What be in your kit ?
- Thread starter Lace1978
- Start date
Just seen this, and some interesting differences in people experience.
1) Keep an eye on the weather forecast in the area you're going to hunt, take the appropriate clothing, warm hat, gloves, but be prepared for it to be far colder, and wetter. You will be able to leave extra fleeces etc', in the trucks, between drives, if you know you'll not need them. Same for other things, you may, or not need. Gators are really useful, to help if it's really wet/snow, or through the brambles.
If your trip to Turkey (same place I went last year) is similar, we shot in the lowlands, where it was chilly, but not "cold", but also up in the hills, where there was a foot of snow, and you needed good, warm footwear.
2) There were no stands/seats in Turkey, and I would suggest some sort of stool a "must", unless you're prepared to stand for the whole day, and carry your rifle. Sit on a stool, rest rifle on your legs. There may be no trees, or anywhere clean/dry to rest your rifle, and the stool can double for that too.
3) Flask for a hot drink, bottle of water, even in the cold, you can get thirsty. Snacks of choice. Most people make a sandwich from the breakfast table. I'd suggest snacks you can open, and eat quietly !
4) A fixed blade knife is worth having, even if it's kept in the day bag. Very occasional dispatch, cutting a branch on a tree to use as a hook to hang your day bag, off the wet muddy ground, etc'.
5) Ammunition, we nearly always carry more than we'll ever shoot, but you never know ! Spare mag, if your rifle takes mags, loaded, ready to swap.
6) I favour kitchen roll for hanky, and toilet paper. Stronger, less susceptible to the damp, and some wet wipes in a zip bag, or the compressed dry hand towels that expand when you pour some water on them. Bin liners can be VERY useful, if you do find yourself in a high stand, and don't want to climb down during a drive !
7) Odds, and sods: hand warmers, pouch, or HotRox type, I always carry a head torch, been caught out a few times, walking out the woods in the dark. Something dayglo, Peltors, or similar electronic ear defenders, they are a great aid to hearing things coming. Batteries for whatever you carry, power-bank, and cables. Two way radios, are great, if you have, or a friend. Few Plasters, Cable ties, or something to make the big keiler you shoot.
A small cleaning kit, for the field, and back in the room. A pull through is good, but I favour having the multi section rod type too, for the field, as having slipped in the snow, on the way to my peg, and plugged my barrel, I had a nightmare finding a straight branch, to push the cr*p out
and that was my 9.3mm, anything smaller, and I doubt you'd be able to clear it.
Sticks, are one of those things you will very rarely use, but you can take them, check if your peg warrants them, and decide. Boar often do stop, and have a look around, but it would have to be a pretty long way, before I'd get on the sticks.
Spare glasses, contact lenses, and I'm sure I've forgotten things. The one thing I do remember, is whilst you can be lucky with some pegs, and may have a very short walk, if at all, some pegs can be a mission, up very steep, wet, muddy, snow covered hill/mountain sides, so you only want to carry what you're most likely to need. You'll have worked this out by day 4
1) Keep an eye on the weather forecast in the area you're going to hunt, take the appropriate clothing, warm hat, gloves, but be prepared for it to be far colder, and wetter. You will be able to leave extra fleeces etc', in the trucks, between drives, if you know you'll not need them. Same for other things, you may, or not need. Gators are really useful, to help if it's really wet/snow, or through the brambles.
If your trip to Turkey (same place I went last year) is similar, we shot in the lowlands, where it was chilly, but not "cold", but also up in the hills, where there was a foot of snow, and you needed good, warm footwear.
2) There were no stands/seats in Turkey, and I would suggest some sort of stool a "must", unless you're prepared to stand for the whole day, and carry your rifle. Sit on a stool, rest rifle on your legs. There may be no trees, or anywhere clean/dry to rest your rifle, and the stool can double for that too.
3) Flask for a hot drink, bottle of water, even in the cold, you can get thirsty. Snacks of choice. Most people make a sandwich from the breakfast table. I'd suggest snacks you can open, and eat quietly !
4) A fixed blade knife is worth having, even if it's kept in the day bag. Very occasional dispatch, cutting a branch on a tree to use as a hook to hang your day bag, off the wet muddy ground, etc'.
5) Ammunition, we nearly always carry more than we'll ever shoot, but you never know ! Spare mag, if your rifle takes mags, loaded, ready to swap.
6) I favour kitchen roll for hanky, and toilet paper. Stronger, less susceptible to the damp, and some wet wipes in a zip bag, or the compressed dry hand towels that expand when you pour some water on them. Bin liners can be VERY useful, if you do find yourself in a high stand, and don't want to climb down during a drive !
