What’s in your upland vest?

[WoodDuck]

Water and shells are obvious, but what else is considered a must have when you are bird hunting for your own and your dog’s safety/convenience?

This list may change whether you are chasing ruffies in the Midwest or chukkar in Arizona, so state if the items are location specific. Just looking to be prepared for all scenarios.

 

[mlchase]

Small roll of TP, small baggie of cornstarch/talc, thin liner gloves and a pair of hemostats for porkie quills or cactus spines. I try to keep it simple...these vets lately have turned into packs and upland is still a simple affair based on walkin, and I carry a lot of water for the dog so try to lessen the rest.

 

[Holmes]

2L water bladder
.5L coffee thermos
lunch
15-20 shells (+2 bear slugs)
bear spray
Garmin 550 controller
phone with Gaia layers pre-loaded
8x25 binos
Poop kit (ziploc with TP, lighter, wet wipes, hand sanitizer)
Goretex rain jacket
belay jacket
backup warm gloves and hat
Hunting license
Canon R5 and F4 lens on a Peak Design shoulder clip
Globstopper wax
Emergency Kit - Garmin InReach, tape, vet wrap, bandages, quikclot, multi-tool, hemostat for porkies, tenacious repair tape, collapsible barrel rod, head lamp, caffeinated gels and protein bar, fire starter, wire snips for snare traps, nylon belt/Tri-glide for conibear traps.

When it's below ~15f I'll also carry a big thermos of warm chicken broth for the 2 dogs, backup spandex "shirts" that cover the dogs' neoprene vests and prevent icing in the neck and pits, backup hand and toe warmers for hunting partners, and sometimes belay pants.

 

[Macintosh]

I like to leave the truck in the am, get lost all day, and get back to the truck mid afternoon. I also tend to hunt regardless of the wx, so I tend to assume it’ll be shitty and leave the whole kit in my vest. Shells and stuff I use frequently goes in the 2 front pockets, gloves and water go in the divider-pockets inside game bag, everything else lives in a zip pocket against my back in ziplocks.

About a box of shells. Im superstitious about counting them, so I dump the whole box in and refill when it isnt in balance with the other side of my vest.
Hemostats
Cord loop to remove a conibear trap
Leash
Spare whistle
TP
Snickers bar
Headlamp
Notepaper/pencil wrapped in duct tape
Emt gel
Mini leatherman
Small knife
Couple lighters
Space blanket
Dog treats
Fabric dog bowl and some food
Warm hat
Leather gloves
Spare batteries
Compass
Water bottle. Big if its dry out, smaller if theres water around.
This part is very important—In the gamebag I always have 2/3 of a box of empty shells, a bunch of brown stuck-together feathers and 2 or 3 pounds of twigs and leaves.
The only thing I ever really add/remove is insulated vs uninsulated gloves, and a rain layer if it’ll likely get wet.

 

[Wallace]

Some water, probably a multi-tool if I didn't forget to put it back in the last time, log book, toilet paper if I remember, maybe some food if I grab it out of the truck ... I don't treat it like a back country hunt.

I should probably put some duct tape and bandages in there this year.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

This part is very important—In the gamebag I always have 2/3 of a box of empty shells, a bunch of brown stuck-together feathers and 2 or 3 pounds of twigs and leaves.

Same man, same!

I keep mine simple. Water, snacks, shells, merino neck gaitor or beanie, merino gloves.

 

[Jagger0502]

I run an dog that collects burrs so a wire comb is always in there. Depending on the length of the hunt here is a list of stuff that has been in there:

Wire comb
TP kit
Sunglasses
Gloves
Extra Hat (one warm one brim both orange but able to switch out as the day heats up)
Bell/collar
Tweezers or small needle nose or multitool
Little first aid kit - tourniquet, maybe blood clot or non stick pads with a little tape
Tick puller
Bird flush counter and whistle attached on a lanyard
Ear plugs or buds
Lunch or snacks
Small collapsible bowl for the dog
Remote for the collar
Pockets filled with milkweed for checking the wind - more than I will ever need

 

[Laramie]

Bore snake and gun oil can be handy of you fall in snow/mud/water.

 

[KurtR]

dead pheasants. I have a med kit in the pick up and im not more than 10 minutes from it most times.

 

[WoodDuck]

Good discussion so far. I realized I need to add a few things to my vest to remove a dog from a trap as well as something for removing porcupine quills.

 

[Mosby]

I try to keep my vest as light as possible. A lot of times, I am hunting short sections not far from my truck and just carry shells. But I normally leave a small lead, wire cutters, vet wrap and a few other things for my dog in a back vest pocket. I'll bring water if we're going to be gone for a while.

I have started carrying my PLB in my vest when I am hunting larger areas. I've stepped in some holes and done some face plants when bird hunting and I am by myself most of the time. I carry it now in case I blow out a knee or ankle and can't get back to the truck.

 

[cuttiebrownbow]

Shells, Water, Leatherman, Leash, E-Collar Handheld, zip ties, wire cutters.

Typically I hunt for 4 hours a clip with my dogs.


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[Holmes]

Good discussion so far. I realized I need to add a few things to my vest to remove a dog from a trap as well as something for removing porcupine quills.

In terms of hassle:usefulness ratio, hemostats for quills rank very high .

I’ve used my hemostats a few times on my dogs, once on a buddy’s dog, and once on a random hiker’s dog.

 

[DE302duck]

Buddy also carries an emergency canine sling. Nylon webbing that becomes a backpack for your pup. Very lightweight.

 

[jmez]

Water bottles, hemostat and small cable cutters.

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[‘Ike’]

As said water, treats for both, small first aid kit for both and when in NV chasing Chukars a emergency sleeping bag…Garmin 550 Pro and Garmin inReach Mini!

 

[Mojave Kid]

Hemostat clipped on vest, 2 water bottles, Garmin 550 remote, whistle, small pack of water proof matches. Folding knife, monocular, Snickers Bar, License and old DL, ammo, 22 revolver, some cord for use as a leash.

 

[huntineveryday]

One thing I carry that I haven't seen listed yet is a SWAT-T tourniquet. Fairly cheap, light, and I could apply it to my dominant arm by myself. Those could be used for compression or for fashioning a splint with a stick or something as well. I hunt safely, but if an accident happens with a gun and an extremity a tourniquet could be handy.

 

[hobbes]

Good grief, some of you guys must be doing Backcountry bird hunts, or you mistakenly listed your elk pack. Must be chukkar hunters

In addition to water and shells; I'll have a leash, hemostat, an e-collar controller (maybe), a whistle (if I've not lost another one), likely a pair of gloves and a hat that I've taken off, maybe a granola bar, and an assortment of feathers from previous years and hopefully some that are more recent.

 

[Holmes]

Good grief, some of you guys must be doing Backcountry bird hunts

Correct.