First aid in your pack while hunting? This happen to me!

[DEATHMASTER]

Good advice Ken.

Tim

[Shaun]

Minimum first aid kit = duct tape and aspirin.

[elknutz]

That is a good reminder Ken.  I very often don't take one, and they weight next to nothing.

[hunt it]

There are more than a few Trad Gang members that have needed Dr.Daves first aid kit. I travel alot to hunt and I never leave home without a extensive first aid kit. Carry a smaller version in my pack all the time. I'll list my must haves.
Duct tape
Crazy glue
Peroxide
Quick clot
Tampons
Bandage
stapler
antibiotic powder
pain killers - heavy duty ones
There is not much you can't fix with above.

[Kevin Dill]

I am super-serious about first-aid and correct treatment of injuries or illness while hunting...just ask my hunting partner. When we go to Alaska it's a 12 day wilderness trip; dropped in by Super Cub. No injury will get seen by a medical doctor for at least 4-6 hours...more likely to be next day. Correct first-aid can salvage a trip or it can prevent a death.

I take a moderately large primary supply kit with all the necessaries...way too many to list here. From that I take a much smaller "carry kit" which goes in my hunting pack. Minor in-the-field illness and injuries can be handled from it. More severe situations mean going to the main kit. Both of my kits are kept in clear, zippered waterproof bags which allow me to see what I'm after...no "fishing" or dumping.

Being well-supplied has kept me hunting on more than one occasion. Maybe the most important first-aid item is your brain. Knowing when to give up and go get help is crucial.

great topic...

Kevin

[PaPaFrank]

Great topic! I'm afraid I have to agree with the others in that a wound that severe and being that close to home, would've been better handled by the ER. With that said, I've taken a lot of ribbing through the years by my hunting buddies for taking a first aid kit wherever I go. Having a kit is one thing, knowing how to use it is another! It sounds like I'd like to be in the field with someone like Kevin...

[Mike Spaulding]

Glad you brought this post up.  I've never really thought about bringing a small emergency kit before.. Funny how I put so much thought into what I need and don't need in my pack, and never crossed my mind.  I will now!  thanks.

[Tom Leemans]

I would add that if you are treating a sucking type puncture wound,(such as your chest cavity) you don't want to use anything that absorbs. Leave your TP in the ziploc, or carry a pad slathered with vaseline for your pressure bandage. We want to seal that hole up. Once you apply the pressure bandage, don't lift it back up.

I have given very serious thought to the idea of carrying one of those GPS emergency beacons (PLB)should I ever go on an Alaskan moose hunt. I would certainly carry one if I were an offshore fisherman. Things can go very bad in a big hurry.

Either way, you should always always (what did we learn in boy scouts?) BE PREPARED. Pack your supplies with this thought in mind. "What if the worst should happen?"