What do you / would you carry when stalking alone and in a group
- Thread starter Vipa
- Start date
Krabryn
Well-Known Member
+ Emergency whistle please! Heard one in Snowdonia and helped guide bring victim of crushed ankle down to safety.
For the record: -
Help
For the record: -
Help
- Red Flare or
- 6 whistle blasts in quick succession - repeated after a 1 minute interval or
- SOS = 3 short blasts, 3 long blasts, 3 short blasts - repeated after 1 minute or
- 6 flashes from a torch in quick succession - repeated after 1 minute interval or
- 3 short, 3 long, 3 short flashes - repeated after 1 minute
- White flare or
- 3 whistle blasts in quick succession - repeated after a 1 minute or
- 3 flashes from a torch in quick succession - repeated after 1 minute.
jamross65
Well-Known Member
I have not gralloched a beast for 10 years without wearing surgical gloves. I was told a long time ago by someone who was involved in the research involving transference of pathogens between deer and humans whop suggested that as most of us have nicks, cuts or hacks on our hands as we work outside, then a barrier should be considered when gralloching...
So, in one pocket I carry a handful of gloves, plus 2 or 3 vets examination gloves which are great for keeping the stink of a rutting stag off the clothes and double up well as a carrying bag for any liver I want to take away, no extra weight really and very little space. A knife, a drag rope and if an evening stalk a very good head torch. I also have in a apocket a tiny sharpener for the knife which has been used numerous times and depending on time of year a call for sika stags or bucks. Has that been mentioned yet already???
I have to agree that Vipa has a point with one or two of the things listed that may be a lifesaver but, when out stalking I am never out for a full day unless red hinds on the hill. Otherwise it is 3 or 4 hours at a time so I'm afraid I also agree that about 98% of this stuff is not likely to be needed. And if stalking properly, how much ground would you realistically expect to cover in 3hrs? Even without success?
No need for cookers etc but often have a couple of bars of chocolate in pocket. Can survive for days on Dairy Milk.
Midgy repellent is applied before I head off, clothing is decided on as well depending on the exertion expected and temperature etc.
I occasionally take a mobile depending on who else is out with me and also because it has a very good camera.
So, in one pocket I carry a handful of gloves, plus 2 or 3 vets examination gloves which are great for keeping the stink of a rutting stag off the clothes and double up well as a carrying bag for any liver I want to take away, no extra weight really and very little space. A knife, a drag rope and if an evening stalk a very good head torch. I also have in a apocket a tiny sharpener for the knife which has been used numerous times and depending on time of year a call for sika stags or bucks. Has that been mentioned yet already???
I have to agree that Vipa has a point with one or two of the things listed that may be a lifesaver but, when out stalking I am never out for a full day unless red hinds on the hill. Otherwise it is 3 or 4 hours at a time so I'm afraid I also agree that about 98% of this stuff is not likely to be needed. And if stalking properly, how much ground would you realistically expect to cover in 3hrs? Even without success?
No need for cookers etc but often have a couple of bars of chocolate in pocket. Can survive for days on Dairy Milk.
Midgy repellent is applied before I head off, clothing is decided on as well depending on the exertion expected and temperature etc.
I occasionally take a mobile depending on who else is out with me and also because it has a very good camera.
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Vipa
Well-Known Member
Bloody hell Vipa,now I understand why you want a border terrier,nice and small and will also fit in that never ending space filled rucksack o yours
I think your name on here should have been Bear Wannabe as well
Was thinking about getting a little harness made for him so he can carry it all for me
It's happening.... permission granted
Have to wait until september when the kids are back at school though.. then I'll be plagueing [sp] you for training advice!
Virbius
Well-Known Member
Whatever makes you comfortable to take with you = comfort and confidence = more relaxed stalker = better chance of success. No problem with people taking kit if it makes them happier.
I climb mountains and items in my rucksack are rarely used, but if I did need them I'd be b******* without them.
