I'm getting back into hunting again this deer season. I got the rifle sighted in last night with a new scope. Today, I'm putting together a checklist of items to have in my pack. Here it is. If you have something you take that is not listed, please post it to this thread. Thanks!

Item

• Water bottles (at least 2, or military style canteen with aluminum cup and heat shield)
• Head light w/extra batteries
• Flashlight, large w/extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Dry food. Snacks. Power bars
• Matches / lighter / flint and steel
• Toilet paper/moist wipes (better - more compact)
• 20-40 feet of rope/paracord
• Hand warmers
• Wire/survival saw
• Emergency blanket (light aluminum type found in emergency kits)
• Cell Phone
• GPS / Compass / Map
• Rifle w/sling, scope, sighted in and cleaned
• Ammo / Extra ammo / ammo carrier (belt or rifle butt)
• Hunting license / Hunting permit / tags
• Range finder / Binoculars
• Deer calls
• Wind powder direction checker
• Butt Out tool
• Hunting Knife with gut hook (backup knife)
• Field dressing gloves (small package of latex gloves)
• Compact pistol / ammo / extra mag
• Camera
• Cover scent
• Hunting Clothes (layers)
• Deer Drag / tree sling
• Pen/pencil for for filling out tags

Additional items:

• foam butt pad (eyegots2no & jepp2)
• rain gear (jepp2)
• water treatment (jepp2)
• fire starter (jepp2)
• trail flags (jepp2)
• combo watch/temp (357-RevolverGuy) - might be able to get a good GPS with temp also
• lens cloth (Ivan the butcher)
• cleaning kit (Ivan the butcher / Nevada Ed)
• duct tape (Rule 3)
• multitool (Rule 3)
• aluminum cup w/tea bags (Rule 3)
• emergency whistle (Nessmuck)
• watch (Nessmuck) (could use the clock on the GPS as long as it's working)

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Semper Fi

I take a decent sized day pack so I can add and remove layers of clothing.Winter is guaranteed to start here on opening day of rifle season

I like to closed foam butt pad that attaches to my belt----a whole lot easier to sit still and comfortable unless I am going to a blind that has a nice chair.

The mesquite thorns and cactus are bad here so almost have to. Started carrying branch cutter sometimes.

I recently got a Timex watch that has a compass and temperature meter built in which would make a great addition to your list. I found mine for under $80.

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Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

Your list looks excellent. I hunt in the west, so my items will be somewhat different, but things to consider:

- rainwear (I prefer a poncho since it is quick to put on and take off and is compact)
- rain protection for my rifle (I take two newspaper bags and tape them together so I can just slide it over my rifle)
- foam pad like a stadium pad to sit on, keeps your behind dry and warm, softer in a tree stand
- game bags and trash compactor bag, I skin a quarter where they hit the ground less weight to carry out
- gallon zip lock bags (for the heart and liver or tenderloins) and other uses
- water treatment (either iodine tables or aqua mira)
- leather gloves and knee pads (for long crawls to close the distance)
- fire starter (either dryer lint or cotton ball with Vaseline)
- surveyor flagging to mark trail
- spare or different gloves, neck gaiter
- I always try to have enough food so if I spend a night in the woods, I can get by just fine.

Your list is going to weigh quite a bit. You might want to check the weight and see what you can do without. A general rule is 15 pounds max without a hip belt. 2 quarts of water weigh 4 pounds. If you have a quality pack with a good hip belt, the weight limit is what you feel comfortable carrying. If you still hunt, go with a fleece or outer material that will not make noise as you slip through the woods. Avoid the nylon materials as they are very noisy. The bigger the pack the harder to go through the wood quietly.

I had a small cleaning kit, Based on M-16 kit added screwdriver w/bit to fit scope and bases. The steel rod was to remove stuck bullet (never happened) if needed. Also some eye glass tissues for scope (and binoculars) Ivan

As a former long time Backpacker one essential item.

Duct Tape! Wrap some around a water bottle or pack frame.

Also good to have a heavy aluminum cup of some sort to heat some water or scoop water. If you are wet and cold something hot to drink always helps (broth bullion, tea whatever)

A multi tool/Swiss army knife of some brand

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Still Running Against the Wind

+1 on cleaning rod in case the barrel gets plugged on either end !! (Mud or partners ammo with too long of an OAL )

Some like Latex gloves for protection and easy clean up.
Some sprinkle pepper over the damp meat to keep flies away.

Letting someone know what area you will be in just in case a search party is needed........
or at least leave a note at camp if hunting alone before each outing.

Still trying to figure out what this thread had to do with reloading?

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Minimize the variables

A pen to fill out your tag, small bottle of lense cleaner and tissue if you wear glasses is on my list this year. A whistle and a watch with a light in it...to tell when it's legal time to shoot.

Your Am EX card. Don't leave home..................

It doesn't, but is interesting as we do not have a hunting forum I guess.

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Still Running Against the Wind

You are correct, it doesn't. I thought I was in the lobby when I posted this but obviously not. I did not see a method to move a thread after it has been posted.

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Semper Fi

I wrap some duct tape around a mini mag lite. It makes it softer to hold in your teeth and can be unwound as needed. My son learned this in the Boy Scouts.

Old 1911 Fan

Nice trick. I will have to remember that one. I do prefer the head lamp though. I started using one when getting ready to fish in the morning instead of trying to position a flashlight.

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Semper Fi

You can ask a Mod by PM or just leave it.
Or click the report thread ! in the upper right corner of your first post.

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Still Running Against the Wind

I just thought I was missing something . The way threads wander on this forum, it probably would have gotten to this subject eventually.

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Minimize the variables

I have never ever been deer hunting without a good supply of Community Dark Roast coffee and a old fashioned drip pot. Getting up in the cold dark A.M. and NOT having a cup of hot coffee is against the law here in Louisiana.
Tea drinker's...Mom told me if you can't say something nice then....
You forgot the evening drink ...Jack Daniel's or Maker's Mark!

This is a very interesting post to me. I have not had to think of packing a pack since the early eighties when I was hunting on close to eight hundred acres in West Virgina. I have been spoiled by hunting on small private parcels of land. Most no bigger than 15 to 20 acres. I carry a cell Phone , water, small 1st aide kit and some food besides the usual deer dressing stuff. In the West and North east were you have very large wooded spaces and the possibility of getting stuck out over night is very real, I would need a suit case to feel like I was prepared to be there.

So a Question for you all. How far from camp do you venture ?

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Not so Free in the Free State

The area I'm hunting this year is about 10 miles from the house and ~600 acres, mostly wooded and inaccessible by vehicle. So it's park and walk. However, houses ring this area so just walk in a straight line and you are bound to find someone's back yard.

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Semper Fi

With that list of stuff I would need a air condition Jeep!!

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Still Running Against the Wind

I have two large duffle bags packed with warm weather to insulated to rain gear. My two smaller bags one has socks/under clothes. The other smaller bag has gloves/hats etc. One boot box has flashlights, knives, compasses, holsters, AmmO holders etc.

It's all packed. It gets washed as it gets used and repackaged again.

No checklist the list is in my mind.

During General Gun We Hunt Deer using Walker Hounds So Not Much Gear is Needed (you are never far from your vehicle)When I do still hunt (Muzzleloading Gun Season Mostly) All My Gear is Stored in a Larger Fanny Pack & most of that gear is stored in that pack all the time so all I have to do is grab it when I leave the house.