What I Pack for a Day of Deer Hunting

For a day of deer hunting, I like to keep things very simple. Most of my single-day hunts involve sitting in a tree stand within 400 yards of the truck, so I don't need to carry a heavy backpack full of gear.

Unlike a hunting trip, I focus on packing light and bringing only the essentials.

Rifle

My deer rifle is either my Tikka T3 Hunter in 7mm Remington Magnum or my Tikka T3x in .30-06 Springfield.

Both rifles are set up and sighted in before the season. 

I load up the magazine and put it in my hunting bag.

Extra Ammunition

I carry two 5-round pocket packs, giving me ten extra rounds for the day.

Realistically, I'll never need that much ammunition while deer hunting, but it ensures I'll have more than enough for a day in the tree stand.

The pocket packs are nice because they keep the rounds organized in my hunting jacket and I don't have to reload ammo boxes with cold hands once I'm back at the truck.

Knife Set

I have an Outdoor Edge knife set that includes a knives for caping, skinning, de-boning, and butchering as well as a bone saw. 

My knife set stays in the truck.

Since I'm not too far from the vehicle, there's no reason to carry the extra weight into the stand. If I harvest a deer, I can give it time to bed down while I hike back to the truck and grab my knife set. 

If I'm in a closer tree stand or have my side by side at the property, I might drag the deer back and gut it closer to the truck.

Deer Call

I always bring a grunt call. Nothing fancy, just a $30 Primos grunt call. I actually bought a more expensive call first, but after a friend showed me his Primos grunt, I thought it sounded better and have been using it ever since.

Years ago I also carried a bleat call, but I never had much success with it. Over time I've simplified my setup and now stick with the grunt tube.

I've never carried antlers for rattling, though I know some have had success with this.

Scent Killer

I'll be honest—I don't know exactly how much scent killer helps.

Some people swear by it while others don't bother.

I focus on playing the wind as well as possible, however you never know where a buck might come out from so I take the few seconds to spray down before heading into the woods.

At worst, there's no difference. At best, I've given myself a small advantage.

Battery Bank

My phone comes with me on every hunt, so I also carry a small battery bank.

A cold day in the tree stand is brutal on cell phone batteries so the charging pack ensures I can use my phone if I need it.

Flashlight and Headlamp

Whether I'm getting to the tree stand before sunrise or staying until last light, a flashlight is required for the hike to and from the tree stand.

The headlamp stays in the truck with the rest of my gear. I've found it comes in handy if you have to harvest a deer after dark.

Nitrile Gloves and Wet Wipes

These stay in my pack all season.

If I'm fortunate enough to harvest a deer, the gloves help keep things cleaner while field dressing, and the wet wipes are appreciated before getting back into the truck.

Keeping It Simple

One thing I've learned over the years is that for a day trip, I don't need to carry everything I own into the woods.

For a typical hunt close to the truck, I'm trying to pack as light as possible while making sure I have the basics covered.