What should We prepare for our Small Game Hunting?

[Raktoner]

Gun, Rifle scope, Binoculars? Anything else? Thank you

[limon32]

Daypack with: compass, first aid kit, hat, gloves, bug spray, hand warmers, SPOT, map, some kind of food, water tablets, a whistle, headlamp, ibuprofen/aspirin, moleskin, multitool.

I have a similarly stocked pack and it goes everywhere I go. Most of the stuff in it gets used on unprepared friends, family and some total strangers I've come across.


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[Daveinthebush]

When I was a kid we shoved a hand full of .22 shell in our pocket and went. :topjob:

[sayak]

When I was a kid we shoved a hand full of .22 shell in our pocket and went. :topjob:

Ha ha! Pretty much what I still do when hunting birds or wabbits!
I guess I DO take along a garbage bag, and maybe lunch and drink if I plan to be gone for a few hours. I've never had to hunt that far from the road or trail.

[limon32]

Ha ha! Pretty much what I still do when hunting birds or wabbits!
I guess I DO take along a garbage bag, and maybe lunch and drink if I plan to be gone for a few hours. I've never had to hunt that far from the road or trail.

Yeah but you guys are Alaskans, that fella says he's from New York...

[Daveinthebush]

Yeah but you guys are Alaskans, that fella says he's from New York...

Yea I guess that all the Alaskan reality shows have let out that fact that everyone up here are bad asses.

[FL2AK-Old Town]

Here is a link to a similar topi a few weeks back. I won't repost it all here, but just be aware that Alaska is not a National Park. Self reliance is a valuable and admirable quality up here and you never know when a walk in the woods is going to turn into a fight for survival. I was a Bot Scout. Be Prepared.

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/...ival-kit/page2

That thread should give you some ideas on which to decide your needs.

[sayak]

"Bot Scout"... is that short for robot scout?
Seriously, when I used to hike up above treeline for ptarmigan (back in the day), I took lots of stuff for just-in-case, but in a good bunny cycle or when hunting chickens in the fall, you don't really need to go far or high. More stuff=less room in pack for dead animals.
As for our New Yorker OP, he just might be from northern NY... where people still carry guns and kill animals. In other words, not completely woods dumb.

[Daveinthebush]

I will let the cat out of the bag. I was born and raised in Northern New York. And yes, that is where I would just take off with shells and gun to hunt. Very seldom took anything. Drank available water, ate off the land if hungry. I could be in the house and grab the shotgun before the buss dropping off left and my mother knew. I would roam for hours on end. No map, no idea where I was. As a kid I was everywhere and always made it back home.

[sayak]

Gun, Rifle scope, Binoculars? Anything else? Thank you

You probably won't need binocs. Most small game hunting is done at close quarters. Maybe no scope either. Lots of people use shot guns.
Limon's list is a good one.
Wear sturdy boots and carry a good pack sack for stuffing your birds or bunnies into. Take a drink and a snack. Not a bad idea to have another layer to put on if you sit down for any length of time. Stay in an area and know which direction is back. I suppose if you can't see the sun, and the topography is flat, a GPS is a good thing to use. If you have a pocket knife and a way to start a fire- barring injury- you will always be OK. Unless you run into a mad momma bear or moose! But that is what reality shows are all about.

[sayak]

I will let the cat out of the bag. I was born and raised in Northern New York. And yes, that is where I would just take off with shells and gun to hunt. Very seldom took anything. Drank available water, ate off the land if hungry. I could be in the house and grab the shotgun before the buss dropping off left and my mother knew. I would roam for hours on end. No map, no idea where I was. As a kid I was everywhere and always made it back home.

I actually knew this.
I have several local friends who go back to NNY every fall for the white tail and turkeys.

[Armymark]

It all depends on where your going to go, how far and if your familiar with the area. Hunting small game in Alaska means that you probably should be prepared to fend off a bear with bear spray or a hand gun as compared to bird shot or a small caliber rifle. It means that you might get rained on or even snow in the fall. I like to have something to start a fire. Something to stem the flow of some personal bleeding, one field dressing and a few bandaids don't take much space. If your familiar with the area you might not need a nav aid but, a GPS or a map and compass might help avoid some geographical embarrassment at the expense of a little space in a pack or pocket. Bug juice put on before you go or carried is a comfort item So is food and water, for a day. Accurately telling someone where you are going and when you expect to be returning is a good idea. A cell phone assuming you might have coverage. I like my Garmin Rino, if someone is on the same freq, it will transmit your position when you key the mic. If your over due and someone tells the troopers your on blah freq they might be able to find you quicker. With your GPS you can report your position if you have contact with someone. I carry a spot if I know I'm somewhere no-one would find me. Echoing Limon I spose.

The most important thing to bring along is common sense and a trimmed ego.

[limon32]

I will let the cat out of the bag. I was born and raised in Northern New York. And yes, that is where I would just take off with shells and gun to hunt. Very seldom took anything. Drank available water, ate off the land if hungry. I could be in the house and grab the shotgun before the buss dropping off left and my mother knew. I would roam for hours on end. No map, no idea where I was. As a kid I was everywhere and always made it back home.

Why would you ruin my preconceived, un-educated notions like that!

Actually I applaud the OP for asking first!


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[Daveinthebush]

I actually knew this.
I have several local friends who go back to NNY every fall for the white tail and turkeys.

Guilty! I took two does and a nine point this fall back there. Bow hunting was good. :-)

[hodgeman]

Gun, Rifle scope, Binoculars? Anything else? Thank you

Depends on the area and how you're going to hunt it. I small game hunt...a lot. But I'm rarely more than a 1/2 mile from the road and my truck in open country so I typically carry some shells and a sack for the critters. Other times I've carried more extensive equipment since we were backpacking as well as small game hunting.

You'd be hard pressed to go wrong carrying some water, decent rain gear and some type of fire starting and first aid if you're going to be very far off trail.

For the actual hunting a small pair of binos can be beneficial depending on what kind of small game you're after. In open country you can sometimes spot and stalk ptarmigan and grouse with them...other times it's just jump shooting with a shotgun.