What's in your day-pack for big game hunting?
10-13-2017, 03:10 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Norther IL, but want to leave
Posts: 38
What's in your day-pack for big game hunting?
Hi guy's 
What's in your day-pack for big game hunting? I'm deer gun hunting on private land in WI, and will only be a half mile from the house at any time. Here is what comes to my mind for what I'm taking in my day-pack this year, do you take anything different?
Day-pack for deer gun
1. headlamps
2. hats and gloves (lots)
3. water
4. small cloth
5. PB&J's ½ sandwiches in quiet packaging
6. apples
7. pee bottle
8. two knives, gutting
9. saw to spit the pelvis
10. gloves latex
11. rope for bringing my stuff up the tree
12. electrical tape or zip-ties (tagging deer)
13. extra ammo + ammo wallets, ammo holder
14. cover for the muzzle (rain)
15. small first-aid packet
16. phone
17. cough drops
18. rain poncho blaze orange + plastic bags
19 tags
What's in your day-pack for big game hunting? I'm deer gun hunting on private land in WI, and will only be a half mile from the house at any time. Here is what comes to my mind for what I'm taking in my day-pack this year, do you take anything different? Day-pack for deer gun
1. headlamps
2. hats and gloves (lots)
3. water
4. small cloth
5. PB&J's ½ sandwiches in quiet packaging
6. apples
7. pee bottle
8. two knives, gutting
9. saw to spit the pelvis
10. gloves latex
11. rope for bringing my stuff up the tree
12. electrical tape or zip-ties (tagging deer)
13. extra ammo + ammo wallets, ammo holder
14. cover for the muzzle (rain)
15. small first-aid packet
16. phone
17. cough drops
18. rain poncho blaze orange + plastic bags
19 tags
10-13-2017, 04:40 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Germany/Calif.
Posts: 2,664
Jeez guy you forgot the most important item, toilet paper. 
Take a used (small) roll remove the cardboard center and feed from the center out, flatten it a little, put it in a zip lock bag. That toilet paper roll really comes in handy when you shoot just before full dark and have to track. I use it to mark where I've already been when tracking. It also comes in handy for the obvious.
A little story, me and a buddy were walking into two separate high seats, through thick woods, on a barely visible trail in near total darkness. The trail eventually split going to the two separate seats maybe a hundred yards apart. He fell into a hole six feet across and six feet deep and got a serious cut on his leg. Stopped the bleeding as best as I could, he couldn't walk, I take off to get help. The up side was my sense of direction was working really well right then and I made it back to the truck jiffy quick. The down side was when help showed up I couldn't tell them exactly where he was. I'd ran in a giant curve picking the fastest and easiest path and not in a straight line, pure instinct. I always take two illuminated compasses with me now, one good one and one as a backup. Half a mile from home sounds reassuring, so dark you can barley see a few feet changes everything. If you need help it is nice to tell whomever responds, what direction you are in.
Take a used (small) roll remove the cardboard center and feed from the center out, flatten it a little, put it in a zip lock bag. That toilet paper roll really comes in handy when you shoot just before full dark and have to track. I use it to mark where I've already been when tracking. It also comes in handy for the obvious.A little story, me and a buddy were walking into two separate high seats, through thick woods, on a barely visible trail in near total darkness. The trail eventually split going to the two separate seats maybe a hundred yards apart. He fell into a hole six feet across and six feet deep and got a serious cut on his leg. Stopped the bleeding as best as I could, he couldn't walk, I take off to get help. The up side was my sense of direction was working really well right then and I made it back to the truck jiffy quick. The down side was when help showed up I couldn't tell them exactly where he was. I'd ran in a giant curve picking the fastest and easiest path and not in a straight line, pure instinct. I always take two illuminated compasses with me now, one good one and one as a backup. Half a mile from home sounds reassuring, so dark you can barley see a few feet changes everything. If you need help it is nice to tell whomever responds, what direction you are in.
