This amounts to a good sized 45 pound day pack. My hunting buddies are rather annoyed by this, and point out we are never more than a couple hours walk from the car. I am terrified of stepping off the road unprepared. Are my fears unfounded?Is carrying survival gear for deer hunting silly?
Packing survival gear into the woods is just about as dumb as having auto insurance, or a fire extinguisher in your house.
Just remind you hunting buddies that you are the one humping the pack not them, so lay off!
However, I do believe you can probably dial things down a bit. You can leave the tent and sleeping bag off the list and substitute an 8'X8' tarp and some rope and unless you are hiking into cold, snowy mountain terrain, you can probably substitute a good wool blanket and a space blanket for the sleeping bag.
BTW, if your hunting partners are dumb enough to go into the woods without either compass or GPS, I suggest you find new hunting partners.
I predict that barring a major accident, or a sudden and unexpected blizzard, you will never need the sleeping bag or tent. Your GPS and compass will ensure that you don't get lost. I can't make the same prediction for your friends.
Let me give you a for instance, and you might want to tell your friends about it. Many years ago, my old friend Bryant Grace and another fellow hiked far into the swamps to fish in a secluded spring.. On the way out, they were fogged in. They ended up spending a damp and miserable night huddling around a campfire with no food other than some crackers and a couple of unseasoned, half-cooked fish. If that could happen to an experienced outdoorsman in warm weather, hunting in the snow can be disastrous.
Keep up the good habits!
DocIs carrying survival gear for deer hunting silly?
If you are only a couple of hours walk from the car and you are hunting with friends , then all you need to take is the gps, compass , a little food and water.-that's it. If you are hunting by yourself take the other stuff if you would feel more secure with it
NO you are wise to do so.*
Carry something light do not over do it think about it if your carrying something really heavy you will get tired and that is when your really in trouble.
no it only makes sense
Well, I suppose that is a personal preference... if your equipment makes you feel safer, then maybe it's worth the extra work to pack it. Personally, (and I'm a city slicker too) I think the GPS, map, and maybe the tent (if it's a modern ultralight one) -or- the bag would be plenty (I'd take the tent... cold you can tough out, but rain is a real drag). If you use the GPS to memorize the coordinates of your car, it will lead you back no matter where you are. If you are within an hour or two, the battery will survive long enough and you won't need the food. The tent would only be in case it really starts pouring and you want to wait it out or something, though in most cases you'd probably be better off just getting back to the car.
I would also recommend minimal emergency equipment that could all fit in a fannypack: an LED flashlight (they make tiny ones that shine super brightly now), a disposable poncho (they're small, and keep water off better than anything, a small first aid kit, waterproof matches, and a foil emergency wrap (I'm not sure where you get them, but I had one once and the thing folded up smaller than a wallet, but kept me warmer than any sleeping bag), and of course a good folding utility knife or pocket knife (unless that's already part of your hunting stuff)
Who cares if your buddies are annoyed? Are you scaring the deer with all your stuff, or making them pack it? As long as you can keep up, it's your stuff to carry.
Much depends on where you are hunting. If you hunt in an area where snow storms are a possibility, you are properly prepared with the items that you mentioned but you will need to add some water to your list of things to carry. If, on the other hand, you are hunting in Texas, you will be burdening yourself with more stuff that you will need. I used to hunt in Texas and I would take a day pack with some light weight rain gear, water, extra sweater, some snacks. ammo, knife, hatchet, rope. map of the area, compass, something to make a fire with and some toilet paper. There was never a chance of getting caught in a snow storm but I had to be prepared for a change in temperature and the possibility of rain. I later added a two way radio so I could call for help if I was hurt. Seldom did I ever need any of the stuff that I carried (except for the water, snacks and toilet paper).
