Certainly an open ended question. For me, I never leave the house without making sure I have gun, ammo, and license. Or, bow, arrows, release, and license. After that everything else is icing.

Quiet, waterproof clothing, a flashlight, and a sharp knife are close seconds.

well I always tried to do this too
but I can tell you, ONCE, I was going on a far away hunt, and had packed MOST things night before, and about 9 hrs into driving I remembered I LEFT my BOW at home , got side tracked loading and ended up forgetting it on my porch!
too far to turn around, so, next best option, I upgraded to a X bow to make life easier than setting up a new bow, and killed a very nice buck a few days later with it
I have also been on far away hunts and had a problem with a rifle, and have always taken a spare.backup on trips ever since!
so even when you bring all needed basic's, some times they can fail too!
got to be like a Boy scout and go prepared LOL

One thing I learned long ago..... make a list and check it twice...then check a few more times for good measure. Easy to forget something even a bow...LOL
I list all the days across the top of the page then figure how many socks under wear t-shirts etc. I always create subjects then list under it. First is clothes so I start with my feet and work up. So many pairs of socks lite and heav,y boots, camp shoes and so on. Then hunting outerwear and hats gloves and so on.Then hunting gear like guns, ammo, binos, GPS, compass, drag rope and all the rest. Then camp gear like sleeping bags tent etc. Last is stuff for the trip like truck box filled with tow strap, air pump, comealong, shovel, jumper cables etc.

I have pre made lists that I keep in my flash drive that I can print off. Titled things like "small game, deer bow, deer gun, summer camping, winter camping, motorcycle camping" etc

These lists are constantly evolving as I add and remove items. But it works well for me.

Print one off, and cross items off as I load them up.

-Jake

That's a good idea.

I usually break it down into two groups, necessary and nice (comfort). My go bag always has the necessary items in it, I add comfort items as anticipated. Most of my hunts are less than 12 hours. I was in a recon unit in the Army for awhile, we got used to doing without. What you think you'll need and what you actually need may vary.

Most times for me it isn't camping, I move into an area as quietly as possible and move as little as possible. Other than scent, movement and noise will bust you quick. Stands to reason I rummage through my pack as little as possible. I've been busted by my open jacket zipper halves rubbing together, Deer have good ears and key on unnatural sounds. The stupid Deer die first.

I would say good boots if you walk much, as good a pair of binoculars as you can afford, a sharp knife and clothing to keep you comfortable. A backpack to carry gear in can make your life easier by carrying in food, water and the gear.
I have two closets full of hunting gear but if you're starting out, spend your money on basics and work up to the "nice to haves".

To me, it really depends on what you value. If you like to go out to hunt for long hours, you need good boots. Of course, there are some basic things that you need such as things to hide your scent and reduce noise production. If you hunt with a bow, this would be a bow stabilizer. If you have a gun, this would be a silencer.

Hope it helps!

a few tips
a decent wide brim hat treated with water repel-ant spray, to keep rain and snow out of your eyes or running down the back of your neck and sun out of your eyes sure helps
as does having a comfortable light weight back-pack to transport game meat, and a poncho to keep you drier in heavy rain or snow.

comfortable insulated boots with good ankle support and an aggressive tread are nearly mandatory

this is a darn good value in a skinning and dressing game knife


a jacket and or vest that can be stored in your back pack for sudden temp swings helps a great deal


a decent rifle bi-pod aids accuracy

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.