Hunting for sports. It is a controversial topic. However, if you are not a vegetarian and you eat what you hunt, I guess all’s good. Right? If you are on the same page as us, then lets get on today’s topic: how to build your first hunting kit. Truth be told. This topic covers a wide spectrum and the kit you ended up with depends on the game you have on your sight, and how long you plan to be out in the wilderness.
If this is your first, imagination is your best friend. What you need is the result of what you imagine will happen in a hunting trip. Like, for examples, do you expect a cold? Are you expecting wet weather? Or perhaps, you’d expect to step into a lake? You get the idea. If you need a little help to putting up a list for your first hunting kit, then read on to find out more.
Clothing
First thing first, you want to be attired appropriately. What you are hunting matters. It will determine the kind of camouflage clothing to blend in with the surrounding. I mean, you don’t want to spook your game with bright orange attire, do you? At the same time, you don’t want to be too blended in that fellow hunters may accidentally shoot at you.
In addition, the temperature matters. So make sure you check the weather. You do not be want to be caught in the rain without a poncho, or spending all your calories to fight the cold. Having said that, you may need a pair of gloves with good grips too. Finally, lets not forget a pair of good boots.
Sustenance
Depending on how long you plan to be staking out, you will need sustenance, i.e. food and water. These are not options; they are essential. I know how some hunters prefer warm food and chose to cook in the wild. I prefer not. I am not about to start a forest fire and I am sure you don’t, too.
Dry food, snacks will be nice. Perhaps, energy bars may be a good idea as they fill the stomach easy so need not to eat a truck load. Water, both ambient temperature and warm, is important too.
Storage
We would like start off the storage with a couple of trash bag to contain whatever trash you may generate during the trip. Come on, folks. Let us give mother nature’s property some respect by NOT treating the wilderness as a giant trash can.
Storage also includes thermos for hot beverages (if you expect cold weather especially), rugged water bottle for ambient temperature water, as well as resealable containers for whatever food you may bring along.
Hunting and Survival Gear
We cannot stress more on the importance of hunting gear and survival kit. Again, this depends on the game. If you are hunting ducks, you will need duck wader and duck whistle for examples, or in the case of hunting for deer, you probably gonna need doe urine. Lets not forget windincator to determine wind direction (because licking your thumb isn’t accurate!).
In addition, self-defense against predators should be considered. Bear spray could be useful if you are venturing into areas where bears may appear. Having said that, it is imperative that you are familiar with the area of hunt.
A survival kit that has fire starter, pocket knife, threads, paracord, basic first aid, medication, et cetera, would be considered essentials too. You know, for those just-in-case situations. If worrying about running out of water, you may consider picking up a Lifestraw. Don’t forget some reflective trail markers, storm-proof lighter, and hand warmer too.
For deer hunters, be sure to equip yourself with deer drag harness. Seriously, we are just regular’ol people, not Hercules! Finally, deer hunters may want to consider packing a deer cleaning kit too.
Weapons
This is pretty self-explanatory. You gotta pick the weapon designed for the game in mind and suitable sight or scope. You can seek advise from seasoned hunters of the respective game on which is the best weapon for a specific game, or hit up resources like Hunting Mark to pick up valuable knowledge on a variety of firearms.
Remember, whichever you weapon you choose, you will always need ammunition pouch(es). Well, unless you are using a machete. But seriously, you won’t be using blades, right? That’s pretty cruel.
Speaking of blades, you will need a knife that is capable of cutting loose traps, bushes and branches. In case you are looking for suitable deer hunting materials, do check out these deer skinning knife sets. That’s in addition to the pocket knife we mentioned earlier. While we are on the topic of knives, Hunting Mark also offers great contents with respect to knife for different jobs.
Gadgets
In the gadget department, you will need devices like an action camera to record your adventure, flashlight – preferably head-mounted variety for obvious reasons (it be even better if you can bring a small flashlight along), smartphone (perhaps with a good hunting app), binoculars or monocular, and power banks (or solar panels if you can afford the space and weight).
I am not sure if you need a satellite phone. If I can afford one, I would. But hey, that’s the prepper in me. There are accessories out there that could turn your smartphone into a satellite phone. However, most, if not all, requires subscription. So that’s something to take into consideration.
Bag
Finally, you will need a lightweight but rugged tactical bag. Preferably, one with MOLLE system, so you can attach pouches and stuff to the exterior for quick accessibility. Backpack would be idea.
Though some people may prefer shoulder bag, but honestly, that will just get in the way sometimes. The back should have good separation pockets, so you can keep everything organized for quick access.
Conclusion
When it comes to hunting gear, the best thing to do is to make a list of everything that you may need and go through each and every item by running through the hunting process in your head. You will; need to prioritize them and eliminate items that you are less important.
While you want to be prepared, you also don’t want to be weighed down when you are out there. Last but not the least, remember your hunting license and tags!
So, there you have it, our little take on ‘How To Build Your First Hunting Kit’. It is important to note that what we have laid out is a just a basic guide; it is not an end all be all. In other words, it is definitely not exhaustive.
Featured photo by Fredrik Öhlander on Unsplash.