Just consider what can happen to you where you hunt and then carry the equipment that you will need if the unexpected happens. You don't need to take the kitchen sink, just what you need to survive over night.
anyone who hunts without a basic survivaL kit, is a fool. Maybe the car is only a couple of hours away in ideal conditions. but injuries, severe weather, accidents all make 2 hours more like 10.
But on the other hand, it sounds like you are overdoing it. My complete hunting set up fits in a medium sized fanny pack, plus I carry a small personal emergency kit in my pocket. This stays with me all all times. It contains the following: 2 band aides, 4 aspirin, one 2'; bladed folding knife, flint and steel, small bundle of 00 steel wool,disposable butane lighter,20' of cord and SS signal mirror and a small spool of fishing line. With this, I can always have fire for warmth and protection and signaling.
In my fanny pack, besides my hunting equipment I also have: a tightly rolled plastic sheet, a 5'; bladed folding knife and a sheath knife, fire starting kit,3 space blankets, 3 large trash bags,a small fishing kit in an empty film canister,a zip lock baggie full of powdered soup packets, tea bags, hot chocolate packets,coffee packets hard candy, and a military first aide kit with additional meds(including pepto, aspirin,tylenol,alka seltzer and neo sporin), and personal items. A small survival booklet, and a towel. the entire kit weighs about 3 pounds. with it, I can, and have survived winter snow storms,injuries,getting lost for 3 days and a dozen other incidents over the last 40+ years of outdoor adventures.
It gives me food and drink for energy, first aide treatments,warmth, shelter,fire,rain gear, means to signal for help and a way to secure more food. a survival kit, is just that, for emergency needs. it is not carrying a hotel on your back. and it is not cheating yourself out of quality items when needed. There are hundreds of books available about emergency kits. I recommend you read a few and design your own personal kit. Leave the sleeping bag and the rest of the un needed stuff at home. Remember it's all about weight. Don't forget the extra TP, and I always have 2 full canteens on my fanny pack belt.
It doesn't matter if you're from the city or the boondocks (whatever that is). Everyone should be prepared for the worst. If your friends just walk out a few yards and call that hunting that's great. For the true hunter who likes to explore the area he/she is hunting, or for the hunter who likes to changeup the routine and do a little stalking, survival tools are a must. Unless you are familiar with your area or unless you are used to walking large wooded areas, getting lost is a lot easier than you think. It can happen to a beginner or a veteran hunter. Following fresh tracks or sign can easily take your mind off of what direction you are travelling. And I once made the mistake of following tracks late in the day and when I realized I would never be able to backtrack before dark, I was forced to take an alternate route back to camp. Not fun.
Just ignore your buds. After they notice how much more ground you can cover with no worries, they will gain respect for you. And if one of them gets lost, which is almost a sure bet, you get the last laugh. Just make sure you use plenty of no-scent on it and store it some yards away from where you are actually hunting. Hopefully, you have something to haul your quarry with. Large animals are enough to haul by hand without adding another 45 pounds to it.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, this might be cheesy but better safe then sorry right. Don't think that being from the city is the reason you feel you should carry that, any one that doesn't is taking a huge risk. Besides most people get lost around 100 yards from their car.
P.S. There are a lot of hunters that give us a bad name either by doing it illegally or doing it just for the kill. Don't be that guy respect and be grate full for that animal giving its life to provide food for you.
';Stand together or hang apart';
A sleeping bag and tent is kind of pushing it, and maybe you could do without the food, but all the rest is a must in the woods.
it is deff not a bad habbit to have. It may not be completely necessary but its not like it would ever do you wrong. I mean if you are really bothered by the fact that you have all that stuff, i would lighten it up a lil bit. 45 pounds is a lot to be haulin around with stalking deer
Like many above, I think being prepared isn't a bad idea. I do think you've carried it to far. 45lbs for a day pack?
