"Must Have" Gear for First Time Hunter?

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Sorry if this is commonly asked. I'm on my phone and searching on it is beyond tedious...

I am heading out for my first ever deer hunt this week and I don't own any gear specifically for hunting. Of course, I have a sufficient rifle (30-06), with recent range time.

I'll be at a buddy's hunt camp. They have a number of tree stands on the property, as well as a few open farmers fields on which we have permission to hunt.

What gear do I absolutely need? I know that I need my orange hat and vest, but what are some things that I wouldn't necessarily think of?
 
knife, headlamp, deer grunt, parachute cord, camera, toilet paper, binoculars, gloves, warm hat, ammo, licences

Edit...oh ya and safety harness for treestand
 
Sounds like your buddy will have all the necessary gear if you do bag a deer - knive, saw/hatchet, etc. But your own binoculars would be a big asset.

Worry about yourself keeping warm (boots, long johns, toque, gloves, etc.)

Bring a bottle of wine/liquor/whatever, and lots of food. And make sure you pitch in to do whatever work needs to be done, even before being asked.

Be safe. Ask questions. Ask about how things are done around their camp, anything you should know before blundering into something without knowledge.
 
Water is good to have. I also like taking baby wipes as they are great for cleaning up.
 
1899 said:
I also like taking baby wipes as they are great for cleaning up.
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+1, baby wipes work well. I also use nitrile gloves for gutting, they keep your hands from getting too dirty in the first place and limit any possible exposure to parasites or other blood borne things.


Mark
 
hatchet, knife, another knife, toilet paper, tags, gun and matching ammo, 6' rope, rag (or you can use your T-shirt) Thats my minimum list

you will still need all your comfort kit, food, water, etc...
 
Tags, gun, ammo, knife, bino's, dress so you'll be comfortable. Take a lunch and water to drink. I like a can of mussles and a couple baby bell's, maybe a leftover halloween choc. bar; light and small. I'd say that's minimum. Oh, and a piece of string to tie off the rectum, depending on how you want to gut it. Couple cheesecloth bags are nice if you bone it on the spot and pack it out.

Just don't over think it. When I was young and too stupid to know you didn't need a heavy pack for it to be fun I even carried a little one burner pumpup stove and frypan so I could have fresh(really fresh) liver. Now I'm older and smarter. My packboard's as empty as I can make it on the trip out and I carry only what's in the top paragraph.

Sounds like you'll have help if you need it. Have fun, be patient, and good luck.
 
Hot Seat is priceless, and belongs in anyones hunting gear.

0750012_1
 
Tie one of these too your belt......your partners will always know where you are. It will also help you move slow ....:dancingbanana:



http://4.bp.########.com/-ax8di6edDsM/UD0MLXsS3MI/AAAAAAAAFeU/5x0zUZWfyfE/s1600/IMG_1153.JPG










I can lend you mine :cheers:
 
jraab said:
Knife, First aid kit, Compass.
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Glad somebody finally mentioned COMPASS. And a bic lighter in every pocket is a good idea too. A roll of orange or pink plastic flagging tape can be rather handy on occasion.
In addition to the 3 items above, my day pack has my knife, small saw, para cord, license/tags, extra ammo, lunch, water, gloves, orange wool toque, binoculars, a few shop towels, a garden kneeler (an unheated version of a Hot Seat), 2 garbage bags (for use as a tarp or to carry heart/liver in pack) a LED head lamp and my most recent acquisition, a SPOT device.

Whether I am hunting deer or moose, my pack contains everything I need for a day (and maybe a night) in the bush. If I down an animal, I can get the innards out, get it skinned and at least cut in 2 pieces with the few tools I have in the pack.
 
Thanks for the pointers!

It was a fun (but fruitless) trip. I had a chance at a doe at 400 yards that I didn't take. She was in the far corner of a farmers field and it was about 4:45pm. The sun was almost set. I couldn't get any shot but from standing so I opted not to shoot. I didn't want my first hunting memory to be of a wounding at sunset.

I know that next year I need a couple of things for sure (some of which were mentioned but I couldn't cobble together).

A rangefinder
A hot seat
Bring a slug gun along as well as a rifle and choose the right weapon for the right hunt. We spent mornings and evenings in tree stands, and afternoons in fields. I could have just left the other gun at camp.
Bring more for the camp. If I had my time back I would have loaded up on bottled water and dried goods for the camp.
Real hunting clothing. I did well for clothing that I already owned, but I can see the benefits to owning the hunting stuff. It's pretty cold in eastern Ontario this time of year. Especially 16 feet up a tree!

Thanks again
 
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