What are some essential items needed or that you can not live without while hunting? Obviously, bow/rifle, but what else?
binoculars, a little container of baby powder to check the wind, calls, ammo(if rifle hunting), face mask, a thing to piss in, toilet paper, spotting scope, scent cover, headlamp, knife, latex gloves for cleaning, can of dip
Flooper, since you said a can of dip, what I've been wondering (and of course, anyone else can comment on) is do you carry something to spit into or do you just spit down the tree if you have to put a dip in while in the tree? I always carry an empty spit bottle with me and keep it in one of the side pockets of my pack but it seems that I am always in the middle of spitting when I see a deer and then I get antsy because I don't want to reach to put the bottle back into my pack. So I have for some time now been wondering what others who use smokeless tobacco do while in the tree?
GPS, compass, topo map, 2 headlamps, batteries, 2 trash bags, field dressing gloves, paper towels in a ziplock bag, zip ties, tags, 2 pens, food, good knife, bow hanger, spare foot pegs, UA winter gloves, light non-insulated gloves, Winter hat, hand and toe warmers, Milkweed pods (check wind direction and thermals), extra layers of clothing, Binos. I"ve also found the more liquids I bring the better and quieter. I usually bring water, Cider, V8(gross at first), juice and an Ensure. Yes ensure the geriatric protein shake. It's quick and filling. I've noticed these things are all very sustaining and in the woods pretty satisfying. I like to have a couple cheese sticks with the V8. Cheese sticks help you from needing to poop.
I dont use a pack, I carry everything in my pockets. Everything I carry has specific pocket it gose in. So I always know right where its at and I also know when Im forgetting something or if somethings missing. Inside jacket pocket has a lighter, batteries, and ipod touch. Arm pocket has a camera. left jacket pocket has my release and toilet paper. right jacket pocket has cell phone and gloves. Bottoms... upper left has keys and a can of dip. cargo left has two power bars and a water. upper right has my wallet, flash light and knife. cargo right has safty strap, milk weed and whatever book im reading at the time.
My gun/bow and there essentials(ammo/release and arrows), my grunt tube around my neck, a knife and my phone.
I carry the absolute minimum I can - bow, arrows, release, knife, license/wallet, phone/gps app (often useless where I hunt as there is no network service) are my essentials. As needed, depending on the length of the sit, weather, and/or how deep I'm hunting away from the vehicle: flashlight, binos, means to make fire, emergency rain poncho, food/snacks, water, compass, Extrastuff kept in the car: Rope, extra knife, extra arrows, tools, extra bow, extra strings, sundry parts, extra layers/change of clothes. Others insights into their key needs here: http://forums.bowhunting.com/showthread.php?35276-If-you-can-only-take-5-things-into-the-woods
If I'm hunting my normal stomping grounds I usually have on me: Lonewolf sticks and stand I strap a pack to it, and in the pack I have: - scent away field wipes - grunt tube - climbing belt - 5 bow/accessory hooks - jacket - Sd cards for camera pulls - camera - tags & zip ties - safety harness strap and carabiner - back up flashlight The pack also has 2 side pockets for drinks. I carry a water bottle in one and a can of scent away in the other. I also carry a hand muff that goes around my waist and in that I carry certain things in for ease of access: - release (incase I run into something walking back) - bow rope - hot hands - range finder (incase I run into something walking back) - gloves - headlamp And in the chest pockets of my vest I keep my windicator and/or milkweed in my left pocket and cell phone in right pocket. I think that's everything...
