Handy items your pack should NEVER be without!

[6mm Remington]

Toilet Paper- (goes without saying)

Baby Bottom wipes- (scent free kind +so your bum doesn't smell like a flower+, stuff a zip-lock sandwhich bag full of them. Great for cleaning your hands after dressing an animal as well.)

Compass- (GPS is nice to have as well, but it's mechanical and can fail)

Matches & a couple GOOD lighters

Fire starting material- (They make small and very effective fire starting materials that don't take up much room)

Knives- (I have 2 in my pack. Easier to have another sharp knife and worry about sharpening the dull one later when convenient.)

Knife sharpening tool or stone. (just in case)

Headlamp- (For dressing or boning an animal out after it's dark or walking out someplace in the dark. Great for camp too.)

Leatherman tool

Small First Aid kit

Extra Ammunition

gloves

Stocking cap

Small flashlight- To back up the headlamp.

Hunting Licenses-

Small diameter rip-cord or parachute cord.- Works great for lashing quarters on your frame or can be used to tie legs when dressing an animal. Lots of different uses.

Heavy Cotton canvas game bag- (1)

Hydration bladder, or water containers

Small Digital camera

Extra batteries (for headlamps, GPS, etc)

Cell phone- if you have one, with ringer turned off.

Maps- if you aren't familiar with an area

Small amount of extra food/nuts/jerky

Bright orange flagging material

Electricians tape- 1 roll (black) (Great for taping the end of your barrel to prevent water, dirt, and snow from getting inside and obstructing the bore. Safe to shoot through w/o removing.)

I have probably forgotten an item or two, and I'm sure there are some more really great ideas out there! :grin: Help me fill out this list and add to it with your comments.

 

[CAhunter]

I have found that the wet naps from say a gas station or resturant work better than a baggie with wipes. That way you have individual packaged wipes! I also have a space blanket in mine incase I have an unexpected night stay. Looks like you take about everything I do.

 

[Bruce Mc]

baby wipes are a god send after you've been out on the trail for about 7 days on horseback.

 

[1Shot]

Surgical gloves. Especially when it is cold and you are gutting out or cutting up an animal put on the surgical gloves and they will keep you hands somewhat warmer and when you pull them off your hands are clean. Don't pack the latex ones use the Nytrex (SP?) ones. The latex ones go bad pretty quick and will rip apart when you try to put them on. The Nyrtex are more of a plastic and they last for ever.
Another must have is one of those small packable cleaning kits for a rifle. If you trip and stick you rifle barrel in the mud or snow or every get a bullet loaded too long or one that has jumped forward in recoil and you go to unload your rifle and it sticks the bullet in the bore you will be glad that you have along the cleaning kit. Don't ask me how I know. :roll:

 

[super-7]

Cheap and easy fire starter is dryer lint, dipped in bacon grease, let it soak up the grease like a wick, then roll into a ball and stuff into a pill bottle. burns hot enough to get most tinder rollin in no time and burns longer than 10 secs.

 

[str8meat]

tampons or maxi pads, we saved a horse one year when we put a tampon in the hole where the stick was. i am not trying to be gross but they work and are extremely lightweight and hardly take up any room.

 

[6mm Remington]

str8meat
I too have heard good stories about those particular feminine products and that they can really be a life saver. Excellent addition.

 

[nodak7mm]

Good list going, a few that come to mind for me.

FOOD of some sort.

Advil, Tums.

Very small limited tool kit, I use a stubby driver with needed bits in handle...

Extra socks

"Wind-Proof" head gear.

Hand warmer thingies..

Xtra tin of Cope. :wink:


The rest are not necessary items, but comfort items.

Something to read at downtime.

Pocket notebook

Rod

 

[Powerstroke]

Addition to the earlier fire starter - ( although a pound of baccon sounds pretty good right now )
Cotton balls rolled around in good ole vasaline will do the same thing. I've always used a 35mm film canister as they are generally water tight.

This was always done more during archery season, but we carried a sandwich baggie full of baking soda - it's heavy is the bad thing, but #1 works great for scent control... a pat or two here and there really helps. #2 works good for a wind direction flag - #3 Doubbles as the Tumms.. Straight baking soda isn't that great, but will certianly fix the issue.