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Need ideas to get stuff up to height

I took some weights to get some preliminary data points before I start weeding.

Good news is I've dropped 5 pounds body weight so I'm at 270. This is in my skivvies so doesn't include weight of clothing or boots, which is lightweight warm weather stuff.

My pack, fully loaded with water, snacks, gear, platform, and step is is 33 pounds. Remove the platform and step is 24.5 pounds.

I could probably forgo the 3 liters of water and use a smaller canteen instead of the hydration pack that would cut a good chunk off.

As for my snacks, I could lose some of the little Debbie's and save 1.5 pounds.....KIDDING! HA. There's only a pack of nutty bars in there. The rest is beef jerky, trail mix, fresh fruit, and a sammich.

I'll work on the pack throughout the day and provide an update later on.

BT
 
I wouldn't even worry about actual weights. All your gear can hold all that. I am just saying you are carrying way to much stuff. I like being comfortable, that is why I use a 1 stick to climb and then set a mission to hunt off of. I carry water and a pee bottle. I am also 6'3" 250+, a 60lb ruck is nothing to me, but I also don't carry things I don't need. If I hunt near roads I can drag to the road. If I hike in more than 1/2 mile I quarter and pack out. I take the F1,kill kit and deer hanging gear it's me. BUT I am don't take survival gear with me. I don't hunt any place I can't get out of tonight.
 
Black Titan said:
I'll work on weeding out some of my pack. I've not adopted the ounces way of thinking just yet lol. The pack really doesn't seem that heavy till I attach the platform and the 3 liter water bladder to it. But I can see the point you guys are making as far as alot of stuff I don't need. I'll weed through it today and set aside some stuff or create a second pack I can leave in the truck that contains things I don't need in the tree.

BT
Click to expand...

We need to send you on your spirit quest.

Leave all of that stuff at home. Go kill a deer on public land, THEN let’s solve the problem of how to get the hunting aisle from Walmart up the tree with you!

Go forth young man. Bring your stick and string(ok and a little Debbie and a liter of water).

We’re talking a mission to shoot a rat with hooves in the woodlot next door, not a mission to Mars. You got this!
 
kyler1945 said:
We need to send you on your spirit quest.

Leave all of that stuff at home. Go kill a deer on public land, THEN let’s solve the problem of how to get the hunting aisle from Walmart up the tree with you!

Go forth young man. Bring your stick and string(ok and a little Debbie and a liter of water).

We’re talking a mission to shoot a rat with hooves in the woodlot next door, not a mission to Mars. You got this!
Click to expand...
So much truth!!!!!
 
Ok here's what I've come up with so far.

The items in upper left will remain in the truck on short trips and private land where I have access to the SxS.

- Oakley case - my sunglasses
- Pull up rope
- Gear hanger strap with bow hanger
- Gps - I have a couple trees pinned on the private land
- Headlamp and handheld flashlight
- Marking tape
- Sharpies for filling out tags
- Knot cards
- Charging pack for headlamp or phone
- Canteen
- Main release in kydex sheath-backup if I drop main
- Dewalt gloves are only for the rappel. I'd prefer deer skin but this is what I have for now.
- Dude wipes
- First aid - I tried to take it out, but I've worked too many years in Healthcare to not bring it. Stuff happens.

Before and after



BT
 

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I tie my ros to the left linesman saddle loop. I’d wear the backpack. Using tether all the way up and for pull up rope works best for me. JRB exploding hitch to retrieve rapell/tether rope is great.
 
Black Titan said:
Ok here's what I've come up with so far.

The items in upper left will remain in the truck on short trips and private land where I have access to the SxS.

- Oakley case - my sunglasses
- Pull up rope
- Gear hanger strap with bow hanger
- Gps - I have a couple trees pinned on the private land
- Headlamp and handheld flashlight
- Marking tape
- Sharpies for filling out tags
- Knot cards
- Charging pack for headlamp or phone
- Canteen
- Main release in kydex sheath-backup if I drop main
- Dewalt gloves are only for the rappel. I'd prefer deer skin but this is what I have for now.
- Dude wipes
- First aid - I tried to take it out, but I've worked too many years in Healthcare to not bring it. Stuff happens.

Before and after



BT
Click to expand...
Actually that sounds like a good kit without being too cumbersome or heavy. One thing I do, and this came to me from ultralight backpackers is keep a list of everything you carry. After each hunt mark the items you DIDN’T use. After about 3-4 hunts you can re-evaluate those items. Some, such as safety will stay no matter what, others you might find you don’t need.

Depending on which phone you use, you might look into one of the hunting specific mapping apps such as On-X or HuntStand. They will replace your gps unit and work exceptionally well with lots of great benefits your gps can’t give you.

I also find I don’t use gloves when I rappel since I don’t rappel fast at all. I do carry gloves but they’re more for hunting than anything.

One final thing, at Walmart you can get individually packages wipes including the dude wipes. Carry a couple of those and they’ll be ready to use when you need them. I have always found that wipes in a ziploc bag, even a freezer one, will eventually dry out.
 
