This is a common topic for discussion– what do you take with you duck hunting, consider essential or nice to have, and how do you carry it? There are a ton of answers ranging widely depending on how folks hunt: are you in a large boat, small layout boat, hunting with a dog, wading in, field hunting? Each will drive a different slant. And of course every trip you learn more on how you use your gear, and tweak your list.
In truth, the main driver for that bag ought to be SAFETY probably. In every hunting accident or narrow-escape story I’ve ever read, things were helped or hurt immensely by what safety gear was carried. So I think I’ll write something else on “Safety Gear” you carry with you hunting. The safety gear ought to be packed in a separate container so you can always have it with you if you change your main “bag” from a backpack to a shoulder bag depending on where you’re going. For now I’ll just list what I carry.
Thus far all my duck hunting has been walk in thru mud and set up in swampy areas. I’ve used a boat a few times, a Stealth 2000, but ended up parking it and setting up per usual. Everything in one backpack that I can carry in a mile or more in mud. Other stuff I bring but leave in truck I’ll list at end as “Truck Bag”.
Decoy/blind bag: military A-4 dufflebag w/ shoulder straps
- 4’x8′ burlap w/ cattail camo pattern, for blinds
- 2x 4ft 3/4″ emc, mud walking poles and blind building supports
- 6 to 8 mallard decoys
- 6 teal decoys on a jerk rig, 35 yards string for ranging.
- mojo pole, anchors jerk rig, serves as walking pole too
- baby mojo, remote control, sometimes 2
- 4x plastic hand spring-clamps, for blind building, camo painted
- extendable golf-ball retriever w/ pool noodle taped over handle (floats), 15ft duck/decoy retriever, collapses to 3.5ft, camoed. Cut the end so it’s hooked gaff-like, in this picture I hadn’t yet cut the round hoop-end into two prongs… which lost me a duck in the current. Now it’s cut.
========================================
camo bucket with screw-on waterproof lid: seat and blind bag. Can fit on top of decoys in backpack. Also great toilet if needed! This is my “min gear” bag, I always take the bucket. If I’m in boat, it sits between my knees while laying down.
- Toilet paper in plastic bag
- 5 or so plastic walmart bags, for turning camo bucket into crapper etc.
- 2x box ammo, #2 and #3
- ammo belt / wader belt, with #4 or #6 HW13 loads for geese
- binoculars
- Rangefinder
- 2x water bottle
- bag of trail mix/gorp << this always gets used much less than expected, even w/ kids
- several granola bars
- hand snipper/trimmers for building blinds etc
- duck strap
- 30yds para cord or jerk cord
- lighter
- wader repair patch kit w/ goop
- rem oil
- camo face paint kit… never used, but kids want to try it 😉
Safety Gear– in 1 gallon ziploc bag, stuck inside of waterproof camo-bucket seat above:
- neosporin
- bandaids, good ones that stay on wet, finger cuts etc.
- eye drops/wash
- cough drops
- Stuff already mentioned elsewhere: lighter, paracord, backup headlamps/flashlight, earplugs, safety/sunglasses, cell phone.
- Stuff I need still: some GPS/SPOT emergency contactor device. Cell not reliable.
Jacket, waterproof duck camo, with stuff in zipping pockets:
- Duck calls on lanyard
- decoy gloves, neoprene
- light camo gloves
- face mask, light camo headgear usually all I need.
- duck hat- floppy hat for sun, rain
- for cold: neck gaiter & watch cap
- bug spray
- ziploc for shells
- knife
- 2x headlamps
- mojo remote
- ear plugs
- Safety glasses/sunglasses. Normally wear my prescription ones though.
- clear waterproof neck pouch for phone, wallet, license in wallet
- chapstick
- extra choke and wrench
- zipties
- printed land ownership papers showing access rights or various rules for where I’m hunting in ziploc
Just wear a poly fleece to walk in, everything else (decoys, bucket seat w/ gear, jacket w/ gear) stuffs into backpack/duffle-bag for transport. Gun goes in a waterproof case over top, and I use 2 of poles to walk thru mud.
Kids
- I sometimes have a kid with me, in which case I probably have hats/gloves/mask/shells for him too. I stick it all in a special pocket in my jacket so I can find it when they’re cold.
- Folding tripod seats for kids, green/grey from Cabelas, go over the shoulder in a carry case, each kid carries their own
Truck Bag Here is where I list all the other things I bring with me hunting, “just in case”, but leave in the truck. Usually it’s because I want to have them available in the event of an emergency, but will be able to walk out to the truck to use them if needed.
- Dry warm backup clothes in case I fall in, for hypothermia. Wool and fleece.
- backup gun if desired.
- Always-carried full medical kit, always in the car
- machete & branch clippers if I think I’ll want to work on blinds after hunt
- reflective tacks if I want to set a trail for an early morning hunt to new place
- plastic tote box I stick all my wet stuff in like waders/boots when I get back
Dave In AZ 
You must be logged in to post a comment.