Two large 33 gallon + trash bags makes a good improvised sleeping bag and is a lot lighter to carry. A trap and twine with natural vegetation can make a good shelter. A tube tent is better yet.
no i think its a good idea.you never know hunting accedents happen all the time.and what happens if you cant make that 1 or 2 hour walk back to the car ?if somthing ever happens to one of them and they need your help they will be glad you had all that stuff with you.plus you are getting good exersise walking with that thing lol.
you need that if you hunt with us we have a rule. if you are not at the pick up point at dark we will pick you up there in the morning. If you are not there in the morning we will look for you
If you have ever been lost in the woods then you know how important it is to be prepared,you have thought ahead,good job
Luck Favors the Prepared!
Although where and when you hunt makes a big difference in the type of emergency gear you should carry, not having the proper gear when you need it is much worse than having more gear than you need and not needing it. (Reasonably of course...packing 100 lbs of gear on a hot day may be more dangerous than actually not packing anything but water).
Alright, so people always say ';You are only an hour from the car'; or ';You are only 200 yards from the car.'; However, 200 yards is a million miles away in an emergency! That gear is for keeping you alive when you CAN'T walk back to your car. Or when your keys get lost on the hunt and you can't get your car started and the temps are falling fast!
I carry everything you carry except the shelter and the sleeping bags. Not because I don't need them, but because I have enough practice in the woods without gear that I can replicate the comforts of those two things with a space blanket or tarp and not have to deal with the weight of all of it.
I'm a true country boy.....never lived in a city. Grew up on the side of the mountain and guess what....I need gear when I go deer hunting! Like I said before....it has nothing to do with the length or difficulty of the hunt....I pack the gear because if something bad happens I have the means to survive a night in the wilderness without a problem and will retain enough strength and energy to try to help my search party/rescuers or if I am physically capable to help myself get me out alive the next day!
The GPS is nice and I love mine because it changes the way a person can hunt, but there isn't a battery charger in the woods! It is a piece of electronics and electronics go down or run out of power or freeze up.....so the compass and map IF YOU KNOW HOW TO READ THEM AND USE THEM will jump into play!!! The people that are telling you a map doesn't work in the woods don't know what they are doing.
The food is important because even though there is energy in the woods....if you carry high energy food in your pack, even a little bit then that little bit of EASY energy can save your life.
I feel the most important thing I carry with me though is my fire starting gear and the hours I spent practicing starting the dang fires in wet and adverse conditions! I do carry a storm lighter but I also carry small flares with me that burn at around 1500 degrees. But I have the basic striking flint as well....plus a small magnesium flint on my coat zipper just in case. The second thing is my tarp/emergency blanket or both because that will give me my waterproof shelter and my warmth to keep my energy up through my fire. Shivering all night zaps your strength and prevents critical rest that you will need!
Anyways, I am rambling! Most of my deer hunts only last a few hours. However, my hunts are in November in North Idaho so one night could be a killer to me. I have been trained countless hours in survival by the Army, read many survival books, practiced survival skills in my terrain and where I hunt in weather that I hunt in, yet I have never ONCE had to use it....yet, knock on wood and I hope everytime I go out into the woods I won't have to use my survival pack!!! It only takes one night to die though and I want to live another day to hunt so even on the shortest planned hunts I carry items for the unplanned.
So is there an overboard....yes there is and a 45 lb pack is a little bit much for a short hunt....but it is better to be reasonably prepared or a little over prepared than sitting under a tree after the sun went down listening to the wolves howl with nothing to light a fire, nothing to block the rain, nothing to sleep on or under and no energy to get you going in the morning if you make it through the sub freezing or near freezing temperatures!
Before any hunt, even with a partner, I tell my wife or my parents (I would tell my brother but he is with me most of the time) the coordinates from my GPS that we are going to. I give them the radio channels we will be using and do not deviate from my plan. These little things will help them get you out more than the gear you carry sometimes!