10-14-2017, 12:16 AM
#4
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 1
My daypack inculdes: extra knife, small firestarter, pack of beef jerkey, extra gloves, headlamp, flashlight, ammunition, hot hands, toboggan, orange vest; and in the bottom, a hardback book on survival titled "How to Stay Alive in the Woods" by Bradford Angier.
Last edited by thomashoard1909; 12-02-2017 at 12:18 AM.
10-27-2017, 07:56 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,905
If I'm never getting more than a mile from the house or truck, I don't take much along. I'll leave a small pack on my 4 wheeler at the truck with my field dressing gear - sharpener, knife, block & tackle,
A guy doesn't need GPS or compass to sit a stand a half mile from their truck.
I keep a field knife in my pack, a headlamp, usually camera cards, snacks/food & drinks, and a book. I keep a spare release when bow hunting. If I weren't taking food & drink, I wouldn't haul a pack at all, it all fits in pockets comfortably.
Whitetail stand hunting in the back 40 is different than backpack hunting 10 miles from where you put in 5 days ago.
A guy doesn't need GPS or compass to sit a stand a half mile from their truck.
I keep a field knife in my pack, a headlamp, usually camera cards, snacks/food & drinks, and a book. I keep a spare release when bow hunting. If I weren't taking food & drink, I wouldn't haul a pack at all, it all fits in pockets comfortably.
Whitetail stand hunting in the back 40 is different than backpack hunting 10 miles from where you put in 5 days ago.
10-27-2017, 08:25 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Germany/Calif.
Posts: 2,664
If I'm never getting more than a mile from the house or truck, I don't take much along. I'll leave a small pack on my 4 wheeler at the truck with my field dressing gear - sharpener, knife, block & tackle,
A guy doesn't need GPS or compass to sit a stand a half mile from their truck.
I keep a field knife in my pack, a headlamp, usually camera cards, snacks/food & drinks, and a book. I keep a spare release when bow hunting. If I weren't taking food & drink, I wouldn't haul a pack at all, it all fits in pockets comfortably.
Whitetail stand hunting in the back 40 is different than backpack hunting 10 miles from where you put in 5 days ago.
A guy doesn't need GPS or compass to sit a stand a half mile from their truck.
I keep a field knife in my pack, a headlamp, usually camera cards, snacks/food & drinks, and a book. I keep a spare release when bow hunting. If I weren't taking food & drink, I wouldn't haul a pack at all, it all fits in pockets comfortably.
Whitetail stand hunting in the back 40 is different than backpack hunting 10 miles from where you put in 5 days ago.
Your natural direction sense may be good, not so with everybody.
10-28-2017, 12:16 PM
#10
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SW Montana
Posts: 550
For most of my deer, elk, and antelope hunting I usually just carry a fanny pack. On the pack belt I have a Swing blade belt knife, a 10 round ammo pouch, and my pocket camera.
Inside the pack I have:
A fire starter kit with matches, a lighter, and several sections of tightly rolled-tied-waxed newspaper
A small roll of toilet paper
A small roll of orange flagging
Electrical tape
A small bottle of ash for wind detecting
An 8" folding saw
Several 4' sections of cord and 15' of parachute cord
A fingernail clipper
A whistle
A headlamp with extra batteries
A knife sharpener
Several packs of wet wipes
Extra ear plugs
A water bottle
Two 2' old Look ski binding straps
A lunch sack with a sandwich, cookies, small candy bars, an apple, and a small bag of dog treats
I also always carry a Leatherman multi tool on my belt
Inside the pack I have:
A fire starter kit with matches, a lighter, and several sections of tightly rolled-tied-waxed newspaper
A small roll of toilet paper
A small roll of orange flagging
Electrical tape
A small bottle of ash for wind detecting
An 8" folding saw
Several 4' sections of cord and 15' of parachute cord
A fingernail clipper
A whistle
A headlamp with extra batteries
A knife sharpener
Several packs of wet wipes
Extra ear plugs
A water bottle
Two 2' old Look ski binding straps
A lunch sack with a sandwich, cookies, small candy bars, an apple, and a small bag of dog treats
I also always carry a Leatherman multi tool on my belt
Last edited by buffybr; 10-28-2017 at 12:19 PM.