Very few of us are lucky enough to hunt for a living or hunt as frequently as we’d like; however, the theory of having your “possibles” along on every trip is still a good idea. Any student of Mountain Man lore has heard about possibles—a bag of essential survival items you carry for any possible emergency. An outdoorsman can grab his possibles and throw them into whatever pack he’s taking for a hunt and not worry about forgetting something. I even toss mine into the truck when I’m out driving around in the sticks for an afternoon.
My possibles, just like the rest of my backpacking and hunting gear, are constantly evolving. As a good rule of thumb, if I have gear in there that I never use, isn’t essential for survival, and weighs more than 3 ounces, I take it out. For example, I’ve never needed a Leatherman tool in the backcountry, so I don’t keep one in my kit. I have only needed First Aid twice in 25 years of hunting and fishing, but once it kept me from losing a lot of blood 95 miles from a hospital.
Although I recommend putting your own kit together, pre-made kits are available from more companies than I can list. The most well thought out ones are available from Adventure Medical Kits, which is now SOL (Survive Outside Longer).
Knowing what to carry and what you might need in any given season will come with experience and knowledge of the area where you live and hunt. I keep most of a Pocket Survival Pack in my possibles. It is also a good idea to keep paper and pencil in your kit for writing down items you could use in the future. I take a minimalist approach to what I carry these days, except for the channel locks (pliers with sliding jaws that can be locked into place, and used as pliers, wrenches or clamps) that Dick Robertson won’t quit teasing me about! My kit weighs 2 pounds 4 ounces.
One day last September I was chasing a particularly interesting mule deer buck up by the Canadian border. It got late enough that I decided to make a tent with my hatchet, a space blanket, and a few zip strips. I built a fire, ate a granola bar and got a couple cat naps before sunup. That buck was nowhere to be found at daybreak, but I walked off that mountain feeling like I won.
I have posted a picture of my Kit on your FB page and will answer any questions about it there. I also teach Survival at our Montana Hunters and Bow Hunters Education classes and the 5 items that must be in a Survival Kit. Otzi the Iceman carried these 5 items over 5000 years ago so why should we not now? You can watch my survival class on YouTube at “Big Sky Outdoorsman”. GREAT Tip of the Week! Thank You!
Sound advice and well written. Hiking and climbing groups call it ‘The 10 essentials’ to be taken on even so called ‘short’ hikes.
Don’t leave home without it, but be sure you know how to use everything in your survival kit. Keep it small enough that it is with you if you leave your truck “for just a minute” to check over the ridge for those antlers you thought you saw. A fall or injury could be a serious problem even if your survival kit is ‘just’ a quarter of a mile away.
A wet Bic lighter, and it does not take much rain or snow, does not work as well as one with the electric ignition. Also a couple trioxane tablets, just in case.
If you understand the Bic lighter, they can be dried quickly and warmed easily and be brought back to life without much drama. Having one actually fail is a pretty rare occurrence and there are special waterproof vials for them too. Heck, just put it in a Ziploc bag. Unless you are going to swim the length of a lake it will keep a lighter going easy enough. It’s not as difficult as some make it sound.
Very interesting. I would like to see what more people carry and what they might use these items for.
Great tip! One comment on the items in the photo that I’ll add: swap your normal latex/nitrile gloves for the ones that you can buy in the auto parts area for mechanics. They are black and much tougher. Not only will they protect you better without tearing, but they can hold a lot of water and heat it in the sun due to the black color. Great tip of the week!
Great story. Staying out there.
Much better than, I drove home and sat in front of the TV for most of the night.
Thank you. I find my needs also differ depending upon the hunt. Backwoods vs neighbors woods and the like. I have also thought thru and made changes. Went from carrying what seemed like 200 lbs of gear to, well, way less now.
could you please post a list by name and number each of the items in the photograph. That would be most helpful.
Although many people reference Otzi and the items found with him, I take it under consideration to study all aspects of the topic called survival and then to make my own decision as to what is best for me. I encourage each hunter to really do their own homework and take the time to understand what really would benefit them should they ever find themselves in a “survival” situation.
Hi John. I’m not able to get a list of the items. Sorry. You make a good point that each person should decide their own gear for the situation and area they are most likely to be in. Your possibles will be very different from Dan’s. Here is a more in-depth article about what to carry for backcountry hunting. It also doesn’t list each item, but goes over what to carry and why. Emergency Gear for the Backcountry
Every outdoorsman needs some survival gear, even if it’s just a short trip or a hunt in your back yard. SHTF comes in small doses and comes on FAST too. Look at the 10 C’s of survivability by Dave Canterbury and his NO FAK first aid kit too. Makes a lot of sense if you have to support yourself for 36-72 hours. I know about my own blood loss and never go out without a trauma kit. You can pack a bunch of valuable kit into a couple of pounds if you get creative. I’d rather hae it and not need it than need it and not have it.
Whatever survival tools you take into the woods; take the time and learn how to use exactly what you bought… Make sure the equipment will work where you are going to be (e.g. not all fire starters work above 8,000 feet, or below -20F), and is legal to travel with. For example, not all Ferro Rods are the same [like anything else, you get what you pay for], they throw different sized sparks at different temperatures and work better with different tinders, and striking methods. If you lose or leave behind the Ferro Rod striker, will the back of your knife work? The steel your knife is made of also makes a difference in the spark shower… Once you know how to use your selected tools; practice enough that you can start a fire in the dark when you are wet and cold… as if your life depends upon it. Be “this” good with every piece of survival gear you carry.
John,
Great tip of the week. Might even use it for future Tips from the Old Timer (will credit you). I think readers will give some thought to putting together their own kit, and what more could you ask?