Mountain hunt daypack essentials

[mcseal2]

Thanks for all the great reply's and ideas since I last checked this post. I think I'm getting things covered pretty good mostly due to the ideas on here. I've been updating gear as I get things bought or improved. I bought a postage scale to check individual weights for gear also. I've spent a night out with this gear list to see how it performed, and it was reasonably comfortable. I want to be prepared, but don't want to pack lots of weight either. I will go to my J34 pack and a different gear list if I am planning an overnight hunt, or use the big pack if I need to add more clothing or bone/pack meat. Anyway, here is where I am currently at.

-Camelback Stryker daypack 32oz, or Eberlestock J34 110oz
-Sog Revolver hunting knife (4 3/4"blade + 4 1/2" bone/wood saw) 7oz
-Benchmade folding knife 4oz
-Smith pocket sharpener (carbide V sharpener and small steel) 1oz
-Garmin GPS/2 way radio with lithium AA batteries 9oz
-blaze orange windshear fleece baclava 4oz
-GI rain poncho (doubles as tarp) 10oz
-Marmon 800 fill down jacket 12oz
-Cabelas windshear camo windbreaker jacket 18oz
-Spare wool socks 3oz
-Sitka Traverse bottoms estimated 10oz
-cabelas dry plus 40gr thinsulate gloves 4oz
-wool liner gloves 2oz
-2 7hr handwarmer packets total 1.7oz
-Contractor trash bags(2 for groundcloth, rain, or packing meat) 3oz
-compass & map of hunting area 4oz
-2 Mammut S-lite headlamps (1 AA battery each) total 4oz
-spare lithium batteries (4 AA) total 2.5oz
-camera w/ 2AA lithium batteries (can be stolen as spares) 6oz
-10 rounds ammo in camo sleeve 1.1oz each for total 11oz
- 20oz gatorade 22oz
- 20oz water in stainless steel water bottle (can boil water in it) 26oz
-4 Cliff bar energy bars total 10oz
-bag of jerky 4oz
-Stoney point rapid pivot bipod sitting & prone models total 19oz
-wind meter 2oz
-rangefinder w/battery 12oz
Survival/misc/overnight kit
-Adventure medical bivy sack 4oz
First aid kit total 6oz
-1 roll bright orange vetwrap (can use as ace bandage, trail marker)
-4 big safety pins
-small roll athletic tape
-antiseptic towlette
-1 tube neosporin
-quickclot sponge
-5 4x4 gauze pads
-1 feminine pad (just added for a big bandage)
-50ft bright yellow paracord (marking trail or use as cord) 3oz
-30yds 143lb braided nylon rope 1oz
-15yds 262lb braided nylon rope (good spare bootlace) 1oz
-Frontier water filter straw & potable water tablets combined 1oz
-blank CD (signal mirror)
-firesteel & small lighter on lanyard 2oz
-pill bottle of vaseline coated cotton balls (over 1hr of burn time) 1oz
-Esbit cook stove with 4 fuel cubes (13min burn time/cube) 5.5oz
-Snow peak mug w/following total 11oz
-4ft folded aluminum foil (windscreen for stove, etc)
-3 hot tea bags
-1 hot chocolate pkt
-ziploc bag meal of rice/jerky/bullion cube
-shortened spoon

If I added right, with this list I pack 248oz or 15.5lbs not counting the pack itself. The weight I added is the stove/mug/food. I dropped some weight where I could, but with my lighter pack it's still only 17.5lbs. I don't think that weight is to bad including water. I still would like to switch to a separate tarp and rain gear, but the poncho will work for an unplanned shower. If bad weather is likely I'll have the J34 pack and my Sitka raingear and extra layers anyway. Of all the lightweight shelter options to pack just in case I like the Kifaru tarps the best, but they are down the "TO BUY" list a ways yet. It is cheaper to wait than buy now and upgrade later. I've brushed up on some skills also like firestarting, compass navigation, shelter building, etc. I got to watching Dave Cantebury's U tube videos and practicing some of the skills while on my conditioning walks. I have overkill in some areas, the tinder/stove fuel I carry will burn for over 2 hrs all together, but I'm ok with that. I spend long hours an a tractor and sometimes think up situations and how I'd handle them with this list. I should be able to get a fire going, have a warm meal/drink, handle simple injuries, and stay warm and dry enough to survive with this list.

Also on my person I carry binoculars, 4 rounds extra ammunition and a 4oz kit in an Altoids tin with a knife, firesteel, tinder packets, striking surface, and waterproof matches are carried in my pocket. I taped the tin shut for water resistance.

 

[BlackKnight755]

Looks like you got your pack list down to a science almost! I am sure that there are other things that you could pack and some things that you could take out but what you have listed looks good to me. You can survive inclimate weather (cold and wet) overnight if you have to with the things that you have in your pack list. You have food, shelter, first aid supplies, hydration and the means to start a fire. I can't think of much else that you need. I have actually updated my list/pack from some of the suggestions and posts, so thanks for starting the thread!

Here is a site that I go to to look at what is out there. Some of the prices are a little high but you can always get the product name and get it from somewhere else. Survival Kits Component Specialists, Survival Resources - Be Prepared To Survive Its a great survival goody site with some great items. BK

 

[mcseal2]

Looks like you got your pack list down to a science almost! I am sure that there are other things that you could pack and some things that you could take out but what you have listed looks good to me. You can survive inclimate weather (cold and wet) overnight if you have to with the things that you have in your pack list. You have food, shelter, first aid supplies, hydration and the means to start a fire. I can't think of much else that you need. I have actually updated my list/pack from some of the suggestions and posts, so thanks for starting the thread!

Here is a site that I go to to look at what is out there. Some of the prices are a little high but you can always get the product name and get it from somewhere else. Survival Kits Component Specialists, Survival Resources - Be Prepared To Survive Its a great survival goody site with some great items. BK

You are right, I've got that sight bookmarked also, great ideas. I'm glad the thread helped. It REALLY helped me which is obvious if you look at the beginning list from the first page compared to now. I do take things in and out of the pack for some occasions. I find if I check the list when I add or remove an item for a trip, I at least think about it's importance and don't just plain forget it.

Another thing I have thought about is Wetfire cubes. The vaseline coated cotton balls are cheap and when pulled apart the fibers light VERY easy with a firesteel though. I can also keep them dry until I get them lit so that isn't an issue. I've also been experimenting with a lightweight alcohol stove and carrying that instead of the esbit, but I feel safer with the esbit as alcohol can be almost colorless when burning. The alcohol stove also creates a vacuum on my cup at times and I'm afraid of spilling it in leaves or pine needles when moving the cup. I also didn't add that I carry a leatherman wave multitool everywhere except church (then it's in the truck) and it can be handy for hot containers, equipment repair, or a few million other things.

 

[BlackKnight755]

Something that I forgot to mention, I have made a folder on my computer for my different lists and when I go hunting or to a shooting competition I can just open the appropriate list, make any necessary changes to the list and print it out so that I can check the things off the list. I know its not rocket science but I learned this from one of my friends that started making lists and checking things off only after he got to a competition 600 miles away from home only to find that he had left a much needed piece of equipment! He now makes lists...