WHATS IN YOUR SACK!
Contributors to this thread:Connecticut
From: swampdonkeyusmc
01-Sep-14
Yes, we hunt in CT but sometimes walking a mile and a half to get to your stand is the best way to go. Let's start with the pack. I went with digital camouflage this year. This is a MOLLE pack armed with a 10" buck knife. I know it's illegal, but the State refuses to assign me an armed hairs an if I shoot some critter with my bow I go to jail.
From: CJD437
01-Sep-14
THis time of year Thermacell, flashlight and a knife!
From: swampdonkeyusmc
01-Sep-14
Next, hydration. It's very important to plenty of water, especially in the early season....
From: The Dark Knight
01-Sep-14
U plan on peeing in the woods every 5 minutes with that hydration pack? Lol, jk
From: swampdonkeyusmc
02-Sep-14
Nope, just hate being thirsty. Next we have a Thermacell with refills and toilet paper. Toilet paper makes for awesome blood tracking markers.
From: swampdonkeyusmc
02-Sep-14
I like the new IMAGE ROTATOR feature
From: The Dark Knight
02-Sep-14
Does the Thermacel work well?
From: Onthehunt
02-Sep-14
What will fit in my pockets. Hunt area in fairfield county I can basically see my car from stand. Btw. State law for knives says 4inch Max.... UNLESS you have a hunting liscense. Then there is no restriction on length. You can sleep well knowing the 10 inch knife legal. Then again I have one that length and never bother to bring it. There are very few uses for it others tools work better. The back side is even serrated so I figured I would at least use it as a saw for limbs. Good luck with that. There is no ability for downward pressure and you sure aren't going to press down on the blade side.
From: CJD437
02-Sep-14
The Thermacell works GREAT! I would do a commercial for them but my wife says Im too ugly. I use the earth scent but they do have one with no scent. The earth scent smells just like dirt so it also masks odor. It takes about 10 minutes to start working and when it does all flying nasties are gone and stay gone.
From: swampdonkeyusmc
02-Sep-14
That Thermacell will expel a ground blind full of skeeters in 2.2 seconds. You gotta have rope, saw and cutters in there. You never know what you are going to drag out or have to cut down...
From: CTCrow
02-Sep-14
TP, you can never have too much TP.
From: Bloodtrail
02-Sep-14
Swamp, it looks like you are carrying alot of gear for a deer hunt in CT. I think you hunt Salmon River State forest, like me.
I carry a small knife with a gut hook and saw blade (all in one). I can field dress and lop off small limbs if I need to when using my climber. A couple Bounty paper towels work better than a whole roll of toilet paper...plus I can also use these for wiping down after field dressing.
Also, in my pack (mostly in my pockets) I carry a line to pull my bow up in my stand, latex gloves for field dressing, license and tags, flashlight/headlamp x 2, bow hook, grunt call & turkey diaphragm calls.
I use a modified part of my safety harness for dragging a deer out (it's basically the part you wrap around the tree and I use this to attach to a deer).
Haven't tried a Thermacell while in the woods because I wear gloves and a headnet when the mosquitos are around. I've found the less stuff the better.
Maybe we can catch up to one another this season. Good luck and shoot a nice one.
From: swampdonkeyusmc
02-Sep-14
Hey Blood, I do hunt Salmon River off of Greyville. So times I go on the Hope Valley tract and other times I cross the Jeremy. It's funny seeing the expression on some of the hikers faces when we cross paths. I am always prepared for whatever mother nature or fate has to throw at me. I also use it as a way to condition myself for future hunts. Next we add a poncho and a dressing knife with sharpener. Never know when it's going to rain or if I decide to get me some dinner.
From: steve
02-Sep-14
Were are the extra batteries ? and lighter ,gps range finder ,rattle bag .grunt tub hand wipes sent killer .I could remember when I didn't have anything but a bow.
From: treesitter
02-Sep-14
Swamp,
Wheres your pee bottle?
My hunt would be over in an hour without it!
From: notme
02-Sep-14
food smokes knives tp incase I run into a mountain lion....I don't plan on shooting anything..
From: swampdonkeyusmc
02-Sep-14
Lol, I fill that sack good, just wait, it gets better. A headlamp and high powered flashlight. Don't let the Liberals find out about that high powered flashlight they might make a stink about it. The headlamp is for me and the flashlight is to mark my deer at night when I have to track in the dark. 2 linemans strap, god only knows how many times over left anchor straps Terre's and have to get them later. And most importantly a compass, GPS sometimes fail and all I need to do is find the road....
From: Wild Bill
03-Sep-14
No signal whistle?
From: MGGC
03-Sep-14
What no rangefinder ,super duper binos, and fancy phone . No snacks , Hamburgers ,hot dogs and where do you put the gas grill. oh and don't forget the extra propane.
From: Bloodtrail
03-Sep-14
I would rather drag a deer out than to drag that bag around. Yikes!
From: notme
03-Sep-14
i guess youll never get called for naked and afraid,lol...whats that thing weigh?
From: longbeard
03-Sep-14
Just my balls...LOL
From: swampdonkeyusmc
03-Sep-14
Lol, I lime the grill idea. I think I can hang a nice Weber from the tree. This only gets better. As you can see there are batteries, SD cards, a a small digital camera so I can see the trail cam pics as I pass by them. Also in this sack is 3 gallon size zip locks, a trail cam, and trail marking pins. It's like going on a Rocky Mountain hunt.
From: yukon roz
03-Sep-14
thats what I dislike about bow hunting .I carry stuff bow hunting that I don't when I gun hunt.I never bring a range finder gun hunting and tape to mark the blood trail.There always seems to be alot more stuff to carry when I spend the day in a tree with my bow than when I gun hunt.BUT bowhunting is still my favorite hunting.Because of the peace and quiet in the woods early season no guns going off no trucks on the side of the road.I don't hear the near by hunters shooting thier bows just quiet and nature at its best.
From: DeerDan
03-Sep-14
I carry as little as possible!
From: swampdonkeyusmc
03-Sep-14
I really don't mind carrying that gear. I'm still young and still can do it. It's nice knowing I hardly a ton of resources just in case something happens. I plan on going on a Quebec moose hunt next year with my family so I'm just trying to keep conditioned. Hiking in over a mile to a tree stand is a pain, but when you have everything you need in that pack, it pays off in the end. BTW, the bumps, range finder, grunt tube and whistle are all on my bino harness. Be prepared and shoot straight. Not many people will or can ever experience the serenity of the bow hunter.
From: notme
03-Sep-14
amen to that
From: drslyr
03-Sep-14
I too love the thermacell in new england. However I went on a hog hunt in south florida just outside the everglades and the mosquitoes flew off with it laughing.
From: wapiti
04-Sep-14
My Pack does not come out until It either gets cold or the sits start going over four hours. Late October maybe.
From: Straight Arrow
06-Sep-14
Looks like the only think you're missing is a pack frame, and you're ready pack out an ELK or Rocky Mountain Mule Deer! I have to give you credit you are prepared as an EAGLE SCOUT!
From: swampdonkeyusmc
06-Sep-14
EAGLE SCOUTS are a little smarter than that. Only MARINES overly prepare LOL.
