What do you / would you carry when stalking alone and in a group
- Thread starter Vipa
- Start date
guys, seriously, stalking is:
clothes (incl. hat and gloves), rifle with ammo and a spare pouch and knife on the belt), rope (maybe)...if midges, a net in the pocket.
If you're on the hill for hours on end and there is a safety issue should something 'happen' or you need food/drink, then that's another story, but for a local stalk in the morning or evening for a single buck or doe, there's really no need to make life too complex.
clothes (incl. hat and gloves), rifle with ammo and a spare pouch and knife on the belt), rope (maybe)...if midges, a net in the pocket.
If you're on the hill for hours on end and there is a safety issue should something 'happen' or you need food/drink, then that's another story, but for a local stalk in the morning or evening for a single buck or doe, there's really no need to make life too complex.
Tamus
Well-Known Member
I would feel naked without a stick... and a bolt for that rifle... the right bolt for the rifle... and some binoculars... and some electrical tape for taping the end of the muzzle... what about suitable footwear.. is that included with "clothes"?
Anyway, after that... I agree with you 100% ... + maybe a phone... and... certainly make someone aware of where you are and when you expect to be back (wherever that might be) and ...if it is far from home... some dosh or plastic... and a bog roll or know where the good moss is and... Zzzzzz!
Orion
Well-Known Member
Now THAT is an idea worth pursuing!
Bugger carrying around a load of kit the long day through. Just stick a radio link camera on that QuadPod, find somewhere to lie up with a beverage of your choice, and let the 'drone' do your reccie for you, locate the deer and go straight into them - job done.
View attachment 16957
http://www.snelflight.co.uk/Building_A_Quad_Rotor_In_2_Minutes_First_Flight.mp4
A .308 'gunship' version might be going a bit too far though!
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patjack
Well-Known Member
+1. Bear grylls who's he, would rather be in the company of the original guys, Ray Mears Lofty Wiseman etc now were talking survival experts.
norma 308
Well-Known Member
jesus thats some gear
i carry as least as possible its amazing what you can do without when you put yr mind to it Tamus, I think you can get ointment for them these days!!, but that said I agree with Quadpods
I suggest a length of plastic covered curtain wire, which is longer than the barrel of any of your rifles, with a 1.5mm crimping lug on the end 8mm hole bent in half so it goes through your barrel (for a bit of patch to loop through) works a treat
Si
Well-Known Member
Ah, well that's covered by the baby wipes. 1 product for a hundred uses
BTW, does anyone else find having a poo in the forest rather alluring? Listening to the birds tweeting as you pinch it off....
I'm still on the look out for deer even as I squat
Vipa
Well-Known Member
Ah, well that's covered by the baby wipes. 1 product for a hundred uses
BTW, does anyone else find having a poo in the forest rather alluring? Listening to the birds tweeting as you pinch it off....
I'm still on the look out for deer even as I squat
I really struggle with it... not the poopin as such but end up more concerned about crapping on my pants while squatting thatn anything else.. really stresses me out.. was considdering a tow hitch upgrade on the back of the Jeep, somewhat like the one Clarkson had during the Polar Challenge
MY god I don't think I own half that stuff never mind take it on the hill Rifle, binos, knife, stick usually, short length of rope for dragging if I remember mars bar that all folks.
Mars bar handy but would not die of malnutrion if I forgot it, stick is an extra leg on the hill so makes it easier but again could manage withou tdon't like to be without it though, stick and rope for dragging annoying when you don't have them.
Even the knife you can manage without if you know how, So rifle ammo and binos are the essentials some other things are nice to have but you can manage without them.
Mars bar handy but would not die of malnutrion if I forgot it, stick is an extra leg on the hill so makes it easier but again could manage withou tdon't like to be without it though, stick and rope for dragging annoying when you don't have them.
Even the knife you can manage without if you know how, So rifle ammo and binos are the essentials some other things are nice to have but you can manage without them.
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Monkey Spanker
Well-Known Member
I've got a fairly robust theory on this subject......
I firmly believe that the amount of kit carried is inversely proportional to experience!
We all start off with a large back pack full of everything you could imagine to cover every possibility. (It's just as well we don't shoot too many deer at this stage as we would never be able to carry them as well!)
As time goes on and experience grows, we soon come to realise that we haven't ever used hardly any of the kit in the bag and it slowly but surely gets reduced. Eventually we are left with the absolute bare essentials. The bag can then disappear and be replaced by an empty roe sack if needed as we are now probably shooting a few animals and not worrying whether or not the inertial navigation system has retained its charge or the food supply will last the whole month etc...
By essentials, I mean rifle, sticks, binos, a sharp knife,Mobile phone, and of course..... toilet paper!
