After spending the majority of the past week with bow in hand in search of Wapiti, thought I'd pass along what I carry in my pockets.
First off let me clarify that I only wear clothing that has pockets. Otherwise the garment if of little to no service to me. This is especially true for my hunting clothes. When I leave my rig for a hunt I am prepared for success as well as having to spend a night out in the woods, should that happen. So what goes in my pockets are as follows starting with my pants which are Cabela's Micro-Tex camo bdu pants. Left cargo pocket is my Garmin GPS and a roll of flagging tape. Right cargo is my Bushnell Monarch range finder and my bottle of elk estrus scent securely sealed. Left front pocket is my Gum-O-Flage, since I quit chewing smokeless tobacco a few years ago I chew gum instead. This is a scent masking gum that eliminates bad breath and helps to cover human scent. Right front pocket is my Wind Checker bottle with a short leash tied to it and my belt loop. A carryover from my fly fishing experience. Left rear pocket is where I put my T.P. and I keep it in a baggie in case the conditions are wet. Right rear is available for any last minute item I feel the need to have otherwise it's empty. So, those are my camo bdu pants pockets, now how about my shirt? In my left chest pocket goes my hunting license, tags and the right is empty. Around my neck are my 7 x 35 Leica binoculars and game calls.
That pretty much does it for my hands on items that I need and use on my deer and elk hunts. The rest of my gear is in my Kifaru Daystalker pack. I'll go over those items on another day. You can read my review of the Daystalker here. This pack is great and I seriously doubt I'll ever need another pack. Only if this one wears out, then I'll get another to replace it.
On another note I either wear a 3/4 mesh camo face net or camo face paint. In the latter case I have found a great product to remove the camo. As anyone knows who has worn it and tried to get it off, it can sure take a lot of elbow grease. Not to mention it feels like you just gave yourself a loofah. None the less, Pond's has come out with a make up remover that does wonders for removing camo face paint. The only draw back is the product is lightly scented. So keep some field wipes on hand or if you've got scent shield soap at camp or in your pack than no worries. It comes in a handy size that is re-sealable and there are 30 towelettes approximately 6" x 7". I used both sides of one towelette to remove my camo the other day and it was a breeze. I keep them in my glove box.
A quick update on my elk hunt. So far the last 2 mornings out I have been in them and all around them. Just not close enough for a shot. I am back out in the morning and setting up in the dark using estrus scent and with any luck they'll stick to their same routine. Will keep you updated as the hunt progresses. Thanks for visiting and I will get back to posting more frequently after this elk hunt is over or when I get my elk. Be safe out there.
What's in your pockets out in the field big game hunting?
Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt
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13 comments:
Terry, it sure sounds like you have things covered with gadgets and gear while you out in the field.
Good Luck on your Elk hunting, can't wait to hear how your doing.
As far as what I am carrying when I'm out, I think that will be in a post.
Great pocket list! Not that I'll ever get a chance to hunt elk at the rate I'm going, but it's nice to see what you use. My waterfowl game bag is much the same way. (And I've used an Almay moisturizing eye makeup remover gel, but my camo was a lovely green shade of eye shadow, so I don't know if this remover would work on traditional face paint.)
Good luck, Terry! Keep at it. We are leaving today to head up to the mountains. It is suppose to be pretty cold this week, so I'm hopeful the elk will be moving around where we are at. One more week!
Hunt hard!
P.s., I always wear cargo pants b/c of the pockets. It makes the it easy to quickly get to the things you need - rangefinder, windcheck, etc. However, it sounds like you have a better system than me. I tend to just throw everything in and then end up digging through each pocket to find what I need. :)
I don't carry much in my pockets, everything goes in my daypack (Eberlestock, maybe Kifaru or Mystery Ranch someday) except for a bit of kleenex, a tube of chapstick, and sometimes a handful of .22 shells if grouse season is open at the same time as rifle elk. I'll also frequently stash my light gloves in cargo pockets after I've taken them off in the morning. I do keep 5 rounds of spare ammunition on my pants, belt, though.
Good luck on the rest of your hunt!
Good luck Terry!
Sounds like a good list to me! I also always have some sort of snack in my pockets and then more snacks in my daypack... I have to always have a protein source on hand, just in case I start getting lightheaded - it's not good to pass out in the field :)
I can admire organization because organized I am not. The neccessities though are where I know they are at. Instead of cargo pants I wear saddle bags(I don't even know if they make them anymore) Pistol is in the right one, range finder is in the left. Its sure easy to carry to much stuff, but as the Father-in-law says, 'its better to be over.'
When I got back from my walk this morning, I met Sue on her way out to the deer stand - it looked like she could use your hint on taking the camo off as it looked pretty thick!
Gary, you got me LOL! Tell Sue it works really well.
Blessed, the same for me too with the protein and snacks.
Just found your site - looking forward to reading some previous posts for tips and stories.
I envy you access to Cabela's and decent women's hunting gear. In England women are usually viewed as "accessories" in the field and we get offered short tweed skirts and knee-high boots by the manufacturers. It gets right up my nose!
I have fallen in love with my range finder and take it on all deer & boar hunts. Plus I always carry my buck knife for on-site gralloching, and now I wear rubber gloves because it's been a bad year for ticks. I also carry a deer drag made of strong leather in case it's a long walk back to the vehicle. Everything goes in my pockets or around my neck.
But I always forget something I need, no two hunts are ever exactly the same, are they?
I'm after a Sika stag in the next couple of weeks which are in rut over here. Good luck with those elk.
Jen
Jen, thanks so much for visiting and telling us a bit about your hunting across the pond. Even though we have Cabela's and women's clothing companies there is still a long ways to go. At least it is a start. We are not as proper in attire or as your country. None the less we seem to make things work. That says a lot about the woman's spirit I do believe. Good luck with your Sika hunt!
I almost forgot - I have a blog if you're interested more in hunting in England. www.milkweedand teasel.blogspot.com
I've left a link on my blog to yours, as women here in the UK need all the support we can get!
My husband is a gamekeeper and we hunt and shoot a variety of game as part of our job. I hope you find it interesting. I'm his unpaid underkeeper at the moment, but I will be starting a new job soon as head stalker on another estate, managing mostly wild red deer.
You're right about the 'properly attired' bit - I wear short wool trousers and shooting socks with flashes. Women who shoot or work in the field just adapt men's outfits. There are some OK European clothing ranges (Harkila, Seeland, Le Chameau, etc) but there's not alot of options and they're always more expensive than the men's ranges.
Thanks again for your great blog!
Jen
Hey, Terry, been readin'' ya for some time, now have begun following. I live in Oregon, too, will be in your neck of the woods for buck season this week and next. I have taught big game hunting and outdoor survival to women through ODF&W, and am a firearms instructor.
Haven't things changed for us gals?! Who would have thought we would have the contests, tv coverage, equipment, etc. that we have now?
For carrying, I use cargo pants and carry a map, compass, GPS if I am unfamiliar with the area, a big garbage bag (great for shelter), fire starter stuff, a knife, and some flagging tape (if lost, throw it as high as possible in a tree to be spotted from the air), and water, no matter what. Then, I carry nutrition, a day's worth of meds, if I need them, tissue and hand wipes, my id and license, and Super Glue, which closes any wound and protects it.
If ya see a GMC pickup with the license HNTRSS, flag me down!
Thanks for the site! I am at: http://truecodeofthewest.blogspot.com
Ma'am, thanks for visiting. Great items for sure, especially super glue. Have to add that to my kit. We've made some good headway of recent regarding women hunters, yet still a log ways to go. Good luck with your hunt, hope to cross paths at some point.
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