Survival gear

[Tikkamike]

What do you guys carry for survival gear in your pack? I dont mean just for back pack hunting but every time you go out in the field elk hunting, deer hunting or whatever?

Here are the Items I always have in my pack no matter what.

2 Pelican Led flash lights with extra batteries (similar to sure fire)
Hat Light
2 GPS's one Garmin with my maps down loaded and the other is just a little easy to use Bushnell Backtracker. ( I have used both on more than one occation.
Jet Boil (for melting snow boiling water or cooking food if needed)
Several Knives
Pack Saw
Granola Bars
Bottled Water or camel back bladder.
Several ways to start a fire including, Bic Lighter, Cabelas Wind Proof Lighter, Matches, Magnesium Stick, Wet Fire tinder packets, the little bars of saw dust soaked in diesel that you can buy. (Jet boil is another way to start a fire)
Fluoresent orange can be used for signaling
Silver Space Blanket
Extra Socks, gloves/mittens and stocking cap.
Cell Phone
And of course I always pack at least one gun.

There may be more but this is my bare essentials. It sounds like a lot but its not a whole lot and there have been a few times I was very Happy I was packing the weight. What do you guys carry? Maybe theres something I need to add.

I should have a first aid kit but I dont its on my list of things to put together

 

[kcebcj]

I have always looked at it this way. There is only three things you need to do to get along. Stay dry, stay warm and stay hydrated. If you have the necessities to cover the above and a way to see at night everything else is extra weight. Everyone is different but there is no reason in hell to be lost for days. A day and a night in a blowing snow storm maybe.....been there done that. If you get turned around easily you would carry a GPS and mark your trail so if push came to shove you could back track. Most people pack way to much stuff just "incase" but as I said we are all different. Be comfortable and have fun and with experience it will sort itself out.

If you're worried about getting a fire started when everything is wet or frozen throw a couple road flares in your pack. You can get them going even if your hands are so cold they don't work well. You can have a good fire in short order.

 

[HARPERC]

Second the road flares, I carry them in plastic sack with lighter and such. I've started mid winter fires on snowmobile trips to warm up when folks were betting it wasn't possible.

 

[azdesertrat]

for me a lighter some strike anywhere matches in waterproof container and a compas. long as i can build a fire and get a general direction i can get out of just about anywhere. a compas is something i personaly think every one could use to carry, verry light back up for gps and no worrie of dead batteries

 

[HARPERC]

A GPS experience, it's been long enough I may have things wrong internationally, but we were in Nevada I had a GPS I'd been playing with at stops etc. getting a bit of handle on things. Anyway it stopped working completely, could not get a signal for nothing. Now we' re at 10000 ft nothing to block the sky. Operator error? no signal for a few days oh well. Go to town one night for dinner and found out we had went to war. Few days later it's back on? Anybody know if the civilian signal gets cut? Sorry Mike I'm winding my way back. Any way I've never quite trusted the things for emergency use.

 

[Tikkamike]

Well I can see the loss of faith. I have never had a problem but not to say I never Will. I usually use mine to find my truck in the dark usually I'm able to track nesw fairly reliably. But I had a bad experience years back down on the Wyoming/ Colorado border while elk hunting. We left the truck and had an elk down 30 minutes later across a canyon. We were unprepared expecting a quick in and out trip. We ended up using a free keychain compass from north American hunting club to find our way out. That's when I decided I needed to have some stuff I carry every time I go out.

 

[T3-OleMan]

Might want to add a pack of 'Quick CLOT' to stop the bleeding-bullet hole or bone or tree limb sticking out of you. Been carrying mine -I think about 8 or 9 years. They have made it into spounges now I think. Mine is like a large Kool - Aid pack. You may need to use it in a car wreck going hunting, or to the store.


Added: Think BOBBY LEE SWAGGER, in the film 'SHOOTER", ripped a pack like mine from the trunk of the FBI car and put it in the wound.
It has saved a bunch of lives in the sand boxs for sure!

