nothing wrong with pop up blinds. Nothing wrong with tree stands.

But some of the best hunts are just with the bow and arrows.

From time to time I just feel bogged down with too much junk.

That's me sir, just my bow and arrows and my two feet.

Me too, but can I add a butt pad that dangles from my back belt loop? My bony butt does not like lumpy logs or sitting on snow covered anything.

Exactly Right. I hate carrying alot of " stuff" when I go out. I am a minimalist by nature.

carry a fat boy cussion attached to my possibles bag (only extras) minimal in possibles bag

got to where I was carrying enough for a weeks stay ,for a day hunt -went trough my pack and sorted out what was going along and never used the whole season and scaled back

back to hunting lik I did as a kid -way more fun

look what this guy is carrying

I like pants with suspenders and cargo pockets, the suspenders keep my butt indoors where it belongs on cold days. My wife makes me take water and an apple when go out. I never get thirsty when I am hunting and am chronically dehydrated. Right away this simplicity stuff is getting complicated.

Every time I go out , My comment is. How much crap does a guy need to kill a deer lol.

Same here. I have a KOM pack that I load up then stack a Double Bull chair and foam pad onto it. And every time I do it I ask myself why I carry all that gear. If I can manage to go hunting again I'm going to force myself to hunt like I used to do. Bow, arrows, knife and a few other key things. Never used to lug that much stuff.

For me it's a selfbow, back quiver of wooden arrows, and a knife. If edible mushrooms are in season I take something to carry them in, even if it's just a plastic bag in my back pocket.

I don't miss the stuff I don't need.

Bow, quiver, pac seat if I plan to sit, and a wool fanny pack. That's it. I hunt big woods so the fanny pack has enough to spend a night in the woods if needed, two compasses, two headlamps, a knife, flint and steel, some paper towels, a tin cup w/bail, tea bags, a couple band aids, and a space blanket. I used to use a Johnson wool daypack but my grandson borrowed it and you know how that turns out. Groundhunting is pretty simple. Every blowdown and thicket is a potential blind.

Isn't that what gun barres do? They care in and carry out for us. Don't you have any, I do.LOL

I had 11 deer with in 10 to 20 yards for a half hour or longer,18 came by in range total, I was sitting exposed with my white bow and no camo on my tree seat strapped to a 12" wide tree. A few times they were with in a few of me. They never looked at me, but one yearling doe got close enough to sniff me from behind, I could hear her breathe and chew her cud, then she snorted and whole gang ran away. My low back is shot and I need to get off of my feet at times.

Dean..I am jealous..I suspect you were not hunting in Pennsylvania !!!!!!

All of my hunts are just the bows and arrows unless I'm going on a multi day trip, or testing something for somebody.

I do like a pair of binocs. In the mountains, I start adding water, snacks, a flashlight, and enough clothes to keep up with whatever the weather will dish out. And the phone and an emergency kit, because kids. But yeah, stuff gets heavy.

There is Virtue in laziness!

My bow , hunting stool and canteen . Never know exactly where I will hunt until I get there. Thermos of coffee for scent. Deer lovethe smell of coffee.

This year I didn't even cart around the butt pack. Everything I took was essential for a kill, and most for the actual hunt. Starts with, from top to bottom, besides the clothing: Grunt call around my neck, and in my coat pockets a Bushnell monocular, flashlight, pen, pair of fleece camo gloves (to put over my wool fingerless insert on my left hand, and right one if totally necessary, bleat can easily accessible to right hand, and rubbermaid gutting gloves. In my pants pockets, a ziplock bag for the heart, folded up paper towels in case I cut myself or get cold, runny nose, and a folding saw with interchangeable bone and wood blade. In cargo pockets, a few more paper towels and maybe an extra flashlight if an afternoon hunt. Other than that, I carry my blueberry muffins and large coffee in my stomach if I drive to Waterville in the morning, or eat nothing at all if I just walk out the door. Maybe take a granola bar if we have any. Can often go all day with no food or drink. Or maybe take a little 6 oz bottle of water. Thats it, going light these days.

Oh, and wallet and jacknife in left pants pocket, and phone camera in right one. My right hand has all the fun with camera and bleat can, and the left one carries the bow. No fanny pack means no continual ajusting waist strap to keep it up on my butt. And I can duck under stuff easier.

Desperado, on a Pa hunt once, in an area where, and at a time when, the deer were pressured to the extreme, I was standing with my back to a huge red oak just back off of a powerline when I heard something approaching from behind. I never turned around and didn't even know they were deer until one of the young ones stuck it's head past the tree and sniffed my hand.

I don't think, even in Pa, that a fawn will experience much hunting pressure before the first week of Oct.

I also hunt big woods, and can end up a long way from my truck,,,,, I also am set for an emergency if the needs arrive,,,, in the UP, your a dam fool, if you do not,,,,,,

I got sick of all the fanny packs and day packs etc, since they just never felt right, plus I have a small seat I use,,,,, I like to sit quiet, and not have my back ache or legs cramp....

Once I got my sandpiper pack mule, I was off to the races,,, never had a frame set up, so light and nice, it is always loaded and ready to go.....

with that said, I do not carry any extras or junk,,, if it is not functional for the day at hand, it is not on me,,,,,,

I have a fanny pack set up with just my essentials and it no longer bulges. Turkey season is harder for me to minimize, which call don't you take? And usually let the deke at home anymore. To much hunting pressure

My fanny pack no longer bulges for whitetails, a little more gear for spring goblers. And occasionaly leave fanny pack at home, just like the good ole days.

That is why I switched to traditional archery. The simplicity of it. Simple is better.

Different areas of Pa., are as different as separate hunting separate states. In archery season, guys near the big cities tell how overrun the game lands are; back here there are only a few hunting a very expansive SGL and it's easy to get away from hunters. It's all in where you live and your personal perspective.

TG I have had help this season carrying things in for me and helping me get up stands or into blinds and drag out my animals for me. Pick me up and drop me off at stands and even bring me Lunch at times. LOL

Been living like a king this year. That's why I joke about having a gun barer. LOL

Sure is nice to have someone hold my hand.LOL

And when I feel 4 times help me get up too.

Dress my animals as well also all I have had to do really is shoot and be the killer.LOL

If I didn't have this I really could not do it. I did shoot one animal on my own totally and it nearly killed me and thought if I don't go on this animal then I am not going to go and I am better than I thought.LOL

But don't do it again without assistance its just being dumb on my part till better and taking to many chances. Still healing up from that last surgery the heart valve business.

Does anybody remember the TP and a small something to dig a latrine? At this time of year some fire starting gear might come in handy and a small First Aid pack??

I have TP along, but build a latrine? I don't think so

I got a boot heel to dig a cat hole.....

One square of TP, ground hunter, just like the Army...anything more and you're not living the "simple" life!

LOL, yeah right, if my Army pack weighs 80# you can bet your butt at least one pound of it will be tp, not one square. And, the same exact thought came to my mind about the boot heel. I get up early enough to take care of that at home anyway. Really hate unlayering all the tucked in clothing and airing out my can on a 20 degree day.

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