The Essential Gear For A Safe And Successful Hunting Trip

Aaron Spuler is a firearms enthusiast and recreational shooter. Follow more or his work at The Weapon Blog

According to the most recent U.S. Hunting and Fishing Participation survey performed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, more people are hunting now than ever before. This survey found that 14.4 million Americans over the age of 6 hunt each year, which is about 25% higher than it was in 2016 when the last survey was taken.

Are you getting ready to head out on your first hunting adventure? If so, bringing the right gear along will be of the utmost importance. Here is the essential gear you’ll need to enjoy a safe and successful hunting trip.

Firearm

Almost 60% of gun owners in the U.S. say they use their firearms for hunting at least part of the time. Unless you plan to hunt with a bow and arrow, you’ll need to invest in the right firearm for hunting from the start. There are so many great hunting rifles on the market today. Search for the one that feels right in your hands, and invest in it along with other firearm-related supplies, such as ammunition and ammo reloading supplies.

Spend time in the weeks leading up to your hunting trip taking target practice with your firearm to get a good feel for how it fires. Figure out what you can do to improve your shooting skills, and always prepare your firearm for a hunting trip by cleaning it and making sure it’s all ready to go.

Backpack

Outside of a weapon, you’ll want to bring quite a few other things along with you on a hunting trip. Pick up a heavy-duty backpack that will fit everything you’ll need to hunt without weighing you down too much. There are plenty of backpacks out there designed specifically for hunting, including those built to protect your hunting gear from the elements. Scoop up one of these backpacks, and you can start filling it with the necessary items for your hunting excursions.

Camouflage Clothing

The clothing you wear when you’re on a hunting trip could make or break it. If you aren’t comfortable when you’re out in the middle of a forest or field, it could force you to cut your trip short. Look for camouflage hunting clothing that will ensure you’re warm or cool enough while you hunt without attracting too much attention from the animals you’ll be hunting. Buy camo jackets, shirts, and pants, along with accessories like hats, gloves, and scarves, depending on where you’ll be hunting and what type of weather you’ll face.

Hunting-Specific Items

If you want to bag a deer, a boar, a bison, or another type of animal while hunting, you’ll need to have more than just a great firearm at your disposal. There are other hunting-specific items you’ll need to toss into your backpack to guarantee you get treated to a positive experience when you hunt for the first time. Some examples of the kinds of items you’ll need will include:

• Binoculars

• Rangefinder

• Scope

• Tripod

• Game calls

Don’t forget to pack some extra ammo in your hunting backpack, too. It won’t take up too much space, and it could come in handy if your first hunting trip is a huge success.

Survival Supplies

You never know what Mother Nature might throw at you when you’re out in the wild. Pack the survival supplies you might need if things go awry while you’re in the middle of a hunting trip. First and foremost, you should stick a map and a compass into your hunting backpack to steer clear of getting lost. You should also have a smartphone, a two-way radio, and even a satellite messaging device in your bag so that you can remain in constant contact with the world just in case you encounter an emergency.

Some other survival supplies you should place in your backpack will include:

• Rope

• Knife

• Multi-tool

• Matches

• Bear spray

You’ll obviously need food and water to survive during your hunting trip as well, even if you’ll only be heading out to hunt for a few hours. Pack a bunch of ready-to-eat meals along with a large water jug and maybe even a water purifier you can use if you run out of water and require a refill.

First-Aid Kit

Hunting-related injuries aren’t as common as you might think. Very few hunters are seriously injured during hunting accidents each year. The greatest injury risk isn’t even from firearms! Just like any adventure into the woods, you’re at risk for other injuries like twisting your ankle by tripping over tree roots, scraping your hands against a rock or branch, or cutting yourself while using your hunting knife. Either way, it’ll help to have a first-aid kit in your hunting backpack. It’ll enable you to tend to these types of injuries so that you can keep hunting or hold you over until you can go to get medical treatment.

Personal Products

If you only plan to spend a few hours hunting during your first hunting trip, you might not need to bring along too many personal products with you. But you should still pack a few products you’ll need to take care of yourself as you hunt, like sunscreen, lip moisturizer, and hand sanitizer. Just be careful about bringing too many products like soap and deodorant with scents that could scare off animals and make hunting harder than it has to be.