What is the most necessary item/s to take with you while on a hunting safari?

Hunters don’t want to take unnecessary items with them but do always ask the question “what if…?” and then arriving in the hunting area with too many ‘gadgets’ and unnecessary stuff that is actually not going to be use while hunting. A Hunter have to carry his rifle, bino’s, range finder, extra bullets – this already is adding to that extra weight. Obviously all ‘unnecessary’ items cause obstruction in movement or even exhaustion or dehydration can creep in…

So what will the most necessary item/s to take with you on a hunting safari?

Handi-wipes!

I really like the ammo belts and pouches available from www.texashuntco.com that our own Jeff Wemmer makes. I find that I can wear a belt with an open style cartridge holder, the closed style, two magazine pouches and a water bottle and not even realize I have it on.

Here's what I do.

5 rounds in the open shell holder on the left for rapid reloading.

10 rounds in the zip pouch with my camera, extra battery and extra SD card in the small zipped compartment and a few Handi-wipes in a zip lock bag

I put a Garmin GPS (Geko) and a mini-bug spray/sunblock in two pistol ammo pouches.

Finally, even though Jeff may make a squeeze water bottle, I use one I found at WalMart and put some powdered Gatorade with water in it.

Leica 8x20 or Swarovski 8x30 binoculars over my left shoulder and neck, some cough drops and a small two-blade, folding knife in my pocket...

And I give the tracker or game scout a little pack (which I leave with him/her) with more Handi-wipes, more water/Gatorade, a book, socks, rain gear or a waterproof wind shirt, sunglasses, a mini-first aid kit with tweezers for thorns, Immodium, a Leatherman, an extra camera (in a ziploc bag) and my cell phone with appropiate international service (you'd be astounded where it will works if you have an emergency... of course, a sat phone would be nice, but much heavier). Incidently, on my last safari, my "good" camera crapped out when I fried the battery when recharging it. I used my cell phone camera and at 3.2 megapixels, got some of the pictures that I've posted about my last buffalo hunt.

I guess I could wear the little back pack (and it only weighs a few pounds), but I've never had any staff complain and I give them a few bucks extra tip for doing so.

Mine would be, Rifle, ammo, GPS, bino's, medical kit, camelbak water pack and most important 'white cold' - toilet paper.

Good pair of broken in shoes
JD

Hi guys

When i do big five i will not go without my .22

To make certain when the s,.; hits the fan i can shoot them thru the knee(friends) so i can run faster then them.

Luan

P.S sorry for hi jacking this thread.

it's going to be real hard to find anybody to hunt with after letting out that little trick

Like Bushwack said---toilet paper.
There's no feeling like being miles from the truck, realizing something is just not setting well in your gut and it's looking for a way out, you quietly ask your PH and his team if there's TP in the pack, they shake there heads no and look at you like "why would you ask that? We're busy here."
That was my most favorite bandana too.

I am often asked why I wear two pair of socks when hunting. Well... if you forget your toilet paper you can always sacrifice a sock or two !

quote:

Good pair of broken in shoes

+1

Toilet paper, socks, bandana....TOO MUCH INFORMATION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rifle, Leica's, Courteney Boots, Tilly hat, Knife and a bullet pouch.

quote:

Originally posted by The Specialist:
it's going to be real hard to find anybody to hunt with after letting out that little trick

I'll let out another little secret about my good friend Luan: He's a pretty poor shot, particularly at running targets! That is why he still has friends!

Andrew

Besides the obvious (rifle, cartridges, binos) I carry a fanny pack with wet wipes, a small camera, small flashlight and at least two liters of water in Platypus containers. I know many on these boards have scorned the notion of the hunter carrying water. I don't care. I have had enough situations where dehydration was a more-than-irritating problem that I won't trust anyone else to have enough on hand.

Water and a knife, everything else is excess. Except for your rifle or bow of course.

I take a large camera bag, which I keep in the front of the truck with the game scout and driver.

In it I carry addition ammo - I have a belt with ten rounds on it. An SLR camera, and video camera, knife, wet wipes, sun block and mosquito repellent, boiled sweets. This stays in the truck all the time.

In my pockets I carry boiled sweets, chewing gum, a Garmin GPS, and a small pocket camera.

The sweets come in handy when we are about 20 ks from the truck. I pass them along every few hours, and every one appreciate them.

One thing I always keep on my person I haven't seen mentioned: extra shoe laces. Had a lace break on me dunring a breaking in walk, and have always kept extras on my person while hunting ever since.

A good pair of binnos, proper broken in foot wear, blister prevention, BATTERIES, lense cleaner, GPS, Stiripen or other water purifier.

All look into the Stiripens. I have one and they're awesome. It uses UV light to kill viruses, bacterias, and protazoas. It will sanitize a litre of water in 90 seconds!!!!

Brett

A small, very bright flashlight. Never carry a GPS. Have never been in a situation on a hunt where one was necessary. I carry a Canon A 620 and always refresh the batteries in the morning if I've done a lot of shooting the previous couple of days. Hard candy for everyone. Swiss knife. Binos. Spare softs. I always carry ten roiunds on my belt. I have yet to go on a seven or ten day hunt where more than ten rounds was necessary for the entire hunt, not counting three rounds for checking zero.

... a great attitude and tons of enthusiasm!

Binos, full mag., one in the chamber-safety on (when off the truck), 10 rounds on the buttstock, a full Camelbak with sunscreen, TP, Leatherman, and a full box of ammo inside.

(Extra ammo came in handy when stock screws came loose and had to resight in on a farm road.)

Camera w/extra set of batteries too! duh

quote:

Originally posted by RVL III:
Camera w/extra set of batteries too! duh

The digital camera. Without it the memories will fade.

Condoms you can carry about 3lt of water in them

The last couple trips I have taken my own coffee and coffee pot for the safari and then left it there. You can pick them up pretty cheap and it really beats the instant.

After that, in this order good boots, camera, journal, tp. Someone mentioned proper attitude which is very critical as well.

I always carry about 10 pieces of Jolly Rancher candy. When my mouth starts getting really dry, I put one in my mouth. It cures that problem.

quote:

Originally posted by 375 fanatic:
Condoms you can carry about 3lt of water in them

Just make sure they aren't the lubricated type. I hear it makes the water taste funny.

Plenty of ammo. I always have at a minimum 20 rounds on me and in my rifle. I also carry a handgun in any country that allows it.