CharlieTN said:
Actually that sounds like a good kit without being too cumbersome or heavy. One thing I do, and this came to me from ultralight backpackers is keep a list of everything you carry. After each hunt mark the items you DIDN’T use. After about 3-4 hunts you can re-evaluate those items. Some, such as safety will stay no matter what, others you might find you don’t need.

Depending on which phone you use, you might look into one of the hunting specific mapping apps such as On-X or HuntStand. They will replace your gps unit and work exceptionally well with lots of great benefits your gps can’t give you.

I also find I don’t use gloves when I rappel since I don’t rappel fast at all. I do carry gloves but they’re more for hunting than anything.

One final thing, at Walmart you can get individually packages wipes including the dude wipes. Carry a couple of those and they’ll be ready to use when you need them. I have always found that wipes in a ziploc bag, even a freezer one, will eventually dry out.
Click to expand...
Easy enough to add water. Done it many times.

But great suggestion to only bring a few single packs.

My GPS shot craps last season so I've downloaded the On-X and DeerCast apps on my phone. Both are free for the basic plans and yearly plans for added features are very reasonable.
 
Black Titan said:
Ok here's what I've come up with so far.

The items in upper left will remain in the truck on short trips and private land where I have access to the SxS.

- Oakley case - my sunglasses
- Pull up rope
- Gear hanger strap with bow hanger
- Gps - I have a couple trees pinned on the private land
- Headlamp and handheld flashlight
- Marking tape
- Sharpies for filling out tags
- Knot cards
- Charging pack for headlamp or phone
- Canteen
- Main release in kydex sheath-backup if I drop main
- Dewalt gloves are only for the rappel. I'd prefer deer skin but this is what I have for now.
- Dude wipes
- First aid - I tried to take it out, but I've worked too many years in Healthcare to not bring it. Stuff happens.

Before and after



BT
Click to expand...
You are getting there! Do you carry some TP with you? If you do, you can get rid of your roll of marking tape and just twist a little bit of tp on a branch to mark your blood trail. The best part is after a few rain storms it is all gone. You do not need a roll either, just roll some up on it's self and put it in a ziplock bag.
 
neat ideas to cut weight:

- I have field dressed, quartered, deboned, caped, and otherwise taken every deer apart that I've killed or my less experienced hunting buddies have killed, with a scalpel the last several years. I use a dumb expensive version because I'm dumb (tyto). But that handle was in my pack in Colorado last deer season. So i bought a 7.00 stainless scalpel handle on amazon, and took apart 3 deer last season with it. The handle and 5 blades weighs about 4 ounces. It isn't as manly as a giant skinning knife. But its as effective, and requires no time or effort to make sharp. I've had a single blade break - trying to take apart an elk knee. Oh yeh, I took apart an entire elk, and mule deer with a scalpel too. I did use three blades on the elk though because he had just gone through a wallow and the blades dulled fast on muddy hide, and I broke one on knee joint. Usually get through an entire deer with two blades - make all my cuts through hide and joints if needed first, set that blade aside as a spare, and use fresh blade to work the meat. Young small deer usually take a single blade. I trade an hour of sharpening, for about 46 cents of replaceable metal.

- toilet paper not wipes. toilet paper can be used for toilet, trail markers, blood trailing, checking blood on an arrow, wind indicator.

- collapsing water bottles. They weigh about an ounce. Maybe two if you're carrying two or a bigger one. I would stick with the bladder setup over a canteen. Or i would get the soft bottles. You're going sit on butt in a tree, not hand to hand combat where your water bottle might get punctured. Also, if it does, just go back to truck and get more. This isn't existential. I've used bladders and collapsible bottles for over a decade. I've never punctured one or had one leak in my pack whitetail hunting. Smart water bottles also work great and are lightweight. Canteen if you want to have some sort of connection to a military background, or it's your dad's or something. Otherwise, its an obsolete piece of gear (when trying to cut weight to make going in the woods not annoying).

- deer's skin as a tarp instead of a tarp as a tarp. Unless you HAVE to drag the deer out, cut that sucker up. If you want to go fast, quarter it with the skin on - free game bags! If you want to debone, you can carry a garbage bag, pillow case, or breathable game bag. All weigh way less than a tarp. If you want the tarp to have a clean area to clean the deer, learn to use the deer's skin as a sheet to prevent meat from getting muddy. It's not that a tarp isn't a good idea, it's just a luxury.

