Early springtime hunting is a beloved form of outdoor recreation. As experienced hunters anticipate enjoying this year’s early buck hunting prospects, those seasoned hunters must ensure that their hunting gear is properly assembled and in top shape to enable them to enjoy a successful season. While the hunting gear on hand is not solely responsible for success in the woods, hunters of all ages and skill levels can agree on various “must-haves” to making their hunting ventures successful, memorable, and worth repeating throughout the hunting season.
Some of the requisite items and essentials can be purchased off the shelves of a well-equipped hunting store; others are best built by the hunters themselves. The latter include items such as structures to be used in hunting blinds or tree stands. The essential, must-have purchasable items can be found at well-stocked hunting equipment stores, and include items for constructing hunting blinds and tree stands, various ammunitions, proper camouflage hunting attire and items, adequate safety and first aid equipment, nutritional provisions to keep up the energy and strength of the hunters, and reliable means of communication sufficient to maintain contact with individuals back home and to contact emergency/rescue personnel in the event of an accident or if assistance is needed in the field.
Hunting gear for the trip can be easily acquired from a dedicated, well-stocked seller of such goods like a good hunting store or organization, or recycled from the previous year’s adventures. Often, items can be purchased throughout the year at yard sales and bazaars if the hunter chooses to frequent those locations.
Proper attire
Hunters venturing out for hunts must ascertain that their chosen hunting attire is sufficient for the time of year and day that they are out in the elements. It is especially important to wear clothing items made from camouflage to ensure that the hunters blend naturally into the surroundings in which they are hunting to avoid standing out in the woods and being visible to the animals. Clothing of a sufficient weight should be worn. Hunters must take into account that the areas they are hunting in may be close to a body of water and that proximity to water may make the temperature drop and may make the air more humid than the air beyond the body of water. Waterproof footwear is essential as well.
Proper equipment/hunting gear
Hunters should carry items which are easily carried in addition to their firearms. Having an excess of equipment can inhibit the freedom of movement which is esential to streamlined and safe hunting.
Proper ammunition in an amount sufficient to last throughout the trip
The hunter should carry his ammunition safely ideally in its original packaging and inside a waterproof carrier.
Adequate safety and first-aid items
A first aid kit is essential on any hunting or fishing trip. Minor injuries are easy to incur in the woods and should be promptly taken care of to avoid infection or damage to the limb suffering the injury. An antibiotic ointment or solution should be part of the kit, along with a reliable means of cleaning the wound and bandaging it properly. Some form of elastic bandage, such as an ace bandage, should be packed to provide relief in the event of a sprain or other sort of disabling act.
Pre-selected nutrition items and health drinks
A hunter is as good as his fuel supply allows him to be. Subsisting on junk food and sugary beverages will not provide the endurance and strength that a hunter needs to spend a day in the cold on foot in the woods. As the majority of hunters spend most of their time out of the woods, a hunter should eat energy enhancing food rather than food that merely gives him a carbohydrate high and then allows him to crash from the effects of the sugar. Adequate liquids are also as essential as energy-producing foods to nourish the hunter throughout the day.
A reliable means of communication with the rest of the world
Persons on a hunting outing should have a way of maintaining contact with the rest of the world to ensure that aid can be provided in the event of an emergency. This is more critical if the hunt is taking place in a remote area; if the hunt is occurring on a property which is not remote the means of communication can be as simple as a cell phone with a data plan.
Must-Have Hunting Items in Conclusion:
While over planning and over-accessorizing a hunting trip will diminish the “roughing it” aspect of the trip, planning to carry hunting gear which will make the trip more enjoyable is an important factor in the success of the trip. Making a conscious decision to bring along items which will enhance the experience of the individual hunters is crucial to being certain that a good time is had by all!
