Which do you prefer for deer hunting from a stand? I am in no way hunting period correct clothing. I'm leaning towards a straped bag so it's easy to put on and take off with my backpack but wanted other people's thoughts.
Strap bag vs belt bag?
- Thread starter awreis
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if your talking treestand , a speed loader or two in your pocket. since your not going p.c.
I always prefer a strapped shoulder bag no matter how I hunt.
Strap bag always. I find the combined weight of everything I need for shooting and afterward to be too much for my body all day. Once posted I can shed some of the weight. My shoulder bag is not PC, has multiple compartments for different needs. I do keep two speed loaders in my pocket.
For deer hunting in a stand, a speed loader and a short starter is all one needs. Very seldom is more than two shots required. However, considering I always big game hunt with my small backpack to carry the necessary items for field dressing the critter, as well as several other items, there’s plenty of room for any additional ML components one might need.
For squirrel hunting, which I seldom sit and I'm most always on the go, I cannot stand a single shoulder strap nor a belt bag. Neither one is conducive for hunting in steep terrain. Therefore, I split the difference. The weight is distributed evenly and how I want and the bag can be slid forward or aft if one desires. The belt is strapped up high around my body, about half way up. I generally keep the bag slid back out of the way until needed.
For squirrel hunting, which I seldom sit and I'm most always on the go, I cannot stand a single shoulder strap nor a belt bag. Neither one is conducive for hunting in steep terrain. Therefore, I split the difference. The weight is distributed evenly and how I want and the bag can be slid forward or aft if one desires. The belt is strapped up high around my body, about half way up. I generally keep the bag slid back out of the way until needed.
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I use a larger shoulder bag. I am generally dressing traditional now and a lack of pockets means a bottle of water and some candy bars for the day go in the bag along with field dressing gloves, some paper toweling, hunting knife, etc. along with the day's load supplies. I have several bags by caliber set up, but my favorite is an October Country Traveler bag I've had a couple decades that is set up for .54, which is what all my big game guns are.
https://www.octobercountry.com/traveler-possible-bag/
https://www.octobercountry.com/traveler-possible-bag/
Like the others here my preference was a shoulder strap bag. Early on in this game I made and tried belt pouches. Did not like at all.
Shoulder strap bag for me. I carry my field dressing goods, "toiletries", a hunk of dragging rope and a headlamp in it. No shooting supplies are in it. Those few things hang around my neck.
I use one of those simple waist packs from the stand.. to hold what I need handy in there.
Gloves. Phone. Cigarettes. Lighter.
I want to get one of the hand Warmer ones. Stuff my phone and butts in there.
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Mike in FL
50 Cal.
Bag for me. I keep my priming thingy attached to the strap. I prefer the bag because all my possible are in it all the time. I mean it is ready to go at any time so I don't have to get together anything.
We see lots of belt bags in the old days. And lots of strapped
I find belt bags heavy on the belt, and at times if one is loading from the bag one might want it in a different place when walking or sitting.
I find strapped just more convenient
However, bodies being bodies, eighteenth century people moved in the same way we do. So some folks liked belt bags, and they walked and sat and loaded just like we do.
Before season put on you hunting kit, historic or not and spend the day in it and see what you like best
What you like best is the best.
I find belt bags heavy on the belt, and at times if one is loading from the bag one might want it in a different place when walking or sitting.
I find strapped just more convenient
However, bodies being bodies, eighteenth century people moved in the same way we do. So some folks liked belt bags, and they walked and sat and loaded just like we do.
Before season put on you hunting kit, historic or not and spend the day in it and see what you like best
What you like best is the best.
Strap bag. With 77 YO eyes it is good to be able to pull it up to look inside. And if I am still hunting I can easily take it off for comfort. Do NOT put your car keys in the bag! The bag will be hard to find when you have forgotten it and it is getting dark!!!
Mike in FL
50 Cal.
I found out years ago that a shoulder bag swings way forward when you bend foward like if you pick up something from the ground. Easy fixes: wear the bag high - tucked under your arm, but that can make it difficult to retrieve bag contents. Or you can tie or clip the bag to a point on your waist, like a belt loop. Myself, I wear a belt to hold my knife period hatchet. That belt goes across the bag straps and holds everything in place.
When I carry a bag it’s on a strap over my left shoulder. When I’m up a tree, like this morning, I usually have my flat horn in my left breast pocket, a few balls, several inches of patch cloth and my capper (or spare flint) in the right breast pocket, and my fixed measure on a thong attached
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I use a bag and horn both over my shoulder.
Tools water food go in a small haversack on the other shoulder.
Roaming the forest flintlock in hand is just too much fun.
Tools water food go in a small haversack on the other shoulder.
Roaming the forest flintlock in hand is just too much fun.
stephenprops1
45 Cal.
I carry a possibles bag on my left shoulder. Inside it I have everything needed to shoot the rifle. Mostly patches, wiping patches, round balls, and percussion caps. On my belt, at my back, is a shooting pouch. Inside the pouch I carry everything that might be needed to handle a misfunction. After trying various ways this method is the one I ended up with. With the tools out of my possibles bag I am not encumbered with too many things in the bag. (I did that at first and found myself constantly foraging for what I needed.) Oh, by the way. I wear my patch knife around my neck with my powder measure tied to its end. My powder horn is on my right shoulder. I usually have a big knife in my right boot or on the belt's right side.
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