See my previous thread! http://www.thestalkingdirectory.co....nstitutional?highlight=morning+constitutional
Most stuff you can get in your pockets, the rest can be in your motor. If you are light and mobile you are less likely to twist an ankle etc anyway!
I suspect that some of the crusty old AW's like widows son and 6 pointer go out with little more than their rifle and a pair of baggy Y fronts?!
I'm guessing you may be fairly new to this game Mr Vipa?
Spank it - Ya Monkey!
MS
I firmly believe that the amount of kit carried is inversely proportional to experience!
We all start off with a large back pack full of everything you could imagine to cover every possibility. (It's just as well we don't shoot too many deer at this stage as we would never be able to carry them as well!)
As time goes on and experience grows, we soon come to realise that we haven't ever used hardly any of the kit in the bag and it slowly but surely gets reduced. Eventually we are left with the absolute bare essentials. The bag can then disappear and be replaced by an empty roe sack if needed as we are now probably shooting a few animals and not worrying whether or not the inertial navigation system has retained its charge or the food supply will last the whole month etc...
By essentials, I mean rifle, sticks, binos, a sharp knife,Mobile phone, and of course..... toilet paper!
See my previous thread! http://www.thestalkingdirectory.co....nstitutional?highlight=morning+constitutionalMost stuff you can get in your pockets, the rest can be in your motor. If you are light and mobile you are less likely to twist an ankle etc anyway!
I suspect that some of the crusty old AW's like widows son and 6 pointer go out with little more than their rifle and a pair of baggy Y fronts?!
I'm guessing you may be fairly new to this game Mr Vipa?
Spank it - Ya Monkey!
MS
Ranger22
Well-Known Member
All i take is Rifle
Ammo
Knife
Bino's
Gloves
Long lead/ dragging rope
Phone, which has a torch in it.
Dog
In an emergency dial 999 even if your network is not showing other networks might be there and as its an emergency you get through.Try texting as well, it takes less signal.Before you go out tell someone where you are going and give them a time of return
Al
Ammo
Knife
Bino's
Gloves
Long lead/ dragging rope
Phone, which has a torch in it.
Dog
In an emergency dial 999 even if your network is not showing other networks might be there and as its an emergency you get through.Try texting as well, it takes less signal.Before you go out tell someone where you are going and give them a time of return
Al
Muddy Springer
Well-Known Member
http://www.mitex.co.uk/products.html
Get the 'general' 2 way radio. Absolutely brilliant, better and quicker than a phone in forestry blocks - our piece is 4000 acres in Argyll and a good number of miles across, including open hill, dense sitka and mountains and never fails to get top quality contact. Best stalking investment I've ever made (once youve got a gun...), and equally useful for safety when munty shooting in small blocks when you use the ear piece.
Get the 'general' 2 way radio. Absolutely brilliant, better and quicker than a phone in forestry blocks - our piece is 4000 acres in Argyll and a good number of miles across, including open hill, dense sitka and mountains and never fails to get top quality contact. Best stalking investment I've ever made (once youve got a gun...), and equally useful for safety when munty shooting in small blocks when you use the ear piece.
Vipa
Well-Known Member
I've got a fairly robust theory on this subject......
I firmly believe that the amount of kit carried is inversely proportional to experience!
We all start off with a large back pack full of everything you could imagine to cover every possibility. (It's just as well we don't shoot too many deer at this stage as we would never be able to carry them as well!)
As time goes on and experience grows, we soon come to realise that we haven't ever used hardly any of the kit in the bag and it slowly but surely gets reduced. Eventually we are left with the absolute bare essentials. The bag can then disappear and be replaced by an empty roe sack if needed as we are now probably shooting a few animals and not worrying whether or not the inertial navigation system has retained its charge or the food supply will last the whole month etc...
By essentials, I mean rifle, sticks, binos, a sharp knife,Mobile phone, and of course..... toilet paper!
Most stuff you can get in your pockets, the rest can be in your motor. If you are light and mobile you are less likely to twist an ankle etc anyway!
I suspect that some of the crusty old AW's like widows son and 6 pointer go out with little more than their rifle and a pair of baggy Y fronts?!
I'm guessing you may be fairly new to this game Mr Vipa?
Spank it - Ya Monkey!
MS
'Fairly' new... couple of years. but have been enjoying the outdoors in one form or another (just not totin' a gun) for 30 years plus...
There is another way of looking at this... if experience reduces kit, I would call that complacency, complacency has the potential to turn minor incidents into major incidents...
I wouldn't dream of going for a hike up Sca Fall with nothing but a mobile phone and yet, if I am out on the hill I am out for perhaps 10 hours or more, where's the difference?
the possible issues are the same and, importantly, if something happens on my way up Sca Fell, the chances are it won't be long before the next group of hikers finds me, on the hill, it could be days or weeks before someone actually found you if they weren't looking..
