For many hunters, preparing for a day hunt involves careful consideration of gear and organization. One frequently asked question is, “What’s in your pack?” To answer this, we’ll take a detailed look at the contents of our day packs. This setup is tailored for rifle and archery elk hunts, but the principles can apply to a variety of hunting scenarios.
Choosing the Right Day Hunt Pack
Your pack should be large enough to carry all the essentials that we run through below but your pack shouldn’t be too large that it becomes cumbersome. Additionally, be sure your pack fits your body. Mystery Ranch has a great video that runs through how to ensure your pack fits, check it our below.
Mystery Ranch packs are a favorite among hunters for their durability, versatility, and thoughtful design. It’s a brand that has stood the test of time, offering ample storage and comfort for long days in the field.
Another component to consider on your day pack is a load shelf. One of the standout features of the Mystery Ranch Metcalf is its load shelf, located between the pack bag and the frame. This allows hunters to carry game meat without sacrificing the contents of the pack. After a successful hunt, a hind or front quarter can be loaded into the shelf, ensuring no wasted trips back to camp.
Top Compartment: Essentials for Quick Access
The top compartment, sometimes called the “brain” of the pack is reserved for items that need to be easily accessible.
Here’s what you’ll find in our brain;
- Spare Buckles and Repair Tools: A set of spare buckles ensures that if any part of the pack breaks, it can be quickly fixed. We also pack a Gerber Center Drive multi-tool for on-the-go repairs to cameras, firearms, or other gear.
- Extra Battery Pack: For hunters relying on phones or GPS devices, a portable battery pack, like the ones made by Anker, are essential. It can provide 3-5 additional charges, depending on the temperature.
- Headlamps: Two headlamps are carried—one as a primary light source and another as a backup. This ensures visibility during early mornings, late evenings, or unexpected delays.
- Zoid Bag for Organization: A small Zoid bag from Mystery Ranch keeps critical items like hunting licenses, permits, tags, and wind indicators organized and secure. It also holds extra zip ties, rubber bands, and other small necessities.
Outside Pockets: Handy Items for Immediate Use
The outside pockets of the pack are reserved for items that might be needed quickly:
- Hand Warmers: These are useful not only for keeping hands warm but also for maintaining battery performance in cold weather.
- Trail Snacks: A selection of candy bars, trail mix, and protein bars provides quick energy during long hunts.
- Reading Material: A compact book on backcountry first aid serves as both a reference and a way to pass downtime.
- Extra Batteries: Double A batteries are stored here for devices like microphones or other electronics.
Inside the Day Hunt Pack: Core Gear for Success
The main compartment of the pack holds the bulk of the gear, organized for efficiency and preparedness:
- Hydration System: A water bladder ensures proper hydration. Its durability makes it a reliable choice, especially when carrying heavy loads like game meat. We like the 3-liter Platypus Big Zip. The 3-liter capacity is enough water to last most day hunts. However, on those hot, early season elk hunts, be sure to carry a water filtration system. For a lightweight setup, we like the Katadyn products. Or if you’re really wanting to lightweight, consider packing purification tablets.
- Extra Clothing Layers: Having some extra layers can help keep you warm during the early morning or late afternoon glassing hours. Lightweight puffy jackets or a durable outer layer is what we carry around. If your weather isn’t looking ideal, check out our clothing system we pack for those wet, cold conditions.
- Spare Socks: Keeping feet warm and dry is critical, so an extra pair of socks is always included.
- Fire-Starting Supplies: Windproof lighters, fire starters, and other fire-making tools ensure the ability to start a fire in any conditions.
Kill Kit Items
- Nitrile Gloves: A great tool to have for field dressing game, especially for anyone with allergies to deer or elk. These gloves can also be useful in emergency situations to add an extra layer of warmth.
- Game Bags: We never leave our game bags in the truck! Especially during archery elk season when meat spoilage is a real threat. We carry Caribou Gear game bags which were carefully designed to handle an entire elk.
- Knives and Blades: Similar to the game bags, we never leave our knives in the truck. We also pack spare blades for our replaceable knives. Our crew carries around the Gerber Randy Newberg EBS Knife and its replaceable blades. We’ll also carry the Big Game Vitals knife.
- Tarp: A lightweight tarp serves multiple purposes, from creating a makeshift shelter to providing a clean surface for processing game. Not a necessity to carry around but if you’re up for the extra weight, this is a nice to have!
First Aid Kit | The MOST IMPORTANT item in Day Hunt Pack
Accidents in the field happen. Don’t let those accidents turn into a tragedy. Pack the appropriate first aid kit for your hunt and hunting party.
Be sure to carry at least the following items;
- Tourniquet
- Quick Clot
- Gauze
- Suture kit
The team at Uncharted Supply has created kits curated for hunters in the field. Check out their products. In addition, you need to ensure you know how to use the items in your kit. Take classes like NOLS Wilderness classes, or watch wilderness survival modules on Outdoorclass. John Barklow, Sitka’s Senior Product Manager, has an amazing website, Knowledge from Storms, that takes a learning approach to wilderness survival from hard times. Regardless of how you gain your knowledge, just remember knowledge weighs nothing and is invaluable to have packed in your day pack.
Final Thoughts
Having the right gear and being organized in the right way can make all the difference. Ultimately, the goal is to strike a balance between carrying what you need and avoiding unnecessary weight. Overloading your pack can slow you down, while under-packing can leave you vulnerable. By carefully selecting and organizing your gear, you can focus on the hunt itself, knowing you’re prepared for whatever comes your way.
Happy Hunting!
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