Essential Gear For A Successful Hunt

Neilson Monday, December 13, 2010

By Mike E. Neilson

“I forgot to load the shotguns.” “Anybody see my release?” “I don’t have any shells with me, I think I’ve got some back in the truck.” “Where are we?” “Didn’t we pass that mountain once before?” “I wish I would have packed….” Sound familiar? I’ve said these things and many more in my years of hunting.

Having the right gear at the right time can mean the difference between an enjoyable outdoor eXperience and a miserable trip. Whether you are going to hunt locally or across the globe, each hunt presents its own challenges and equipment requirements. Bringing the right gear for the right hunt will enhance your eXperience and will allow you to focus all your efforts on hunting.

*This essay on gear does not focus on priorities nor is it intended to be an end-all-be-all document. Each hunter and each hunt will present its own essential gear needs. It is the responsibility of the adventurer to determine what their needs will be to ensure a safe and enjoyable Outdoor eXperience.

With modern technology, having a cell phone is not only a convenience, it becomes a great tool to stay connected with family and hunting buddies. I know it makes my wife much happier to know I’ve got a cell phone with me when I go hunting alone. The phone gives my wife (and myself) peace of mind knowing that if something goes wrong or if I’m going to be late, I can contact somebody to let them know what is going on. (Assuming I can get a signal!)

In some remote places, it might be worth the investment to rent a satellite phone. There are plenty of places in the U.S. where normal cell phone reception is not available. Having a sat phone or a guide/outfitter with one takes the worry away about going back in the boonies and being safe. Take away that worry, and increase the enjoyment of your adventure.

If I’m treestand hunting anywhere, I take my safety vest. When I first started hunting, nobody used them. We shinnied up a tree in our Baker-style treestands and hoped we had a good grip. Now every time I see one of those types of stands, I shudder. Hunting from elevated stands without some type of safety system is just asking for trouble. Adding a screw in step and a method of cutting straps also are good items to add to your safety vest.

Along with the use of a safety system, a small rope to haul up gear is essential. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we’ve all climbed up a stand with bow or gun in hand, and a pack on our back but why take the risk? A small line used to raise and lower your weapon and or pack makes the climb much safer and responsible. Not only used for hauling up gear, a small rope can help you haul out critters, secure game on steep slopes, lower yourself off of some cliffs and more uses than you can think of. Having a rope is a good investment in safety and doesn’t take up much space.

Ever walk out of the woods in total darkness? I’m not talking about twilight or with a full moon, I’m talking about darker than the inside of your hat under the ground. A flashlight and backup are essential. I learned a nifty trick from a well known hunter a few years back. He takes a small, yet powerful flashlight and puts it on a lanyard that he wears around his neck. Tucked under his hunting clothes there is absolutely no way you can lose a flashlight. I use this as my backup light. If my headlamp dies or I need additional light, it’s right around my neck.

I took a nice big buck one time quite a ways from my truck. When I got to the buck, I reached into my backpack to get my favorite folding knife to field dress the deer. Much to my surprise, there was no knife in the pack. I’d taken the blade out to sharpen it up and failed to put it back. It might not be totally essential to a successful hunt but it sure does beat having to drag an intact deer (or other critter) any distance.

While I rarely take one out to the field with me, I like to have a first aid kit in the truck when I hunt locally. I always take one on any wilderness hunt where I know I cannot reach help quickly. I can’t imagine going out to places that may be days away from any medical facilities without even a basic first aid kit. Most camps I’ve hunted in have a good first aid kit available and even some guides carry one in their packs.

A little piece of equipment that might save you a lot of grief and cash is having a watch that works properly. In many areas that have shooting time limits, it can get costly if you fire a shot after hours. Game wardens and conservation officers have little sympathy for folks who shoot too early or late.

For some, a rangefinder is as essential as carrying their weapon of choice. As an archer, knowing the range to my target can be the difference between a hit, a miss or a kill. While not always necessary or critical, a good rangefinder can be a great tool. And since a rangefinder doesn’t take up a lot of room, I’m willing to carry it whenever I’m bowhunting.

Going anywhere by boat? Not only do most states require personal floatation devices, common sense says have one per person. This point was driven home when I was alligator hunting in Florida from an airboat. The outfitter quickly pointed out that if we flipped, we were going to end up in the drink with the very gators we were hunting. Enough said, where’s my vest?

Drinking water. Even when I’m hunting close to home, I almost always have a bottle of water with me if I’m hunting more than an hour or two. In some places, a purification system is handy. Water bladders, iodine pills, filter systems, plain old canteens or plastic bottles are a real boon when you are out in the sticks. High mountain hunts, desert hunts and other extreme locations and the seasons will dictate how much water you should have but when in doubt, take more than you think.

Each hunt or trip to the wilderness has its own special essential equipment. And not every hunt or hunter will have the same needs. For instance, when I was hunting alligators in Florida, my outfitter had all the essential gear I needed to be comfortable and safe pursuing these beasts with a bow. I only needed to bring my bow and the rest was set. On my mountain lion hunts, deep snow and extremely low temperatures called for gear I wouldn’t consider essential on a September dove shoot.

When I travelled to foreign countries like Australia and Argentina, I knew that there would be no archery shops near and that I would have to pack accordingly. Essential gear included extra releases, rests, sights and strings. Having a backup bow works even better if space allows. There was also no pharmacies close by so I made sure I had any medicines that I might need. For those that are on some type of prescription, make sure you take enough medicine for your trip as well as a copy of the script. Pack a spare pair of glasses as well.

Not every essential item is required for the hunter. If I’m bird hunting, essential items might include food and water for my dog. Down South that might include booties where cactus is prevalent. My dog might need a vest if we’re hunting is freezing temperatures for waterfowl.

Clothes and clothing needs are so varied not only by the game hunted, but the area, the season, and the method of hunting. If you are on a local hunt, you should be familiar with the weather patterns in your area. If you are going far from home study the weather forecasts. Ask the outfitter about what clothes to bring, what weather you might run into and pack accordingly. You can always leave gear and clothes at camp, but you can’t make them appear if you don’t bring them.

Maps, GPS devices, compasses, cameras, binoculars, spotting scopes, spare batteries, shooting sticks and cleaning kits. I can make arguments for all of these as essential equipment. Each person has their own level of comfort and confidence in their own skills and abilities that help determine what is essential and what is not. I usually err on the side of bringing more gear than I need. And each hunt and species presents its own special needs.

Having essential items with or near you adds to your comfort level and allows you to spend more time hunting and less time worrying about your situation. Carrying the essentials will make your hunts more care-free and let you concentrate on what the hunt.

Good luck and good hunting.