Each to their own - some people's wallets are heavier than 2kg....
Wolverine
Well-Known Member
What about an EPIRB?
Very handy if your boat goes down?!?!
Vipa sure your border will be hunky dory,just please dont weigh him down with all that kit.....mind you it could be handy to weigh him down,itll slow him up a bit
jamross65
Well-Known Member
Was thinking about getting a little harness made for him so he can carry it all for me
It's happening.... permission granted
Buy a Teckel and just tell her it is Border with wee legs...
Vipa
Well-Known Member
What about an EPIRB?
Very handy if your boat goes down?!?!
Vipa sure your border will be hunky dory,just please dont weigh him down with all that kit.....mind you it could be handy to weigh him down,itll slow him up a bit
All excited... can't wait...
EPIRB... that's what I meant by PLB... I have a McMurdo FastFind 210.. invaluable in remote (and let's face it, relatively hotile) areas, particularly if alone. Mobile phones simply can't be relied upon.
Vipa
Well-Known Member
I tried Jam... she wouldn't go for it!
Water never carry it on the hill, may be different in your area , but we have plenty water on the hill and its safe to drink.
First aid kit is in the car or the Argo afraid I don't carry it on my person, probably should.
Flask in the car or Argo for when I come off don't carry with me , stove never.
Knife yes, back up and multi tool in the car, if the worst came to the worst and lost knife then return to car for back up if to far can gralloch without knife if need be.
Torch again in the car , you should be leaving your ground when its still light enough to see, even if not you should know your ground well enough to find your way off in the dark.
Gralloching kit, only green gralloch in the field rest done at larder, know its best practise but how many pro stalkers have you seen using gloves, except when demonstrating best practise, some wipes are handy for knife maybe.
Fire making kit, nope used to be a smoker so always had a lighter, don't smoke anymore so don't carry one, have never needed to make a fire.
Mars bar or energy bar in pocket thats enough, again sandwich or what ever but in the car for when finished
Midge net, bloody useless,keep midges off OK but can't glass properly with it, if you need to take it of every time you use binos defeats purpose
Deer drag yes well short length of rope tied to stick for drag on hill , or if roe tied to feet and slung over shoulder
Caribiners nope keep them for climbing, usually only do green gralloch in the field, its difficult to find a sky hook on the open hill so a suspended gralloch is out of the question, however if ever need to do a full gralloch don't find it difficult to do one on the ground, just because I shot it in a bog, I don't have to gralloch it in one.
Fly net nope, Roe season evening and morning sessions short enough that fly blow should not be much of a problem, Red season not so many flies by then early stag season its possible but usually enough of a breeze on the hill keep them at bay.
PLB? whats that
Mobile phone yes would agree with that ,but its not everywhere you can get a signal also bare in mind we managed for years without them.
Clothing go prepared for the weather I expect, don't carry extra, again change in the car don't mind being wet when out but hate driving home wet.
Toilet paper for soft southerners maybe.
Not new to this game been doing it for a long long time, also 25 years mountain rescue team member , [now retired] trained First Aider, so do know a little about survival, and how to handle an emergency.
First aid kit is in the car or the Argo afraid I don't carry it on my person, probably should.
Flask in the car or Argo for when I come off don't carry with me , stove never.
Knife yes, back up and multi tool in the car, if the worst came to the worst and lost knife then return to car for back up if to far can gralloch without knife if need be.
Torch again in the car , you should be leaving your ground when its still light enough to see, even if not you should know your ground well enough to find your way off in the dark.
Gralloching kit, only green gralloch in the field rest done at larder, know its best practise but how many pro stalkers have you seen using gloves, except when demonstrating best practise, some wipes are handy for knife maybe.
Fire making kit, nope used to be a smoker so always had a lighter, don't smoke anymore so don't carry one, have never needed to make a fire.
