I have gone through various stages from packing allot, to packing very little.

As with most things, somewhere in the middle is probably the best option.

I used to pack enough in a back pack to spend the night if need be. It's never a bad thing to prepared.

More often than not now I pack a knife, a water bottle and a drag rope.

And I've been enjoying hunting that way.

-Jake

Well, as others have said, all you need is a rifle and a license to hunt... but I believe that having some other gear makes life so much more comfortable and makes your time in the woods more productive and enjoyable.

First, clothing and gear that will keep you warm if it gets cold are the most important thing! What clothing and gear depends on where you live. "Cold" in Florida is not the same as "cold" in Alaska. I am very cold-sensitive, and I mostly hunt in Virginia, where it does get below freezing, but not much below freezing. Still, I do NOT like being cold in the woods. Here are some things that I really like that help to keep me warm on cold mornings:

• Merino wool undergarments
• insulated boots
• boot blankets
• bib
• balaclava
• hand muff (I don't like wearing gloves when I'm hunting)
• lots of Hot Hands packets to stuff inside the hand muff and boot blankets
• fleece jacket
• heavy jacket
• fleece blanket
• sitting cushion

This is a "layer" system. If my boots aren't cutting it, I'll throw on the boot blankets. If they aren't cutting it, I'll throw a Hot Hands in each boot blanket. That has me covered for Virginia. If my bib/pants aren't cutting it, I'll throw the fleece blanket over my legs. If my fleece jacket isn't cutting it, I'll throw the heavy jacket over it. I find the balaclava to be one of the all-time great items: cheap, light, stuffs into a pocket, and really makes a difference in your warmth and comfort.

A sitting cushion is always a great item to strap to your hunting pack. Not only will it keep your butt off of wet and cold mud, grass, or metal stand seats, but it also is just more comfortable to sit on for hours than a log, the ground, a rock, etc. Go luxurious on this item: get a really thick foam cushion!

One item I highly recommend is a powerful headlamp. This lets you see in the dark with both hands free. Make sure the batteries are good before you go into the woods.

Some other items that are not necessary, but that might make your day more pleasant or your hunt more successful:

• pop-up style ground blind
• shooting sticks
• latex gloves and wet naps
• antlers or rattle bag
• grunt call
• small knife for skinning
• bone saw or heavy knife for splitting rib cage and pelvis
• small binoculars
• rangefinder
• wind puffer bottle
• deer sled

heres a quick memory jog list, for hunt day pack
(remember you might be forced to stay out over night, & weather is unpredictable)
skinning knife
kukri
compact blade sharpener
compass
area topo maps
canteen
licences
cell phone
several lighters
granola bars
rain poncho
2 gallon zip lock bags
small block & tackle hoist & rope(50 ft parachute cord)
spare ammo
heavy hoodie jacket
large plastic tarp
aspirin
Oxycontin
lip chapstick
water purification tablets, or filter/pump
down vest
gps
pack of wetnaps
toilet paper
emergency food
on your belt
large knife or light tomahawk, or kukuri
the cold steel (TRAIL MASTER, or ( KUKRI) are good choices
canteen

anything that could get screwed up if you fall in a creek like medicine, licences, cell phones etc. gets double zip loc bagged

First time I've ever seen a narcotic listed on a hunting list.

-Jake

If your 60 plus (like 71 years old) Like I am,
and after a few trips hauling 70-80 lbs of meat out of some steep canyon, a mile or more from camp,
and over 800-1000 feet of elevation different, in a back pack, youll appreciate
a nights sleep with something to take a bit of the pain out of your lower back,
nope, no apology or feeling the least bit of guilt here.
I may only use three-to five tablets a year,
but they are very much a part of whats in the list.

I wasn't trying to throw guilt hardcast, just saying I'd never seen that included!


Gotta pack what you need to get the job done.

And I hope I'm lucky enough to be hunting the mountains into my 70s.

Keep on trucking

-Jake

Any young folk reading this thread, bring narcotics only if they are prescribed for you by your doctor, and only if they were prescribed to you for that purpose. Do NOT rely on them for pain relief after every hunting excursion. Stretching, ice then heat, and rest are your friends.

yeah Id agree with that advice, as theres always guys who abuse meds
luckily my doctor generally will cut a prescription for a dozen tablets once a year if I ask,
and most years I can use left overs from previous years.
I KNOW HES NOT THE LEAST BIT CONCERNED AS
I generally request the dozen tablet prescription only every other year or so.
and he knows and understands my masochistic tendency to hunt deep canyons , at my age, for elk.

Mislav1501,
We clean game back at camp, so I just carry the minimum in field:
Flashlight, knife, binoculars, snack and bottle water.
Good boots, wool socks, warm gloves and long under wear are a must.
Rest just depends on how cold and/or wet conditions.

We also carry handheld radios, as we can't count on having cell phone service.