Scouting equipment in the field.

[MN Ryder]

Add snowshoes to the list or you're not going far from your truck

[gjs4]

Other than the gear I wear (boots, brush pants, tincloth coat)- binocs and cell (voice recorder, camera, notes, etc)...and an open mind

[publiclandhunter]

I have used the following items for years now and find them extremely useful:

Compass
GPS - mark all scrapes, rubs, hunter stands, parking locations, creek crossings, funnels, etc. (these will be downloaded later to an aerial/topo computer program)
Black spray paint - Spray trimmed ends of trees, brush, etc to make the cuttings less noticeable to others.
Hand pruners - trim lanes, etc.
Folding saw - trim branches/limbs in potential lanes, trees
Parachute cord - Ties down branches in area I want a scrape to be in.
Bottled water - drink
Ultra-light hip-boots - If I am going into a marshy area potentially
Disposable/compact camera - pics of old scrapes, rubs, tracks
Army Backpack - What I carry all the gear in.

PLH

[Indianahunter]

I have used the following items for years now and find them extremely useful:

Compass
GPS - mark all scrapes, rubs, hunter stands, parking locations, creek crossings, funnels, etc. (these will be downloaded later to an aerial/topo computer program)
Black spray paint - Spray trimmed ends of trees, brush, etc to make the cuttings less noticeable to others.
Hand pruners - trim lanes, etc.
Folding saw - trim branches/limbs in potential lanes, trees
Parachute cord - Ties down branches in area I want a scrape to be in.
Bottled water - drink
Ultra-light hip-boots - If I am going into a marshy area potentially
Disposable/compact camera - pics of old scrapes, rubs, tracks
Army Backpack - What I carry all the gear in.

PLH

The black spray paint is an interesting idea. Anything I cut close to the ground I usually smear mud on and then cover with debris, but the branches are pretty hard to hide. May try that.

Who makes good packable ultra-light hip waders? All the ones I have checked out were kind of bulky in size though some were light weight.

[Singing Bridge]

The black spray paint is an interesting idea. Anything I cut close to the ground I usually smear mud on and then cover with debris, but the branches are pretty hard to hide. May try that.

You can also by a spray can of black tree saver at any nursery, discount giant, etc. -

For example, if you cut a limb off your tree in your yard, you can use the tree saver spray to protect the cut from insects, etc. Might be a little bit more expensive than a can of spray paint though.

[Singing Bridge]

3/13/11 Here's the updated list of items you may want to consider on your next scouting excursion:

• Compass
• Notebook
• Topo map
• Aerial photo
• GPS
• Saw
• Hip boots
• Regular boots
• Machete
• Backpack
• Water
• Packets of Emergen-C
• Camera’s / tripod / tree attachment device
• Reflective thumb tacks / colors
• Pruners
• Scouting journal / notepad
• Pen
• Flagging tape
• Energy snacks
• Binoculars
• *** toilet paper ***
• Knife (Swiss army)
• Cell phone
• Mini tape recorder
• Whistle
• Tree steps / sticks
• Tree saddle
• Milkweed / windicator bottle
• Parachute cord
• Scent killer
• Trail camera
• Snowshoes
• Black spray paint / tree saver

[magicman54494]

I usually take:
GPS
compass
something to drink and eat
folding saw
strap on steps
camera

If I'm going remote I take a flashlight and fire starters.

[magicman54494]

3/13/11 Here's the updated list of items you may want to consider on your next scouting excursion:

• Compass
• Notebook
• Topo map
• Aerial photo
• GPS
• Saw
• Hip boots
• Regular boots
• Machete
• Backpack
• Water
• Packets of Emergen-C
• Camera’s / tripod / tree attachment device
• Reflective thumb tacks / colors
• Pruners
• Scouting journal / notepad
• Pen
• Flagging tape
• Energy snacks
• Binoculars
• *** toilet paper ***
• Knife (Swiss army)
• Cell phone
• Mini tape recorder
• Whistle
• Tree steps / sticks
• Tree saddle
• Milkweed / windicator bottle
• Parachute cord
• Scent killer
• Trail camera
• Snowshoes
• Black spray paint / tree saver

• kitchen sink

Sorry, I couldn't help myself

[DEERSLAYER]

The black spray paint is an interesting idea. Anything I cut close to the ground I usually smear mud on and then cover with debris, but the branches are pretty hard to hide. May try that.

You can also by a spray can of black tree saver at any nursery, discount giant, etc. -

For example, if you cut a limb off your tree in your yard, you can use the tree saver spray to protect the cut from insects, etc. Might be a little bit more expensive than a can of spray paint though.

I thought about the nursery products that can be brushed on (the brush is mounted on the inside of the cap), but have never done it because mud, especially muck, works real well for me and it's one less thing to carry. I do hate using mud though because it dries out my fingers bad. It's about as bad as fingernails on a chalk board!

[Singing Bridge]

kitchen sink

Sorry, I couldn't help myself

Good stuff, Magic-

The items I take scouting will vary quite a bit based on location. The tools I'll take for MidMichigan heavy pressure public land will be somewhat different than what I take into the cedar swamps and northern forests. My pack will have somewhat different items yet when I hit the big woods of Canada too.

I give the big list a once-over and tailor the items I select for the scouting mission at hand. It does help to keep from forgetting certain things, and some of the items contributed by others I really hadn't put much thought into previously.

[Singing Bridge]

I do hate using mud though because it dries out my fingers bad. It's about as bad as fingernails on a chalk board!

I usually have several sets of disposable vinyl gloves in my pack- they don't weigh anything and come by the box from medical supply stores... the same gloves a lot of hunters will use to doctor a mock-scrape, etc. I use them to keep the mud off in those circumstances where the hands are in bad shape.

[Swamp Donkey]

I always bring a cellphone...in case I fall down in the swamp and I can't get up! I know some of you have been there before!

[headgear]

I always bring a cellphone...in case I fall down in the swamp and I can't get up! I know some of you have been there before!

I found a spot last year that I almost did have to call for help, I thought I was in quicksand. My boots were suctioned in there so tight it took me a solid 15 minutes to climb out of there. Now 15 minutes might not seem like a long time but wow it seemed like forever when you can't move and you are a mile from your truck and 5 miles from civilization.

[Dewey]

I always bring a cellphone...in case I fall down in the swamp and I can't get up! I know some of you have been there before!

Make sure you put your cellphone in a ziplock bag if you keep it in your pocket. I learned this the hard way since I always seem to take a swim!!

[publiclandhunter]

The ultra-light hip waders I have were made by Hodgman and I got them several years ago on "clearance" at my local Meijers. The uppers are made of a thin rubberized canvas (similar to gore-tex) and the bottom boot is uninsulated and seems very thin on all but the bottom. They weigh about half of what normal cordura/rubber boots weigh. I got them years ago for pack-in wilderness hunts and they work great! This is the closest thing I could find now on a google that may be what some of you are looking for.

http://www.hodgman.com/Game-Wadetrade-H ... 00C61.aspx

PLH