 

[bigngreen]

Here's my list, dry socks in a zip lock, extra wool gloves, water, boolits, knife, preg checking gloves, rope, flagging, two head lamps, batteries, matches, flint and steel with tow and tinder, small med kit of my own making for me and one for dogs, pistol, emergency energy drink mix and radio. In new areas I carry maps, google earth pic of area and GPS.

I like the little Jet boil deal, handier than drinking beaver water

 

[kcebcj]

Might want to add a pack of 'Quick CLOT' to stop the bleeding-bullet hole or bone or tree limb sticking out of you. Been carrying mine -I think about 8 or 9 years. They have made it into spounges now I think. Mine is like a large Kool - Aid pack. You may need to use it in a car wreck going hunting, or to the store.

This is a good point. There is another product called "Celox" that is used the same way as "Quick Clot" These products are steadily being upgraded. Anyone who adds one of these products to their backpack should take the time to understand how to apply it.

 

[Bravo 4]

I am not a doctor or even an EMT for that matter only trained on Tactical Combat Casualty Care, so take this as you may. We are trained that Quikclot is supposed to be used where a tourniquet can't be placed. You should carry both (along with gauge and a pressure bandage) and get some training on using them. We had the powder QC turned in and are now given the gauze. The powder could have an exothermic reaction and cause more injury. It could also get in your eyes, nose and mouth...have to pay attention to the wind.
I say again, not a doc or EMT. Just something you should look into.

 

[Nimrod]

I carry a couple of compasses, fire making equipment, a stout knife in addition to my hunting knife, enough water to get me through the day and a small meal or 2 (tuna and crackers for instance)
. That pretty much covers it for me, I usually don't get more than 5 or 6 miles from the truck though.

 

[sp6x6]

I carry most stuff on your list. I am older now so I try not to double up on much, and keep gear light. I do pack 2 blades and 2 lights. Most of my camera, lights,gps, use same battery ,so I can switch if needed. I like having flagging for game retrieval or mark a game trail. I also have small first aid kit w/ band aids, wrap,tape, early season I have saved friends feet w/kit. I noticed my taxidermist using latex gloves and have thrown a set in pack, weigh nothing and are handy. Small compass, and as stated, my father was a railroader, when horse hunting I packed fusee, can light fire in any wood.Some para cord.

 

[T3-OleMan]

I am not a doctor or even an EMT for that matter only trained on Tactical Combat Casualty Care, so take this as you may. We are trained that Quikclot is supposed to be used where a tourniquet can't be placed. You should carry both (along with gauge and a pressure bandage) and get some training on using them. We had the powder QC turned in and are now given the gauze. The powder could have an exothermic reaction and cause more injury. It could also get in your eyes, nose and mouth...have to pay attention to the wind.
I say again, not a doc or EMT. Just something you should look into.

Thanks for the newer info. Back when I got my 2 packs for $75 FedEx overnight to go to CO on my ELK hunt the only instructions that the paperwork told me was (as I stored it in my old memory bank) pour it in the hole and slap a gause or clean cloth over and press and get to DR. ASAP. The Dr. would "cut it out" when they closed the hole. Also, I called back a couple years ago and found out that it has no expration date (thats good till it gets a pinhole in it). At the time I asked about the NEWER stuff and he said that the newer gause/spounge stuff could be washed away by the DR. That beats cutting it out YIKESSSSSS {:>).

BTW....thanks again for your service!

 

[Bravo 4]

You're welcome.

Don't take my post as gospel. We have somewhat different protocol then civilian medical personnel. You should really check into some self/buddy care if you are gonna be out in the sticks.

I have been guilty of carrying too much stuff. Like stated earlier, better to have it and not need it. However I'm not 18 any more and think twice about overdoing it. My pack used to run up to 60 plus lbs, now I try to carry no more then 40. I do still go by the saying "Carry light, Freeze at Night!".