Guys that drive a long ways to hunt, what are your less common(but important) pieces of gear/tools you're sure to keep in the truck?

[Coopsdaddy]

3-4 flares

 

[realunlucky]

I always wonder about the tow strap guys. Do you travel with other folks or are you just hoping somebody will drive by?

I've pulled plenty of people out that just needed me to hook up to the other end of the strap

Sent from my SM-S926U using Tapatalk

 

[Jake Larsen]

These things are expensive, but they work extremely well. With a few recovery straps, these will get you out of just about anywhere. Like a come-along winch on steroids. Solves the “waiting for someone to come along and pull me out” problem.

Wyeth-Scott 335ASLT More Power Puller, 3 Ton Capacity

This heavy-duty industrial-grade portable hand winch is NOT the type of light-weight puller you will find at most home centers or discount stores. The More Power Puller has been designed and proven to perform in a variety of demanding environments without bending, breaking or collapsing.

americanforestry.com

 

[3gunyotehtr]

These things are expensive, but they work extremely well. With a few recovery straps, these will get you out of just about anywhere. Like a come-along winch on steroids. Solves the “waiting for someone to come along and pull me out” problem.

Wyeth-Scott 335ASLT More Power Puller, 3 Ton Capacity

This heavy-duty industrial-grade portable hand winch is NOT the type of light-weight puller you will find at most home centers or discount stores. The More Power Puller has been designed and proven to perform in a variety of demanding environments without bending, breaking or collapsing.

americanforestry.com

I have one of those. Awesome piece of kit. They are very handy around the farm too.

 

[displacedtexan]

And $100 more than a badlands winch

I like just pushing the button.

 

[displacedtexan]

I was a lot smarter before the winch got bolted on though lol

It definitely makes me think less! Lol

 

[bowkill]

Just be careful with those bungee ropes, they work incredibly well but don't hook them to a drop hitch or something that can fling back at the other vehicle.

We had a kid in high school that was killed using one of those bungee tow ropes. The hook came off and went right through the back window of the pulling vehicle and hit him in the skull. Game over!

 

[omicron1792]

Me in Wyoming this October. I actually had my Stihl in the truck, but it was more of a hassle to bust it out than to use the KB. These saws punch way above their weight class.


View attachment 1025029

I travel with battery powered small chain saw. Man I end up using it a lot.

 

[pa52855]

We leave in 2 weeks to head to Montana for our elk hunt. Its 400 miles to my friends house, then another 2040 miles to Montana from there. I'll put every bit of 5000 miles on my truck the last 2 weeks of September and first week of October. Our last trip in 2022 was smooth sailing with only stops for fuel and food.

My Tundra has a small lift and bigger tires and it dawned on me this morning, I should probably have a plug kit and small compressor available on such a long drive. I pretty much always have basic hand tools and a few power tools in my tool box, but those are two things I dont keep on hand that could really save a lot of time and hassle if the need were to come up.

Anything else that ya'll have taken that you were glad you did? I hate over packing, but I also like to make sure I'm covered.

Obviously have a great packing list, but it's primarily focused on gear, clothes, etc. Not so much emergency situations.

The tire plug thought I had this morning has me pondering if theres anything else I should keep in mind on such a long haul from home.

I would add a first aid kit a winch comes in handy for mud along with a shovel. tylenol, advil will help out greatly.

 

[Maineotter]

Things that live in my Tacoma during hunting season and sometimes year round

Tire chains
2 spare tires with appropriate lug nuts
Bottle jack, boards for jack base and raising height
Lug wrench
M18 Impact wrench with every standard lug nut size socket
Axe
Chainsaw with fuel and oil
200' bull rope
2 straps
Tire plug kit
M18 Inflator (so worth it)
Jump pack (for me only)
Jumper cables (for others)
Socket set
Bag of hand tools
Blue shop towels
Case of water
Germex
Shovel
Binoculars
Bag of spare clothes
Boot dryer
M18 Lights (Spotlight, Lantern)
Inverter
M18 Inverter (Can plug in usb, a, or wall chargers)
Rechargeable headlamps
Rechargeable flashlights
Shotgun and shells
Trashbags
Screws
Duct tape
Wiring kit with spare wire
Hat gloves
Rain jacket
Jacket
Rubber boots
Gas can(s)
Rope / paracord / zipties
Toilet paper and wipes
Maps
Spare knife
Cooler
Tow straps
Universal hitch

