With Fall quickly approaching, early hunting season is right around the corner. Starting to plot your food posts and pick out the best spot for your duck blinds and tree stands, the anticipation is building inside of you. While all this preparation helps lead to readiness training once the season hits, it is also vital to ready your load for long hours spent in the woods. Packing the correct essentials could make the difference between being out in the great outdoors long enough to nab that big buck or go home empty-handed because you forgot to pack some simple necessities. Below is just a small checklist to help you better prepare for the hunt, describing some of the most essential items to bring with you for long stays out in the woods.
Hydration and Nutrients
Most hunts get underway early before the sun comes up. Due to the hour of preparation, most end up forgetting some of the essential packing needs to remain within the woods for an extended period of time. Hydration and nutrients are two of the most important items. Nothing gets the body in motion quite like a balanced breakfast. When it comes to your hunting packs, you don’t want to over pack to have to carry a weighty load throughout your travels. Protein bars and lightweight, pre-packed meal bars are great teammates for a hunting excursion. The nutrients within these power bars help provide you with the energy advances you need to sustain throughout your morning/day. Hydration is a second area of importance, even when the temperature is low and it’s cold outside. Many forget to hydrate in lower temperatures, thinking that dehydration is only a clause that comes with the warmer seasons. Packing a hydration bladder and strapping it around your back might be the easiest option for carry purposes. Packing large jugs and water coolers just isn’t practical given the space you have to work with. Always bring about a gallon of fluids with you on your trip because it doesn’t take long for the body to work through these liquids, especially if you are in motion.
Safety Measures
One of the most forgotten items in the packing list is a medical kit or safety items. Packing a first aid kit is a smart choice because you never know what the woods can throw at you. For example, walking through thick tree branches and other wooded areas can create wounds with ease. If not treated in an ample amount of time, infectious diseases can form. Pack a few band aids, some rubbing alcohol and something to form a tight bond over an at-risk area. This will prepare you to travel through any environment knowing you have the tools needed to provide yourself with quick coverage options.
A battery back-up or an additional cellular device is always a safe call. This is a measure that should be taken when navigating a new hunting spot. Marking your trail is something that can help you find your way, but if you lose your step, you will want something to help connect others for help. This will also assist in preventing any cellular or data problems with your go-to device. Pay-as-you-go phones are a great companion for these kind of excursions.
An additional power source for light is also a good back-up item. It is easy to lose track of time when you are out in the woods, so having an additional light source within your hunting packs will help guide you the return trip home.
