leatherman hunter possibles bag

[taylorh]

Does anyone here own a leatherman hunter possibles bag? What is your general impression? Is it a good bag? What historical era would it have been used in? Is it a replica or just an old timey looking bag? All input welcome!
Taylor in Texas

 

[rice1817]

A very nice, but machine sewn bag. Good quality leather. I would put the time frame for a bag of this style, even if it were hand sewn, as post 1830 or so. The bag is reminicent of a Germanic style hunting pouch to my eye.

A bag like this will last you a lifetime, but one looks pretty much like the next. You can pick out the distinctive style and treatment of the leather in a crowd.

 

[charcloth]

Hello,

I agree with the previous post. I bought one, it was expensive. It was very well made and without any other considerations it was excellent. However, IMHO it does not represent what any "common person" would have carried. As noted before they stand out like a cold sore. I sold mine at the ppr last year.

Charcloth

 

[fatboy]

They are a very well made bag but dont realy fit into the F&I war or Rev war they fit into a later period . they make a exellent hunting bag for the day

 

[TANSTAAFL]

No opinion, are they factory made?

I do have a couple of the Leatherman utility tools, never leave home without one or tother.

 

[mudd turtle]

Tanstaafl: What would all be carried in a possibles bag. I cary my fire kit short starter Three awl ,toe extra flint for my rifle and fire kit. I also cary extra material to make char cloth. I carry a small fire lens and a salt horn.I also carry a fishing kit and bone and steel needles. Are there other things I should carry or is what I have too much. Mudd Turtle.

 

[J.D.]

I gotta ask, what is a possibles bag? I have been rendezvouing and reenacting for nearly 30 years, and I have yet to figure out what people are talking about when they mention possibles bags. I have heard folks refer to belt bags, hunting pouches, and haversack type bags as possible bags.

So what in the Sam Hill IS a possibles bag? And don't tell me that's where you carry your "possibles". What the Sam Hill are "possibles"?

Is it that I don't know the nomenclature, or is it ignorance on everyone else's part? Or, is it "possible" that the term is a 1960's very confusing, generic name given to nearly any style of bag?

What do you plan to use this bag for? To carry items used for shooting and maintaining your firelock? Then its a hunting/shooting pouch, and should contain the items needed to fire and maintain your firelock.

If you plan to carry general items needed for daily use, food, small cooking and eating utensils, then its a haversack, market bag, or snapsack, and should contain those items.

If you plan to use this bag to hide cigarettes, keys, and your wallet, then I don't know what you use.

End of rant, I now return you to your regular programing.
J.D.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Varies quite a lot, depending upon gun and mood for whatever.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Wow! If "possible" I keep lots cheese and crackers in my mine. :rotf:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Lonhunters carried both napsacks, and possibles bags. One was for clothing and food stuffs, like salt and pepper to season their food, cornmeal, trail mix etc. extra socks, and maybe a second shirt. The other carried stuff for short hunts, and the equipment for their guns. That was the possibles bag. There is no exacting list of things that are carried in them, as it varies not only from one hunter to another, but also depending on how far he intends to go, how much ground he intends to explore, and whether he may stay overnight before returning home. The small leather, waterproofed bag was used to carry anything possible for these short hunts. So, while you may want to be confused about the issue, there is no reason to be so. Life is not a series of lists, and I don't think you will find many shooters or hunters who carry the same things in their possibles bags. Live with it.

 

[J.D.]

I have read a LOT of historical documentation and don't recall seeing any mention of "posssibles bags", or "possibles".

I have seen a number of references to hunting pouches, haversacks, budgets, knapsacks, snapsacks, and market bags, but never, do I recall seeing any reference to a possibles bag.

I suspect that the term originated in the 1960's buckskinner world, before anyone did any research.
Those old boys just made up lots of names to go along with their made-up gear, and a lot of that made-up gear, and the made-up names, are still with us.

No, life is not a series of lists, but isn't it confusing when folks use the same name for so many different items.

Life is SO MUCH simpler when people stop using confusing, generic terms for common items.

For example, La Longue Carabine mentinons that the Leatherman "possibles bag" "is riminiscent of a German hunting pouch", and LHunter states that "they make a exellent hunting bag for the day", and "when possible" TANSTAAFL carries cheese and crackers in his.

paulvallandigham said "Lonhunters carried both napsacks, and possibles bags. One was for clothing and food stuffs, like salt and pepper to season their food, cornmeal, trail mix etc. extra socks, and maybe a second shirt. The other carried stuff for short hunts, and the equipment for their guns. That was the possibles bag"

So, from the replies, especially paulvallandigham, a possibles bag is a bag used to carry food, spare mocs and socks, AND equipment for their guns during short hunts?

Hmmm, I sure wouldn't want to reach into my "possilbes bag" for a fast reload, in a running fight, and pull out a pair of socks or cheese and crackers instead of ball bag. Hmmmm.
J.D.

 

[paulvallandigham]

You are being unnecessarily contenscious, JD, and I don't like it a bit. That having been said, language changes over the decades. There are many words in common use in the 17th and 18th century that are no longer in use today. The socks shirt, and extras were carried in the haversack, or napsack. Tools, extra balls, lubes, patches, etc. for the gun were carried in the possibles bag. Along with extra food for survival if they didn't have another way to carry that. People made do. A possibles bag allowed them to carry what they needed for their gun, and anything else they needed for a short hunt, without burdening themselves with a back pack, napsack, haversack, or rolled blanket, as was used to carry such things by soldiers up to and through the civil war. There are many references to the term possibles bag. I have neither the time or inclination to do your research for you.

