Survival pack list

[Codger_64]

The 10 essentials?
Map. While I might carry a map if I were traveling to or through an unfamiliar area, I have my hunting grounds and most of my wilderness adventure areas memorized, so a map is not in my normal hunting bag.

Compass. Yes, I do keep a compass handy for low-viz navigation. In addition to a tiny card backup, I keep a ball compass pinned to the top flap of my hunting bag, for quick reference at a glance. IF I am traveling thru unknown terrain and have a map, I will have a third compass, an orientiering one to work the map.

Water and a way to purify it. On a day hunt I keep a pint flask in my hunting bag. When doing my wilderness treking, I add two one-gallon water bags, and of course cookware to boil water if needed. My day hunt flask I usually refil at springs when I make a noon stop. These are known water sources, pure artesian and uncontaminated.

Extra Food. Usually gorp, or some type of dried fruit and jerkey. Jerkey, fruit, and a bullion cube can make a filling meal if I am forced to overnight. Sometimes lunch in the light bag is summer sausage, cheese and crackers or potted meat and crackers.

Rain Gear and extra clothing. With wilderness tripping of two days or more, yes. But my day hunt pack has none of this. I wear what is appropriate for the weather forcast, and supplement with a space blanket (or garbage bag) in case I need quick shelter.

Firestarter and matches. Usually a Bic lighter and trioxane bars. I do keep a new mini-bic in the bag's lining as a backup.

First aid kit. Not in my day hunt bag, but for wilderness tripping I have a comprehensive kit a combat medic would be proud to own.

Army knife or multi-purpose tool. Yes, a mil-k in the bag, a p-38 opener too on a drawstring for an internal pouch. This is in addition to my sheath knife.

Flashlight A mini squeeze light, sometimes a AA light. Spare bulb is inside. I find that unless I use a red lens, a flashlight is more of a hinderence than help in night travel.

Sun screen and sun glasses. Nope. Not needed in the lattitudes I hunt and travel.

Codger

 

[mewolf1]

.

Water and a way to purify it. On a day hunt I keep a pint flask in my hunting bag. When doing my wilderness treking, I add two one-gallon water bags, and of course cookware to boil water if needed. My day hunt flask I usually refil at springs when I make a noon stop. These are known water sources, pure artesian and uncontaminated.

 

[GibsonFan]

Sun screen and sun glasses. Nope. Not needed in the lattitudes I hunt and travel. Codger

You hunt where the sun don't shine?

Great ideas in this thread, I always check these kinds of threads out to see if I forgot anything.

I like to check the local "Dollar Store" for kit supplies. This goes for everything from single-dose packages of sinus meds to a hand towel (handy!) that I don't care if it gets trashed. Someone else mentioned that they prefer to buy name-brand stuff when it comes to bandages, medication etc... I agree. But you can still find them cheaper at a discount store than grocery or convenience stores.

A couple items that aren't true "survival" needs, I guess, but I think they're well worth the small size/weight: (all travel- or sample-size))

dental floss (for a bit of fresh elk or venison stuck in your teeth)
Visine (for a speck of dirt in your eye)
Toothpaste/brush
hairbrush or comb
shampoo (basic non-scented; for hands, hair, canteen cup etc.)
hand towel or shop-rag
Rolaids or TUMs (regular roll)
personal addiction (pack of smokes in my case... could be a can of chew,
whatever)
ACE bandage is good for tons of uses, probably already been mentioned, as well as a tampon and feminine napkin.

...these are things that I don't NEED to survive, but they can make a real basic situation actually comfortable. Cheap, light and small, too.

 

[NIB]

Extra Bulbs, but not batteries or did I read to fast?

Maybe they meant extra batteries when they wrote it.



Codger_64.....

The idea is to prepare for the unexpected. Several hikers have died when they went on a good 'ole day hike and it turned into several days with near freezing temps.

 

[Forrie]

shouldent this thread be an sticky as it comes up very ofton ?

 

[Codger_64]

I am going...hunting...a small butt pack...a small list of survival gear I should carry in it.

While the title suggests a survival pack, this, to me indicates a small fanny pack for hunting. Most hunting is day tripping near a base camp. You will not carry much baggage in a small fanny pack. And can survive an overniter with not much more than what I carry. Sure, you can add to my list as you please to suit yourself, or the specific climate you intend to sojurn, but this kit fits me and my hunting practices. The "hikers who have died" likely struck out with little or nothing, totally inappropriate clothing and shoes, paid no attention to the weather, did not have intimate knowledge of their surroundings. People like this wouldn't carry a kit, even a basic one if they were handing them out free at the trailhead. I guess I'm saying that the best thing to always pack along is a basic knowledge and a full thimble of common sense.