Definitely forgetting some stuff but thats a good chunk of it

 

[Nick4050]

We had a kid in high school that was killed using one of those bungee tow ropes. The hook came off and went right through the back window of the pulling vehicle and hit him in the skull. Game over!

They’re amazingly effective, but can definitely get sketchy in a hurry if you’re not careful. Soft shackles on good solid hook points that are closed loop, so short of something breaking there is no way it can come loose. I’ve also found that buying one way that’s rated for significantly heavier rigs than what you have works good because you still get the kinetic energy storage, with a little less stretch length. And if you give it a good bump and the stuck vehicle doesn’t budge at all, don’t just keep hitting it harder and putting more and more stretch in the rope. Get out and do some digging, most of the strap/rigging failure I see is from guys being lazy and trying to yank something through a solid wall of dirt/mud or a frozen solid snow berm. The kinetic ropes get a bad rap for being inherently dangerous, when in reality they’re just like any other tool in the sense that using them improperly and without safety in mind is what usually causes an accident.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

I wanna watch somebody cut this bitch with a handsaw

View attachment 1025710

Do I have my beer cooler or no?

 

[Maineotter]

I wanna watch somebody cut this bitch with a handsaw

View attachment 1025710

I ran into a tree like that last December an hour before legal time on a lonnggg dead end road. Busy patch of woods lots of trackers coming for the snow. Pulled my Tacoma up until it was almost touching the tree so I could measure it properly. By the time I was done cutting two other full size trucks were waiting behind me.

When I got to the local bar later that night one of the guys there said "Hey is that your Tacoma outside? Your the guy who cut that big pine?" "Yes sir." "Well, I hate to say this but you kinda screwed me and a bunch of other guys! You cut it too narrow we all had to turn around and hunt somewhere else." I didnt tell him it was intentional! Didn't see another truck or hunter that whole day

 

[HairyScandinavian]

I'd hope so

I'm good until the beer runs out then I'm digging the chainsaw out to get back to camp.

I ran into a tree like that last December an hour before legal time on a lonnggg dead end road. Busy patch of woods lots of trackers coming for the snow. Pulled my Tacoma up until it was almost touching the tree so I could measure it properly. By the time I was done cutting two other full size trucks were waiting behind me.

When I got to the local bar later that night one of the guys there said "Hey is that your Tacoma outside? Your the guy who cut that big pine?" "Yes sir." "Well, I hate to say this but you kinda screwed me and a bunch of other guys! You cut it too narrow we all had to turn around and hunt somewhere else." I didnt tell him it was intentional! Didn't see another truck or hunter that whole day

Last year we hauled the buggy for the first time. On the main road I cut two logs full size, but when we went up a couple skinny roads I cut 3 logs just wide enough for the buggy to pass. We had some food winds one night and there were downed trees freaking everywhere.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Wtf's a bugggy?

It's what us flatlanders call a side by side.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Never once thought "man, I wish I had a handsaw"

Maybe you're just lazy? I need the exercise.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Lazy? Coming from the SxS owner......

Hey I choose my chores lol, and it's a BUGGY!

 

[rayporter]

if towing a trailer a couple of 2x6 boards can let you change a tire without having to use a jack.

 

[omicron1792]

Why am I picturing one of these
View attachment 1025968

Overloaded with these

View attachment 1025969

Blaring something like this from boat speakers

Am I the only one that likes all three of those?!

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Why am I picturing one of these
View attachment 1025968

Overloaded with these

View attachment 1025969

Blaring something like this from boat speakers

Because deep down inside you dream of a world where them things are cool.

Am I the only one that likes all three of those?!

Yes. Lol