Poult, I only carry the " bare essentials" , too. My problem, however, is in defining " bare essential." I use a backpack and a vest, and I' d swear my vest weighs 15 lbs and my backpack an additional 25 lbs. Plus, if it is raining, I also carry a doghouse blind!!

(Typically, when I go, I pack and plan to be in the woods for the entire day--5:00 a.m. until dark, so I pack lunch, etc.) My checklist is huge--mouth calls (approx 8-9), slot call, paddle (box) calls, chalk, slates (3) & strikers (7-9), push box call, (new next spring will be a set of K & H' s fightin' purrs my wife gave me this summer) locater calls--peacock, crow, owl, pileated woodpecker, coyote--nail clippers, ratcheting shears, hand saw, multi-tool, face mask, orange turkey bag (ever the optimist), headlamp, light camo gloves, Buck knife, game shears, bug repellant, web seat, beaded cushion, food/water/pop for a day, gun, shells, raingear, lightweight hip waders if I hunt lands with streams, maps, plat books, aerial maps, GPS, cell phone, laser rangefinder, binoculars, tp, decoys and more. I start dressed warmly and " strip down" as the day warms, putting more clothes back on if/as the day cools. What I don' t wear, I pack in the backpack. Sometimes I' ll bring a camera, sometimes a camcorder, sometimes one of three portable blinds I have--a camo and stick blind, a camo umbrella blind, or my Doghouse. I' ll carry from 2 to 7 decoys, and sometimes decoy accessories such as a fishing reel with mono line to create motion.

As you can see, I have a hard time figuring out what the " bare essentials" are!!!