Every hunter craves an adventure and encounter filled with new discoveries and trophies to take back home. Hunting has a way of initiating adrenaline. Just the thought of it gives you a feeling of control. You can always remember the moment you made your first kill. All that said, safety and preparation comes first whether you are a professional hunter or a newbie.
Before hitting the road to the jungle, you must ensure you have everything you are going to need there. It can get really frustrating if you end up in the wild without your hunting essentials. That is why a hunting packing list is mandatory.
Table of Contents
Hunting Backpack
You cannot have a packing list without a hunting backpack. Almost everything else on your list will fit in there. Therefore, it is important to have the best choice of a hunting backpack and ensure it is the first thing on your packing list.
Pick a great backpack that will serve all your hunting purpose. The most important features you should have in mind when choosing your hunting backpack should include:
- Lightweight
- Camouflage
- Weatherproof
- Compartments customized for holding hunting gears
- Sufficient space
- Tear-proof
Documents
A good hunter knows and adheres to the rules and regulations governing hunting. Be it a hunting game or hunting for food or just a trophy, you need to be on the safe side of the authority. These rules, however, vary from area to area.
Despite the differences from one locality to the other, there are common documents that you need to have on you when out there making your kills. The first one should be your passport or driver’s license or any other form of ID.
On top of that, you need to have your hunting permit. This is very important. It will be the only thing differentiating a hunter from a poacher. Nevertheless, if you are hunting on your property, it is necessary to have your land ownership certificate with you.
Firearm and Accessories
How do you like making your kills? If you are a bow hunter guy, then you know that your compound bow or crossbow should feature at the top of your hunting packing list. As a professional, I always ensure that my crossbow is tuned, polished and ready by the night prior to my hunting day.
If you’re a gun guy, you want to make sure your gun is serviced before you hit the woods. After getting your ready for the next day, it is advisable to keep it locked in a gun-safe overnight to avoid anyone tampering with it. You can read reviews on different vaultek safe to understand how to protect your gun from intruders.
Compass
Hunting can get wilder than you expected. Every experienced hunter understands how the activity can get unpredictable. What would you do if you lost your trail, stranded in the wild without the ability to trace your way back home? That is why your compass must be on the list of your hunting essentials.
Actually, it’s not only for the unfortunate situations that you will need your compass. If you want to be precise in locating your hunting spots or know your directions well around the terrain, the compass will be your guide.
Range Finder
For accurate shots and precise kills, a rangefinder is your wingman. Hunting with exact details like yards and position of your target makes everything easy for you. Remember, hunting is all about hitting the target. This gadget guarantee kills with ease and convenience.
Flashlights
Irrespective of your hunting schedule, flashlights are very necessary for every hunting trip. Day or night hunting, situations where a light aid becomes of use are handful. Even at daylight, your hunting might lead you into dark caves or thick bushes covered by shadows. In such situations, you will find your flashlight very helpful.
On the other hand, if your hunting schedule involves night hunting, flashlights have to be on your hunting list as well.
Wear
Depending on the terrain and weather conditions in your area of hunting, you should have the best choice of clothes and other protective gears on. Hunters go for whole body cover, tear proof top wears and reflective gears in cases of night hunting.
Most hunting trips might take days and nights. Pack relevant gears and wears that will last you your whole hunting session. Some of the most common wears you should never leave out of your hunting packing list include:
- Safety boots
- All weather prick-proof jacket
- Reflector
- Leather/rubber gloves
- Hat
- Safety belts
- Warm socks for night or cold
Food and Snacks
On top all the above items you have to include on your hunting list, food is another. Hunting on an empty stomach can interfere with your ability to concentrate. There are low chances of achieving your hunting goals whenever you go out without packed food or snacks.
One fact about hunting is that the activity is unpredictable. You might never know how long you will need to last out there. Without enough food, you might end up starved and stranded out in the wild. Pick your snacks right, considering the weight of your load and last-ability of your food products.
Other Essentials
All in all, there are a handful of more items that must be included on your hunting list. The above discussed are just a few mandatory picks. As a hunter, you have to carry all your hunting essentials with you. Most professional hunters love traveling in packs like wolves. This makes it easier for them to split sharable essentials. In other words, do not overload yourself. Always go for lightweight packing.
Some other items to consider are:
SCENT KILLER
Most predators in the wild might turn against you as a hunter. The smell of your kill can make you a target. That is why you need scent killer clothing to hide your trail.
HUNTING KNIFE
a lot of situations in hunting will require a knife. Always have your hunting knife with you. For that reason, ensure it appears on your packing list before going hunting.
Final Words
If you are planning to go for hunting, I believe you now know some essentials to consider. Make sure you have the above packing list and you will enjoy your trip.