 

[Slamfire]

I think possibles are things you'll possibly need. After a while you decide that ain't possible, so out it goes. The older you git the lighter yore possible bag should be. :winking:
Likely would be a better term. :rotf:

 

[J.D.]

You are being unnecessarily contenscious, JD, and I don't like it a bit.

Contentious? I ask a question and offered what the names of various sacks and bags my research has found. Not once, in my recollection, have I seen the term possibles bag.

This is someting of a pet peeve, but not a contentious one. :v

That having been said, language changes over the decades. There are many words in common use in the 17th and 18th century that are no longer in use today.

I suppose the language somehow changed in the original journals and letters I have read? Hmmm, maybe an act of God, or something?

The socks shirt, and extras were carried in the haversack, or napsack. Tools, extra balls, lubes, patches, etc. for the gun were carried in the possibles bag. Along with extra food for survival if they didn't have another way to carry that. People made do. A possibles bag allowed them to carry what they needed for their gun, and anything else they needed for a short hunt, without burdening themselves with a back pack, napsack, haversack, or rolled blanket, as was used to carry such things by soldiers up to and through the civil war.

I have also read of farmers, hunters, rangers and militiamen wrapping food in corn shucks, or old cloth and stuffing those bundles in the fold of their hunting shirt, coat, or wescote, as a wallet. The belt holding the hunting shirt, or coat close to the body prevented the bundle from falling through, onto the ground.

There are many references to the term possibles bag. I have neither the time or inclination to do your research for you.

I repeat, I have read A LOT of journals and letters from the 18th through early 19thth century and I do not remember seeing a reference to a possibles bag. I don't expect anyone to do any research for me, but it would be nice for everyone to do a little research for yourselves.

Now to answer the original question; If your only use is for hunting season and not rendezvous or reenacting, that bag might be ok to carry the few items you will need for a mornings or evenings hunt.

However, if you plan to attend pre 1840 rendezvous or colonial reenactments, they would not be appropriate.

Check out the link for some nice hunting pouches.[url] http://www.kenscottpouches.com/[/url]

These hunting pouches should be proper to most time frames, especially the "D" style bags. I might add that Ken Scott's bags are probably top of the line and you can make something very similar for far less.

What to carry? Some options are; a small tin of grease, or a small bottle of oil. A small bottle of patch lube, or bore cleaner for swabbing between shots, a bag of flints, or a tin of caps/capper, bag of balls, roll of patching/precut prelubed patches, turnscrew/screwdriver, cleaning patches, or anything else you might need to load or maintain your gun when away from camp, for however long. I also like to carry a 3-4 inch blade claspknife, when "possible". :winking: Never know when a small knife might come in handy.
J.D.

 

[Ridge]

I repeat, I have read A LOT of journals and letters from the 18th through early 19thth century and I do not remember seeing a reference to a possibles bag.

You won't either. In the 18th century it was called either a shot pouch or a hunting pouch. George Washington used the terms interchangably in his writings.

Possibles bag is a mountain man term.......or a mountain man reenactorism. I don't honestly know which. I do know that a true "possibles bag" is a lot bigger than a shot pouch and contains everything the shot pouch does plus enough other goodies to make it possible to survive long enough to get back to civilization should the unforseen happen. Such as if you had to grab your bag/gun and go.

An 1830's bug out bag.

As to the Leatherman huntin bags, IMHO there are better bags out there for less money.

As has been said before, they are too easy to spot in a crowd for my tastes.

 

[J.D.]

Ridge,
I have read some accounts of the 1820-30 western furtrade period, and the shot/hunting pouch is mentioned, but no possibles bag.

I think you hit the nail on the head when you alluded to the possibles bag being 1960's buckskinnerism for a 1960's buckskinnerish invention.
J.D.

 

[Dave K]

I have one his bags and many other bags. I feel it is probably the best made bag there is. Now, I am not sure if it is PC for many though. But the quality is diffintely there.

 

[mediclimber]

I have one and like it. PC? Who knows, I'm no authority. I've also always been told that a possible bag is a hunting bag/pouch like a hoagie is a hero is a submarine is a zep.

 

[Ice Tigre]

I'm gonna butt in here,

I think whats getting missed here, is that they did exist as a all pupose bag, the purpose depending on the person or time period. At the original time it could have been called a hunting bag/pouch, haversack, or even a sh** bag. "possibles bag" is a modern term for the same thing. What you think you will possibly use.

Kinda like bullet,ball and projectile; all generaly the same but different terms.

Or something that changed through time; motor caridge,motor car,automodile, auto, car. same basic item just a different name for different time periods.

My 5 cents worth.(inflation) :v just the way I see it.

Gary
YMMV!

 

[Ron LaClair]

A well prepared hunter needs two bags, a shot pouch and a haversack. The smaller shot pouch holds everything you need to shoot and reload your gun. The haversack sometimes called possibles bag holds everything else you may need. Nothing complicated about it.

I like Jack Hubbards bags.
http://s93758715.onlinehome.us/eclg/sacks.shtml