You hunt where the sun don't shine?

Naw, but hunting here is limited to fall and winter months. I work outdoors year round, so I am quite used to the sun, and don't burn even in the summer, so no sunscreen required. I will wear sunglasses if we have a snow, but snow here is the exception rather than the rule. Now, if I were a city slicker who lived my life in an office environment/apartment, and the only sun I saw was going to and from work in my car, or to and from a subway, yes, I'd do the whole vampire gig like Michael Jackson.

As I said, if I were outing in an area unfamiliar to me (terrain,climate, etc.) or multiple days, my kit would be entirely different than my basic hunting bag.

Codger

 

[GibsonFan]

As I said, if I were outing in an area unfamiliar to me (terrain,climate, etc.) or multiple days, my kit would be entirely different than my basic hunting bag.Codger

Well-said; I'm in the process of breaking my gear down into increments. Like a little pocket-kit for daily wandering around, 24-hour fanny pack, 72-hr ruck that can fully support me for a full weekend, etc. The first-aid stuff in each is redundant and gets more involved/well-stocked as the bag/kit gets bigger.

 

[rem.275rigby]

In reference to the so called SAS survival kit. the packaging is often just a compromise. I believe that the it started with the origional ww11 escape packs where the hardware of the kit ie fishlines etc was just used after the food components of the packs,chewing gum, beef toffee was consumed or discarded. tobacco tins were common in those days and useful. Of interest is the fact that the first kits were issued in cigarette tins (100) but were found not to be watertight on bail out over the English Chanel. See Clayton Huttons hidden catch, he invented these first kits.

leroy Thompson has a book full of pictures of 21,22 and 23 SAS reg. and in it he has a photograph of an issue SAS escape and evasion kit. I will cite the refernce after I check it at home tomorrow. The kit was housed in a vynal pouch,green coloured and contained brass escape compass, MOD issue wire saw, Nato approved MOD fishing kit, 1 brass wire rabbit snate, burning lens, steel heliograph and quote water sacs ( bags) and hacksaw blade. Most prefered a swiss warding file to the hacksaw blade. This kit would obviously be carried with the NATO matchless fire kit, water sterilising kit, milbank filterbag, MOD knife, clasp knife, marker panel, strobe and pen flares. Plus the hidden items such as gem blades, silk maps, gold, picklocks as issued, escape compasses, wire saws and hacksaw blades and .22lr pengun. This on top of the patrolling gear whose lists are on the web.
The container of the kit was fragile hence the search for an alternate container. I will post another bona fide SASR kit at a later stage next week which was put together by a trooper in the 1980 and reflects combat survival doctrine. This will be homemade kit, not issue however so it is all in the public domain.

 

[skammer]

It astounds me that many still do not have signalling gear in their top 3 items or at all.

Whistle, mirror etc..

Getting rescued is entirely the point, never forget that.

Skam

 

[SkunkWerX]

It astounds me that many still do not have signalling gear in their top 3 items or at all.

Whistle, mirror etc..

Getting rescued is entirely the point, never forget that.

Skam

The Spaceblanket is one of the biggest signalling devices you can have with you. Fire/smoke also being high on the list. I don't hold a lot of confidence in signaling mirrors. First it must be daytime. second, it must be sunny.

A spaceblanket can reflect sunlight, but, can also be a simple visual attention getter. Fire works 24x7.

As I have said before, If I am in real rough shape, I'll light an 80 foot tree on fire. Wet evergreens make a lot of smoke. Even a good dousing of water works well. Step one, have a 2nd fire going, or take some buring pieces aside. When you spot a plane, douse that fire so as to make a big plume of smoke.
if you are really planning and preapred, you'll have fresh cut evergreen or a small pile of leaves nearby, ready for signalling.

During the day have your Spaceblanket tied or staked out, facing South to pick up sunlight through the day. make sure you crinkle it up real good to create all of those refractory angles. If there is a breeze tie it in such a way that the breeeze can move it slightly.

This may call for a signalling thread. :thumbup: :thumbup:

Signalling Thread here--> http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=437124