*To remember what I may have forgotten I meant to say.

I packed half as much stuff for this year's elk hunt as last year and still had twice as much stuff as I needed ....

After more than sixty five years packing for hunting trips I have it down to a discipline, if not a science. Whether planning for a weekend or a month, everything must go into one large duffle bag. Always the same one, green canvas with leather trim. It may be half full or stuffed to maximum. The contents may vary depending on the type of hunt. Each type of hunt has a typed manifest, listed in order of packing, bottom to top. These items may be packed in zip lock bags

Have had some outfitters ask for two medium bags more readily packed on horses, which in my experience always turn into two large bags. Each typed list has at the top in bold print, WHEN IN DOUBT LEAVE IT OUT

Does this discipline always work? Of course not. The wildcard is my carry on bag. Kindest Regards

I have checklists, which are updated and amended before and after every hunt. Mostly, I take my own vehicle, therefore, an inventory of necessary and unnecessary items in the truck will take place about a weekend in advance. I mostly subscribe to the theory that it is better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. For example, my cold weather gear and rain gear have traveled to an annual Texas deer hunt nine times, and only been needed twice. Those two times made up for all that hauling when the small bag was not actually needed.

Like CRM3006; After spending a life time traveling, I have learned "it is better to have and not need then need and not have”.

I try to do as said here but I damn make sure in my personal pack, screw anyone else, I have an extra flashlight with batteries,knife, energy bars, dry socks and a half roll of toilet paper.

Amen to that half roll!!

I have one master list with everything on it. If it isn't needed for the hunt in question (eg., game calls for an upland trip) I don't pack it. I tried the specialized lists for different hunts, but a problem arose when I went on mixed bag hunts (eg., ducks as an adjunct to a primarily upland hunt). The exception is deer camp which requires its own special list for food, drink, RV supplies, etc.

My problem is always taking too much, things that don't get used trip after trip (nothing as important as rain gear and first aid kit).

Happy, I am having a hard time imagining how one can pack for a month in a single duffle. Could you give us some idea of how you do it?

For a number of years a list worked well. The last 4 years, my work schedule has so pushed hunting to the deep corners of the calendar that I throw my stuff together whenever the opportunity avails and head out. I have yet to forget anything important but I'm seldom out more than 2 days at a time. And for 2 days, well the list is long on what one can manage without for 2 days.

I typically have two bags, one carries all my gear and another that I carry with me in the field. I've found that I'm much less likely to forget something when I pack the weekend before, as I'm typically relaxed and not in a hurry to get out the door.

I liked the part about making sure everything still fits. On a recent bird hunt I wasn't hitting birds solid. My Browning normally did an outstanding job at that. Problem was my 12 year old hunting coat had shrunk. A new coat & hunting vest solved the problem, except things still tend to shrink a lot.

I have lived my life by lists for almost 80 years. Couldn't survive with out 'em. Two lists are taped to my gun cabinet; one for hunting and one for fishing. All my gear is kept in one place. In addition I keep a list of short term things in my pocket at all times. Anyway, while all around me my friends are moaning about some crucial item they left behind, I have almost never forgotten anything. Lists are THE ANSWER!!

I have a tendency to overpack...but like others have said, its better to have it and not need it, than to need it, and not have it.

Lots of people say they use lists. Is there a way to share those? Or perhaps Dave can use his infinite wisdom to collate them into a single list with sub-headings for type of hunt. I'll bet that after hunting season, Dave is rarely busy between 2 and 4 in the morning!

To go along with the half roll of toilet paper. Substitute a package of diaper wipes. Packs easier and soothes the backside. Irritation in that area is unacceptable during any portion of the hunt.
Yeah, it may not be manly, but at least your butt won't itch and you won't be doing the "herky-jerky" on your deer stand, fall out and have your hunt ended prematurely.

No matter how I pack I always take my ditty bag or stand bag. A small bag easy to carry that has a spare knife,ammo, flashlight's,rain gear,fire starting gear,first aid kit. I run a small ranch that has day hunters.That is how we tell the real hunters from the green horns. The real hunter always have a small day pack or ditty bag. The green horns are the ones that call you from the deer stand on their cell phone to tell you they forgot their ammo.

I've always used written lists, but about 10 years ago I refined them using Microsoft Word and Tables, which has been the single best improvement. I have several "checklists," which are separated by state and/or species (deer, elk, predators, etc.) For example, I have checklists labeled "Wisconsin Deer 2012," "Colorado Elk 2011," "Texas Deer 2010," "Arizona Javelina 2012," etc.

