This will be my 1st hunting season

[Maggotlyfe]

This will be my first deer hunting season and I was just wondering what type of gear is recomended by hunters. Im interested in what I should pack in my bag and clothing options on staying dry and warm? Also anything else that I should have on me or in my truck while out hunting. My cousin will be taking me but I just would like so other opinions on things to have.

Thanks!

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Which season are you planning on hunting? Archery, shotgun, or muzzle loader. Different seasons change what I carry in my day pack.

This is what my pack contains for an all day hunt:

License, tags, and a copy of the abstracts
Pen to fill out the tags
Flashlight with spare batteries
Chemical hand warmers / toe warmers in colder weather
Several bottles of water
Small thermos of coffee
Sandwiches and high energy snacks
Roll of flagging tape to mark a difficult blood trail (take it down after you located your deer)
Toilet paper (not white during the gun seasons)
Back up compass
Lighter


25' of 3/8" rope
SHARP knife for field dressing
field dressing gloves
twine to tie off anus
Wire ties to attach the completed tag to a fore leg
plastic bags - Gallon for heart, liver, and field dressing gloves
- Sandwich bags to put paper tag in

I am sure that others will have more to add. You can travel as light or heavy as you want comfort is the trade off. Sometimes I will just duck out for an evening hunt and carry the basic necessities in my cargo pants pockets.

Bob

 

[Brian5582]

HorizontalHunter has a good list the only thing I have in mine not listed is different scents for different times of the season as well as some way to dispense the scent a grunt call, bleat call and I carry something to check wind direction.

 

[Boghog1]

I have a small sharpening devise I use and carry. I also use small zip ties instead of twine for tying the anus

 

[Ma$$hole]

If it's really cold out sometimes pens wont work when filling out tags because the ink will freeze if you've been out all day. Use pencil. A zip lock bag is a good thing to put the tag in then zip tie the bag to a leg. If you're out with buddies I highly recommend 2 way radios with ear pieces. Service can be spotty with some carriers in the deep woods. Also if you go hunting with groups of guys (even if you think it sounds gay) get all of their numbers. I went out with 3 other guys before and we got split up and were looking for eachother for a while because of different reasons (leaving cell phones in car, not knowing the other guy's number). You will need a decent set of boots. Water tight is a must. If they are not insulated get wool socks. The last think you want to be while you're out there is cold. It'll make for a bad experience. I'm going into season 2 myself. Good luck.

 

[Plural of Mongoose]

I dont usually hunt too far from home but I keep these in my pack . A length of rope for dragging, spare ammo,knife, flashlight,water bottle, snacks,scents if I am using them,some hard candies,a lighter, a couple large zip lock bags, small multi-tool and sometimes even a paperback book if I am going to spend some long hours on stand or in a blind.
Ma**h***'s advice to use a pencil is a good solution to a frozen pen but Im pretty sure the regs. state that your tag must be filled out using ink.
Keep your pen in a shirt pocket where it wont freeze.

 

[Boghog1]

I like sharpie fine points for filling out tags too since they don't bleed when wet

 

[RichM]

GPS, topo maps, bread crumb trail...

 

[44marty]

Camo is good. Blue (as in blue jeans) - definitely bad. Deer see the color blue like we see hunter orange.
Keep warm so you can sit still.
Don't look for a whole deer. You will probably see a little movement - either white or grey - about the size of a chickadee. This is usually a deer's ear, or the white patch below the chin.

 

[Brian5582]

Its fun after sitting in a stand for a couple hours every stump you see starts to look like a deer. Sometimes I wonder why I love it so much.

 

[Boghog1]

Its fun after sitting in a stand for a couple hours every stump you see starts to look like a deer. Sometimes I wonder why I love it so much.

That reminds me get a decent set of binoculars I like a 7x35 or larger objective (the second number) I do not like any more than 7x for new england as the distances are not that far typically

 

[Maggotlyfe]

Thanks everyone! I will be shotgun hunting deer. I am still wondering what type under clothes work best in keeping warm. Like under armor or if there is a cheaper version out that works just as good? I have old school long johns from ice fishing as a kid but nothing current. I will check out HorizontalHunter tomorrow.

 

[atmay]

Thanks everyone! I will be shotgun hunting deer. I am still wondering what type under clothes work best in keeping warm. Like under armor or if there is a cheaper version out that works just as good? I have old school long johns from ice fishing as a kid but nothing current. I will check out HorizontalHunter tomorrow.

The polypropylene milsurp thermals work pretty well, IME. Just stay away from cotton as much as possible (especially for under layers), and dress in multiple lighter layers (as opposed to fewer heavier layers)

 

[edhead35]

I am going into my first hunting season myself. Everyone thought I was crazy buying stuff in the spring, but now its end of summer, and I have most of my gear. I heard Kittery Trading Post has a great Topographic map printer where you can print custom maps. I will definitely be hitting that machine hard!

 

[redtail]

Warm feet is a must. I use and carry extra packs of those stick on, disposable toe warmers. The trick to them is to stick them on the top side of your sock, not the bottom of it. A pair of warm gloves, with a pack of hand warmers.
I carry 2 knives-a Swiss army with a saw, and a Randall trout & bird. A Buck 102 is a great field dressing knife too. Have at least 1 way to make a fire, just in case you get marooned out there. The dragging rope or harness is a good addition. Bottle of water. Chocolate. Maybe a PB & J, or a can of ravioli, or an MRE. I generally don't eat when hunting, I can eat later on. It makes too much noise.
Of course, a compass, or extra batteries for your GPS. Extra ammunition. The book is a good suggestion. 2 emergency ponchos. I have one of those small, fold up seats, kind of a pain to carry, but it makes things much better for long hours on a stand and it is worth it. If you are in your 20s or 30s, you might not need one yet.

There is an art to what you pack in, and how you arrange it all. As you will find out. Most of the gear you see in stores is crap you don't need. You should have a lot of fun out there. When the first legal deer appears in front of you, don't get nervous, stay as cold as ice-you can get excited after you're done putting it down properly. Above all, BE VERY PATIENT. Be still and absolutely quiet. Tune in to the forest around you, pay attention to sounds of single footsteps, snapping twigs, and red squirrels scolding something. It is amazing how quiet a 100+ pound deer can be as it moves through a forest. You can sit on a good stand for 2 or 3 days here in New England, before a deer shows up on it.

 

[Brian5582]

redtail, how exactly do you not get nervous and stay cold as ice? I haven't figured that part out yet even after hunting for 15 years and killing my fair share of animals. I still end up shaking so bad I feel like I am having convulsions lol. Every time feels like the first time... Just joking with you, I know what you mean. I learned a few things from this thread as well even after hunting sense I was 14. You never know it all and never stop learning. Good advice everyone and good luck this year.

 

[Titan]

Fisher space pens work great in any weather. The advice I got from a 20yr vet of the environmental police was to use pen rather than pencil, to avoid allegations of finagling (sharing/re-using a tag, etc.).

 

[atmay]

Fisher space pens work great in any weather. The advice I got from a 20yr vet of the environmental police was to use pen rather than pencil, to avoid allegations of finagling (sharing/re-using a tag, etc.).

+1 on the Fisher pen. Just watch out if you get one of the 'bullet' pens...DO NOT trust the pocket clip.