Wow, this is a good post. If you watch the hunting show commercials and read magazines and got everything they say you needed you would need an ATV and a trailer to carry it all!
When I started hunting way back when, I would leave the cave with my gun, ammo, knife, compass, drag rope, a sandwich and an apple (optional), and some strike anywhere matches in a waterproof container.
Today, beside the above gear, I think a GPS is a great tool. Especially when on a scouting mission. You can log in way points for areas that show lots of sign for future hunts and even for game you're not hunting at the present time.