What kind of equipment do you use in the field?

born2kill

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Jun 7, 2013
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Little curious what kind of equipment you guys use when target shooting and hunting. Like do you bring your Kestrel's for wind, a PDA/iPhone app/a ballistic's chart, obviously a rangefinder, spotting scope, bino's. I'm just getting into it and not 100% sure everything I need. So figured I'd see what everyone's using?

Thanks
 
Rangefinder, spotting scope w/tripod, data book, drop/wind charts, shooting mat, rear bag, backpack (caries everything & is my primary shooting rest), assortment of targets, a plan for my training that day

Hunting I leave the data book, and I use my sleeping pad as a shoot mat.
 
When I am shooting rocks and targets I take my rangefinder and a tripod for it. I take a spotting scope and tripod. I have my bino's. Large and small sand bags and a shooting mat. I use a windmeter and smartphone app. I also use my video camera and record my shots so I can review my hits on rocks. When I am hunting I pretty much use the same but when I leave the truck for walking I also leave the sand bags shooting mat and I only take one smaller tripod for the spotting scope and rangefinder.
 
In my day pack or on me for hunting will be found a laser range finder/bino combo, kestrel, air density ballistic chart and a topo map, lots of water, snack or two, extra batteries, ammo, rifle, bipod, rear bag, knives for field dressing, some 550 cord, paper towels and optics brush. Depending on the weather maybe some extra layers packed away as well... just in case.

If I am just shooting I will take what will be needed for whatever I am doing but I have a truck to carry it then. May be extra firearms, ammo, chrono, shooting mat, targets, log book, pens, markers, stapler, mags, optics cleaner, small tool kit with allen wrenches assorted bits and half inch and quester inch drive sockets.
 
This is a good thread for beginner's like myself that are trying to figure out what to take hunting. I am gonna save this one.

Just starting out, I have a rangefinder, Kestrel, drop charts, rear rest(still working on what is going to work best for that yet), GPS, ammo, extra batteries. I still have a lot to learn though so who knows what my bag will end up looking like when I am all set on something.
 
I haven't been out rock shooting hardly at all yet but I plan to. I'll be taking pretty much the same loadout as below and maybe a bit more useless weight for training purposes.

Rifle (Equiped with sling & bipod), ammo, Badlands Superday, binos, wind meter, rangefinder, gps, headlamp, iphone, rear-bag, couple black garbage bags(handy things), spare socks, wool cap & gloves (even in summer, mountains get cold at night), fire kit, belt knife, spare folding knife, diamond stick sharpener, latex gloves, several peices of papre towel, TP (dont go in the bush without it!), 100yards of 130# braided fishing line (never needed it but seems useful), space blanket, bit of duct tape, 1.5 liters of water in the hydration bladder, 8x10 sil-nylon tarp and SNACKS! If I'm planning on being all day, I will have a bit more water and take my stove along to make some ramen or something similar for lunch.

I usually have extra clothing in the pack as well. If its not wet I typically still bring a rain jacket crammed in the pack.

Looking at that list it sounds like a lot, but all told I'm not very comfortable being off-trail with much less. I have run into some wacky weather changes and my 'extra' items probably only weigh 4 or 5 lbs.

The areas I hunt don't typically offer ranges much farther than 400 or I would probably pack a spotting scope & tripod as well.
 
It truly depends on where your hunting. I have two packs. One for long hauls in high country and a daypack for hunting on farms and such.

My daypack is an army surplus "voodoo" bag, and it is flat out sweet for the $50 I paid for it. I also have used the badlands super-day, and it is the best daypack I have found thus far and I have tried a lot. I mention bags and bag size because with long range hunting there is a lot of what I call "support gear".
My high country pack is the Eberlestock J107 dragonfly with all the goodies. I use it for anytime I go out and could get lost or stranded. I Usually have room too spare unless I'm going for more than 3 days.

In my daypack, the bare bones is
- lighter
-flashlight
-headlamp
-skinning knife (remember to sharpen every time)
-one pair of vinyl gloves
-one plastic bag (always take out garbage from food and in a spotting scope (or a fire starter)
-weather station
-rear bag
-binos
-spotting scope (most of the time)
-android phone
-1 back up drop chart
-earplugs
-rangefinder
-lens pen
-300 ft. chord
-shooting sticks

I'm probably leaving a few things out, but that's most of it.

For a alpine hunting or anywhere you could get stranded. (using the J107)
-glassing mat (just a bedroll really)
-spotting scope
-fire starter
-waterproof matches
-lighter
-flashlight (compact)
-headlamp
-Advil or similar
-game bags
-layers
-foil blanket
-Jetboil stove and fork
-Para chord
-map
-compass
-g.p.s (you don't need a fancy one)
-skinning knife
-vinyl gloves
-plastic bag
-android phone
- back up drop charts (one on my person and one in the bag, and sometimes one with my ammo)
-weather station
-rear bag
-shooting sticks
-binos
-earplugs
-rangefinder
-lens pen
-spare batteries
-gloves, jacket, possibly rain gear, hat.....
-food (healthy stuff and a small bag of candy)
-A lot of water
 
Last edited:
I'm only listing equipment required for the long range shot.

1. Another person or two or three. Yes they can be counted as an equipment packer.
2. Rifle, obvious. Backup left at camp or on the back of your third person.
3. Kestrel 4000
4. Range Cards
5. Ballistics Computer
6. Vectronix Terrapin, backup Leica 1600
7. Ear plugs, don't forget these if you are shooting an ear drum breaker.
8. Elevation builders for rifle rest packed in the backpack
9. GPS with compass

As for everything else packed for hunting, the list can be endless.
 
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