If you had to name the one single best piece of equipment, clothing, firearms, boots, accessories, etc, that you have, what would it be? If everything else was stolen except for that, you would be a happy camper. If only that was stolen, you would be heartbroken. Do it from a functionality perspective and not a sentimental perspective please!

As I thought about it, I decided that my Beretta 390 12 ga is the No. 1 hunting thing that I own. I use it on waterfowl, upland, deer, target, you name it and it has delivered flawlessly every time. It fits me like a glove.

Honorable Mention (limit it to 1 please!): My Buck 118 hunting knife my dad gave me when I was 12. I have tried a lot of different knives and keep coming back to this one.

A camera. I've regretted not taking more and better pics more than anything else.

I can get the job done without cool camo, super accurate rifles or SBC7899000XYZ steel knives. But a bad camera takes bad pics and there's no way around that.

Boots.

It takes me too damned long to find some that fit my awkward-a$$ed feet. I could hunt in just about any clothes (yes, even blue jeans), make do with any recent optics, & find a 700 here on the fire that would fit me well enough & shoot straight enough for me to take most any game. Boots take a while for me, & poor-fitting ones could make a dream hunt feel like being trapped in an elevator with the former spouse.

Actually, this thread could be the impetus for a reality hunting show. Give the contestants $500 and 24 hours to accumulate their gear, then see who kills what with their setup.

FC

What boots specifically? I thought it might be interesting to see what people really, REALLY like. More than interesting...educational even.

The camera idea was good! Which one?

Yeah, $500 huh? We would need to lay out the details (what to hunt, where, when, and for how long). I could present the scenario if a few want to do it and then we could judge who spent their money the wisest. For example, blue jeans would be free ( I assume everyone has them), but if you wanted the new Sitka gear, it is gonna cost ya!

My brain.....I can replace everything else.

Might wanna do a re-take...your brain misspelled everything...

Did I?

Where?

bastid.....

I'm rollin' with Asolo TPS 520's these days. In fact, I just got back from the store, where I ordered some 1 size bigger than the pair I bought last month. It's a total b!tch to lay out the $ like that 'til I find the sweet spot, only to have them change all the styles & sizes by the time I need new boots.

If we're doing reality shows, we also ought to have one where we get all the .22 cal proponents together, & have them hunt DG 'til one of 'em gets stomped. My guess is we'd witness far more critters dying than we would have expected. Whether it would be 2-legged or 4-legged critters? Well, that would have to play itself out...

FC

Boots, by either Ecco or Merril.

It would be boots for me also, either White's or Danners. I have 2 pair of the White's, the Smokejumpers & the Hunter model....I think.

Dick

Boots for me Kenetrek Hard Scrabble and then bino's

good bino's.....my knees are chit, they save me more miles than anything....can always borrow a gun on short notice....ppl are less happy bout lending their good optics cause then they dont have them to use....

Boots; when I am hunting down east in flat country (95% of the time) I simple love the old (sadly now discontinued) Browning upland style green kangaroo leather boots - as comfortable as moccasins, Goretex lined, enough thinsulate for winters in the south and light weight to walk in all day. For rough country I have been using a pair of military spec Matterhorn combat boots for 11 or 12 years - great for colder weather and lots of rock.

My truck....I don't know what I would do without it.

Leica 8x32 Ultravid's... but at the end of the day it's all replaceable and just "stuff."

My wife. She's a much better hunter than I am, and a great camp companion as well.

Probably my hunting fanny pack that I ordered from Cabelas years ago. I have god knows what stashed away in that thing. Just about everything I need for a days outing including light survival gear and tools and repair items. It rides in my truck usually from Oct. til Feb. It's held up great and goes with me everywhere when I am in the outdoors.

Nice John.

My Tree Saddle.

It simply allows me to hunt longer and in more places than anything else.

For most of the country I hunt, spotter, binos, boots in that order.

Cover scent for turkey hunting.

I've never had one blow at me.

my golf cart with 2 winches. Ones on the front bumper and one sits by me. UH OH here she come, my backspace button broke.

What are the 2 witches for?

My post 64 .300 Win Mag best rifle I have owned/own.

I don't have anything that's not replaceable but since I hunt with a handgun quite a bit I don't shoot without popping something into my ears first to keep from damaging my hearing. A couple years ago I picked up a pair of Howard Leight electronic ear muffs and I've really grown to like them. It's amazing all the little sounds you can hear in the woods that you normally can't especially with deer when they get in close. The sound quality isn't the greatest and I'd really like to upgrade to a higher quality in-ear device but for the time being they've worked out pretty well for me. .

In my late 40's, with a loss of hearing in one ear, and vision that's not what it used to be.I'd have to say my senses. Not so much for the hunting aspect as for the experience of the outdoors.

My hearing aids. I can hear things in the woods that I haven't heard in years. I can hear when I've been still long enough for the birds and small animals to return to their normal activities. And, I can hear the noise that I make; I'm not as quiet as I once thought.

