What's in your pack?

[Jegs.mich]

Batteries+ to in bags

[Gdpolk]

Food/water
Toilet paper
Kill kit appropriate for whatever species I'm hunting
Flashlight
Spare bowstring and shooting glove
License/hunters ed card/permit if needed

Anything else will be dependent on season, topography, and weather.  If I'm a 15 minute walk from the truck which is 30 minutes out of town, there's no precipitation, temps and winds are stable, and I'm chasing a little ole whitetail or squirrels then I'm not lugging around ANYTHING else extra.  If I'm backpacking in 2-3 days from the trailhead into a wilderness location that's several hours from the nearest hospital by car in ideal conditions...well I'm likely to have some communication, fire making, spare clothing, first aid kit, shelter, etc.

[Roger Norris]

One thing we all need in our packs....and handy so that you can grab it quick...is a stop the bleed kit.

CAT-T's, Israeli Banadages, Quick Clot....all of it.  And know how to use it. I refresh on a stop the bleed class about every 18 months. Most of the tactical competitions I do have a stage centered around applying a tourniquet quickly and continuing the fight with one arm, etc.

Think about it: We spend our time in the woods, usually alone, usually AT LEAST a brisk walk from our truck. We climb trees, use razor sharp axes, knives, not to mention broadheads. Bleeding to death 500 yards from your truck is a really dumb way to die.

[Wild Bill MCP 808]

If your in a wilderness area or the back country consider a pre-programed amatuer radio they work where cell phones fail.

[WhistlingBadger]

If your in a wilderness area or the back country consider a pre-programed amatuer radio they work where cell phones fail.

Not a bad idea.  I have a SPOTx with a little keyboard that can send text messages via satellite.  I mostly use it to send a daily, pre-programmed message assuring Mrs. Badger that I am, in fact, still alive.     But it has an SOS button that sends out coordinates to the nearest S&A and/or sheriff's department, and you can supplement that with specific messages.  That would come in pretty handy in an emergency.  It can also receive messages from home, so if there's an emergency there I can know about it. 

Of course, the potential downfall of a device like that is it can take away one of the main reasons most of us go to the back country in the first place.  I don't want Mrs. Badger contacting me to let me know that the Badgerling scraped her knee.  So we're pretty careful to use it for emergencies only.  But in an emergency?  It would be awfully nice.

[Tajue17]

I need to eventually get a pack but packs got in the way when carrying tree stands.  I wear wetlands muck boots because they are tight at top,, carry a knife and grunt in one and a tree saw in other.   Bow hooks and 2nd chance arrow clips and a pen ( mandatory in mass) are on my bow quiver...  aaa stream lite the size of a pen is in my pocket,,,, toilet paper/ blood marker is always in one of my back pockets,, and thats it..   im urban hunting though,,, i have an eye out for a decent pack that gas dual connections 1 the should straps ( huge bonus if they convert to a cross strap like bicycle messenger bags) then 2 there needs to be 4 corner rings to add very strong delrin clips to clip to a packed treestand your wearing like a backpack.  That perfect bag has yet to be found.

[Roger Norris]

I need to eventually get a pack but packs got in the way when carrying tree stands.  I wear wetlands muck boots because they are tight at top,, carry a knife and grunt in one and a tree saw in other.   Bow hooks and 2nd chance arrow clips and a pen ( mandatory in mass) are on my bow quiver...  aaa stream lite the size of a pen is in my pocket,,,, toilet paper/ blood marker is always in one of my back pockets,, and thats it..   im urban hunting though,,, i have an eye out for a decent pack that gas dual connections 1 the should straps ( huge bonus if they convert to a cross strap like bicycle messenger bags) then 2 there needs to be 4 corner rings to add very strong delrin clips to clip to a packed treestand your wearing like a backpack.  That perfect bag has yet to be found.

I hunt with the Beast Stand 75%. Hang and hunt. I sling my SlingPack over with the single strap, secure it with a bungi or paracord, works perfectly.