No. The single best thing you can do pre-emergency situation is be prepared for the situation. You may want to tailor your gear to the situation. I bring a GPS and spare batteries. A map and compass (and the knowledge of how to use them). Three seperate methods of starting a fire or maintaining a fire. (Lighter, magnesium, matches, fire paste...) Cell phone with batteries, flashlight with extra batteries, water( three days without water you're in trouble you can go three weeks without food), food (as a comfort item) and a whistle (yelling gets old). Usually i have rain gear and extra clothing. I wouldn't worry so much about the shelter and sleeping bag as you should be ok with what you are wearing and the rain gear will water proof you. But those space blankets are small and handy and could make a nice tarp. I also bring 550 cord, a small nylon rope that holds well 550lbs... Just in case for shelter or splinting my leg if i break it. All this gear should eaisly fit in a day pack or fanny pac and for me most of it fits into the pockets of what i am wearing.
The GPS I turn on when I leave the truck to mark the position. Then I turn it off unless needed again or i want to see the track I make. Sometimes theGPS may not work in heavy wooded cover. The map I pull out to see where I am and the direction I am going. The compass I use to take an azimuth (a degree bearing) from where I am in the direction I am going. I count my steps idly just to have n idea how far I have walked. I use the map to match up to the terrain i see. Then I just reverse it 180 the opposite way when i want to go back. As you get accustoed to the map and compass you'll figure ut what to do with your turns and ramblings along the trail. Everything else is self explanatory.
Oh, I also let someone know where I am hunting and when I'll be back. For me it's my wife. If I don't show up or give her a phone call, the rescue will start a lot sooner!
I tend to hunt the same area over and again through the season, in mild conditions. There's no way I could get lost for more than a few hours unless I had a severe injury. Except the canteen, I can carry everything I need in my pockets. There are hunts where you actually expect to be out for days. So you're going to have to decide for yourself where between those extremes your hunting is situated. If you don't mind carrying all that weight, though, I certainly wouldn't let others dictate my level of safety.
It's a smart thing to do, you never know when bad things can happen. You could probably get away with leaving your sleeping bag and shelter at the car if you don't travel to far from it, but everything else is good to keep with you.
Actually, you are packing what I pack. That ';couple hours walk from the car'; could turn into a couple days if you take a wrong turn. If that happens, your day pack is going to save your butt.
The weight surprises me, mine weighs half that. I'll bet your food supply makes for most of the weight. I carry about six of those LRP rations, the dehydrated stuff. Much lighter then cans of stuff.
45 lbs might be a bit much, but it's not unfounded. If I'm going into the woods far enough that I cannot see the road or my vehicle I always carry a first aid kit and at least a small prepacked survival kit. I always have a compass, waterproof container of strike anywhere matches, my hunting knives, and rope with me, no matter how short my trip is.
Their Wrong !! ..Did you ever see the movie '; Blair-Witch Project '; ??. If they brought a mire cell-phone they'd be with us today !! Yes !!
It could be a great idea
If you have GPS and you're only a few hours from the car, you don't need a shelter or sleeping bags and whatnot, get rid of the map too, it's no help in a wood, besides you got GPS.
Pack some more food, you'll need that even if you're not lost, a extra sidearm, a lighter, that should cut it down to about 25 or so pounds, that'll be fine.
I guess it depends on where you hunt and the weather conditions. I carry a space blanket and an aluminized tarp, and some fire starter. With that I can start a fire, build a lean to to protect me from wind and rain, and have a liner for the insulation, leaves and pine boughs which I would need to gather to survive a winter night alone.
Also, contour maps, some Power Bars and thermos of hot soup or water. Handwarmers and first aid kit round out my emergency kit. It'll fit in a large fanny pack or small day pack and weighs 5 pounds, not including thermos.
Sure its ok if you feel that way and prepared you never know when you could get lost and its easy to get turned around and alot of people get lost even seasoned hunters. take care.
if you are hunting in a group you would not need all that gear. get rid of the down bag and the shelter. a map wont help much in the woods
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