nell
Well-Known Member
If i had to carry that lot i would be hopeing i did'nt have to carry a deer back, so would'nt bother going
What do you / would you carry when stalking alone and in a group
- Thread starter Vipa
- Start date
If i had to carry that lot i would be hopeing i did'nt have to carry a deer back, so would'nt bother going
Vipa
Well-Known Member
If i had to carry that lot i would be hopeing i did'nt have to carry a deer back, so would'nt bother going
I still don't understand why people see this as a huge amount of kit... take out the brew making equipment and, for those who don't mind getting covered in blood, the gloves, wipes & cable ties and I would be amazed to come across a stalker on the hill who wasn't actually carrying most of what's on my list (or certainly should be with regards to the FAK!)
The way these responses are, anyone would think I was filling a bergen with 90kgs of gear!
2130martin
Well-Known Member
why do you have a mobile phone on your list,no point in taking that one...........
Vipa
Well-Known Member
gps
LOL - just looks like a lot of gear even though I guess it isn't - a 30L pack is pretty small, and in my head I have you carefully putting 3 sanitary wipes into a sandwich bag whilst laying out an array of gear that in a James Bond fashion you somehow fit into a 30L pack with still enough room for a roe buck... but that's just me amusing myself
Have most of that crap but it stays in the boot if I remember to pack it - phone (off unless there's an emergency), gun, knife, bino's, and rope if I remember - the rest gets done at the car or in my garage... so far I've not regretted it...
Lets face it - sometimes even taking the gun out is bloody pointless
jimbo1984
Well-Known Member
is this post a joke???? I take a couple of knives ,paracord, mobile phone , a drink of water a chocolate bar and thats it!
Vipa
Well-Known Member
Annndddddd, take out the brew kit, FAK (naughty boy,) Blood barrier bits.... so do I
Honestly.... tell me what you see in that list that's a 'joke' or is totally OTT/Large/heavy/totally unneccessary?
No kitchen sink ? Can't believe you take a back pack ! Knife, phone, cloves, bins, para cord Oh and my bunnet. That's it.
Vipa
Well-Known Member
Ok... let's change the name... let's call it a roe sack... would that make a difference?
It's not a huge amount of kit, I'd consider that 50% was pretty much essential for working in more remote areas. I take about half of your kit list with me and it easily fits into a smallish bum-bag. The "optional extras" like flasks or brew making kit are nice to have in the vehicle, but if you break an ankle 5 miles out on the hill you'll be very glad of the PLB and the space blanket.
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.
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.
Then you should know better! Plenty of people drink water they believe is clean and become ill! You maybe can't see the rotting sheep upstream.
If you slash yourself with a knife like a recent poster did it is one thing keeping level headed and treating it, but another if you have to improvise everything. Having some limited first aid supplies could save your life when the arterial blood pumps.
Maybe in your part of the world but Scotland's water is safe to drink off
the hill, and I am talking about on the hill not low land water, what do you think we all drink every day, it goes into our reservoirs, but still plenty places up here farms , keepers, and shepherds houses that get their water straight of the hill without being treated in any way
Not that keen on drinking where a dead sheep might be, but if you drink from a fast flowing burn and you can see nothing in it above you you should be safe enough, in fact its said if its fast flowing 20 yards below it is safe would not like to be that close though.
I am afraid any experienced Scottish hill stalker would **** himself laughing at the thought of carrying water to the hill
Vipa
Well-Known Member
I'll just carry on carrying water
Give everyone a jolly good laugh in the process 
I have kit (Steripen Journey) I can carry with me that takes up no room at all if I think I'm going to be drinking from untreated sources but really don't have an issue with a litre or 2 in the bladder in the backpackAt the end of the day it is impossible to know what is above you in the water and whilst the risk may be low, there is still a risk... I've had friends who have been affected by water borne ilnesses & cysts... NO THANKS! why take a risk when you don't need to.. thats my philosophy anyway and it hasn't let me down in 46 years!
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Moray Outfitting
Well-Known Member
Dashing about ( again ) so will try list later. Interesting to see what people carry - whether you agree with or not, useful sense check/ thought provoker.
I carry quite a bit of kit - but qualify that by one word - LAYERS
Step one is what is on me if I'm just down to a belt
two - Plus Jacket
Three - plus day sack/ Roe Sack etc
Four - ATV/ Argo
Five - Vehicle
Six - base ( I can be working away on estates ).
Water - quite heavy to carry. I've drunk from hill streams - nothing quite like it. But there is a risk. Now carry Webtex Surviva-Pure canteen empty. Just fill it from a reasonable water source and in cap filter considerably improves your chances of avoiding 'nasties'. You use the best water you can find, but its worked well for years on everything from crystal rivers to murky bog water. Expression on face of clients worth it alone!
