What Are The 3 Must-have Items In Your Hunting Pack?

 Admittedly, I’m a bit of a procrastinator.

So even with the opening day of Maine’s firearms hunting season for deer only a few days away, I’m not prepared.

Mentally, I’m ready to go. This is the time of year deer hunters dream about all year long. We’re excited and motivated to get into the woods.

Then there’s the matter of my hunting pack. I need to decide what I want to carry and which items might be expendable.

I like to be prepared for anything that might come up while tromping along skidder paths, through raspberry bushes and around cedar swamps. Unfortunately, that means I lug around a lot of stuff.

I have always admired the hunters who step out of the truck, put on their jacket, hunter orange vest and hat, load their rifles and walk into the woods.

They probably carry only a few extra rounds along with maybe a compass, a grunt tube, a knife, a bottle of water and a few snacks.

It has to be a lot easier walking and stalking when you’re not schlepping a 25-pound pack.

Here’s the problem. I need more stuff. At least I think I need it.

Even though I have a tendency to take long treks and cover a lot of ground over several hours, the goal for this season is to reduce the clutter and stick to more essential hunting tools.

Maybe.

I have a decent-sized backpack, one in which I can fit numerous items. Then again, some things such as rattling antlers can be a challenge to fit into even the largest compartment.

Back when I took the hunter safety course, we were required to put together a survival kit to carry — just in case. I still store the items in a gallon-size Ziploc bag.

It contains (in no particular order): waterproof matches, a space blanket, a compass, a whistle, Band-Aids, a small folding knife, a couple of safety pins, a small mirror, a few bits of fire-starting material and a disposable lighter.

The bag lives at the bottom of the pack, where it can withstand getting damp. Fortunately, I have never had to use the survival kit or its contents and I intend to keep it that way.

But that’s only the beginning (and I’m sure I forgot a few things).

My backpack contains binoculars, a headlamp, three other knives, a couple of bottles of deer scent and scent wicks, a large water bottle, snacks (fruit, granola/energy, Best Energy Bars For Backpack Hunting, nuts), more bullets and an extra sweatshirt.

I have a plastic rain poncho, toilet paper, field-dressing gloves, flagging tape, a small screwdriver, some zip ties, a couple of gallon bags and a length of cord, which is handy for tying things off.

Also in the pack is a small bottle of scent-reducing spray, an extra boot lace (even though I wear rubber/neoprene boots), a few paper towels, some moist towelettes and a couple of pens for use (hopefully) in filling out my transportation tag, which is stored in a small, plastic envelope.

That all adds up in terms of both weight and bulk. Even so, if space allows, I will tote the rattling antlers.

Let’s be honest. Many of those items seldom, if ever, are used. But at the very least it enhances the workout while out walking trails, fording streams and climbing over blowdowns.

For stuff requiring quick and more frequent access, I also use a small waist pack. I had to get a new one this week since one of the zippers broke on the previous model.

It contains my rifle clip, a GPS unit, a grunt tube and doe can call, a snack, some air-activated hand warmers and lightweight gloves. I used to take along my trusty Extreme Dimension Mini Phantom electronic call, but after 13 or 14 years, it apparently has given up the ghost.

Despite my best intentions, I likely will throw on a backpack Saturday that is filled with the aforementioned items — and maybe a few others I forgot to mention.

So, here’s what I would like to know: What are the two or three items you absolutely can’t live without when you’re out deer hunting?

Maybe you carry something unusual, a lucky charm of some kind. Or perhaps you pack a small blanket for warmth, a Thermos of coffee or a fancy camera to record your hunt.

I’m sure there are some cool things you use that the rest of us might want to put in our pack.

Please add your comments below this story or send an email to outdoors@bangordailynews.Com. We’re really curious to hear what kinds of items you keep on hand.

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Always Be Prepared

One evening not so long ago a few other experienced deer hunters and myself shared a pot of coffee and a few tall tales about previous hunting seasons. After the joking and reminiscing were done, we settled down to some serious business when I asked them to prepare for my readers a list of the gear they liked to carry while pursuing whitetails. Hopefully what we came up with will help you in packing your own possibles bag.

While I use a shoulder bag to carry my possibles list, most hunters choose a backpack. Either will work, just fine. What’s important is it is comfortable enough to carry that you won’t be tempted to leave it behind. Trust me, experience has taught my friends and me that as soon as you get lazy and donít carry it you’ll wish you had.

Among the items suggested for a good possibles bag include such things as a compass, a small first-aid kit (either purchased or assembled at home), toilet tissue, a quality made whistle with a loud piercing sound, a lighter or backup fire starter, a small bag of dryer lint (that’s right, dryer lint makes a great tinder and is practically weightless), a candle stub and a couple of energy bars. Odds are it will never happen but should you become injured or lost, these items will make a night in the woods much more bearable. Other items to consider would be a small bottle of water, some hard candies and a space blanket or plastic poncho.

As I mentioned earlier, this list is directed at the deer hunter. With this in mind, we would recommend the following. Orange flagging for marking a game trail, a flashlight, knife, pelvis splitter, cleaning gloves, a drag rope, a pen for filling out your harvest tag, and a safety pin or zip tie for fastening that tag to your deer. Two other items you may wish to consider would be a plastic bag or bringing home the heart and liver, plus I like to carry a bungee cord for securing the animalís legs open for field dressing.

Still, have room in your pack? A spare orange knit cap and an orange handkerchief couldnít hurt and they weigh next to nothing. One new item that will be showing up in a friend’s backpack this year is an old-fashioned paper punch. When I asked him to explain, he told me with the Pennsylvania Game Commission now requiring a hunter to cut out the date on his or her harvest tag, he felt a paper punch would be safer than using a knife with cold, trembling hands. Sounds like a good idea, doesnít it?

Obviously, each person will want to make their own supply list a little differently to suit their particular needs. For example, I’m a diabetic so I always carry glucose pills. Once assembled, the best part of your possibles bag is that with a few minor changes by either adding an item or two or by taking out unneeded items you can quickly have your bag ready for other outdoor adventures. Any outing, from a fishing trip to a hike with the family or even a drive to work during a snowstorm, you can now enjoy the peace of mind and security possible from simply having a possibles bag packed and ready to go https://bagshelper.com/

Will you need all the items listed? Hopefully not, but isnít it reassuring to know that if you should theyíll be at your fingertips? Well, folks, I hope I’ve inspired you to pack a possibles bag of your own and thanks again for reading the rambling thoughts of an old ridge runner.