First aid/survival kit?

[ERegs]

Does anybody carry or think there’s a need to have small first aid and survival kit with them? And I’m talking like if your going into woods deep to spot in the mts. Not hunting 100yds from truck. By survival kit I mean like space Blanket, somethings to star fire, and for water. Like pretty much just in case you need to stay the night or god forbid you get lost. And then just a small aid kit. Pretty much all in total would fit in a cargo pocket I’m thinking. right now I carry enough to set stand and gut a deer. let me know what and think and a few suggestions if you think so.

 

[*zap*]

mtwarden posted a good kit a while ago...maybe he will chime in or you could pm him or research his threads.

I carry a lighter in a waterproof holder, fire starter, a nalgene with water, a lifestraw filter that fits in my nalgene and a tq..always in my deer hunt pack. Generally throw in 3-4 cliff energy bars also.

 

[*zap*]

*updated 3/3/24* 2 oz that might be worthing adding to your first aid kit *updated 3/3/24*

My "regular" backpacking first aid kit weighs about 2 oz total, but when I'm hunting with lots of sharp objects and some that go boom, I'll carry a more extensive kit Found this on one of the recent podcasts here, it's an Emergency Trauma Dressing (ETD) that's a lot lighter and more compact...

www.rokslide.com

 

[Lowg08]

I carry an overkill first aid kit

 

[Novahunter]

Yes, I have a SOL survival and first aid kit that I bought and I also augmented. In addition to the kit, I added some easy to use suture staples, large bandages, Quickclot bandage, ad moleskin, and a Tourniquet for worst case.

 

[Marbles]

It really depends. You also need to know how to use what you have. My sleep system, shelter, and kitchen come in at sub 7 pounds and as I need the pack to carry a game animal, I tend to just carry an overnight set up even if I do not intend to use it.

A space blanket and adequate cloths can go a long way though. Environment matters as well.

But, if I'm running I can be miles into rough country with almost nothing. There is some cross your fingers and hope in that though. Now that I think of it, I should probably add a space blanket on mountain runs.

 

[JGTWI]

Band-aids and a tourniquet. That way you at least have both sides of the the spectrum covered. Anything else can be handled once you’re back at the truck .

In reality, I do carry a basic kit with some moleskin, bandaids, gause, ointment, and painkillers. Also some Aqua tabs just in case

 

[SoloWilderness]

Always, even on day hikes with the family. On my person I carry a small survival kit in my bino harness (Kuiu Pro with the added pro pocket on the bottom). The little pro pouch is just big enough to hold a space blanket, aquapur tablets (w/ a quart freezer bag for water), firestarter, quick clot, tourniquet, a little bag with some emergency meds (800mg Ibuprofin & leftover oxy/percocet from dental surgery - never had to use them, hope I never do), a small leatherman, stitching, a few bandaids, a wound closure kit, basic first aid tape, some gauze, some micro cordage and a micro flashlight. It's crammed, but it fits. I carry a larger more comprehensive kit in my backpack (top pouch, easily accessible). The idea is that I literally almost never take my harness off. If I fall down, break my leg, cut myself bad, I have just enough on my person at all times that I can triage a bad injury, get enough pain meds in myself to keep from blacking out if the pains too bad, then stay warm until I can come up with a plan. Also always have my inreach attached to my harness. I hunt solo a lot in rugged country, miles into the back country, and have had some close calls. My larger kit is in a small zip dry bag. It's nice and compact and totally waterproof. In the truck is a full and comprehensive kit.

 

[Novahunter]

For my Moose hunt thats upcoming, I'll also have a Sawyer water filter in my bag. They aren't expensive and weigh just a few ounces

 

[Lowg08]

For my Moose hunt thats upcoming, I'll also have a Sawyer water filter in my bag. They aren't expensive and weigh just a few ounces

I always have a sawyer. It’s actually lighter than cartoon water

 

[long hunter]

Small plastic tarp, space blanket at least 3 different fire starting methods, and prepared fire starters-2 large 55 gal trash bags, assorted band aids, water bottle, military water purification tablets (worked in S.E. Asia) small tube of antiseptic ointment, a hank of para cord, extra AA batteries for my 2 flaslights, glow sticks - 2, roll of orange survey tape (to mark where I have been and help those who may be looking fo me) Once I decide I might be lost mole skin, small pack of wet wipes, 6 - 4x4 gauze bandages and a trama dressing, one ace bandage, small roll duct tape also in the pack small thomahawk, 2 packages instant oatmeal and a few oatmeal bars, on me my 3 blade pocket knife a clip in the pocket folding knife and my belt knife. Also in hip pocket a large cowboy bandanna, I am a bit heavy but one never knows what may happen, figure I can go for a week or more and get along just fine. My life time hunting buddy has a suture kit and field medic kit and pretty much the same stuff I mentioned along with him as we never get to far apart we should be well situated.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I always like to see other people’s first aid kit list. I’ve gotten to plug alot of penetrating and gunshot wounds, used a few tourniquets and splinted lots of broken bones, but always get ideas from other people’s list.

