Building A Better Survival & Hunting Kit
With over 65% of the American population owning survival equipment and more and more stores emerging to cater to their needs, it’s never a bad time to update your hunting kit. From replacing worn out or non-functional gear to updating to better equipment, reviewing your survival kit can help you stay prepared for any circumstance. You don’t have to be a survivalist or a prepper to stay prepared for your next bowhunting outing – but there is a lot to learn from the survivalists out there.
Is It Time For A Kit Update?
As a rule of thumb, you want to check out your kit at least once a year, although many insist on going through their equipment every six months. It certainly doesn’t hurt. You might find that you don’t actually need to replace anything, but it’s still a good idea to go through what you have and rethink the situations you might be in. It’s a good idea to check out your kit when you’re planning an outing that will take you into new territory or challenges. If you’re going to be facing issues like steep or otherwise dangerous terrain, or hunting in bear country, you’ll want to take additional precautions. Think through the worst case scenarios of what might happen on your trip, and try to plan accordingly.
The Essentials
In general, there are a few things that should always be in your survival and hunting kits. Most state hunter education courses provide a standard list, and no survival guide is complete without the following:
- Waterproof matches/lighter
- Signal mirror
- Pocket knife, wire saw
- Flashlight/extra batteries
- Plastic sheet/garbage bag
- First-aid material(s)
- Map/compass
- Cup/pot
- Extra ammunition
- Fire starter/candles
- Whistle
- Rope/string
- Emergency blanket
- Emergency food/water
- Water purification tablets
To build a better survival kit, you should focus on these items, ensuring that you are properly prepared for everything. From there, you can add whatever you might need for your particular backcountry outing.
Many, for instance, count a reliable hatchet among their survival kit essentials. Hatchets are incredibly versatile, and can help you out in a lot of tight spots.
A permanent marker can also be helpful for labeling or making notes in bad weather, and if you need to leave an emergency message, you certainly don’t want the rain washing it away.
Other Considerations
Different people have different needs, and you’ll want to consider your plans and your abilities when putting together a survival kit. Many people find that their needs change over time, and this is another reason to update your kit frequently. There are lots of guides for putting together a kit, but the best way to know that you have the best equipment for your needs is to think carefully about situations you might be in and plan for those as best you can.
