doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com What do you carry in you upland vest

What do you pack in your vest for upland hunting?

I wear an old Filson original vest (same vest since 1985)

-- 8-12 Shells
-- Dog Collar Control (Lanyard looped through a buttonhole)
-- Whistle on Lanyard
-- Small Orvis Compass attached by lanyard to a metal baby comb (compass rarely used � but when needed critical � comb, often used, helps get burrs off the dog)
-- Gerber Multi-Tool (only used once in all my years to cut a dog from tangled wire � but priceless on that day � it also helped me break into my Jeep once when I locked the keys in � I now have a spare someplace else)
-- Hunting License (always in my vest � so I do not have to remember to put it in the wallet)
-- Lip Balm
-- 1 Roll Vet Wrap Tape & 1 small Roll Gauze
-- Large Bright Red Silk Handkerchief (used to mark initial spot for downed bird � plus to blow one�s nose)
-- Ballistic Sunglasses (carried at start of day worn all day once it is light enough)
-- Orvis Upland Glove(s) (Almost always wear left glove and on hot days the right glove goes into a pocket on the vest)
- Cell Phone (the reality of work is I must be reachable � it also provides a back-up GPS ability which I have yet to use � besides when I keel over dead while hunting they can find my body boots still on)
-- Garmin Gecko (In Kansas/South Dakota � I rarely carry it � In hill country in Missouri a lifesaver to get you back to the truck should you become disoriented

-- Small Water bottle (usually omitted these days as most places I hunt have water spots for the dog � and I rehydrate every few hours at the truck)
-- Sandwich Baggie full of thin sliced dry cured salami and thin sliced dry white cheese (high center pocket on my back) (both dog and I expect it every hunt � if not carried ,then always in the ice chest)

Same vest since 1984, a cheap-ish flo-orange that's an old friend by now.

- dozen shells in the loops, plus the two in the gun
- ball compass pinned on the non-shooting side of my chest
- lensatic compass on a lanyard in my pocket
- GI-surplus demo knife or Boy Scout knife (blade, punch, can opener, bottle opener/screwdriver) on a lanyard
- homemade gut hook and shot picker (shaped 1/8 in brass rod) on the same lanyard
- nail clippers on the same lanyard
- 3 piece ramrod in the game bag
- cell phone
- blue or red bandanna - worn around my neck
- map
- lunch
- bottle of water
- dog training whistle on a lanyard
- usually extra eyeglasses
- eyeglass screwdriver

I'm hunting without the dog since she started blinking, so I leave the dog stuff at home.

Water
Water
Ammo
5 yr old beef jerky
1 each last year's quail and dove
1/2 lb of dried foliage from various North American locations.

First Aid Kit for dogs/human with injectable benedryl, Cipro, Tramadol, vet wrap, bandages, tweezers, needlenose pliers, antiseptic wash, eyewash, etc.

swiveless sling
dog leash
Full array of electronic countermeasures for dogs

Much of the above plus a pair of hemostats in case of porcupines, some strike anywhere matches, a cheap little cable saw in case I need to cut some wood to make a fire, a small flashlight.....for the Northwoods just in case (I never have but had a couple scares) I get lost and can't get out before dark.

Two 2' lengths of cord with a clip on one end in case the dog gets in a Conibear
http://www.terrierman.com/traprelease.htm

As Buzz said, fire starter - both a lighter and waterproof matches. Smoke will bring someone quickly in AZ if you are down with a broken leg and out of cell phone range.

Dead birds.....

. . . and empty shells.

I tend to prefer to carry them somewhere buried in my truck. I normally store things in archaeological order. I used to blame the smell on passengers until I located a mummified quail. Gil

Thanks Drew, excellent website, I have added some parachute cord to my vest

http://www.terrierman.com/traprelease.htm

In my Filson vest: Dog water, shells, water cup for watering dogs, more dog water, water for me, more dog water, a flash light, duct tape, spare dog boot, Leatherman knife, gloves, more dog water.

In my pockets I carry a cellphone and a pair of glasses so I can read my phone and or GPS. One time in New Mexico I got lost at dusk and my GPS was useless to me as I couldn't read it without the glasses that I had left in the truck.

If I am hunting Blues in New Mexico I add an Armoral Underarmor shirt and a GPS to the gamebag.