The idea is to have a familiar format with species- and geographic-specific items that are needed on each trip. This helps speed the packing process and helps ensure nothing is forgotten.

Subheadings on each checklist are in the same place. Subheadings include clothing, backpack (if any) and what goes in it, rifles/ammo or bow, camp materials (if any), medical supplies. If it is a driving trip, then there is a heading labeled VEHICLE under which appropriate items are listed. On every list is included STATE TAG/License, HUNTER ID CARD, and any other document that may be required by that state.

As items get packed, they get a hand-written checkmark next to the typed list item. The checklist accompanies me on the trips for two reasons: 1)In case I can't find something on a trip, the list reassures me to keep looking; and 2)I hand-write notes during the trip on the back of the list.

Each year, in preparation for the next trip, I simply open the "Header/Footer" on the Microsoft Word document and "Save AS" with the current year. Then I edit my list as necessary, using the notes I've written from the past year. There is nothing to forget or mix-up with another trip, because on the top of the page is the trip and year to make things easy.

I'm glad to see that someone besides myself remembers fondly both Gene Hill and Ed Zern... I have Ed's book "Are Fishermen People" on the shelf of my bookcase next to my recliner and several of Gene's books in the bookcase..... Still love that stuff! :-)

I pack two packs one big and a small day pack, the day pack all the same gear as the big one but a little less. I want to make easy on myself when I am hunting, Can want to have the right stuff.my small pack Compass, matches, lighters, rope, twine, hand warmers, two knives, knife sharpener, cough drops first aid kit, fire tinder, small hatchet rain gear, duct tape, whistle and a extra box of rifle ammo and 24 rds of pistol ammo on belt,

I have a short list of things that go everywhere, and I have this mostly together always, kind of like a "bug-out bag," minus the paranoia. It's stuff that gets used a lot or will be needed for any length of travel, even now travel at all (like I said, it's together and ready anyways, at all times). I never forget the obvious stuff that's specific to a trip. I kind of have a mental file of what clothing I own goes with certain climates and seasons, so that's nearly automatic, short of debating how many redundant garments I'll want. Finally, I simply visualize myself doing everything I might be doing on a trip, whether it's something I want/planned to do or not. As any needs come along in my head that I didn't list right off the bat, I write them down.

I can pack very lightly and usually have far less stuff with me than your average person, but am not afraid to overdo it a little if it won't burden me too much or become impractical at any point. There's a big difference between what's going with me on the whole and what will be on me while I'm actually hunting.

A few things I have discovered:
My Dad was right. He always said “Bring twice as much money, and half as many clothes”. Happy was making this point before, you don’t need 5 sets of pants and shirts. You really only need something dry to put on while your other stuff is drying.
Whenever I hunt from a vehicle (Antelope and Deer in the West), I have an oversized shaving kit bag that is my “truck-bag”. It accomplishes 2 things; 1, it keeps my stuff together, giving me a place to put it away, grab it and go in this rig or that. 2, it limits me from bringing too much stuff. It has room for a few things you need but don’t need all the time or don’t need to carry on your person, like an extra box of ammo, my field-dressing stuff, baby wipes, parachute cord, black electricians tape etc. You can keep it on the seat, throw it on the floor or on the dash.

When you are packing stuff for your trip in your den, weigh the individual bags on your bathroom scale if you are traveling by plane. It’s good to know how much everything weighs. The airline is going to smack you with a Draconian fee if any of your bags is over their “per-bag” limit, usually 50 pounds. An air charter operation is going to limit you to a set total amount or will charge you for an extra trip to bring your gear in. In both cases you will do a much better job of making good choices about what to throw “overboard” in the comfort of your own home.
The last thing you want is to be making these far-reaching and impactful judgments (half roll of toilet paper) on a Friday night at the head of a line of vacationers at a busy airport, or in the dark at the float-plane dock with the meter running.

Just my two-cents.
AKX

Thanks, Happy! As a few others have noted, you are dead on regarding packing too many civies. That's been my most common mistake...don't think I've ever worn everything I've taken even on those fancy, out-to-dinner-every-night bird hunts, much less a week-plus elk mountain hunt. Heck, I confess I have even brought back unworn spare brush pants. I have since cut down quite a bit, though. I checked out those Filson whip cord pants and may get a pair before the next trip - already have a pair of wools I got for sitting in deer stands but they're not that tough. I can see how they would work on a cold weather hunt but not so sure about warm weather. You are probably a lot tougher than I am. But I appreciate the benefit of your experience. And of some of the others who posted after Happy. Good stuff!