The Most Unnecessary Sh*t

Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
1,207
Location
Pennsylvania
We all love to talk about our favorite and most valued backpack or hunting gear. But what's the most unnecessary crap you or someone you know has packed on a trip?
Mine would have to be when my best friend insisted on hanging a cast iron skillet from his pack on a 20-something mile trip. It didn't take him long to regret.
 
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
8,755
Location
Central Oregon
Hahaha my brother insisted on packing this mtn house raspberry crumble to the bottom of a hell hole.
Convinced at the end of his 1st day backcountry hunting we would be sitting next to the creek enjoying desert.
I insisted he will never even remember its in his pack.
He pulled it back out at the truck and about had a heart attack he packed it all around for a couple days. 😂
 

Zappaman

WKR
Joined
Mar 9, 2021
Messages
541
Location
Eastern Kansas
Beer.

OK, yes... I've done it (not hunting, but technical packing 30 years back- when I was 20 something). I ALSO insisted on taking BOTTLES (yes I was a dumb-ass... plain and simple). I had a 12 pack next to my 6 oz stove in the bottom of my pack (obviously, I also REALLY loved beer- GOOD beer and back then it DID NOT come in cans!).

It was about the stupidest thing I've ever done as I had to pack OUT the empties! The plan was a couple a night, after the day's run... I was OUT of beer by the third day. On day five (when we got back to the truck) my buddies were already done laughing at my dumb-ass. (*But those F***ers had a few of my beers, so they didn't lay it on too hard) ;)

I have pack hunted (elk/mule deer) well over a dozen times since with one guy that was in the group back then, and EVERY year we get together to fly fish... we (he) tell(s) the same damn old story about me and my damn beer back in 1989. Stupid as hell, but makes for a good (old) story for us "old dudes" to re-tell (every year since).

BUT... dumb as it was THEN, I sure as hell learned to pack better for the upcoming hunts we took after then. Now I take a "touch" of cannabis (rag weed went to good vape) and a "little" scotch (not in a glass bottle). Leaves room for the 3 lbs of jerky and WATER! And the gun is ALSO lighter now.

I actually haven't "packed" in the last five or so years and I miss it like hell. You young guys get out and DO IT every chance you can! It starts getting hard after to get to your 50s. There is nothing like a REAL deep hunt into places FEW hunt. AND packing it out 5-10 miles (*on several trips with multiple kills) means you need some room in that pack to get meat home!

Don't take beer!!!
 
Last edited:
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
1,034
Hahaha my brother insisted on packing this mtn house raspberry crumble to the bottom of a hell hole.
Convinced at the end of his 1st day backcountry hunting we would be sitting next to the creek enjoying desert.
I insisted he will never even remember its in his pack.
He pulled it back out at the truck and about had a heart attack he packed it all around for a couple days. 😂

Blasphemy!!! That raspberry crumble is god's gift to man. . . Your mistake was not reminding him to bust it out and eat it!
 

Marble

WKR
Joined
May 29, 2019
Messages
3,579
An old green 2 burner Coleman stove that burned white gas...

Too many clothes

Glass jars of peanut butter, jelly and other food.

12 pack of beer

Bags of fresh fruit and veggies

Cans of food



Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
 

jpmulk

WKR
Joined
Nov 12, 2021
Messages
371
Went through my buddys pack when i thought it seemed ridiculously heavy for a day hunt. I proceeded to find enough food for both of us for a 3 day hunt, multiple battery packs, multiple flashlights, multiple everything, enough rope to climb mount everest, and a set of barbie doll clothes his kids must have left in there. He thanked me when i was done cleaning out his pack for him and it weighed a third as much as before.
 
OP
lyle_destroys
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
1,207
Location
Pennsylvania
I have a habit of keeping bic lighters in every damn place. Now they don't weigh much and I don't smoke or anything but I just hate having to dig for one and I can never remember where it's at.
 

bozeman

WKR
Joined
Dec 5, 2016
Messages
2,879
Location
Alabama
Always too much: food, fear, feel good.....to me, these 3 categories cause me to overpack......I pack too much food, I pack to calm my fears or I pack too much luxury....getting better, but still more room to cut back. One item I WILL NOT skimp on........sleeping pad!
 

Wapiti1

WKR
Joined
Sep 18, 2017
Messages
3,656
Location
Indiana
More often than not....my hunting partner. He'll say the same thing about me, though.

I've seen some interesting stuff come out of other folks packs. Extra pair of boots, very large revolvers, cookware of the cast iron sort, an entire bag of potatoes, case of beer, whole roll of paper towels (turned out to be a good idea, bulky, though), several boxes of cartridges on a day hunt (he had 100 rounds plus a belt pack?).

Most of the time, it turns out that I didn't need my rifle or bow, none of the game bags, knife, and meat hauling capable pack. I just carried them around out of fear an animal would die near me.

Jeremy
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
16,170
Location
Colorado Springs
Hahaha my brother insisted on packing this mtn house raspberry crumble to the bottom of a hell hole.
Convinced at the end of his 1st day backcountry hunting we would be sitting next to the creek enjoying desert.
Those weigh something like 4oz, not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.......especially if you like dessert. I always have at least one of those around during hunting season.
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2021
Messages
53
Trekking poles. While needed on some hunts, I once hiked around all day once with my trekking poles in my pack.
 

GSPHUNTER

WKR
Joined
Jun 30, 2020
Messages
4,583
I tend to over pack, I'm a list guy so I make sure I pack everything on my list for the type of trip I'm going on, fishing, hunting, camping, whatever. That being said, I have two friends who show up with the shirt on their back and not much more so, I make up for them.
 
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