What a whirlwind it was. Hunting season is over and I am left salivating in anticipation of the next. Right now is the time of year that I really like to focus on my gear list. I like looking back on the things that I used the most, and recognizing the things I didn’t use much at all. Each year that goes by, it seems that I lose a gear item here and there that didn’t make the cut. So, I thought it would be cool to lay out for you the Top 6 gear items I don’t leave home without. This isn’t going to be obvious items like my bow, pack, survival gear, or a first aid kit. These are going to simply be items that I find myself grateful for having with me out there. Without further ado…
Something that I absolutely will not leave home without is my Garmin Inreach Explorer +. When I first bought an inreach years ago, I figured I would just keep the service active during the months of September and January, when I am in the backcountry the most. Fast forward to present day and now I’ve got the service on all year, as I find myself out and about more and more. It provides me with a map, GPS functionality, and even communication. For those that don’t know, this little gem allows you to text your loved ones back home without cell service. That means that no matter where you are, you are going to be able to communicate with folks. What a peace of mind it offers to my wife, knowing that she is going to hear from me. When she does, she also gets an exact pin of my current location. A nifty safety feature if you get in a pinch. If that pinch turns to extreme, there is also an SOS button located on the device. Should you have to press it(I hope you nor I ever have to)you will be directly connected to Search and Rescue and help will be on the way. This is a no brainer for a backcountry enthusiast.
I don’t think one realizes how much being able to see means, until the lights go out, or in our case, the sun goes down. My headlamp is one of those items that I find myself double and triple checking that I have in my pack. It offers so much convenience after a long day of hunting. They are hands free and I can see what I’m doing at night. Whether that be making dinner in the backcountry, blood trailing, or just making my way back to camp in the dark. This past archery deer season my brother and I backpacked into an area right before dark. We ended up setting up camp well after the sun went down and I was so grateful to have my headlamp to aid in the process. While it probably would be comical, it wouldn’t have been fun doing that in the dark. I think a headlamp also offers an element of safety. Being able to see where you are stepping can mean the difference between getting back to camp unscathed or taking a nasty spill and hurting yourself. My preferred headlamp of choice for this is my Black Diamond Storm. These have never failed me in the past.
As an archery hunter, I think it is imperative that you have a set of allen wrenches on you. You never know when something might come loose and need tightening. I can recall a certain hunt when I think of that. It was an early archery deer/bear hunt in AZ. Opening morning had finally come and I was on my way to my blind for the day. About halfway there, I noticed that my fall away rest was messed up and wasn’t sitting right. I had to go back to camp, readjust the rest, and make sure the darn thing was working properly. While I did miss the first part of opening morning, I didn’t miss the whole day, or even the rest of the hunt. The allen wrenches will be in my backpack every time.
I always looked at trekking poles as an old crotchety tool that I would never use. Young and strong I am! For what ridiculous reason would I need those pesky things? Yeah, I ate my words after actually trying them out years later. Trekking poles are one of those things that I don’t use all of the time, but when I need them, I am so glad that they are there. While I will use them when packing in and out of areas, they are especially useful when we get an animal on the ground. Big game animals are heavy and the terrain that they are in usually isn’t the most forgiving. Using my trekking poles during these times have saved me way more than once from falling and potentially hurting myself miles from the truck. On top of that, I think they offer a hunter longevity. Before I used them I would get knee pains every now and then. Since I picked them up that knee pain has dwindled to far and few. Lately, I have really been digging the Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z Z Poles. Super lightweight and functional. You can also use these to roll out tight muscles.
Call me old fashioned, but I just like having an actual map with me on hunts. Don’t get me wrong, I use my phone and digital maps as well, but there is just something about being able to see the big picture laid out in front of me. Digital maps are great, but we are staring at a tiny little screen and can’t see everything in one fell swoop. You’ve gotta keep sliding your finger across the screen in order to see what you want. With an actual map, it’s all right there. This is how I study areas and find hunting spots many times. I can see where all of the roads/trails are, notate any vantage points that stick out to me, and from there be able to make a plan of how to hunt or access those areas. While you can do that on your phone as well, I just think it is way easier to do so when looking at a real map.
Since I have really gotten into hunting, something I didn’t anticipate was a coming love for photography. More and more I found myself bringing a camera along with me and snapping images off here and there. It probably doesn’t help that my wife is a professional photographer, but that is besides the point. When we are out in the field, we see some amazing stuff. Stuff that many people will never see in their lifetime. That’s powerful if you ask me. So powerful that I think it warrants stopping time and preserving it for many years to come. My camera is something that is always with me now and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
There ya have it! Each one of these items are ones that I either find myself using over and over again in the field or find it plain dumb to not have with me. They have all become a staple in my backpack and have proved their worth to me. Your pack might be different and I think that is what’s so cool about gear items. All of us have different needs and wants and this hunting thing is pretty customizable to you. I know folks that love bringing along chairs into the backcountry. While I would never even consider such things, it works for them and that is awesome! You’ve heard some of my favorite gear items. Now, it is your turn. I want to hear some things that you won’t head into the hills without. GO!
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