Hauling all your gear

Darknight

Darknight

Member
So I typically am walking a lot when calling at night. I have my AR slung over my right shoulder, my folding seat cushion slung over my left shoulder, my thermal monocular hanging around my neck, my e-caller (heavy Boss Dogg) & shooting sticks in my left hand. And now I'm wanting to add a tripod to this mess?!?
How do you pack all this stuff around in the dark?
 
I don't night hunt but there are a couple times a season that I will walk and call entire WMA's. Hundreds of heavily wooded acres. When I do that I put my ecall, sticks, and seat into my badlands superday pack. Either the shotgun or the rifle gets shouldered and the other gets strapped to the pack. Works good enough
 
Originally Posted By: DarknightSo I typically am walking a lot when calling at night. I have my AR slung over my right shoulder, my folding seat cushion slung over my left shoulder, my thermal monocular hanging around my neck, my e-caller (heavy Boss Dogg) & shooting sticks in my left hand. And now I'm wanting to add a tripod to this mess?!?
How do you pack all this stuff around in the dark?

I assume your tripod is for your gun, so you can leave the shooting sticks behind. I would take one or the other. Granted the tripod is probably heavier and bulkier but if it is the one from Night Goggles, you can use it as a bipod, tripod, sitting, kneeling, or standing, so that one option should cover any situation.

My chair is very light and I actually carry my chair and gun on the same shoulder. All my little stuff such as monocular, remotes, etc in a bino harness pack around my chest, and call in left hand. Currently using bipod attached to gun but will be trying tripod as well, and this will most likely go in my right hand which currently is empty. At night take only what you absolutely need because it is so easy to forget stuff in the field. As others have said, you may have to drag multiple coyotes back. I always have a drag in my coat pocket.

The one item that I bought on a whim and it saves you so much pain during night hunting is to get a selfie stick. I know it sounds odd but holding a monocular and scanning back and forth is a killer on your arms/shoulders for a whole night. I use a little selfie stick and you just turn your head and rotate it with you and it takes away the arm fatigue. Not as convenient as a helmet mount, but it works.
 
You just got to get organized some . I packing close or more the night load you have . rifle, Long bi-pod, NV, IR, eCall, Therm. around neck, Tripod-pig saddle ...etc.

The main load all carries well. I have a backpack style, shoulder harness 'Large' Fanny-pack, that sits low on the back . It has two big top & bottom main compartments and assortment of outside pockets .
Top compartment holds foxpro and pig saddle and LRF . Bottom compartment holds the rifles SIMRAD NV . outside pockets holds some batteries, gloves couple hand calls ...etc .
Rifle on the Right Shoulder . Long Bipod is quick detach lever is on rifle . Tripod is in a carry bag and has a shoulder-strap hanging on Left Shoulder .
Helmet with pvs14 on the head and Thermal on lanyard hanging off my neck . Rifle has IR supplements also .

Basically, most times I leave the truck, most times I don't put the SIMRAD on the rifle till I get the the spot of choice to call . I will walk out with the helmet NOD and hand Therm. for scanning . If I see anything on the way out to call that is inside the 100 yard range, I will just use the laser and IR that is slaved to my day scope on rifle for a shot with sitting shot using tall swivel Harris.
When I get to my spot to call, Then put the SIMRAD on the rifle before calling . I will Use the Bipod for sitting shots, or set-up the Tripod with pig saddle for standing shots .
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edit add:
I use a couple of 550 cord, Coyote drag-lines for pulling the dogs out the fields . and that is about the only time you break a sweat and the load gets heavy .
.
 
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Eberlestock back pack will save your day......Good Luck!!!!!!!!
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two guns
shooting sticks
hunting seat
caller/remote

plenty of room for more if needed.


X31 by Stephen Reid, on Flickr

x34 by Stephen Reid, on Flickr
 
My main hunting buddies are less than half my age.
I drive and furnish everything, they carry it. Works for me.
What I do carry is in a homemade suspender rig with pouches for the thermal, spare batteries, drag, etc.
The call is on a shoulder strap. The only thing that we ever have to carry in our hands is the tripod.
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That's one thing with predator hunting is it's hard to take the minimalist strategy. I always find myself juggling everything trying to make it to and from, although over the years i've pretty much perfected it.
 
Originally Posted By: West.Mass.HunterI don't night hunt but there are a couple times a season that I will walk and call entire WMA's.

That's tough hunting, no doubt.

Try night hunting sometime, you might be surprised how much more action there is after dark or how they will cross fields freely. Good time if the conditions are right given our sh*t regulations.
 
Originally Posted By: DarknightSo I typically am walking a lot when calling at night. I have my AR slung over my right shoulder, my folding seat cushion slung over my left shoulder, my thermal monocular hanging around my neck, my e-caller (heavy Boss Dogg) & shooting sticks in my left hand. And now I'm wanting to add a tripod to this mess?!?
How do you pack all this stuff around in the dark?

I found a softball bag works well for me. my trigger stick bi-pod fits in the opening on the end for a bat. Folding chair with a backrest, foxpro and a cheap school music stand to hang the call off of fit in the main compartment of the bag. Gun over the shoulder and anything else I need gets carried in a re-purposed turkey vest.
 
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