[Tajue17]

Roger thanks that looks pretty good,, looks quiet too which i forgot to mention in my post,, when i get to my tree in the morning i needed a pack that is almost dead silent taking off me or the stand,,,, i use alot of hockey tape on everything where metal touches even around the metal of carabiners it quiets things down alot.

[Roger Norris]

Roger thanks that looks pretty good,, looks quiet too which i forgot to mention in my post,, when i get to my tree in the morning i needed a pack that is almost dead silent taking off me or the stand,,,, i use alot of hockey tape on everything where metal touches even around the metal of carabiners it quiets things down alot.

Sounds like we have similiar methods. I have hockey tape or Stealth Strip material on everything that can make a noise.

We designed our Sling Pack with MY hunting style in mind....sneaking into bedding areas in the afternoon...extreme quiet is required.

[WhistlingBadger]

Anybody else driven crazy by noisy packs?  I've found a few day packs that didn't make noise in the brush, but good luck finding a quiet frame pack...

[toddster]

Whenever I step into the woods, no matter what there 8 things always on my person.  My car fob, which always has a butane lighter (duct tape wrapped) and whistle on it, mini sawyer water filter, alcohol wipes, combat gauze, Leatherman Wave and head lamp.

When hunting in my pack the following:
First aid kit (built by me)    Spare head lamp                                Compass     
Pruners                             Stainless steel canteen (cup/burner)    2 contractor barrel liners
Ferro Rod                          High grade space poncho                    Paracord
TP in 2 ziplock bags           Trick birthday candles                         Pencil sharpener
Pencil                               Orange watch cap                               Spare wool gloves
spare wool socks               spare bowstring (set up)                     Pruners
Tops mini scandi                Swiss army hunter                             Ceramic rod
Sharpie                            Electrical tape                                    Zip ties

[frassettor]

Whenever I step into the woods, no matter what there 8 things always on my person.  My car fob, which always has a butane lighter (duct tape wrapped) and whistle on it, mini sawyer water filter, alcohol wipes, combat gauze, Leatherman Wave and head lamp.

When hunting in my pack the following:
First aid kit (built by me)    Spare head lamp                                Compass     
Pruners                             Stainless steel canteen (cup/burner)    2 contractor barrel liners
Ferro Rod                          High grade space poncho                    Paracord
TP in 2 ziplock bags           Trick birthday candles                         Pencil sharpener
Pencil                               Orange watch cap                               Spare wool gloves
spare wool socks               spare bowstring (set up)                     Pruners
Tops mini scandi                Swiss army hunter                             Ceramic rod
Sharpie                            Electrical tape                                    Zip ties

A very thorough kit. What do you put everything in?

[woodchucker]

Pack? What pack...?? I'm a pocket guy

[Terry Green]

Pack? What pack...?? I'm a pocket guy

HA!

[Trenton G.]

It depends on what I'm doing and what time of year it is.
At home while deer hunting, I carry a small fanny pack and that's about it. It will have my license, a small flashlight, a gutting knife, book of matches, a facemask, and a compass. Late season, I might put in an extra pair of gloves and a warmer.

When doing a multi-day hunt out west or something, I carry my big backpack with all of the stuff listed above, plus extra water, food, TP,  bivy and sleeping bag, tarp, extra pair of socks, and another couple of layers that I can put on if need be. I'll also carry a Zoleo for emergencies.

[Tomas Stieber]

I put all my small items into three 7"x12" canvas, zippered pouches. First bag is for things I always need such as a knife, compass, pruner, 20' feet of twine etc. Second bag is a kill kit, dragging harness, game bags and gutting gloves. Third one is a first aid/survival kit includes space blanket, energy bar, extra hand warmers, lighter and a whistle. I also have small roll of birch bark stuffed with dryer lint as a fire starter.

[2wfstlhunting]

it seems to me that no one ever mentions those disposable heater packs.  They don't weight much,and a couple of large ones that last 18-20 hrs sure sounds like a good idea to me.