Survival Lighters
They’re cheap, but its best to opt for a high-end survival lighter. If you are strapped for cast pick-up a pack of cheap lighters – they don’t take up much space, so get a bunch of them. Carry one in your pocket, another in your day pack, and have spares in your vehicle. You’re constantly needing a lighter to start a campfire, light a stove or lantern so try to have one or two with you. Remember inexpensive lighters that get saturated won’t ignite, so stash one in a waterproof container.
Fire Starter
Dry wood can often be very difficult to find especially during hunting season. Matches can get wet lighters can fail, if you are cold and wet a fire is a must. Buy some fire starters, or make your own. Don’t feel like it’s only for emergencies. Fire starters are good for campfires, and you can make a small fire in the field and heat up a lunch or hot drink.
Compass
Getting lost can make a great hunting trip into an all out emergency so be prepared. Carrying a GPS is a good idea but, have a compass as well, here is why. A GPS is electronic and requires batteries, which means it can fail. A compass is more reliable. Use it at the start of each hunt to orient yourself to certain landmarks so you can reference them later.
Space Blanket
Becoming lost or hurt while on a hunting trip could mean disaster. Staying warm and dry are two very important components of staying alive. Space Blankets are lightweight, only 2 oz. .They will retain up to 90% of your body heat. They are reusable, waterproof, windproof, making them a good part of an emergency shelter.They can also be used to lay meat on to keep it clean when you’re quartering or butchering in the field. A word of caution: don’t wrap meat in them for transport. Space blankets are designed to retain heat, and you’re trying to cool the meat.
Signal Whistle
These are small, cheap and lightweight. A couple quick blasts from a survival signal whistle will get someone’s attention, and the sound carries farther than shouting. Handy for locating your hunting buddy.
Wide-mouth, plastic water bottle
A Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Water Bottle may not be considered a survival item. but it can be very useful in many hunting situations. They are waterproof and can hold many items that need to stay dry such as stick matches, cotton balls,even a pair of socks.Also, you can fill the bottle from any water source when you’re butchering an animal so you don’t sacrifice drinking water to clean up.
Spare Long-john Shirt and Socks
When out hunting it is not uncommon to get wet. This can lead to dangerous consequences, if taken lightly, frostbite and hypothermia can follow. Changing into a dry shirt and/or socks makes a huge difference on a cold, wet day. Always have an extra long-john shirt and a couple extra pairs of wool socks with you just in-case.
Lightweight Rain Jacket
Wearing a fully waterproof jacket can get you sweaty while hiking to that favorite hunting spot , so many hunters opt for more breathable jackets. A lightweight raincoat will keep you dry in heavy rain. It might only get used once or twice a season, but it can save you from getting drenched.
Parachute Cord/Rope
Parachute cord or a sturdy rope comes in handy for a variety of things, such as hanging quarters or dragging an animal. In an emergency, Paracord works great for use in building a shelter because of it’s strenghth and versitility.
Instant Soup and Hot Beverages
It is a good idea to have something to drink that can be heated up quickly such as instant soup, hot chocolate, tea or instant coffee can warm you up on a cold day and provide an energy boost.
High-energy Food Bars
There are so many energy bars and similar calorie-dense foods on the market that you can carry a lot of calories without much weight or bulk. Carry some extras for those unexpected, prolonged outings. You might also try a military MRE. They’re a little heavy and bulky, but if you pull the main course and the heating packet you can have a hot meal that provides a lot of calories.
A Way To Communicate
This will seem a bit spendy. But, the Garmin InReach Explorer+ could help you escape a life or death situation while hunting, hiking or camping in the back-country should something ever go wrong. If you find yourself lost or injured and unable to get out of the woods on your own you will be glad you spulged on a long range walkie talkie or even better a satellite phone USB charger, and different ways to power it solar power charger, crank.
First Aid Kit
Two approaches: A) Find a small, basic first aid kit and keep that on hand until you can afford something more comprehensive; or B) collect individual components, like bandages and pain reliever, as you find them well priced, and add to the collection gradually.
Water Purification
The most important things to have when lost or hurt are food water and shelter. LifeStraw Personal Water Filter being at the top of our list for making sure you have clean and safe drinking water while in the wilderness. Not just any water will do though. Drinking water directly from a stream or river or worse a puddle could have dire consequences. That being said one of the most important things to have in the emergency pack is a way to purify drinking water. It would be to heavy and inefficient as well as bad for the environment to carry bottled water so be sure to have some means to purify water in the emergency pack.
Portable Cookware
Even if the plan is to be home by night fall always be prepared for the worst. Bring along a small pot or metal cup to heat water for making coffee, soup or for cleaning up .
Heavy-duty, Waterproof Plastic Bags
One-gallon zip-top bags have many different survival uses such as being used to carry water, or carry a heart and liver so your pack doesn’t get bloody and wet. Another great use isfor leakproof reusable plastic bags is to put those extra socks and under clothes in so you are assured a dry set. Another great idea is to keep your emergency food stores in them so if you get wet your food won’t.
Keep It Together – The Pack
Now that all the most important things have been gathered together it is time to get a perfect storage system to keep it all together in. Which will work best for the situation? A waterproof camo backpack or a survival pack.
