My Possibles Bag

[Stephen Graf]

#148115

I mark the passing of my year not by the last day on the calendar as father time would have me do, but instead by the first day of deer season.  I plan the work on my farm (and the other obligations of my life), to peter out (or at least be less demanding of my day), come the second week in September.

It is a melancholy time for me as I look back on the fun I had with family and friends through the spring and summer.  My kids are away at school and I miss them.  I know their time at home will be less now, with every passing year.

But I do have plans that help me anticipate the months to come.  I will do most of my hunting around the farm, but I will venture into other states to chase the wily buck with dear friends.  The first step in realizing all these hunting adventures near and far, begins with blowing the dust off my tack.

Today I got my possibles-bag in order while watching some Fred Bear videos.  I thought I’d share a few pictures…

Possibles Bag (eastern configuration) Contents:

·        Deer Drag

·        Wire Bone Saw and Pouch with Spare Blade

·        Petzl Head Lamp

·        GPS

·        Compass

·        Rapala 4″ Filet Knife and sheath

·        TP & Tissue in Ziplock

·        Bungee Cord

·        Disposable Rubber Gloves

·        Hammock Seat

Most of these items are self explanatory, save the bungee cord.  I use the bungee cord to hold one of the deer’s legs against a tree so I can get to work on him (or her).

I changed out my headlamp last year to take advantage of the headlamp I used on my Appalachian Trail through hike that my son and I took.  Look at the difference in size from my old cabella’s head lamp and my new headlamp.  The strap retracts into the back of headlamp.  It is more comfortable, brighter, and has a red light as well.

That little headlamp spent 6 (almost ) hard months of rain and shine getting used twice daily.  In the morning for 30 minutes or so to make coffee and oatmeal, and again in the evening to make supper and read for an hour before the Aleve kicked in and let me sleep.

And here is the possibles bag all closed up and ready for the fun times to come.

Now it’s time to sharpen broadheads.  Next Saturday is opening day around here.  Happy New Year!

[richard roop]

#148136

Nice.

My ‘possibles bag’ started out as a folding dove stool with backrest.  (Backrest is worth it’s weight in gold). Tossed the under the seat bag and sewed in a decent day pack, then added a hip belt with a couple of pouches on the right and a bow hook on the left. Carry everything from game handling stuff to my FoxPro game caller, a novel to read, lunch, lights, fluids, repair items and possibly a kitchen sink.

A bit heavy but anything worth doing is worth over-doing.

[Raymond Coffman]

#148151

Happy New Year….

Steve great presentation . Can’t beat those Petzl head lamps . I was curious what additions and or deletions you implement for your western configuration ?

I always carry a day pack here in NM with similar items but I usually bone out these days even near the road.

Scout aka Ray

[Ralph]

#148152

I keep an original Leatherman in mine and instead of a bungee to aid in the field dressing I keep a couple of 15′ pieces paracord. That (paracord) has come in handy for other purposes a time or two.

[Stephen Graf]

#148163

Ramond Coffman said: “… I was curious what additions and or deletions you implement for your western configuration ?”

While I have dragged a few mule deer to the road, like you I mostly cut them up for easy carry.  So I don’t bring my deer drag.  And since I am usually farther away longer, I bring a small plastic bottle and a Sawyer mini water filter.  Maybe a snack. and a couple meat bags.

I don’t hunt prepared to haul meat.  On the extremely rare occasion I get something  bigger than a deer, I’ll bone it out and leave it.  Then I go back to camp and drop off my bow, back quiver, and possibles bag.  Then I load up (dickle #12), grab a backpack and my hunting partner(s), and head out to collect the critter.

I love to walk, so an extra trip is no worries for me.  And I never wander so far from camp that it is impractical to do so.

It hasn’t always been this way for me.  When I was younger, I carried everything but the kitchen sink.  Now I like to think I hunt smarter, not harder.  And I’m not so keen to kill anymore, so I let a lot of opportunities slide that might prove successful.

[Raymond Coffman]

#148415

For most hunts— my std ” possibles bag ” is a day pack with most of the usual items already mentioned, in fact pretty similar to Steves.  My pack has a platypus water bladder in it, military poncho and I always have a ” Rio Grande Camp knife” with me too…

I carry a pully system for hanging game if need by . Don’t have any grizz here ( yet) but plenty of Black bears , yodel dogs and in some places wolves…

Hang most of it. Carry some ( tenderloin/ back straps)back to camp  then  bring out the big meat hauling cargo pack for subsequent loads as Steve mentioned .

Scout aka Ray

[Ralph]

#149049

Most of the time all I have to worry about hauling back to camp is my old arse………….A Snickers bar and a drink of water is helpful for that…

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