This bag is the main bag I carry when I go hunting. It's an over the shoulder gear holder( sorry
) that contains the items I figure I'll need if I get lost or strayed while I'm out in pursuit of that game animal that usually gets away. I also use it to carry comfort items when I'm out in the woods. I bought it several years ago at an outdoors festival, bought lots of other stuff there then too, oh my aching wallet!Anyway it's a camouflage messenger bag with several pockets of various sizes and it can hold a large quantity of materials and keep it organized.
I carry two small first aid kits, one in its pocket and one in a bottle of gear that will make its appearance later. This one has some bandages, a small, loud whistle and an instruction leaflet that covers enough first aid scenarios. The fact that the First Aid merit badge was the first one I earned in the Boy Scouts covers most anything else. Here's this one.
It's made and sold by LIFELINE FIRST AID and can be found in some sporting goods stores and online at http://www.lifelinefirstaid.com
I want to be able to scan and spot game while hunting and these can be used for looking far ahead if I'm doing a survival trek. They're the TASCO 12x25 binoculars I purchased from somewhere for a good price, $15 to $20 if I remember correctly.
I also carry items for one, field dressing and cutting up game and two, clearing my shooting lanes and walk paths. They can be used for firewood gathering when needed. The knife is a BUCK 119 and the saw/clipper combo is by GERBER. All of these items are fine quality and quite durable, I've used them quite a bit for the last several years and used them hard sometimes, they haven't quit yet.
I usually hunt out of a treestand so getting my firearm, rifle or shotgun, up to my stand safely is paramount. I dropped one once and GOD only knows why it did not discharge straight up into me then. I use a rope to get the firearm and my bag up there without worrying about dropping them. That rope is useful for many tasks limited only by imagination and knowledge. The LED light is what I use when walking to my hunting spot in the wee hours of the morning or late at night when it is usually pitch black in those woods, it has red LEDs so game will not be spooked unless I goof up. I also carry extra batteries because Mr. Murphy is always nearby.
This is another one of those LIFELINE survival kits in a bottle I have. This one is called the "Ultimate Survivor" and it has a decent selection of items.
The kit contains some hand warmers, a small LED flashlight, some waterproof matches and the other small first aid kit. There were other items that I removed because I wanted something else there instead, can't remember what though. I added the orange match safe, the Victorinox utility knife, the ToolLogic SL3 knife/light/firesteel combo, the AQUA-PUR water treatment tabs, the toilet tissue packs from some MREs and the magnesium flint bar. The matchsafe not only carries matches, it also has a signal mirror and compass in the cap, a loud whistle and a small striker for the strike anywhere matches.
The small first aid kit contains a small, cheap multi-tool, some bandages, a couple of plastic zipper bags and a tealight.
I also keep one or two of those ever present blue hospital rags that are oh so useful
And a blaze orange watchcap since I hunt public land and blaze is a requirement for hunting there and, it helps me to be found since its bright orange. It also has an advantage that not many people are aware of, you can use a wool watchcap to keep your feet warm. Most of your heat loss is from your uncovered head, it's a good radiator. Stop that heat loss and you stay warm, use the wool watchcap.
There are several items that were present in the first bag that are not seen here. This bag is intended mostly as one of my day trekking bags that could be used for a RON incident or several.
I do add some items when I take it out for an excursion, some beverage and food, adding ammunition for my firearms and some odds and ends of what I decide may be useful for that instance of use.
Like I said earlier, it's for ideas from others and for ideas for others, kind of a building block to produce your own trek bag.