Bag Dump - Big Fin's Basic Gear Kit

Big Fin

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I recently hired a local MSU student who is in the Master of Fine Arts program to start helping me get a lot more YouTube content up on your YouTube channel. Now, with a person having talent and time to work on the content, our YouTube content will start to ramp up. It is not designed to be the slick level of TV production, rather information that reflects the email questions we get.

In this one, we do a "Bag Dump." Not because I'm an expert on the equipment needed for every situation, rather because one of our most common questions relates to what I carry in my pack. So, now I will have a video link I can send them to, rather than reply with lengthy emails.

Over the course of twenty years you hunt with enough people, share enough information with others, and through trial and error, come up with what works for you and your style of hunting. And that is as variable as the hunters themselves, so don't take this as my version of the hunting gear gospel.

This video is the basic stuff I carry in my pack, no matter the hunt, no matter the season, no matter the location or conditions. From this base gear kit, I add many other items that are dependent upon the species, the season type, location, etc. We will do a follow up video that explains the items I add that depend on season types, weather, location, etc.

DSC00355-001.JPG

Click on the picture above or the link below to go to the video.

https://youtu.be/Wr_QcASb1Z0


A lot of what is in this bag, probably over half of it, is a function of things I learned from Hunt Talkers. Either by hunting with them or by reading threads here. Most every year I read something on this site that has influence on what goes in my pack. And I suspect some Hunt Talkers will add ideas in posts over the coming hunting season that further tweaks my base gear kit.

Thanks for watching.
 
Dang I thought this thread was going to be a "fin sells all of his extra packs for ridiculously low prices" one.

I was so excited to be one of the first ones to click on it.

I guess I'll have to watch the video instead...
 
Shoot...second in line for a steal on a good hunting pack...or so i thought. haha
My pack is loaded and ready for prime time this weekend...time to shock the legs in to action.
 
In the vid you never really say what an "average" weight for your pack would be. What would you guess? better yet, load it up and put it on a scale for the video :)
 
Randy, That is a great video very well done and helpful. Now how about one on setting up camp.
 
That garage needs a dent in it from backing your boat up to close to it! Opps that is my garage!

Thanks for the insight.
 
Thanks, guys. Please feel free to subscribe to our YouTube channel and to share with your buddies. This is going to be a huge push for us in the next eighteen months. For us to make the same mark in the YouTube world as we have in the TV world, it will require me to ask some favors such as sharing and subscribing.

As a side note, that is a compliment to all of you, We had a group do some analytics of the avidity and engagement of our Hunt Talk crowd. That was based on the survey last week and the Elk Hunting E-guide from last month. To paraphrase, the engagement and avidity level of the Hunt Talk audience is off the charts when compared to norms of the digital industry. I thank all of you for being the great folks you are.
 
Great video!! I am curious about your rain gear. Do you keep rain gear in your pack all the time or does it depend on what the weather is forecasted to do?
 
Great video!! I am curious about your rain gear. Do you keep rain gear in your pack all the time or does it depend on what the weather is forecasted to do?

Depends on the forecast. Out west, we are lucky to have a lot of dry days. I only pack rain gear when the forecast calls for rain. I have two sets of rain gear. First is what I call the Alaska-grade (Sitka's Stormfront) for those days when it is a "genuine turd floater" (my uncle's term for a real heavy rain and given he lived without indoor plumbing for most of his youth, he would know the true definition of such). The other is much lighter (Sitka's Dewpoint) set for those afternoon events you encounter out west in August in September.

That is a good point and one I've been asked many other times. I will address it in the next step of the bag dump.
 
Plus, or minus a few items (mainly camera stuff) it looks like you're packing pretty much the same burden I do. Mine may be a bit more 'home-grown' in a lot of ways, but still. One HUGE difference is the addition of a compass & map. Brand me as Old School, if you will, but you'll never catch me afield w/o those two. (NEVER under estimate Murphy ;) )
 
Like Gunner said ,pretty much the same stuff I carry Randy,minus the map & compass.

I just have to transfer it all from my old pack to my new/ used, BF special deal, MR crewcab pack!!

Sorry ,just got lucky....and had to rub it some.LOL
 
Gastro Gnome - Eat Better Wherever

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