7) Odds, and sods: hand warmers, pouch, or HotRox type, I always carry a head torch, been caught out a few times, walking out the woods in the dark. Something dayglo, Peltors, or similar electronic ear defenders, they are a great aid to hearing things coming. Batteries for whatever you carry, power-bank, and cables. Two way radios, are great, if you have, or a friend. Few Plasters, Cable ties, or something to make the big keiler you shoot.
A small cleaning kit, for the field, and back in the room. A pull through is good, but I favour having the multi section rod type too, for the field, as having slipped in the snow, on the way to my peg, and plugged my barrel, I had a nightmare finding a straight branch, to push the cr*p out
and that was my 9.3mm, anything smaller, and I doubt you'd be able to clear it.Sticks, are one of those things you will very rarely use, but you can take them, check if your peg warrants them, and decide. Boar often do stop, and have a look around, but it would have to be a pretty long way, before I'd get on the sticks.
Spare glasses, contact lenses, and I'm sure I've forgotten things. The one thing I do remember, is whilst you can be lucky with some pegs, and may have a very short walk, if at all, some pegs can be a mission, up very steep, wet, muddy, snow covered hill/mountain sides, so you only want to carry what you're most likely to need. You'll have worked this out by day 4
Jagare
Well-Known Member
Lots of good advice in this thread. Being cold on your stand is miserable and as said in another thread your concentration is badly affected. I made that mistake in 2019 on a hunting day here in Sweden when i miss judged the weather. Forget the big knife for dispatch they have people to do that on shoot days and you'll just give the natives a laugh. Apart from a small knife that I use for cutting sausage or Salami I normally leave my hunting knife at home.
Alan,
I can only say from my own experience, I would never want to be without my hunting knife, not a Portuguese "Sword", just my deer knife
8x57
Distinguished Member
I had the **** taken out of me in France by the beaters for carrying a big knife (dagger). I think it was more to do with them thinking that I wanted to steal their job.
I still think I would carry it though as insurance. Besides that I've had it ten years and haven't blooded it yet.
Best kit I invested in was thermalite snow boots used for after ski, find a robust pair in January sales. Proved invaluable in the snow of Turkey, croatia, hungary, Germany etc cold feet are not fun over a 7 to 8 hour day, you may be out in your peg by 7:30am and in most of the countries listed you are more likely to be on the ground, not in a mirador or a high seat.
Bavarianbrit
Well-Known Member
Take an old latex glove, cut the fingers off and use them 1 each day as condoms over the barrel.
Jagare
Well-Known Member
I think it was more to do with them thinking that I wanted to steal their job.
Why else would they laugh at you. I believe you.
I hope the trip goes ahead but given the U.K. is now banned in terms of travel in over 30 countries due to our more virulent strain of CV and we have some of the worst infection rates in Europe Turkey may not be an option
Jagare
Well-Known Member
I have a small knife that I carry on my belt on every hunting day and I could gut a boar with it if needed. If I've paid for a hunt day I want someone else to do the dirty work.Alan,
I can only say from my own experience, I would never want to be without my hunting knife, not a Portuguese "Sword", just my deer knife
Just this got back in from collecting a boar I shot last night. Not a big boar but I lung shot it and it made it into a plantation. To much of a problem dragging it out with the dog trying to rag it at 02.00 this morning.
Cold last night so the boar was OK laying there for a few hours
Ask Graham about the hunt we did in Hungary.
A boar needed dispatching, making a horrible squealing. Beaters finally turn up, not a rifle, shotgun, or knife between them ! Graham put it out of it's misery !
A boar needed dispatching, making a horrible squealing. Beaters finally turn up, not a rifle, shotgun, or knife between them ! Graham put it out of it's misery !
8x57
Distinguished Member
Lateral you certainly couldn't say that about where I've shot in France. The beaters were armed to the teeth, they looked like a bunch of pirates or a band of marquis left over from the last conflict. Saying that they they were very safety conscious and I remember one young guy getting a right royal ear bashing off the other beaters about muzzle awareness.
A wooden knife that way if a bear comes running out .. you wont cut your pants when scraping the crap out of them later !
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
Yes and to save room you could carry it Henri Charrière charger style with a few rolled up tenners ya missus doesnt know about.
SamHuntVic
Well-Known Member
Electrical tape, red. One 2" piece across the muzzle another on top of it around the muzzle. Another piece around the barrel as a spare.
Grant.
Grant.
Deutsch - Drahthaar
Well-Known Member
I use an Harkila rucksack chair. More comfortable than any stick/seat/stool and load of space for everything else you could wish to carry.
Check the weather forecast if it is freezing take something to stand on to insulate you from the ground as well as sit on
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