I use to just have a small fanny pack years ago but now carry a back pack for all my stuff.
Lieca Range finder, Nikon Binoculars , 2 grunt calls, flashlight, extra hat and gloves, tripod sticks,toilet paper,hand warmers, guttting gloves, extra flashlight,GPS,compass,hot seat,windicator powder, scent control spray,coyotie call,extra bullets,apple drops candy or ?,tinks 69 when in use with 3 canisters to hang . drag rope and a smal pocket size grunt call and cell phone on vibrate only ....He you never no and I usualy use any one thing at least a couple times out ..Oh ya a grain bar or apple and water ...

My fanny pack contains a flashlight, orange marking tape, two pairs of gloves, a sock hat, pee bottle, pruning shears, three grunts (I have way to many of these things), two facemasks, a snack, doe pee in a spray bottle, my hunter's safety card, kill record, a pen, a scent bomb, wind indicator, two knives and binoculars.

I keep a day pack. I can remember some of it; some of it I have to do an inventory of my hunting day pack. And it took years of experience to come up with the contents. I keep my hunting stuff permanently in the day pack, so that's the reason for the inventory. Then I either keep, update like batteries, or add to it.

What do I take hunting? It's in my hunting day pack. I just have to remember to take my day pack.

CB/ML... fanny pack with knife, light, scents, drag rag and scent wicks in a ziplock, extra string, stringer, rope ****er. If ML hunting, some quick load tubes, breech plug wrench, basic field cleaning accessories to swab bore if I need to. Oh yea, and a glo-stick in case I have to mark where I leave a deer. If I can get close to it easily, Ill pull it out with the four-wheeler.

What ever weapon I am using and ammo and/or arrows for it.
Gloves/hat
surgical gloves for field dressing
knife on sheeth
water
moleskin pad and pen
binoculars
iPhone and iPhone solar charger
30 foot cord to haul gun/bow up to stand.
scents and call
apple or two to eat.

It depends on the stand I'm going to or of coarse how long I plan on sitting. My norms would be rangefinder, rattle bag, grunt tube, some type of cover sent bow hanger, head light. For my more remote locations I'll bring a saw, some way to start fire, small first aid kit, backtracker gps, extra light and probably some other things jammed into my pockets.

If I am going for the day, I carry most of the items mentioned. I would rather be a bit heavy than unprepared.

One item I have not seen mentioned is something to sit on. I carry a folding seat which has a bag under it to carry needed items. That seat is always with me. Stumps get cold, hard and do not carry anything! If you are not comfortable you will not stay out as long.

Another item is a climbing harness. I use it as a deer drag. You can pull more comfortably using your whole body and, it leaves your hands free to carry your weapon and work through the woods. AS I got older, I found that there were reasons not to do things the hard way.

in regards to light, red is the best for deer. And remember to choose a waterproof one.

The essentials are gun, ammo,head lamp, hand warmers, water, a ton of food/candy bars, knife, cell phone, wallet.

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I want to come hunt with you.