I would have to say my North Face day Pack. Filled with all the essentials needed to dress & quarter an elk, spend a reasonably comfortable night above 8000 ft. in the winter, & get out the following morning; it's 10 pounds. And that includes; snow shovel, a liter of water, food & a radio, extra gloves & socks, & a myriad of other items.
Jim

The Swaros...not the gun....

oops, one is spelled wench..

Is that a Cooper Poobah?

Nope, can't afford Coopers on a Poohbah's salary...
Its a " Campfire Rifle" built mostly from parts I bought on the classifieds here...chambered in .222

swaro binoculars

10-4

Garmin Rino 530hcx. Has gotten me out of many a faceless swamp and lets us send locations of tied pigs after we've caught them for others to retrieve. The weather radio has saved me a time or three as well.

Pretty darn internesting. Binocs high on the list and some votes for hearing enhancements....THAT I wouldnt have thought of. I was thinking of getting some....I believe there are some Walkers for $150-$175....how do they work?

Also, a couple of votes for wenches....

Feel free to give the exact brand/model of things as I think that helps give perspective!

My Danner Elk Hunters, my wool pants and my'06. In that order.

Swaroski 15X56 binos.

My Zeiss Classics. I dont go anywhere without them and use them the most than any other gear that I own. Countless animals viewed through those lenses....

Swaro 10x42's.

Dink

Lotsa boots and lotsa binocs. I guess that makes good sense. I have pretty strong feelings for my boots too; Schnees Beartooths.

compass -or boots.

an Apex ladder stand with a suspension type seat and back, second Cabellas MT050 Whitetail extreme Goretex lined Bib overalls and coat. For stand hunting in December, nothing beats them.

Boots are most important, rifle is probably the "best."

I need to get a pair of those. I have lost some of my hearing and I'm sure I make more noise than I think I do.

As far as gear goes my first thought would be a "strong back", but I have to say it's a toss up between a camera, boots and good maps.

My gun safe. I would be heartbroken since it contains my Swaros, Zeiss, 3 7x57s, my camera, a Hi-Power, a Colt...

BristeCD, that is cheating. Pick one!

I've got some "walkin' horses" that I'm partial to...

A good, lightweight compass that WORKS. I have several but my current favorite IIRC is a Brunton. It's a little round plastic job without all that extra gadgetry and bulk so common on many compasses found in stores. It liquid filled, resolves quickly, and stops there (no spinning).

Second is my Mini-Mag 2-AA flashlight. If the moon is below the horizon, I can't see the compass without a light. I would rather sleep in my bed when the hunt is over. This combo has seen me back many times. If I go out in unfamiliar country, I take my Garmin Etrex HC.

Of course these things are not absolutely necessary to kill game animals, but they sure are nice when it gets real dark in the woods.

My truck...I'd hate having to walk to the trailhead

Although I would say boots and or pack would be among the top of the list, I am still yet to find a pair of boots that has simply stunned me... My Cabelas Elk Hunters by Danner have been great, but on 5+ mile days I develop blisters or hot spots. My Eberlestock Dragonfly is awesome, but on heavy loads the straps leave something to be desired (they are 'soft' and fold twist and turn easily and need more padding). Most any Remington bolt ,(721, 700, 788 etc) will most likely shoot straight enough....

Having said that, I would say my Leica Optics are most important... Duovids, spotting scope and range finder. If you cant see it, you cant shoot it.

Second would probably be my Springfield XD-40... I hunt near the border and carry this pistol every second I am out there.. I have never needed it in a self defense type of scenario, but if I ever do, I trust my life on it and that is comforting knowing it is on my hip at all times.

I carry a 10' piece of plastic rope. you know the type one would buy at Walmart. After gutting deer, and taking heart and liver, I tie through shank and throw the other end over a limb, and pull the deer up into a tree. With the deer off the ground, over the next hour and a half or so I am easily able to rough butcher the deer, and get all meat into my backpack, and eventually into the veggie crisper of my refer... Much easier as I can now take days to process my deer, to get it gight.. Also, a good marriage saver, without a hairy bloody mess!!!

tscott,
boy, you wouldnt do that with one of our whitetails unless you played in the NFL!

But let me ask you this.....the original purpose of this thread is which piece of equipment have you fallen in love with and could not bear to part with. Does the rope fall into this category?

I think I phrased it like this....if every piece of your hunting equipment was stolen but this one item, you would still be happy....and if only this piece was stolen and everything else left, you would be sad.

My adjustable Treestand rifle rest by GS3 Hunting Products!

health. without it everything else doesn't matter, and you don't realize how valuable it is until you lose it.

+1 on health. Getting hit with Rheumatoid arthritis at 32 was a game changer.

if i tossed a coin, it'd be either my danner boots or my osage orange walking stick...

I see that John's wife must read his posts.