By my math, the above will cut about 2lbs from your kit. Should only cost about 30-40.00 max. The weight will be nice to not carry. Most importantly, dealing with all that crap from start to finish of a hunt will be an improvement.
 
kyler1945 said:
neat ideas to cut weight:

- I have field dressed, quartered, deboned, caped, and otherwise taken every deer apart that I've killed or my less experienced hunting buddies have killed, with a scalpel the last several years. I use a dumb expensive version because I'm dumb (tyto). But that handle was in my pack in Colorado last deer season. So i bought a 7.00 stainless scalpel handle on amazon, and took apart 3 deer last season with it. The handle and 5 blades weighs about 4 ounces. It isn't as manly as a giant skinning knife. But its as effective, and requires no time or effort to make sharp. I've had a single blade break - trying to take apart an elk knee. Oh yeh, I took apart an entire elk, and mule deer with a scalpel too. I did use three blades on the elk though because he had just gone through a wallow and the blades dulled fast on muddy hide, and I broke one on knee joint. Usually get through an entire deer with two blades - make all my cuts through hide and joints if needed first, set that blade aside as a spare, and use fresh blade to work the meat. Young small deer usually take a single blade. I trade an hour of sharpening, for about 46 cents of replaceable metal.

- toilet paper not wipes. toilet paper can be used for toilet, trail markers, blood trailing, checking blood on an arrow, wind indicator.

- collapsing water bottles. They weigh about an ounce. Maybe two if you're carrying two or a bigger one. I would stick with the bladder setup over a canteen. Or i would get the soft bottles. You're going sit on butt in a tree, not hand to hand combat where your water bottle might get punctured. Also, if it does, just go back to truck and get more. This isn't existential. I've used bladders and collapsible bottles for over a decade. I've never punctured one or had one leak in my pack whitetail hunting. Smart water bottles also work great and are lightweight. Canteen if you want to have some sort of connection to a military background, or it's your dad's or something. Otherwise, its an obsolete piece of gear (when trying to cut weight to make going in the woods not annoying).

- deer's skin as a tarp instead of a tarp as a tarp. Unless you HAVE to drag the deer out, cut that sucker up. If you want to go fast, quarter it with the skin on - free game bags! If you want to debone, you can carry a garbage bag, pillow case, or breathable game bag. All weigh way less than a tarp. If you want the tarp to have a clean area to clean the deer, learn to use the deer's skin as a sheet to prevent meat from getting muddy. It's not that a tarp isn't a good idea, it's just a luxury.

By my math, the above will cut about 2lbs from your kit. Should only cost about 30-40.00 max. The weight will be nice to not carry. Most importantly, dealing with all that crap from start to finish of a hunt will be an improvement.
Click to expand...

Never thought of using a scalpel for field dressing. I have one I use for leathercrafting and the thought never crossed my mind. Thanks!

As for the Canteen, its just something I picked up to take camping. It has the metal cup that envelops the Canteen. Ive used it many times while camping for boiling water, coffee, soup, etc. I only swapped it in here because the water bladder I have that connects to my bite tube in my pack is a 3 liter bladder and heavy. Figured the Canteen would be lighter. Not worried about going hand to hand with another hunter to claim a tree lol.

The tarp I only have because I was assuming dragging a deer on a smooth plastic tarp would be easier/smoother than dragging it on its hide. Never had to do it before so I was unsure.

BT
 
How about consider a small detachable bag you leave at the base of the tree. Leave your kill kit, and anything you don't physically need to kill deer at the base of the tree. Not where your gonna pee on it. But off to the side where you won't forget or fall on when coming down.
 
MattMan81 said:
How about consider a small detachable bag you leave at the base of the tree. Leave your kill kit, and anything you don't physically need to kill deer at the base of the tree. Not where your gonna pee on it. But off to the side where you won't forget or fall on when coming down.
Click to expand...
Folks experiences may differ from mine but I have had deer react to a small pack I left on the ground and mostly covered with leaves and sticks. Deer still spotted it and left. Happened a couple times and I stopped leaving stuff on the ground. The other issue is the scent from the item on the ground while hunting and also after you leave the tree.
 
The_Fit_Ness_Monster said:
Man, you guys don’t have the antigravity puck yet!? Get with times you bunch of peasants lol
Click to expand...
I have seen one on instagram, dude flyin around like somethign from a marvel comic book but they sound really loud. Waiting for the plug in hybrid that I can run off my power core for my phone.
 
Eearly season I’m wearing my saddle, fanny pack, and Predator pack in. Left dump pouch is lineman’s belt and tether. Right dump pouch is HYS strap, hooks, spare carabiner, and bow hook. Doyle’s bow rope lives in its own pouch on the rear of my saddle.

I lash my Skeletors to my predator pack for the walk in. I hang the first stick on the tree and hang my backpack on it. I hang my sticks, my platform, and HYS strap and hooks, then go back down to get my backpack and hook my bow up.

When I’m settled back in my stand, I either store my linemans’s back in the dump pouch or use as a redundant tether. I like redundancy and I’m too old and remotely located to not put something to use that’s just sitting in my pouch.

I replace my fanny pack with a backpack when it gets colder or if I’m sitting all day. I try not to pack anything into the woods I can go back to the car for if I have to get my cart/sled anyways (retrieval items, extra food, flashlight, etc). If the weather looks like it might rain, I may pack in some rain gear as well.
 
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