 

[Bratch]

I usually hunt close to the truck/house so I’m not taking an overnight kit. What I do take is one of these or an AR mag insert first aid kit with similar equipment.

Individual Throw Kit

The top cause of preventable death in trauma is bleeding... 20% of people who have died from traumatic injuries COULD HAVE SURVIVED with quick bleeding control! Life threatening bleeding can occur from emergency situations in our communities everyday. From vehicle crashes and incidents involving...

www.narescue.com

I have the throw kits all over the place, in all the vehicles, my range bag and my hunting bag.

I have a hiking survival bag that has a space blanket, water pills, Bic lighter, signal mirror, whistle, duct tape, etc. if I did a bigger hunt I’d probably just grab it.

 

[ERegs]

Thanks guys appreciate all the input!

 

[Rich M]

Always carry a fire starter and space blanket or tarp. $20 will get you a life straw. Just a good idea.

I take my old dad hunting. Have blood clot stuff, larger tarp, straw, SS cup to heat stuff, and pre-stripped sheet or pillow case pieces. Old man is on blood thinners sp carry clot stuff and a stiff wrap of pillow case material if he gets torn open and i gotta go get truck and break down a fence to get him. He’s 82 and still climbs into treestands, so not too worried.

Carry what you feel you need. A cut resistant glove will reduce your threat of cuts by 90+%.

Blood clot stuff is $5 at Walmart. A sports wrap or ace bandage is cheap too. Super glue? Duct tape? Lotsa life saving stuff easily available.

 

[Johnny Tyndall]

IMO, the 2 most important things for a survival kit are compass and headlamp. I'd rather hike out than spend a night. After that, it's just real oh shit stuff - firestarter, emergency blanket, knife, tiny cpr mask, whistle. A couple of bandaids and gauze in case I slice myself. If it comes to splinting or major bleeding, that's time to start improvising with extra layers, cut off pack straps, game bags, etc... My take is if you can fix it in the field it isn't really a big problem, and if it's a big problem you can't really fix it in the field, so there's no point in carrying a lot of stuff. This keeps the kit small enough I don't hesitate to always grab it.

Also, WFA/WFR classes are great. Best piece of kit's between your ears.

 

[Mudpuddle]

If I'm on a backpacking trip I bring a small first aid kit. In all the times I've gone I think I've only ever used mole skin, Tylenol, and an ace bandage for my friend who always manages to hurt an appendage.

For my regular hunting trips close to the car I don't carry anything.

 

[Macintosh]

agree with a lot of what some have said. long time ago I spent a very cold night on top of a mountain without bivi gear--it wasnt too cold per se, but even cuddling for warmth we froze our asses off and were feeling pretty rough the next AM trying to find the sketchy, loose rappel gulley so we could get home. Of the injuries I've seen hunting and playing in the mountains, only a few have been trauma--most have been weather related cold injury, hypothermia, that sort of thing, and a few have been burns. I figured out at some point that I could easily duct-tape a space-blanket inside the space between my climbing helmet and it's harness, and combined with the invention of LEd headlamps all of a sudden realized I could fit quite a lot of "oh shit kit" into not much space. I actually found a small nalgene water bottle that was like 2/3 of a quart, a little smaller than standard size, and I put my entire emergency kit in this--it protects everything, keeps it dry, and doubles as water-carrying in a pinch, and the whole kit is very light and compact. This isnt everything, but here are a few of the things I HAVE used from the kit over the last several years when things did not go as planned, that I either didnt see mentioned already or that I consider essential:
1) headlamp
2) spare batteries for headlamp--lithium are lighter and last longer and dont age as badly as alkaline
3) hemostats for pulling quills (mostly for my dog so maybe not as important deer hunting)
4) duct tape--I wrap around a pencil to save space, great for blisters in a pinch, repair, etc.
5) spare hipbelt buckle--I've used like 3 of these over the years, it weighs nothing but saves the day if a buckle breaks
6) did I mention a headlamp? Probably my most-used emergency item
7) pencil and paper--have had to leave notes or send a note for someone in emergency or to avoid a potential scare when they were expecting me to be somewhere waiting for them, to send someone for help able to clearly communicate an injury to first responder, etc. (cell phones have changed this, but still many areas near my home with zero cell service)
8) a length of cord to open a conibear trap (again, for the dog)
9) small leatherman, mostly for the pliers
10) snickers bar, only to be eaten in emergency

 

[Honyock]

A first aid kit and emergency kit (lighter, Life straw, space blanket and a couple of large trash bags, etc.) stays in my pack all year whether hunting or hiking. A Life Straw saved my ass on a September elk hunt death march.

 

[Boarmaster]

I have two small kifaru zippered bags. One is a first aid kit with some common meds and booboo supplies. The other is a survival kit with fire starting ,space blanket , and water treatment. They are both in a large kifaru zippered bag. I like the light weigh zippered bags. I dont spend the night in the woods but I could if I had to. I have a light and other equipment in my pack but I don't keep them in my first aid / survival kits.