In sticking with the original point of the thread, the one piece of hunting equipment I would hate to loose the most would be my Pre-64 M70 Echols Legend in 270 Winchester.

Chet

OK .... I would be sad to lose the Compass that my Dad used in the Battle of the Bulge... I've shot deer mostly in NY, ND, Minn. (Detroit Lakes)..and now in retirement in NC... Deer are pretty much the same size, except for the very big ones... Those only get about 3/4ths off the ground, still an advantage...Also, those who say healthare + right on!!!... I am so lucky at 64... Thank my lucky stars, that I am still able to hunt alone in deep woods and pack my deer out!!!

A Puma Duke. Mine is stag horn handle and I had it since I gotten it in 1971. Paid a lot for it, Mom was not pleased. I have since forgotten the price, but not all the game I have dressed out with it. I don't use it to cut anything else. Its the thing I own that I would not want to loose, I would hunt in rags and leaky boots. But Its not a hunting trip with out that knife.

Leica 10x50 Trinovids with tripod.

My Ruger 77 in 280 Remington
My Sako 85 in 300 WSM

Excellent response. Last fall I walked to my stand on crutches and killed my little buck, and was glad to get it. I have had 5 surgeries on my left leg since May 30, 2010. It all started with a broken tibia. The last surgery was Wednesday this week to repair a severed Achilles tendon. I don't know if there will be any hunting for me this year. I would appreciate it if those with faith would say a prayer for me. I hold on to the promise that says "All things work together for good to them that love God." Even so, it is hard to handle at times, especially when I consider the prospect of not being able to hunt effectively. Somehow, some way, I will get to the woods, even if I have to crawl. But I would rather walk. Thanks.

I didn't realize she read the CF!

A good shooting sling is one of the more useful pieces of equipment I've owned.

A form stake and a lingth of rope oops that is two.

I hammer would have been useful.

Yes JohnMoses. I tend to just lead with head. That would be three.

I can see that- tho I've never owned a horse. Not to mention the "interesting times" I've had on some loaned/rented ones....

Most of the rest of the posters are just plain [bleep] up, IMO ...... I'll just leave it to them to self determine who qualifies as "most"....

Me, I'm not comfortable without a compass along - "lost" having long since become a comfort zone. As opposed to "Lost" and "LOST!

I like the idea of the $500 challenge.

Have trouble to point out one piece of gear I would be heartbroken about.

Its just stuff.

The most usefull stuff I added of late is a pair of bamboo shooting sticks.

Bought the supplies for 12 � and change at a gardeners supply.

My Danners or my Adderalls.

Boy this is a very tough question. The issue I have is that I need a tool to hunt with and I need a tool to get the job finished with. Then there is all the gear in between.

So I need a tool to hunt with.
Dan Toelke XX Whip Long Bow, or Hoyt Vantage LTD Compound Bow.

Then I need a tool to get the job finished.
Jerry Halfrich Guide Knife.

But never enter the woods without my matches.

John you are blessed.
My single best piece of equipment is my Maxpedition Gearslinger.

my roll of Charmin ultra soft.

LOL..+1

Yes he is.
Louie~ what model do you use ?

Tough call. I'd be pretty heartbroken to lose either my Model 70 .30-06 (bought from a friend, whose dad bought it the first year they came out, and the rifle I killed my first big game animal with), or the Mark X .375 H&H I used in Africa.

But since I have other rifles that can do the same jobs (or at least could easily buy equally serviceable ones out of the box), I'd go with my 10-year-old Schnees Hunters. Rifles don't need to be broken in. Boots do.

Wool. I have wool shirts, pants, coats, gloves, hats, underwear, boot liners, scarves... I slip through the woods toasty warm and silent as a ghost like a big green sheep.

Great question! After thinking about it, I'd have to say it is my Kifaru LongHunter backpack. The pack carries everything I need for a 3+ day hunt including water, food, camping necessities, gun, hunting electronics (rangefinder, GPS) etc. Unless I'm hunting close to my truck, can't imagine any piece of gear that is more important.

Ruger 77 Tang safety in .35 whelen. It was the first centerfire rifle I owned, given by my Dad and it is unreplaceable. Anything else can be purchased by writing a check but I can never replace the memories of the first deer, pigs, etc.

Boots and good binos and good clothes out West.

Mid west- good tree stand and scent free warm clothes

LOL good one!!

Monsoon

If my dad's FN mauser was stolen I'd be heartbroken. There's no replacing it.

Next up would be my Danners. They fit perfectly and I dread the thought of trying to find another pair of boots that fit as well.

The rest of it ... break out the CC.

Sing;e most important piece of equipment:

The grey matter between my ears...


Without it, nothing works. With it, many things can be made to work.

Yep.

Yep Sean...but I don't think he will let you borrow it for your elk hunt...

I'll have to make do with the rocks and muddy water between my own ears, then.

A full-auto bible/bearspray combo.