Thread: Advice for first big Hunting trip

I'm fairly minimal with what I take, I wear the nylon swim shorts with the sewn in mesh undies, saves carrying spare undies but also prevents sweat and heat chaffing. Dry socks at night in the hut, put your wet socks back on in the morning when you head out for a hunt, otherwise you will have wet socks from here to assholes and run out of dry ones fast. Where I hunt its impossible to avoid stream/river crossings.
Best thing I wear is snug fitting merino long sleeve thermal tops, they wick away sweat and moisture, light, incredibly warm, easy to dry. I always take a Huntech fly, couple of bungees, paracord and am always prepared to use it, I personally don't use huts unless the weather is pretty bad, huts just feel a bit dirty and grimy. I could write a novel of what gear I see as important, just a few things that I always have.

x2 Pillow cases (for meat)
water proof matches
head lamp and spare batteries
plan your meals breakfast lunch and dinner each day, then take two extra meals in case.
Nalgene bottle and raro satchets, instant powdered juice is a good sugar boost for hard walks back out, carrying 40-50 kgs of meat plus your gear can be soul destroying and drain your energy like no ones business.
good heavy leather belt with couple of strong belt pouches, spare knife (folder) small sharpener, space blanket, rifle bore snake and patches.
small hand line with half a dozen different sized hooks, couple small sinkers.
I usually have half a dozen foil sealed scalpel blades in a pouch as well (they weigh nothing)

Originally Posted by oneshot

I'm fairly minimal with what I take, I wear the nylon swim shorts with the sewn in mesh undies, saves carrying spare undies but also prevents sweat and heat chaffing. Dry socks at night in the hut, put your wet socks back on in the morning when you head out for a hunt, otherwise you will have wet socks from here to assholes and run out of dry ones fast. Where I hunt its impossible to avoid stream/river crossings.
Best thing I wear is snug fitting merino long sleeve thermal tops, they wick away sweat and moisture, light, incredibly warm, easy to dry. I always take a Huntech fly, couple of bungees, paracord and am always prepared to use it, I personally don't use huts unless the weather is pretty bad, huts just feel a bit dirty and grimy. I could write a novel of what gear I see as important, just a few things that I always have.

x2 Pillow cases (for meat)
water proof matches
head lamp and spare batteries
plan your meals breakfast lunch and dinner each day, then take two extra meals in case.
Nalgene bottle and raro satchets, instant powdered juice is a good sugar boost for hard walks back out, carrying 40-50 kgs of meat plus your gear can be soul destroying and drain your energy like no ones business.
good heavy leather belt with couple of strong belt pouches, spare knife (folder) small sharpener, space blanket, rifle bore snake and patches.
small hand line with half a dozen different sized hooks, couple small sinkers.
I usually have half a dozen foil sealed scalpel blades in a pouch as well (they weigh nothing)

Thanks bro some more stuff to take into account! awesome

Originally Posted by Ground Control

I think staying in a hut is good advice for a first trip
It often means starting earlier to get to good ground and getting into your sleeping bag later , but it eliminates alot of gear and weight that is essential if your camping out .
When the rain is clattering on the corrugated iron roof , and your warm in your bunk with a fire going while your wet clothes dry out you will feel sorry for the poor buggers under some thin nylon

Ken

Cheers bro, will do!

Originally Posted by Max Headroom

To @mawzer308's good list, I also suggest:

Think about buying/hiring a Personal Locator Beacon,

Check with @Tahr about cellphone reception where you're going, in case you end up in the sh*t.
(Or you meet somebody else who is- the phrase "the missing tourists were found by hunters" seems to crop up more and more often it seems to me. )

I think I might have too, seeing some of the recent stories of it saving hunters lives. Cheers max

[QUOTE=mawzer308;759294]Do you plan on staying in huts or fly camping?

The basics for a couple of nights would be:

Pack with water proof liner (or rubbish bag)
Sleeping bag + mat
Cooker and gas with lighter spare matches
Billy knife, fork, spoon
Base layers ie thermals
Mid layer fleece top, pants optional
Beanie, gloves
Water proof jacket
Spare pair of socks
Ammo 12 rounds should be plenty with a bit of fudge factor.
Knife
Binos + rangefinder
Torch
Something to chuck your meat into
Gps, compass, map
Water bottle or bottles
Basic first aid kit

Food is entirely up to you, I usually have porridge for breakfast and a coffee. Museli bars as snacks noodles for lunch or maybe more snacks and freeze dry meals for dinner.

If fly camping you can get away with a fly for spring and summer but the weather can still turn quick up top.

This is by no means a complete and exhaustive list but it's the basics that you'll need and Is what I take.

That last part of line 6, that's definitely a north island thing

From another website:

FishnHunt - New Zealands Famous Hunting and Fishing Forum Since 1995 - NIMRODS pack contents

FishnHunt - New Zealands Famous Hunting and Fishing Forum Since 1995 - Day pack contents

From another website:

FishnHunt - New Zealands Famous Hunting and Fishing Forum Since 1995 - NIMRODS pack contents

FishnHunt - New Zealands Famous Hunting and Fishing Forum Since 1995 - Day pack contents

Weigh your pack with all the gear before you head in. Definitely keep it under 20kg and try for under 15kg. When you get out make a list of all the things you didn't use.

Here is my list for camping at a hut.

Being worn
boots, socks, gaiters, shorts, undies, long sleeve top, sunhat

Pack
Sleeping bag
Spare long john top and bottom
Spare socks
Hut shoes/slippers
long sleeve top
Sleeveless vest
Down jacket
long john bottoms
undies
raincoat
overtrousers (if you intend hunting the tops)
gloves
thermal hat/beanie
sunhat
jetboil (use as plate and cup as well)
spoon
locator beacon
gps/phone with gps function and maps
map & compass
torch
batteries
knife
steel
meat bags
rifle and ammo
Food
Uncle Toby's instant porridge (1 packet per breakfast)
Pita bread (2 per lunch) Cheese and salami
Uncle Bens rice and tuna packet (not cans) per dinner
Muesli bars, chocolate etc for snacks
Platypus water bladder ( so I can drink without having to get bottle out of pack)

You might want to chuck in a fly and groundsheet and camping mattress in case the hut is full.

Set of instructions on where camping, roughly where hunting, intended day and time out - left with responsible person. agree on time/day to alert police etc.

You will always take too much stuff, it's hard to convince yourself you don't that certain bit of equipment even if you have taken it on multiple trips and never used it.
Two sets of clothes is all you need - one for during the day and a dry set for in the hut at night. If you want to really splash out, take a third pair of undies and socks! I did 8 days walking Stewart Island with two sets of clothes, other trampers tended to avoid you after day 4, and I burnt most of the day clothes back in Oban when we finished.
I would recommend doing an overnight trip first, it's the best way to find out what you forgot that you do need, and what you took that you didn't need.

Or worse still in a bivy bag

If you are going to the Ruahines the Heritage lodge is a good place to start not far in and still plenty of deer around and room to fly camp up river if you want.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

One of the really important things to take is your rifle bolt....

Map compass and learn how to use it before hand learn what contour lines mean which way to face the map and practice picking out landmarks off the map

Take a few minutes each day to stop and be still. It's one of the underrated things that nature has to offer.

Originally Posted by Max Headroom

Attachment 97790

Take a few minutes each day to stop and be still. It's one of the underrated things that nature has to offer.

I do that about every 5 mins when carrying a big load uphill