Hunting trips are never unsuccessful, as per se. Simply the experience of being out in nature, tracking an animal, and relying on your most primal instincts is a reward in itself.
But the ultimate trips end in a successful hunt. There are some hunting trip essentials that improve your chances of this happening.
Whether you’re a beginner hunter or a seasoned outdoor enthusiast, you should equip yourself with these seven hunting trip essentials.
1. Optical Gear
Binoculars, rangefinders, and scopes are absolute hunting trip essentials.
First of all, binoculars are a part of every seasoned hunter’s packing list. It’s the piece of equipment that you’ll need to scan the landscape and spot possible hunting targets from afar. You should have a reliable and dependable pair to amplify your vision.
A rangefinder is an especially important gear item for hunting for beginners. It takes the guesswork out of your shot by giving you the exact range between you and your shot.
Lastly, a rifle scope is crucial. How else will you identify your target from hundreds of yards away? Choose one with adjustable brightness and a red laser to improve your shot even more.
2. Hunting Knife
No hunting trip checklist is complete without a proper hunting knife. Depending on the type of hunt, you’ll need a knife that’s capable of skinning and gutting so that you can field dress your game.
Beyond its uses for dressing game, you’ll find that a good knife always comes in handy. You may need to cut rope or notch hunting tags. Either way, you’re sure to use a knife a good couple of times on your hunting trip and it makes the experience all the more seamless.
3. LED Flashlight
You may think that because you’re going on a day hunt you won’t need a flashlight. However, any experienced hunter will tell you to prepare for the unexpected. Hunts may take longer than expected and you might find yourself trying to track an animal that you shot as the sun starts going down rapidly.
A good flashlight, with at least 300+ lumens, is essential. To step it up even more, opt for a flashlight with dual-color options and different modes. You’ll find this comes in handy on those early mornings and nighttime hunts.
You may prefer to wear a headlamp to keep your hands free. If this is the case then opt for one with a green or red light so that you don’t scare away the animals.
4. Baby Wipes
This is the least glamorous item on your hunting checklist, but you’ll find that baby wipes will soon become essential. You’ll already know this if you’ve been on a couple of hunting trips. If you haven’t, then you’ll quickly find it out.
From having to relieve yourself in the woods, to cleaning the blood of your hands, or wiping the dirt, grime and sweat from your face — baby wipes are your best friend.
You can clean yourself and your equipment, making sure everything is in tip-top shape.
5. Scent Killer
Before you head out on your deer hunting trip it’s a good idea to wash your clothes in scent-killing detergent. Deer have an unbelievably good sense of smell and nothing ruins a hunt quicker than the wind changing and deer catching onto your scent.
Besides scent killer detergent, leave the eau de cologne at home and bring scent killer spray instead. As you move around you’ll become sweaty and release body odors, so carrying a scent killer with you is a good idea to keep yourself odorless.
Covering your scent is an essential component of a successful hunt. Don’t let your BO catch you out.
6. Hunting Day Pack
You’ll need somewhere to put all these essential gear items when you’re on your hunting trip. A reliable and good-quality hunting bag is important. This should be camo-colored and made with quiet fabric that doesn’t make a noise when you move.
It should also be comfortable and feature good support as you’ll likely be carrying it for hours on end. Of course, it will have a gun or bow carry system to attach your weapon.
For added comfort and accessibility to vital gear, consider a tactical fanny pack. You don’t have to stop and dig around in your backpack every time you need a pocket knife, flashlight, or other small gear items.
7. Survival Shelter
As mentioned earlier, hunting trips can go on for much longer than expected. When you’ve been tracking an animal for the entire day, the last thing you want to do is call it quits because you’re not prepared to spend the night in the woods.
A survival shelter is lightweight and compact, so it fits into your day pack without taking up unnecessary space. You’ll have the option of spending the night in the woods and prolonging your hunting trip until you’ve reached success.
It’s also weatherproof, so if the weather takes an ugly turn, you’ll have somewhere to wait out the rain.
Make the Most of Your Hunting Trip With These Essentials
Which of these hunting trip essentials are you missing from your hunting gear list? While some of the items on this list may not seem like absolute necessities, they are certainly a good idea to prepare for the unexpected. Improve your experience and your chances of success with these essentials.
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