Just curious what folks carry on their belt and if they let others carry their water, or if they also carry a small backpack. Thinking of carrying a small camelback to deal with dehydration

That's what I carried, a very small Camelback (the kind for bicyclists) that held water, knife, flashlight, some ammo. Then I carried the double rifle and one of the guys carried (sometimes) the bolt rifle.

Gun!

I use a Texas Hunt Co belt...10 rounds,flashlight,small knife. GPS unit in my shirt pocket,digital camera in the other. Binoculars on a bino harness....water carried by the trackers.

Toiletpaper and a shovel

I am not the minimalist many here are. I have a fanny pack with camera, a couple liters of water, ten or so shells, a small package of wipes, and maybe a few other small odds and ends. I prefer not to have a bunch of stuff in my pockets and I carry all that water because of a serious problem encountered while deer hunting in the California heat. If I carry it, I know it's there.

Backpack with water, snacks, ammo, camera, first aid kit, TP, SF drink mixes, sunscreen, lip balm, multi-tool & optics. This is for all day tracking/hunting. If it's a spot and stalk, just my gun: shotgun or rifle.
LDK

quote:

Originally posted by L. David Keith:
Backpack with water, snacks, ammo, camera, first aid kit, TP, SF drink mixes, sunscreen, lip balm, multi-tool & optics. This is for all day tracking/hunting. If it's a spot and stalk, just my gun: shotgun or rifle.
LDK

I'll go along with that list.

It all depends on how long I think that I'll be gone and how far I expect to walk.

Who gets off the truck?

Gun, 10 soft points, 5 solids, 8X30 binnos and a small pocket camera.
I make sure there's plenty of water and my other essentials in my daypak carried by one of the trackers

Cartridge belt with ammo and knife, CamelBak w/100oz bladder, several carb bars, sun block, few 800mg motrin, small digital camera, hat, tactical gloves and toilet paper. All the stuff I am not wearing fits in the CamelBak pockets. Oh I almost forgot, my 404.

Texas Hunt Co belt with 15 rounds of ammo, flashlight, leatherman, and bug spray. Small camera in my pocket sometimes.

water, can't go very far without it

Quote by OldHandgunHunter
"It all depends on how long I think that I'll be gone and how far I expect to walk"

This is how you get into trouble. The quick stalk turns into a long stalk and longer recovery.

Talk to your PH, tell him you want your daypak with you at all times. Just carry what you need to spot and shoot the animal your after. Your on an African Safari, stick to tradition. Your paying for these services and will be expected to tip all of the staff when it's over.

In Alaska, the Rocky Mountains, Southwest desert, sure carry everything you need. It just seems so out of place seeing an African client lugging a camelbak. JMO

I carry a small backpack but being a diabetic I have to carry more items than most. If I wasn't diabetic I would probably just carry a knife and extra ammo usually one of the trackers carries the water. Oh, and do not forget to carry your rifle, can't get much hunting done without it.

This is a long post, but the below has worked for me for a couple of dozen safaris:

Texas Hunt Company belt with a five round loop holder, the ten round pouch (which has a small pocket, perfect for a) point & shoot camera and some wet wipes, mini GPS (Geko 110, marked as to location of vehicle and then turned off), Leatherman and small tube of sunblock/bug juice and rifle, of course.

I have found that I can leave the belt buckled and just slip it over my shoulders when I leave the vehicle. That way, nothing is digging into your back as you bump around while diesel stalking. I don't use a binocular girdle but have an extended strap and wear them over one one shoulder and my neck so they hand to the side under my left arm and out of the way.

In my small back pack, which one of the trackers totes (for an extra few bucks tip), I have more wet wipes, a tiny (1/4"x1") clip-on visor light and an extra 2032 battery, water with mineral supplement in it, a few extra rounds of ammo in a pouch so they don't rattle, second pair of glasses in a case with padding so they don't get scratched (dark or clear depending on the pair I'm wearing), an extra small camera and batteries that fit both cameras, a book, a snack like peanuts & raisins (which I usually hook from the bedside table at Afton House ), a small med kit with foot plasters, etc., a self-storing rainsuit (if its rainy season), extra socks, three or four one-serving Tabasco packets for lunch if still out hunting (Like Saeed, Tabasco is necessary for everything from sandwiches to eland filets), and a Gerber mini-saw (which is used to saw branches and clear weeds... like a small scythe) for pictures.