All of the items on my list are small and light and as I have already said, take up less than half of the space in a small day pack.. which I wouldn't dream of going out without anyway... (can't stand having things stuffed in my pockets) On my list, other than the FAK (thank goodness) there is nothing I haven't used.
What, on my list, would you suggest is OTT or surplus to requirements..?
And why is carrying a small light daypack seen as OTT but carrying a roesack (which tend to be old school canvas and therefore heavy) isn't?
Vipa
Well-Known Member
Let's break my original list down and look at this...
30 litre Blackhawk hydration pack (with bladder for water) containing..
The most efficient way of carrying water and I will easily go through 2 litres during the course of a full day out
Basic first aid kit (now containing tourniquet and fast clotting agent!)
Emergency shelter (one step up from a space blanket, packs down to the size of 2 packs of cards)
These items go together and no one should be out on the hill without them (you all know this is true... it's not a sign of being 'hard' to not bother!
,) they take up very little space
Flask/stove/jetboil.. what ever is fit for purpose on that day
3 in 1 coffee sachets
I like a brew if I'm out on the hill all day.... don't you???
Fire making kit
Possibly the ONLY thing that is OTT.... BUT... we are talking a firesteel the size of a key! I always carry one, have done for as long as I can remember.
couple of emergency high calorie snacks
These don't tend to make it past 11am
Head torch
Torch
Particularly in the winter I am usually exiting a forestry block in the pitch black... the rest of the time some kind of torch should be essential carry!
Main Knife
Back up Knife
Leatherman
Knives are a bit of a necessity really! Main knife is an EKA swingblade, I have a reasonable sized Spyderco folder as a back up and the Leatherman sits on my belt to deal with any jobs the knives can't (or aren't paticularly good at!)
Detol wipes
small plastic mat to put knives on
Latex Gloves
a few small cable ties
Gralloching best practice 101!?
Midge net hat
Quite possibly THE most essential piece of kit in your bag!!!!!!!
Deer drag and 2 caribiners (then doubles as hoist if I have a suitable branch close by to make the gralloch that bit easier)
Another stalking essential.. either drag or carry but potentially knackered without it!
1 lightweight flynet
Admitedly, don't bother packing it in the winter but it weighs nothing and is a god send unless you like your meat flyblown!
PLB
Wouldn't go anywhere without it!
Mobile phone
Wouldn't go anywhere without it
Clothing layers / waterproofs as necessary
I like to be warm, dry etc... don't you???
Toilet paper
Yep... forgot that one... do carry a few sheets
30 litre Blackhawk hydration pack (with bladder for water) containing..
The most efficient way of carrying water and I will easily go through 2 litres during the course of a full day out
Basic first aid kit (now containing tourniquet and fast clotting agent!)
Emergency shelter (one step up from a space blanket, packs down to the size of 2 packs of cards)
These items go together and no one should be out on the hill without them (you all know this is true... it's not a sign of being 'hard' to not bother!
,) they take up very little spaceFlask/stove/jetboil.. what ever is fit for purpose on that day
3 in 1 coffee sachets
I like a brew if I'm out on the hill all day.... don't you???
Fire making kit
Possibly the ONLY thing that is OTT.... BUT... we are talking a firesteel the size of a key! I always carry one, have done for as long as I can remember.
couple of emergency high calorie snacks
These don't tend to make it past 11am
Head torch
Torch
Particularly in the winter I am usually exiting a forestry block in the pitch black... the rest of the time some kind of torch should be essential carry!
Main Knife
Back up Knife
Leatherman
Knives are a bit of a necessity really! Main knife is an EKA swingblade, I have a reasonable sized Spyderco folder as a back up and the Leatherman sits on my belt to deal with any jobs the knives can't (or aren't paticularly good at!)
Detol wipes
small plastic mat to put knives on
Latex Gloves
a few small cable ties
Gralloching best practice 101!?
Midge net hat
Quite possibly THE most essential piece of kit in your bag!!!!!!!
Deer drag and 2 caribiners (then doubles as hoist if I have a suitable branch close by to make the gralloch that bit easier)
Another stalking essential.. either drag or carry but potentially knackered without it!
1 lightweight flynet
Admitedly, don't bother packing it in the winter but it weighs nothing and is a god send unless you like your meat flyblown!
PLB
Wouldn't go anywhere without it!
Mobile phone
Wouldn't go anywhere without it
Clothing layers / waterproofs as necessary
I like to be warm, dry etc... don't you???
Toilet paper
Yep... forgot that one... do carry a few sheets
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