Mars bar or energy bar in pocket thats enough, again sandwich or what ever but in the car for when finished
Midge net, bloody useless,keep midges off OK but can't glass properly with it, if you need to take it of every time you use binos defeats purpose
Deer drag yes well short length of rope tied to stick for drag on hill , or if roe tied to feet and slung over shoulder
Caribiners nope keep them for climbing, usually only do green gralloch in the field, its difficult to find a sky hook on the open hill so a suspended gralloch is out of the question, however if ever need to do a full gralloch don't find it difficult to do one on the ground, just because I shot it in a bog, I don't have to gralloch it in one.
Fly net nope, Roe season evening and morning sessions short enough that fly blow should not be much of a problem, Red season not so many flies by then early stag season its possible but usually enough of a breeze on the hill keep them at bay.
PLB? whats that
Mobile phone yes would agree with that ,but its not everywhere you can get a signal also bare in mind we managed for years without them.
Clothing go prepared for the weather I expect, don't carry extra, again change in the car don't mind being wet when out but hate driving home wet.
Toilet paper for soft southerners maybe.
Not new to this game been doing it for a long long time, also 25 years mountain rescue team member , [now retired] trained First Aider, so do know a little about survival, and how to handle an emergency.
jamross65
Well-Known Member
Vipa
First mistake, you spoke to her about it.
Here is a tip...
Buy the pup without saying a word, and bring it home. If a woman has the heart to tell you to send it back she is made of ice!!!!
I once had a new pup in the kennels for a day before I just happened to let it slip. She went daft at me for about 20mins ( I lost interest after 3 mins and switched off anyway) and 4hrs later she was out playing with it in the garden...
Monkey Spanker
Well-Known Member
In fairness to your post Vipa, I think much of what we carry comes down to geography! I'm stalking mainly at either first or last light for up to 3-4 hours maximum in East anglia! Being 'out on the hill' in this region is the diffence between maybe one or two contour lines on the map! There are very few places which cannot be accessed by vehicle and the weather is very forgiving. If I was out on a proper hill up North then I would certainly carry more gear -although probably not quite as much as yourself! I used to do such daft events as the Cheviot 2000 fell race in my younger days and was glad of the kit which was compulsory to carry. I'm also trained in Desert, Jungle and Arctic survival so you are probably also correct about an element of complacency when out on the East Anglian flat lands! I did go out without my mobile phone a little while back and it is very strange as I fely quite vulnerable!
Maybe it is the one security blanket which we come to rely on too much? The best thing you can probably take stalking is common sense and the wisdom not to take risks!
MS
There are very few places which cannot be accessed by vehicle and the weather is very forgiving. If I was out on a proper hill up North then I would certainly carry more gear -although probably not quite as much as yourself! I used to do such daft events as the Cheviot 2000 fell race in my younger days and was glad of the kit which was compulsory to carry. I'm also trained in Desert, Jungle and Arctic survival so you are probably also correct about an element of complacency when out on the East Anglian flat lands! I did go out without my mobile phone a little while back and it is very strange as I fely quite vulnerable! Maybe it is the one security blanket which we come to rely on too much? The best thing you can probably take stalking is common sense and the wisdom not to take risks!MS
Wolverine
Well-Known Member
I,like Vipa,quite enjoy having a family life,my wife is definitely made of ice!!!She does not play with pups,she would train them better than I,hard as nails on dogs,kids and me
Some things in the list may be handy but I prefer to travel light,on the hill as well.
RE emergency whistle,make sure its not an acme 10 1/2
Vipa
Well-Known Member
In fairness to your post Vipa, I think much of what we carry comes down to geography! I'm stalking mainly at either first or last light for up to 3-4 hours maximum in East anglia! Being 'out on the hill' in this region is the diffence between maybe one or two contour lines on the map!
MS
I think it does come down to geography and the availability of backup..
To put it in perspective the last roe I took was extracted slung over my shoulder... shot at last light it was dark by the time I'd gralloched it. It took 3 hours of VERY strenuous uphill going to get back to the truck! about 2 miles.
