Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Day Hunting Pack/What's In It?

No problem Craig. really

We are GOOD. Thanks for participating.


Jerry

No one has mentioned disposable latex gloves. Almost no mess when dressing your critter. I carry two forms of fire - matches and lighter. Carry a good reliable compass as we get no cell coverage and often get ten miles from the truck. Also carry large garbage bag for heart and liver, emergency rain coat etc. I carry a lens pen to clean scope and or glasses.

forpest

Actually I forgot that I have latex gloves in my pack

PLUS a small first aid pack. (both are in the divided pocket inside the main pack. Thnx for reminding me, time to refresh.


Per latex gloves I don't gut/dress my deer in the woods, I'm only 3 mi from my house.

Jerry

wiz & craig -

"I don't always use chapstick, but when I do it's in my pocket."

I keep a lighter in my truck--I'm not far away.

Since I'm only 3 mi. from home I don't keep rain gear in my pack. I wear a BIG leather hat when rain threatens and a coat that's Scotchguard treated.


Y'all have given me an interesting idea. Cell signal/compass.
Tonight I'll be where cell signal is intermittent or non existent. I'll try an experiment to see IF my compass works w/o signal strength.

" I 'THINK' the compass works w/o phone signal"--we'll see.

Thnx, it's good to compare what others use or feel is needed.

Jerry

Yep - that's it. Oh, and a bandolier.

Jerry, I don't use a daypack when hunting whitetails but mule deer are an entirely different ball game.


I might wander 3-5 miles from the pickup in mule deer country so of course a daypack makes sense. I also might be hunting from dark til dark and use the pack to pack out meat so it has to be a somewhat 'substantial' pack.

In no particular order...


lunch/snacks/water bladder

hand wipes/TP

knife/small sharpener

extra ammo(5 rounds)

game bags/medium size garbage bag

spotting scope/tripod

camera/GPS/compass/cell phone/laser rangefinder
(batteries)

survey tape

lens wipes

spare set of contact lenses

depending on the weather extra clothes/rain shell

Seems like a lot of stuff but on a successful hunt I generally use all of it.

Thanks Sammy

I DO understand your different territory and your need of a spotting scope, game bags, & pack frame of sorts.

I'd bet you NEED much better boots than I do. And sorta serious, you might need a Satellite phone for emergency. I don't have any idea of cell service in that area.

Thanks Sam, I appreciate it.

Jerry

Jerry, decent boots are a must!

Don't care if they are for work or hunting, boots are one item where a guy should not scrimp.


All leather(or rubber) and the fewer seams the better!




It's not really remote(or rugged) country, cell service on the higher hills, no service in the coulees.

Talking about fire, one or two cotton balls, with some vasaline rubbed in, make great fire starters. Even a petroleum based first aid ointment will work, but if you just make a couple in advance and toss them in a pill bottle, it's easier to have them ready

Josey, that's a neat idea. I don't need it where I'm hunting now. Someone else might need it and I'll file it away for future ref.

***From another use***-- you can put those in an empty film canister for clean storage. I used to carry old film in a canister to clean the seals on motorcycle front forks. A band aide short term fix.

Thanks

Jerry

Usually a bottle of water a couple of pcs hard candy or cough drops, my knife 4-5 ft of paracord a extra pair of gloves and watch cap 5-6 paper towels a payday bar or pkg of fig newtons and if it is cold I have a pair of soft nylon wind pants that I roll up and carry there along with a couple of the hand warmer packs. My pack is just more of a shoulder bag not a two strap pack and doesn't weigh more than a couple of lbs. a lot of times in warmer weather I can get all my stuff in my vest pockets. And don't bother with the pack.

Film canisters! Yeah, like you can find those anymore! I have a few, but man I wish I had kept more of those. I keep trail marking tacks in one. Using canisters for cotton ball fire starters is ideal, but I just need to find some.

BTW, i tried the cotton ball trick, with a firestarter, by scraping the starter with a knife. Damn if it didn't ignite and hold a nice flame.

You can buy film canisters on Amazon for under a buck a piece.

Josey -

Well just so happens that I have at least a few.

I have coins separated in several plus I have some in my motorcycle acc. storage bin. YES, it's been a while since I bought any film. Things change DON'T they. grin.

I 'suspect' there are other small containers that will work but haven't given them any thot.

And I don't know why anyone would need a lot of them?? You mentioned medicine bottles (plastic) so that's at least one alternative.

Thnx

Jerry

He all, ha, yes I do have done with coins in them as well.

Pointer, buy canisters? Now that's just crazy talk. Yard sales, thrift shops. I'll find some damn it!

I have two packs, a badlands 2200 mainly used for half day hunts or when I'm helping and won't be responsible for the majority of the meat, but helping.

A outdoorsmans optics pack to use when I'm hunting or hunting with my wife or brother (aka meat and rifle packing).

Cotton balls wasn't the only use we had for film canisters back in the day. Just sayin...

What did y'all do with cotton balls BEFORE film canisters?

Uhh, cotton balls...nevermind !


Jerry

My Experiment ? Compass with or w/o phone signal.

Where I was last night, NORMALLY has no or limited cell signal. Last night it was cloudy and I had better signal there than I've ever noticed.

So, I'll have to try that on a clear day/night. I'm seldom anywhere that doesn't have signal so I'll have to pay attention and check later. I'm very curious.


Jerry

My day pack varies depending on the season and what I'm hunting.

for general deer hunting I carry: a knife, 1/2 box of ammo, folding saw, water, sandwich, magnesium firestarter, lighter, 6 papertowls folded together, compass, rangefinder, flashlight/headlamp, length of small dia. rope, large contractor garbage bag, small tiedown strap, tag, pen and medical kit.
sounds like a lot, but it's very compact.

optional items - compact poncho, spotting scope, shooting sticks, tree steps, socks, granola bars, calls, MRE, sitting pad, book, GPS, map.