The back pack always leaves the truck, regardless of what is expected, be it spot and stalk or following hours-old elephant tracks. I doubt it weighs 10 pounds.

Also, I always have a bottle of water with me on the truck and take a couple long pulls before I leave it. The staff at camp is instructed to have me three small bottles of water (or one large one) in my room each night. It is a small ritual for me to add some electrolyte and raw ground sugar to it for the next day and then insure that I'm ready for the next day by going through the pack and belt and insuring that I've replaced what I've used.

I don't know if its just psychological, but taking chugs of the electrolyte stuff seems to really help better than water on a hot September or March stalk.

I like to hunt in shorts, closed-toe sandals (Tevo or Sketchers with non-agressive soles, they are quieter) and just a tee-shirt. If weather possibilites so dictate, I might start off the day with zip-off long pants and the top of the lightweight rainsuit, but when warmer, I convert to shorts and re-stuff the rain shirt in the pack. For those days when it's 45 degrees F, I'll also have a sweatshirt in the pack and maybe some of those cheap jersey gloves you can buy at the convenience store for two bucks and a head band for my cute little ears.

Oh, yeah, if its rainy season, eventhough my pack is water resistant, I put stuff in zip-lock bags. Seems to help??? Nothing is worse than a ruined camera on safari.

I've gone on my last dozen or so safaris with Pierre van Tonder, Lou Hallamore or Brent Hein. They all have jam up folks working for them. It didn't take any of the guys long to learn (when we take a break) to just back up to me with the back pack presented so I could quickly pull a bottle of water from the little elastic holder on the pack and take a couple of hits of liquid. I appreciate them learning and catering to "my" rythms. I'm sure any good staff folks will do the same for you if you ask.

Judge, you left out the table , chairs, linen and silverware....

Because Africa is the ultimate example of a "S#it happens" kinda place, I carry the following:

Extra ammo (20 or so rounds)
Extra water (CamelBak)
TP
Matches
Surefire torch
Knife & Leatherman tool
Sat-Phone (in tracker's backpack)
Passport & some $$ & Gun permits
Spare glasses
CIGARS!!!

Cuz that one hour tracking job could turn into an all day ordeal, or longer - Right Ivan!!!

JW

Jeff, I bet all that is in a Texas Hunt Co. belt!

I carry as little as possible on my person. Bulky items like video cameras and water can be carried by the crew.

I carry:

Rifle (extra ammo in uncle Mikes buttstock ammo holder) With this method your ammo and rifle are never seperated.
Sunglasses
My own TP (leaves don't work that well)
Bug dope/sunscreen
Multi tool
Binos with bra type holder. Works great.
Pocket camera

I stuff everything in my pockets so there is no chance I can space out and leave it someplace in the bush.

I have to admit that a big ammo belt with 20 Nitro Express rounds and various other necessities dangling from it looks very cool. For me I have enough problem keeping my pants up without adding 10 pounds of stuff to pull them down quicker.

Mark

Having experienced a very dark and long night in the bush of Mozambique once upon a time. I never leave the truck without at least 20 rounds of ammo for the rifle, a multitool, 2 light sources and extra batteries, 2 liters of water, some cord and a bit of food. It is not pleasant to be walking around with a buffalo head skin in lion country at night with a burned out Surefire, 5 rounds of ammo, no water and 3 stoned and lost trackers.

Perry

quote:

Jeff, I bet all that is in a Texas Hunt Co. belt!

Amen brother, Aaaaaa-men!

quote:

It is not pleasant to be walking around with a buffalo head skin in lion country at night with a burned out Surefire, 5 rounds of ammo, no water and 3 stoned and lost trackers.

They'd a been "stoned" alright!!!

Hey Mark: Get some suspenders! Then your pants only go down when you want them to go down! Your friend, UEG

Mark if you get a waist again, you won't lose your pants!

465H&H

All that sounds great but if you want to make sure you have a light that works and will not take up room in your kit or pocket then you need the Super Pak Lite.
It is the 2 led light atop a 9 volt battery and it will burn forever. You have a low and a high switch. I have yet to replace a battery. You can find them on my site www.huntersheadquarters.net or wherever.
That and the LED ball cap light the Judge uses work great.
I love SureFire but when the batteries go they go RIGHT NOW and no warning.
I doubt you can carry too much water.
The best matches come from REI...25 Stormproof Matches to a box. They seldom go out even if you immerse them in water.
You might consider a contractor size heavy mill plastic sack for a combo rain coat, survival coat. Never know what you can use a good plastic bag for. Kept diesel fuel off my luggage in TZ years ago and eveyone else stuff was soaked.

