 1 interior divider.
From the Back-Left to Back Right.
Thermos - Cold Days>>>>Grunt Tube >>>Rattle Bag Water >>>>Comp Binos >>>Snacks Coke >>>>Ammo pack >>>Chips (not in pic) L R F >>>>Pruner Headlamp >>>>Saw >>>>Drag Rope<<<<
The drag rope is not essential but I've been packin one so long it has become a habit. I do use it often enuff to justify packin it.
If you use a smart phone, you can enlarge and see more details of the pic.
When Hunting I am seldom very far from my Truck so I Just carry a compass,water,sardines,Vienna sausages,candy bar,toilet paper,Pack of cigs,Lighter,rangefinder and cell phone,small pocket knife,orange flagging in a Fanny pack.If it is cold I carry some handwarmers as well.
To the above I add a partial roll of TP, chapstick and sunblock, a relief jug, deer scent, scent wicks, pen/pencil and a couple of index cards. My pull-up rope doubles as a drag rope, folding knife knife sharpener, lens cleaning cloth, extra socks, toboggan cap and balaclava (camo and/or blaze orange). Rain gear, lighter and heavier gloves, scent killer spray, zip-loc bag for heart & liver. shooting bipod that I lash to the outside of the pack opposite the rifle. I have made a check list that I use each time to make sure everything is in the pack. Depending on hunt locale and time of year I may add or delete items as appropriate for conditions.
I'm hunting 70 acres and don't return to my truck till time to leave. I use my 4 wheeler to retrieve deer.
Scott- I don't have a 'cougher' and I bring deer home to clean. IF that's a 'butt out' not a tent stake.
Craig - my compass in IN my phone. I carry emergency paper (T P ) in a pocket. I never use hand warmers. I don't smoke but a pack of Taylor's Pride is in my pocket.
Stros - The baby wipes are a great idea - thnx.
Wiz - My gloves/balaclava are in coat pocket or 6 pocket pants.
So far we carry close to the same items. Naturally it'll vary, who & where WE hunt.
As regards the gloves/balaclava I emant the one you weren't wearing or wasn't in your coat/pants pocket. I carry two of each, thinner gloves for dexterity whne handling the rifle and heavier for riding the four wheeler to avoid freezing my fingers. I have blaze orange, camo and black balaclavas, camo i use for concealment when in the stand and the black when in the pop-up or box blind and the blaze for extra visibility when needed. The orange toboggan is usually worn over the balaclava to meet blaze orange requirements. It is sometimes necessary to ride the four wheeler short distances on rural roads when going from one location to another, I like to have as much orange as possible when doing this. I also have a red flasher that I place on my backpack for extra visibility to alert drivers when they come up on me from the rear.
We only have 120 acres, and I've hunted the same stand since the 70's. Rebuilt and moved a few feet a couple times. Every time we go to the farm I check it out and touch up anything needing touched up. I used to climb trees for a living and I wear my old safety harness, since it's made to be worked in all day I find it more comfortable than the ones that come with portable stands. So, the day before, I go up and set my safety line in the tree. I have an old section of aluminium ladder that gets me most of the way up. In the morning I put my safety harness on. All steel rings have been wrapped with duct tape to keep them quiet. Pockets get soda, snacks, apples, sandwich. Sometimes pruning saw, but usually have taken care of that ahead of time. The orange flip line/safety line doubles as drag rope. TP, cell phone for time and camera, no reception, so no internet. That's about it, Joe.
I have hunted climbing stands and have an 'ol man' that is comfortable but I am not using ANY stands. All my hunting is ON the ground. Most of the time I'm Still Hunting.
I also have a 17 1/2' to the feet, ladder stand. I can put it up but I don't want to be Tempted to hunt 1 stand. It is wide enuff for comfort with foot rest & rifle rest which will fold up for bow hunting.
Also this 70 acres is surrounded on 3 sides with only normal farm fencing. So there is/are NO hi fence. Deer are free to come & go and I'm not limited to ONLY the deer on 70 acres.
I don't intend to be critical or arrogant, I'm just enjoying the freedom to move when/where/I want to. I have hunted deer leases with tower stands and have killed very many deer from stands.
I am NOT using any feeders. It's all natural for the deer and myself. Last season was my 4th yr to hunt here exclusively. My Uncle says, "kill any/ all you want to", I tell him, they have to be legal.
With that I have the freedom to 'cull' any I want. Last yr I saw a 'freaky' antlered buck that IS illegal. This year his luck may run out! If he hasn't improved, he NEEDS to be removed.
