Do you deer hunters carry a daypack?

schmittie

schmittie

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So far, all of my deer hunting over the past few years, has been a short walk from the vehicle. I've never considered taking anything more than what fits in my pocket or vest. I typically would hunt with several other friends on property that was a few hours from home. But this year is different. A family friend gave me permission to hunt on ground less that 10 miles from where I live! I'm excited to have much more time to invest since travel is much more convenient. However, I'm flying solo now and I've been thinking of bringing a small pack with me at all times. Do any of you carry a daypack to your treestand? What kind of gear have you found useful?
 
I use a Badlands 2800 for my day pack. My deer hunting consists of still hunting through the timber looking for mulies. Sometimes I end up several KM's from the road. The beauty of the 2800 is that I can fit a deboned deer into it so that I can get everything out in one trip, rather than a dead walk back to the truck to get a frame pack. The items I take are water bottle, lunch, compass, GPS, SPOT, garbage bags (for meat), knives, folding saw, paracord, rain coat, extra wool sweater, touque, wool gloves, lighter, firesteel, 10 extra rounds, small first aid kit, and sometimes a siltarp.
The Badlands 2800 probably qualifies as an "over night" bag more than a day pack, but better suits my style of hunting. I have used it for over night trips elk hutning.

Here is a pic from 2010 antelope hunting:

hunting2010033.jpg
 
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I always carry a pack with me deer hunting. I carry many of the same items that Bruce carrys.Up here in the big woods the weather can change fast so you always have rain gear and stuff to get a fire and shelter with you.
 
New forum member here. I've been lurking around and saw this thread and though I'd jump in.

Right now I'm carrying a Camelbak Striker but am trying to downsize to a Badlands Ambush waist pack.

My bag usually contains:
If muzzleloading... quick loads, short starter and breech wrench
Cover or attractant scents although I typically leave the cover scent in the car and don't use attractants that much
Calls and/or rattlebag
Windicator
Nikon 550 rangefinder
Nikon trailblazer binoculars (soon to be worn on harness)
lens pen for cleaning up optics
rite in rain notebook and pen w/ license clipped inside
2 flashlights (a petzl headlamp and a surefire 6pled w/ spare batteries)
blaze orange reflective trail markers
a field dressing kit that includes a small bone saw, rubber gloves, ziploc bags, paper towels and hand sanitizer
a drag rope
water and a snack
also carry a very small dry bag that includes a first aid kit, eye drops and spare contracts, mirror, emergency bivvy, orange 550 cord, compass, whistle and fire kit.
 
I do carry a small day pack, but not all the time. I start in the morning with a thermos of java, two sammies, fun size candy bars. By 8 the sammies are gone:D as for gear I carry the minimum; Knives, rope, extra ammo, head lamp, TP(enough for two jobs)Ziplocs for forage if found or heart and liver if lucky:) I'm gettin softer as I age.:o
 
yea small pack, with headlamp, knife, latex gloves, fire, water, cordage, extra release (archery), saw, multitool, dried fruit and snacks, rain gear extra layer, minor first aid, emergency blanket, misc crap depending on where and how I am hunting.
 
If I am going to be out for an extended period of time (more then a few hours) and I'm more then fourty five minutes from the house, then yes.
 
I carry a mid-sized fanny pack. It's more comfortable to me and carries what I need; most of the time

I should mention that if I need to carry my spotting scope and tripod (Antelope, Caribou or Sheep hunting) I DO carry a modern, large day pack. It's big enough to carry a boned Antelope or most of a Sheep, along with everything else; which is pretty handy sometimes.
 
I carry a small daypack and had to put it in use in January of this year after tearing my ACL in half while hunting. Death from exposure was a very real possibility as I did not tell anyone where I was and was pretty far from help.

I was able to cut a sapling,splint my leg, and low crawl a couple hundred yards to get a cell signal to call for.help. Ate a protien bar and rolled up in a space blanket. Blew a whistle every few seconds till I was found. All this was in my pack and reaffirmed to me the need to be vigilent in all task.

Surgery to repair the ACL and meniscus. 7 months of rehab and changed my life forever but at least I am alive. Hey stuff happens so be prepared.
 
I carry a pack just to put my extra layers of clothes in cuz if I hike up hill with all them on I sweat to much and then freeze. As far as packs go I just have a cheap park for wallyworld and it works
 
I always have a pack....when I deer hunt I wear a medium Fanny & I just picked up a new RIBZ pack to go with it. In my pack I have :
1. FOOD
(granola bars, Jerky, Apple, PB&J Sand. & Water)
2. FIRE
(Bic lighter, strike anywhere matches, scout steel, Jute twine, cottonballs, dryer lint, fatwood)
3. Shelter
(Poncho, Space Blanket)
4. Misc.
(FlashLight, Jersey Gloves, Safety Glasses, 550 cord, nylon rope, Basic FAK)
5. Blades
(Lennox folding saw, ESEE Izula)
6. Deer Gear
(Grunt call, "The Can" call, Bino's, Cover Scent wafers, Field dressing kit)
ThanksGivingDeerHunt007.jpg
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I always carry a pack. In addition to snacks and water I have an extra pair of socks, PSK, first-aid kit, folding saw, paracord, flashlight, batteries, surveyors tape, and extra layers of clothing. Almost everywhere I hunt requires some walking and I have found it better to carry layers of clothing to reduce sweating when walking. I have a Kifaru Possibles Pouch attached to the pack with the basic items I need so that I can leave my pack by my stand and walk/stalk.
 
I carry a lumbar or drop leg pouch. Inside either would be a rope to drag deer, duct tape and a tube of superglue for quick makeshift first aid, head lamp, extra folding knife (fixed blade on belt), a few snacks, firesteel, small knife sharpener, em blanket, bandana. Extra shells on the rifle stock. Sometimes I wear a vest and put everything in the pockets and throw on a drop leg pouch with the heavier stuff in it. I'm in GA so the low is still in the upper forties most of the time. Makes it easier to travel light and fast for me. Weather I am 10 miles or 1 mile from the truck, I have always made do with the above mentioned. The drop leg pouch is more handy because I don't have to take it off to get stuff out of it.
 
Usually a small waist bag or lumbar pack is enough for me. I'll carry the usual: knife, rope, ammo, spare compass, basic first aid, water and snacks, flashlight, batteries, whistle, matches, couple big plastic bags. Sounds like more than it really is. I'm more of a wanderer so less is better, especially in the thick hilly areas I usually wind up in.
 
Success this weekend!!

It's the last day of the first gun season. I didn't get to spend any time in the woods yesterday, like I planned. It's a long story. Lets just say I spent all day fence building.

This morning I got this little buck. I know he is not a monster but the freezer is empty. And it's my first completely solo hunt on new property to me. I've always hunted with buddies who had much experience and on established ground. It's quite different when you are alone, there is a lot more to every step......which reminds me. Time to roll up the sleeves and get dirty. Come on Bushfinger, you are getting dirty too.


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Thanks for all the tips gentleman. I had a daypack in the vehicle and a fanny pack with me.

And Shane Wink, sorry to hear of your accident. I've been down the knee surgery road too. Glad you are alive. Goes to show the value of having packed a few things. You've motivated me to always pack gear while in a solo trip.
 
I carry one to my stand but never to far from the truck or camp. I carry and extra release since im a bow hunter, snortwheeze/grunt call. Bag of rattling antlers, bottle of water, few different flashlights, range finder, bino's, gloves, facemask, pull up rope for my bow to the stand, extra batteries for my flashlights, and my tree harness stays in muly bag as well. Typically carry my pistol on me to just incase of snakes, or pigs.
 
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