Thread: Gear list for north island day hunts

I'm genuinely curious, that's all

Originally Posted by Sarvo

If you go hunting with the idea you might get lost - stay home

I'd never go tramping if I thought that Different strokes I guess. I almost always carry at least some form of shelter (tarp) and spare food in case things turn to shit and I end up staying out overnight.

Originally Posted by ebf

I'm genuinely curious, that's all



I'd never go tramping if I thought that Different strokes I guess. I almost always carry at least some form of shelter (tarp) and spare food in case things turn to shit and I end up staying out overnight.

Yeah man it only takes one shitty cold wet night stuck in the Bush to realise having a spare puffy, gloves, beanie and some sort of shelter is a small price to pay.

No one hunts with the idea of getting lost/stranded overnight, but as they say shit happens. Carrying an extra kilo is hardly going to make or break a hunt

It's not getting lost it's getting injured that would cause me to have an unplanned night out

Shooting a deer at 4.45pm when I really should have headed for the track 15mins ago has lead to some very late hut returns at times. While I have never actually had to stay out that big hollow Rata has started to look pretty inviting at times.

Thanks all there is some good stuff here, im happy to carry a little extra weight to be in a better position if shit was to hit the fan at any point.

Binoculars

Depends what season, but I take:

Daypack

Clothing:
Fleece top
Light raincoat
Shorts
Socks and Boots
Maybe a thermal if it’s cooler, or swap the fleece for a lighter fabric in summer.

Rifle
Half a dozen rounds
Knife
Sharpener
Small back up knife
Compass
Phone (used as gps)
Tape (to cover muzzle and tie hocks together)
Basic first aid kit
PLB
Pillow slips for meat.

Food:
Water bottle
Snack food like muesli bars or jerky
Lunch food like a tin of tuna or OSM.

In reality, you don’t need all the specialised crap that the magazines try and sell you.

I often wear $10 warehouse stubbies and my rain coat is a $30 warehouse one that crams into its own pocket.
A $30 Mercator is a good knife. Any old school bag will do. My gps app was free, the maps cost $7 (ViewRanger). It doesn’t have to cost the earth. Most of the expensive stuff I bought when I started out gets left at home.

Oh and a head torch with spare batteries.

No TP for me, Rangiora grows most places!

I probably carry more than most, but want to be prepared for an unplanned night in the bush, or worse - if the OP wants a list, PM me with an email address. Our climate can be unforgiving, even in the north outside of summer. I have a mixture of expensive crap and cheap crap. I don't want to cut corners on things like a PLB or waterproofs, but wear Warehouse shorts and have a Kmart backpack.

I would highly reccomend that next time you are finished hunting for the day then get a fire going in bush conditions. it is worth practicing for when its dark and less than ideal conditions

Another thing about what to take is that sometimes its easier and safer to kip down and walk out in the morning than it it is to push on. Quite a few times Ive made a bed of ferns, put on all of my clothes and broken out a space blanket rather than risk pushing on. Ive done this when I haven't been able to find a shot deer in the dark and when I have had a big load and not felt up to it. The odd time when I've been temporally lost, and sometimes just because I was having a great time and wanted to stay for a morning hunt. I have seldom lit a fire, but have at times.

Being prepared with a little bit of extra stuff is easy peasy. Macho bullshit hunting with not enough gear is foolish.

Here’s a link to what can easily happen and I recommend a SOL escape to be in the bottom of your day pack.

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....rite-up-33376/

Originally Posted by Tahr

Being prepared with a little bit of extra stuff is easy peasy. Macho bullshit hunting with not enough gear is foolish.

Totally agree. It's a bit like saying that all of the safety stuff in the car is unnecessary because you're not planning on an accident...... I don't plan on getting lost, break a leg etc, but remember having to hobble out of the bush after sticking a knife into my knee while head skinning a goat. I decided to wait until the next day; dumb idea. By that time it had got infected and my knee was double the size.... So hobbled out of the bush using my old Mauser K98 as a walking stick. A 2-3 hour walk that turned into a full day..... No PLBs etc then.

If shit didn't happen to prepared and unprepared people the ED, ambulances, recue choppers etc would be unnecessary....

rifle,ammo
knifex2 steel

cloths Im wearing
jacket of some sort....light nylon bumfreezer will keep wind and rain off top half
beanie/gloves and crawford.....thats my emergency/gets cold layer
PLBcause Mrs bought it for me and would be a dick to leave it at home
GPS nice to know how far from the car,known spots I am.
string
handful of lollies
muesli bars
water bottle
all in a daybag or multi pocket belt bag inside daybag.
DOG

I always look at the worst case scenario: If you take a fall/break a leg... what do wish you had then?

This is different for each hunt, who will come looking for you, what's the terrain, what's the weather, do you know the area, how hard would you be to find, when would SAR be notified etc.

So the gear list varies from a knife on my belt and a small first aid kit in my pocket - to a daypack with PLB, survival bag, warms, food and a kitchen sink LOL