Reily

So I'm a few days away from my first rifle, and a few months away from my first deer hunt, and I'm wondering, what are the absolute bare essentials for deer hunting. I realize that this could get a hundred different answers from a hundred different people, but I'm thinking/hoping that in order to go deer hunting I don't need to go and get top of the line camo, scent-lock everything, a stand, deer scent, every deer hunting novelty under the sun, etc. I guess you can liken it to fishing pretty easily. I've had just as much if not more fun catching fish with my ten year old, forty dollar Walmart rig while I'm sitting in the weeds as I have when I'm out on someone elses boat with a fish finder, shimano titanium, nasa tested, this that and the other reel, and the most cutting edge no stretch, lo-vis, extra cast, big fish strength mono known to man. If you had to get down to the absolute basics, what goes with you, what stays at home (aside from the gun, scope, knife, and ammo). By the way, brands are helpful, since I don't even have some of the basics yet.

Lanse couche couche

There have been times when a gun, knife, and ammo was all that i used. I often wear onlynormal work clothes and boots that i have left outside for a while to air out some of the human smell. That's it.

one on one

with me teaching my two son about hunting, its get tuff tring to get and keep up with all their gear, so i tell them all you need is a flash light, bullets,your gun and toilet paper, and your ready to go.really it doesn't take all the extra's, just longer to pack, good luck and hunt safe.

rybohunter

After gun, knife and ammo, I'd put a drag rope.
As far as clothes, which camo doesn't matter, you can get a lot of good deals on clearance stuff. Get some thing waterproof and depending on where you live, warm. Good water proof comfortable boots are key also.
A small pack to carry things, compact binos, and a grunt call, would be my additional BARE minimums.

cardeer

Property with a deer population ,A gun,Knife,I even seen people carry a kitchen knife.And a tree to hide behind. OH Patients

quiksilver

I'd start with an el-cheapo dragging rope ($5 at WalMart), a reasonably-priced camobackpack ($30'ish)and a decent knife (maybe a Buck - with at least a 3" blade - $30). The knife should be sharp enough to shave some hairs from your arm. Truly, your old fillet knife, or even a toolshop utilityknife would get the job done, but it's nice to have asturdy bladehandy on your belt for easy access. I like the non-folding knives because they don't get funky with hair and fat after field dressing a deer.

Also, One of those el-cheapo plastic disposable flashlights for $2.29 at Wally World will do you wonders, as well. You know, the kind that is shaped like a rectangle that comes in red, blue and other random colors. You should always have a flashlight with you.

Seriously, you don't need allkinds ofjunk to get a deer, especially if you're rifle hunting. All you need is something to carry your lunch/gear in, a rope, a knife and a hunting license. You'll also need a lot of patience, brainpowerand stealth- this is where most guys run afoul.

I'd also make sure that you have a properly (professionally) mounted scope on your rifle, and make sure you pick a scope that is a good match to your rifle (For example, don't put a .22 scope on a 30.06 or a 12 gauge slug gun). The guy at the gunshop will help you out with this.

As for hunting clothes to start off, you'd be fine using hand-me-downs or military BDU's that you got on the cheap. Just layer with sweatpants or whatever you have lying around for warmth. Get a warm, blaze orange hat also. Your clothes don't even have to be camo - guys in blue jeans shoot deer every day. Camo pants are pretty cheap (about $20 anywhere), and are a good investment. You'll also need boots - but your work boots will be fine to start off with, so long as they're warm enough. If you decide to buynew ones, I'd recommend Rocky with 800 gram thinsulate. They are fairly warm/waterproof.

Once you get a taste of hunting, you can move on to treestands, designer camo, ultra-expensive optics, rangefinders, special use apparel/boots, bows, releases, ATV's, monster trucksand custom ammo, but let's not get ahead of ourselves...

If you don't like it, you don't want tofeel like you've invested a ton of money in it, so you can always sell off your rifle and move on. So really, you don't need much to start out. If you have any questions, shoot me an email.

kevin1

A good gun , a sharp knife , a nice day , and ashort midmorning nap are all I've ever really needed . That drag rope thing has possibilities though ...

pjhunts

There are two things I won't leave the house without. I do a lot of stillhunting so I carry a pair of small hand sized pruners to clip briars out of my way and make lanes to shoot through if I stop and sit. I also always carry a small pair of binos.

Jack Ryan

Gotta have; alicense,a deer, a gun, a bullet.

Worth carrying if you got 'em, any kind of sharp knife, a piece of hack saw blade, 20' of pull up line, may be an extra bullet.

A hatchet will do instead of a knife if that'swhat youalready have. Sharpen it up with a file and a stone and it's pretty easy to gut a deer withone, and then you don't need the hack saw blade.

nchawkeye

A good deer rifle (with scope).......$750
A good skinning knife...................$ 50
A good pair of boots....................$125
A good climbing stand with harness $275
Clothing/socks/bullets/misc...........$300
A good set of binoculars................$300
Decent deer lease.........................$500
Decent 4-wheeler.........................$4,000

That look on your face when you have gotten up opening morning at 4:00am...hiked back 5 miles into the woods and climbed 25 feet up a
tree all ready to kill a biggon....when....You realize you just gotta take a dump.....And forgot the TP........PRICELESS....