For years I carried a day pack, until I found myself carrying enough crap to survive a week in the Himalayas. At that point I took a good hard look at my 'possibles' and pared them down to the bare minimum- such that would fit in the pockets and game pouch of my old Woolrich hunting coat: paperback book, small water bottle, a couple of Hershey Bars, folded wad of paper towels, hank of nylon tie-down cord, rifle sling (if carrying a gun equipped for it), cell phone, two hand warmers in the hand warming pockets. Knife goes in a pants pocket or on my belt, scope (if carrying a Mauser adapted for it) is carried in a leather tube on a sling over my shoulder, few spare cartridges in a pants pocket. Rifle stays in my hands where it should be. Compact binos, sometimes, slung around my neck.
I figure if I didn't bother taking a rifle I could get rid of the sling, drag rope, knife, scope, and spare cartridges, and have more room for scotch and condoms...
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
I figure if I didn't bother taking a rifle I could get rid of the sling, drag rope, knife, scope, and spare cartridges, and have more room for scotch and condoms...
Well, umm, errr, then you can stay home/at girl friend's.....
I'm hunting 70 acres and don't return to my truck till time to leave. I use my 4 wheeler to retrieve deer.
Scott- I don't have a 'cougher' and I bring deer home to clean. IF that's a 'butt out' not a tent stake.
Craig - my compass in IN my phone. I carry emergency paper (T P ) in a pocket. I never use hand warmers. I don't smoke but a pack of Taylor's Pride is in my pocket.
Stros - The baby wipes are a great idea - thnx.
Wiz - My gloves/balaclava are in coat pocket or 6 pocket pants.
So far we carry close to the same items. Naturally it'll vary, who & where WE hunt.
Scott - Are the cougher & butt out ALL you tote?
Jerry
Jerry I have a compass on my cell phone as well but what if cell phone goes down? The only reason I use a hand warmer is I buy the ones that you have to rub around to get them going and the fanny pack I have has a pocket inside that is perfect size to slip it in and then I can slide my hands in both sides of the fanny pack and not only keep my hands out of the wind but warm at the same time. When I see a deer I just slide my hands out of the fanny pack openings.
If I had to carry a "pack" of any kind for a day hunt I'd hang it up. Everything I carry fits in the pockets of my hunting coat and except for the bottle of water that I refresh daily, it all stays in there for the duration of the season. Pick up the jacket, bino's and my rifle and I'm ready to go. Knife, drag rope, ammo wallet with 10 rounds, flashlight, deer tags, pen to fill them out, lighter.
Jerry I have a compass on my cell phone as well but what if cell phone goes down?
The only reason I use a hand warmer is I buy the ones that you have to rub around to get them going and the fanny pack I have has a pocket inside that is perfect size to slip it in and then I can slide my hands in both sides of the fanny pack and not only keep my hands out of the wind but warm at the same time.
Craig - First off, I'm only IN 70 acres so really don't need a compass. Also I've never had a cell phone to die.
Secondly - I wear the Brown Cotton Jersey gloves (thin) but when it's cold, I hold the rifle in 1 hand and the other is IN a pants pocket. I then rotate hands with the rifle.
That works for me. Everyone is not the same. I've always been hot natured. And YES I've hunted when hands have been very cold but then got onto my routine.
Jerry I have a compass on my cell phone as well but what if cell phone goes down?
The only reason I use a hand warmer is I buy the ones that you have to rub around to get them going and the fanny pack I have has a pocket inside that is perfect size to slip it in and then I can slide my hands in both sides of the fanny pack and not only keep my hands out of the wind but warm at the same time.
Craig - First off, I'm only IN 70 acres so really don't need a compass. Also I've never had a cell phone to die.
Secondly - I wear the Brown Cotton Jersey gloves (thin) but when it's cold, I hold the rifle in 1 hand and the other is IN a pants pocket. I then rotate hands with the rifle.
That works for me. Everyone is not the same. I've always been hot natured. And YES I've hunted when hands have been very cold but then got onto my routine.
Jerry
First off ,Hell i have gotten turned around in a lot less than 70 acres when its cloudy ! LOL and I have had a phone die.
Secondly I have often used the Cotton Jersey gloves ,Rabbit Hunting with a shotgun but I hate wearing any kind of gloves when Using a rifle,sorta feel like I lose sensitivity for the Trigger. That is why I like for my hands to stay warm without wearing gloves
Yea I fully realize Everyone is not the same , Just thought I would share in the thread that you started and not trying to say my way is better for anyone else but me. I was Hot natured as well until I had a couple of heart attacks .
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