I carry quite a bit of kit - but qualify that by one word - LAYERS
Step one is what is on me if I'm just down to a belt
two - Plus Jacket
Three - plus day sack/ Roe Sack etc
Four - ATV/ Argo
Five - Vehicle
Six - base ( I can be working away on estates ).
Water - quite heavy to carry. I've drunk from hill streams - nothing quite like it. But there is a risk. Now carry Webtex Surviva-Pure canteen empty. Just fill it from a reasonable water source and in cap filter considerably improves your chances of avoiding 'nasties'. You use the best water you can find, but its worked well for years on everything from crystal rivers to murky bog water. Expression on face of clients worth it alone!
Vipa
Well-Known Member
After spending many many years fell walking and generally getting lost in the lake district as well as some time in a mountain rescue team I am probably overly cautious but am acutely aware of how fast things can change...
Had an incident 20 years ago, went up scafell from Wastdale head in Sept.. was blue sky, sunny and very warm when we set off.. one of the guys we were with was all critical and trying to take the **** out of the rest of us who were carrying layers and waterproofs and emergency kit.. he was in a t-shiret with not much else.. forcast was good..
After 2 hrs it started to cloud over and the temp was dropping rapidly.. an hour later the rain started and not long after that the temp fell to just above freezing and the hail then snow came down... we literally carried the idiot off the fell in 6" of snow an 2 deg with suspected hypothermia! got hgim down, got him to hospital where he spent the night under observation!
Re - water.. the steripen is great. It is the only device on the market that will GUARANTEE 100% sterility and manages that in 1 minute. It doesn't take any particulate matter out of the water though so, if your source isn't clear you could end up drinking perfectly safe but not pleasant ditch water! When I go trekking I also carry an MSR Miniworks filter which deals with that.. Between that and the Steripen I can drink water from any source (other than chemically contaminated) with absolute confidence.. Dont tend to take the miniworks for short stints as it is relatively heavy/bulky.
As for clothing.. I work on the principle that it's easier to shed layers and carry them than need them and not have them so tend to go out OTT and remove as necessary. The most versatile and worthwhile piece of clothing IO have is my pure merino base layer... keeps you warm, keeps you cool, keeps you dry (wicks well) never seems so stink... awesome and.. bery low bulk/weight too!
Wingy
Well-Known Member
Full marks on your kit list, people who i have stalked with think its over the top, but my lit list is similar. Wouldnt go out without a good first aid kit, I guess people who dont take one have been lucky so far as for a Tourniquet & quick clot probably most valuable peices in the first aid kit but I guess most stalkers have never tried to deal with a bullet wound in the field or would have the know how to use the kit. In a major accident you need good medical care within 10 minutes and hospital ASAP. The main thing out there is being safe but accidents do happen, ask yourself at least an hours hike back to the car, no phone signal and away from the general public (sound familiar) then add a major arterial bleed. Could you survive and deal with it? I'd like to think I could.
Wingy
Wingy
nicklowlander
Active Member
well i was a profesionful stalker on hill reds, and i would have to agree with widows son
knife,
drag rope,
stick,
pack of ciggies
was all i took to the hill daily, mobile phones didnt get signal and no one was at the other end of the radio so they were never taken to the hill. headstalker always beleived technology killed initiative. as in when technology failed you were lost anyway so we never chanced it failing.
even found myself using spent case as blade for gralloching once.
but nothing wrong with being prepared, just wouldnt advise relying on anything but yourself.
all the best
nick
knife,
drag rope,
stick,
pack of ciggies
was all i took to the hill daily, mobile phones didnt get signal and no one was at the other end of the radio so they were never taken to the hill. headstalker always beleived technology killed initiative. as in when technology failed you were lost anyway so we never chanced it failing.
even found myself using spent case as blade for gralloching once.
but nothing wrong with being prepared, just wouldnt advise relying on anything but yourself.
all the best
nick
paul o'
Well-Known Member
pull rope
knife and stone
correct boots trols etc (its never bad weather its bad choice of kit)
small first aid inc butterfly strips
small clean wipes
small pack bog roll
small head light
whistle
rifle in slip
ammo
unfrozen ice pops nice to drink high sugar
fishing snap lights bright and gay if you are out after dark on the hill
water bottle 1lt on belt loop
i can get all this in my old (cammo makers name not one of the army ones) as i have cut slits in the hand warmer pockets so kit is in linning dry and safe
paul o'
knife and stone
correct boots trols etc (its never bad weather its bad choice of kit)
small first aid inc butterfly strips
small clean wipes
small pack bog roll
small head light
whistle
rifle in slip
ammo
unfrozen ice pops nice to drink high sugar
fishing snap lights bright and gay if you are out after dark on the hill
water bottle 1lt on belt loop
i can get all this in my old (cammo makers name not one of the army ones) as i have cut slits in the hand warmer pockets so kit is in linning dry and safe
paul o'
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