I probably carry less than a lot of guys,probably more than others. Here's a list of "stuff" that I normally carry while archery elk day hunting. You can add to it, as you see fit for your self assurance. GPS, filtered water bottle, knives, headlight, extra batterys for GPS and headlight, game bags, parachute chord, lighter, TP, snacks, rubber gloves, space blacket, binocs, range finder, assortment of calls, bow and arrows, and my frame pack. I put most of the gear into a fanny pack and strap it onto the frame pack. When I shoot an elk, and recover it, I immidiately will quarter it, bag the quarters, hang three of them and pack one out with me. If I shoot a bull, I will carry a collapsable saw back to the kill with me to retrieve the antlers at some point. I choose to NOT carry a saw with me since I figure the antlers are the last thing that a predator will haul off and eat. My GPS was invalueable to me on my last two elk kills since I did the packing at night and one time it was in a snow storm and last year was in a thunder storm, and being able to go right back to the kill in the dark through the forest would've been impossible other wise.