Wolverine
Well-Known Member
Try that with a red,think twice before pulling the trigger with them
I carry a first aid kit with a space blanket, my leatherman (why carry a spare knife AND a leatherman?),a rope, my phone (very little signal but gps is handy), a strobe, and lunch including some chocolate which I keep till afternoon .
A plb is great to let people know you are in trouble but someone should know where you are going and when you are due back!! in my case my missus does this.
A strobe is very important coz chances are they will send a chopper to look for you, a strobe can be seen from miles away in the day and 15 to 20 miles at night even though the chopper will have your lat and long from a plb when you set it off however if you have managed to move (never assume the plb was sucsessful) the chopper will need to find you potentially in the dark.
As far as hard retrevals in the dark. I don't. If it looks like i'm running out of light I don't pull the trigger, or if something goes wrong the carcass is left on the hill and reteived the next morning at first light bearing in mind it is reds i'm after.
. A plb is great to let people know you are in trouble but someone should know where you are going and when you are due back!! in my case my missus does this.
A strobe is very important coz chances are they will send a chopper to look for you, a strobe can be seen from miles away in the day and 15 to 20 miles at night even though the chopper will have your lat and long from a plb when you set it off however if you have managed to move (never assume the plb was sucsessful) the chopper will need to find you potentially in the dark.
As far as hard retrevals in the dark. I don't. If it looks like i'm running out of light I don't pull the trigger, or if something goes wrong the carcass is left on the hill and reteived the next morning at first light bearing in mind it is reds i'm after.
Monkey Spanker
Well-Known Member
Helicopters can see in the dark these days mate!
A thermal camera will pick you out much quicker than Day TV and darkness or daylight is irrelevant.
MS
Vipa
Well-Known Member
Helicopters can see in the dark these days mate!
A thermal camera will pick you out much quicker than Day TV and darkness or daylight is irrelevant.
MS
Yep... you are right, as long as the camera is pointing in the right direction.. i.e. at you! They have quite a narrow field of view! A strobe is designed to attract attention rather than make you visible (if that makes sense)
Think about glassing the tree line for a nice buck, there may be one blowing rasberries at you just outside your field of view... if it had a strobe on it's head, your attention would very quickly be brought to the correct area to be glassing
I don't carry one although my PLB has one built into it.. When you think that the PLB sends very accurate GPS info via satelite to SAR and then follows that up with a 121.5Mhz homing signal you would think that such a thing would be redundant but sometimes... the simple things are often the best!
Exactly. I don't carry flasks, water or fire-making kit on me, but if you're solo working in a remote area of the highlands it's prudent to have a basic survival/exposure bag and at least a couple of bandages, together with some form of communications device and torch/strobe.
Any mobility-reducing accident or injury will almost certainly involve spending time on the hill in cold and probably darkness before you are rescued, so it's only sensible to plan for that eventuality.
For lowland ground, if you're within a few hundred yards of your vehicle, the kit list could be considerably smaller. I'd still take a bandage, though, as accidents do happen with knives and arterial blood loss will certainly spoil your day.
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
Try that with a Sambar,think twice before pulling the trigger with them
There seems to be so many blokes on here (AND in Australia) that carry all but the kitchen sink and it seems that they are thinking about what sort of shiite is going to happen whilst out hunting.
Rifle /ammo of three to five rounds
Camera/spare cam batt/spare card
Skinning knife/folding knife
SHIIITE paper for marking where shot was taken from,espec across bush gully`s, although sometimes used for ginger wiping.
Most of us drink straight out of the running creeks or rivers in the high country... However some carry water and I did say to a mate one day that carried one of those hydro packs...how much water have you got left after a 10 hour days run around the bush.."oh about a litre" well thats another kilo he carried for sfa! If you are going to carry it make sure that you use it during the hunt and not end up back in camp with it.
Fair dinkum with some of the day pack contents that some blokes carry they should have a camel to carry them!
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