Survival kit

[AmericanBwana]

What do you usually carry in your survival kit, if you even carry one at all.

[>>>---WW---->]

That's a very good question Dana. I really don't carry a survival kit as such. However I do pack several items in my pack that could be considered as survival items. Many are multipal use items as well.

!. Firestarter: At least three different ones. A Bic lighter in my pocket, Another Bic lighter that is vacum sealed to be completely waterproof, matches in a waterproof container.


Also, I have 4-5 of those wax and sawdust fire starter stix and a short piece of candle.

2. Signal mirror: A real one, not a CD disk. With the real ones you can direct the beam just about anywhere you need and be sure it is hitting what you want to signal. A good example of this would be if you are injured or lost and a search plane is lookin for you. You can easily direct you beam exactly on the plane.

Another use would be to apply your camo makeup. Also, lipstick and makeup. And yes, I do know a fairly well known hunter that uses that stuff.

3. First Aid Kit: Just a small one and also any personal medications I may need.

4. Plastic bag: A big one of the 50 gallon size. This has many uses such as emergency rain wear, shelter, a liner for your pack to keep it clean while packing meat out, and just use you immagination for what ever else.

5. Nylon cord: Too many uses to list. I usually carry at least 50 feet of it.

6. Emergency Food: Protien bars and Jerky. These are extra besides the normal sandwich or apple I may have and I always make sure they are in my pack even on short hunts.

7. Water and a means of purifying water if the need arises.

8. Small fishing kit: This contains a couple of small hooks, about ten feet of lite mono line, split shot weights, and a couple of nymph flies. It can all be stuffed in a small prescription pill bottle.

9. Compass & Map: I have a good one, not a cheapy Wally World one. And you need to know how to use it!!!!!!!

10. GPS & Phone if service is available

11. Rain gear: The packable kind. I guiess this could be concidered in the survival items. It makes a good windbreak as well.

12. Game Bags: Not really a survival item but it could be. Besides the normal use for them, they could also be used as a large bandage for serious bleeding or a sling. Also could be used as a pillow if you have to spend the night out in the middle of nowhere.

These are my basic survival items for food, shelter, water, warmth, and first aid. Lets hear what the rest of you guys can add to the list besides TP. LOL! I'm always interested different ideas.

[stevhoff]

That's a pretty good field kit! I would add 2 things:
1)A high quality space blanket. Besides keeping you warm, they have multiple uses such as spreading out contents of your pack as you look for that small item buried in the bottom, or laying an elk quarter on(keeps debris off).Also a small section of closed cell foam pad which can be good to sit on, can be used as part of a splint or brace.

[>>>---WW---->]

Oops! I forgot to mention the space blanket. I do have one on my pack. Thanks for the reminder.

[Bullnuts]

Something that everyone should carry is a bag of quick clot. It's relatively inexpensive and will even stop arterial bleeding. The other thing that everyone should carry is a tournaquet. There was, for the longest time, a push against using tournaquets because of possible limb loss. However, in the event of a major tramatic event, you've got to stop the bleeding in order to save a life and a tournaquet is the way to do it.

[Woodhick]

I know this thread is old but survival items not mentioned are basic ones.
Flashlight
extra batteries (preferably your radio and gps use the same type.)
Whisle....you can yell till your with out voice.blowing on a whisle won't cause this senario
2 space blanktes is much better than one. you can make a shelter or one on the ground to lay on and one to cover yourself with.
marking flagging ribbon.besides the obvious you can also tie a splint with it if need be. Just use lots of it to do so.
just to mention a few not previously mentioned.