And, if you get too much of a waist you WILL lose your pants as well! LOL!

Dang, Jeff:

Can you believe that I forgot to mention the lighter and cigars! They are absolute necessities.... Just remember that TSA gets funky about your traveling with butane lighters. I make sure that my PH (or the last trip, Russell Caldecott), had a couple of lighters ready for my Cohibas or to start a fire if needed to keep the lions and tigers away.

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Wemmer:
Because Africa is the ultimate example of a "S#it happens" kinda place, I carry the following:

Extra ammo (20 or so rounds)
Extra water (CamelBak)
TP
Matches
Surefire torch
Knife & Leatherman tool
Sat-Phone (in tracker's backpack)
Passport & some $$ & Gun permits
Spare glasses
CIGARS!!!

Cuz that one hour tracking job could turn into an all day ordeal, or longer - Right Ivan!!!

JW

If I have confidence in the group I am hunting with I won't bring anything with me.It might be a good idea to have a small bag in the truck with your camera,sunglasses,and extra ammo.I would bring some small bills along to tip in case we shoot something and the trackers did a really good job.

20 ROUNDS AN A HALF GALLON OF WATER

quote:

Originally posted by JudgeG:
Dang, Jeff:

Can you believe that I forgot to mention the lighter and cigars! They are absolute necessities.... Just remember that TSA gets funky about your traveling with butane lighters. I make sure that my PH (or the last trip, Russell Caldecott, had a couple of lighters ready for my Cohibas or to start a fire if needed to keep the lions and tigers away.

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Wemmer:
Because Africa is the ultimate example of a "S#it happens" kinda place, I carry the following:

Extra ammo (20 or so rounds)
Extra water (CamelBak)
TP
Matches
Surefire torch
Knife & Leatherman tool
Sat-Phone (in tracker's backpack)
Passport & some $$ & Gun permits
Spare glasses
CIGARS!!!

Cuz that one hour tracking job could turn into an all day ordeal, or longer - Right Ivan!!!

JW

JudgeG,

I was reading your list and immediately thought, "where are the cigars?"

Glad you caught that as I was worried for a moment. Besides TP, there is nothing more essential.

Frank and Jeff:

Is there anything much better than clearing a bit of ground under a shade tree, leaning back against the bark of an African "easy chair", firing up a good cigar and looking at a wonderful elephant or buffalo while you wait for the good fellows to hack a path for the Cruiser to your kill.

As you well know, sometimes it can take an hour or more to get the vehicle to the truck. Reading some good literature (maybe Hunter by J.A. Hunter), chilling out and letting the sweat dry, taking a sip or two of water (or maybe a nip of brandy stashed in your pack just for such an occasion) and puffing on a mellow maduro just ain't bad... all the while being able to look up and savor your animal. Making memories with the best of the tobaccoist's art is one of my great pleasures.

How the hell did I forget?

Forgive me for forgetting... especially since I'm smoking a smooth Arturo Fuente 8-5-8 as I type... and a bit of Islay over crushed ice, of course.

UEG and 465 H&H,

Sure! Take shots at a poor old man. I did knida set myself up for that one. I've been trying to find my waist recently but I have to admit it is an elusive quarry.

Mark

quote:

Forgive me for forgetting... especially since I'm smoking a smooth Arturo Fuente 8-5-8 as I type... and a bit of Islay over crushed ice, of course.

Nearly a punishable offense Judge, but in this case we will show some leniency as you have shown genuine remorse over this!!

Young (no pun intended) or old, those suspenders sure do come in handy! And you will then be able to wear a real man's ammo belt! Regards, UEG

Hey now! Some of us can wear a real man's ammo belt without suspenders!

You know why? Because we have enough to keep the belt from slipping off!

All in fun UEG, all in fun

JW

I have been using suspenders for many a year now and most of my rifles show the result with marks made by the clips, especially when it is carried at the low ready. Keep meaning to make a small leather cover for the right hand side.

Von Gruff.

I wear Duluth Trading side suspenders. They clip to the outside of your side of your pants at the belt line. Not in the usual front and back locations.
I carry binos, ammo, swiss army tool knife.

Mike

Jeff: That's funny! By the way, I cover the outside of my suspenders with clear heavy packing tape which keeps the clips from damaging the equipment. Mike: Interesting suspenders. Only two clips instead of four! Kind of like wearing a modified bino bra!