Must Have Tools????

[DonBo]

Saw this one in use last year and had to have it. Finally got to try it out last weekend and it worked awesome!  I will never again struggle over splitting the pevis bone while gutting a deer.

 

 

 

 

Anything you guys carry that you just can't go afield without?

 

[eyedr]

A good pack that is comfortable and light weight makes things so much easier. 

[Musky hunter 82]

DonBo I've been using one like that for years now, it's so easy to split the pelvic bone and the last for ever.

I always have 2 knives in my pack, no fun when one is dull.  I need to look at that Gerber knife that has replaceable blades, just not sure how well they hold up.

The other is a spare release when archery hunting.

[Scoot]

Here are a few things that I use for whitetail hunting that I don't like to be without:

1) Good pack that is the right size for everything I want to carry

2) I take care of all my animals via gutless method now, so I don't use anything to split the pelvis (don't do it), but do need a super sharp knife all the time.  My Havalon and a few spare blades go everywhere with me while hunting.

3) Good stand with climbing sticks.

4) 1 bow hanger (to hang bow and calls on) and 1 screw in step (to hang pack on)

5) Camera- I virtually never hunt without it

6) A decent hand saw

7) My side kick!  Ryan hunts with me about 90% of the time these days.  Both he and I love it.  It can make things more challenging and at times frustrating, but mostly it's just wonderful time in the field with my son.

[eyedr]

Scoot, do you skin and quarter everything out in the field?

[muskyvic]

Toilet paper. Never leave home without it.

[Scoot]

Scoot, do you skin and quarter everything out in the field?

I do it gutless.  I peel the skin back on all the quarters and off the top of the back so I can get all four quarters, backstraps, inside loins, and neck meat.  I pull the quarters off, bone in.  I can do a deer via gutless method in about 10 minutes more than it took me to gut a deer and pull the loins out.

Toilet paper. Never leave home without it.

A travel size pack of wet wipes will be smaller, lighter, and make your unmentionable areas much cleaner. 

[eyedr]

I do it gutless.  I peel the skin back on all the quarters and off the top of the back so I can get all four quarters, backstraps, inside loins, and neck meat.  I pull the quarters off, bone in.  I can do a deer via gutless method in about 10 minutes more than it took me to gut a deer and pull the loins out.

A travel size pack of wet wipes will be smaller, lighter, and make your unmentionable areas much cleaner. 

I've contemplated doing this as I feel it would be less of a pain after the hunt.  I am hoping to save and tan the hide to make some things out of it this year so I would have to fully skin it out in the field. 

[Scoot]

eyedr, no reason why you couldn't skin the whole thing in the field.  If I planned on doing that, I'd definitely bring a deer sized sheet of Tyvek, plastic, or something that would allow you to work on to help keep your meat clean. 

As I see it, I'm going to quarter the deer soon anyway, so why not just skip the step of gutting it and do the quartering I'm going to do anyway?

[NELS-BELLS]

If you hunt Ripley or on public land where you have to set up your stand a lot.  You have to have a ratcheted pruner and a folding saw in your pack. 

 

 

Edited October 23, 2015 by NELS-BELLS

[DonBo]

Yep, the pruner gets more use than anything else I carry.

[NELS-BELLS]

When I know I have to hike a long ways in and want to reduce weight in the pack.  I will take out a few items like the folding saw and my jointed bow holder to reduce weight, but never the pruner.  That stays in the pack at all times.

Nels

[deerminator]

I use my folding saw to split the pelvic bone if I need to sometimes so its my go to tool too in that respect. One thing my wife to me for Christmas last year that I am lovin' this year is a Zippo handwarmer. I fire that thing up now when I go out mornings and keep it in my hand muff. That thing rocks.

I might take some ribbing for this, but one thing I cannot do without for long sits is my power source. I bring a portable charger for my iPhone. During the slow times, being able to check the weather and read online articles about hunting passes the time. I know that's not traditional hunting but times are different and so am I.

[Boar]

rope.

[Scoot]

Good one boar- I always have rope. 550 parachuted will take care of a lot of things. 

 

I'm curious about the pruner- I've never carried one. Can you guys give some links to the exact pruner you recommend?

[MUSKY18]

I use my folding saw to split the pelvic bone if I need to sometimes so its my go to tool too in that respect. One thing my wife to me for Christmas last year that I am lovin' this year is a Zippo handwarmer. I fire that thing up now when I go out mornings and keep it in my hand muff. That thing rocks.

I might take some ribbing for this, but one thing I cannot do without for long sits is my power source. I bring a portable charger for my iPhone. During the slow times, being able to check the weather and read online articles about hunting passes the time. I know that's not traditional hunting but times are different and so am I.

I couldn't agree with you more.  When my dad passed I got his old handwarmer when me and my brother were going through all his hunting stuff.  It almost gets too hot at times, but runs forever and is something that I will never forget when going to sit on stands those cold days.  I also have a power block for my phone.  I actually bought one that will fully recharge my phone 4 times over before it is out of juice.  When you are sitting all day playing Angry Birds, ya definitely need it!

[eyeguy 54]

love my buck zipper and the sagen pelvic saw. bought the saw for 3 friends and they all love them. 

[deerminator]

Musky18, I hear you on the handwarmer, my wife said, I can't believe they haven't outlawed this thing yet. It has to be dangerous. Filling it with lighter fluid and firing it up? But it works and it hasn't harmed me - yet.

 

[Boar]

I love these things and never hear of any one but myself wearing them, Heat wraps, ya get the at wallmart 2 for like 8 bucks, they have lower back, knee and neck wraps. made by Thermacare. I use the lower back ones, follow the directions, and its all day comfert, if one keeps his lower extremities warm its amazine how much longer one can stay in stand. 

[fire29]

i also use the heat wraps for back pain. They work pretty dang good. 

I've often thought about the hand warmer that takes lighter fluid, but have been concerned about scent. Do they smell at all?

Pruner for sure, saw if I'm not real concerned about weight. I like the hooyman. TP for sure, depending on where I'm going I carry a lighter, always have spare batteries and a back up small flashlight. And ya always have to have a snickers. 

[eyeguy 54]

great idea with the lighter!  I carry 2 flashlights, one for tracking and one that goes on my head if I need to gut in the dark. Got tired of holding it in my mouth... lol 

[Boar]

an extra sock.........case u forgot the TP

[DonBo]

 

 

I'm curious about the pruner- I've never carried one. Can you guys give some links to the exact pruner you recommend?

Seriously?  How do you clip the branches that are always in the way?  I even use these in and out of my stands to help clear the way and to keep from touching brush and leaving unnecessary scent.

These Fiskars are my favorite, but there are several ratcheting types that are good also.  I wouldn't be without them.

 

 

[ozzie]

After bow hunting a few sits I went out and got a holder that goes overhead screwing into the tree.  It has an arm that swings 360 degrees and has another arm that you position and angle to hold the bow out in front of you.  the one I got from Menards has a hook that also moves in a 360 degree motion. SLICK is all I have to say about that one!!  Think it is called Hawk.

[Scoot]

Seriously?  How do you clip the branches that are always in the way? 

I've always just used my little hand saw- seemed to work fine.  I could definitely see the benefit of a pruner over a hand saw for many of the cuts I make.  Just never occurred to me to use a pruner instead of a saw...