Packs/Bags

[longcruise]

Colorado requires a minimum of 500 sq inches of blaze orange "part of which must be worn on the head". I go with the cloth ez on vests and an orange hat or a strip of orange tied around my hat.

Bowhunters are in the woods with us at the same time and they wear camo :shocked2: Surprisingly, there has been only one instance of an ml hunter shooting a bowhunter and they were buddies hunting together and not keeping track of each other. However, at least three bowhunters have shot and killed other bowhunters and there have been some non fatals as well.

 

[Pork Chop]

Back to the issue of packs, are the possibles bags that are being used all purpose built, or are any converted hippie purses from the 70's?

 

[longcruise]

Well, those who are way more PC and HC than me seem to consider that possibles bags and shooting bags or pouches are two different things. I carry a shooting bag or shooting pouch. The rest of my stuff goes into a conventional day pack.

 

[BrownBear]

Back to the issue of packs, are the possibles bags that are being used all purpose built, or are any converted hippie purses from the 70's?

One of our circle of shooting buds haunts 2nd hand shops and always checks out the used purses. He's found a couple that would easily pass for possibles bags. We haven't organized it yet, but the rest of us vow to go get each one of us a big plastic one in florescent colors and show up with it for one of our shoots. He'd get a hoot out of it, for sure, meanwhile never paying more than $5 for an all leather bag. If we ever do it, you can bet there will be pictures.

I've ended up acquiring- buy, build or gift- a bag for each of my guns. That sure simplifies things and helps cut down on forgetfulness. I got a real basic one from Cabelas for less than $40, then went to work with my own mods. Probably my most-used bag. Heck, I've paid more than that for modern fanny packs and belt pouches, and they don't work as well for me.

It all depends on what you need to hunt your way in your location. For me a "shooting bag" is a little different (and much bigger) proposition mostly for range use.

 

[Robert Egler]

My possibles bag is a dark green canvas bag with leather buckle straps and leather edges on the flaps. Big center compartment and two smaller compartments on the front. I doubt it's PC except for 2000 and later :grin: . Looks old, but it was made that way originally with “distressed” canvas and leather.

Now's here's the embarrassing part :redface: . I spotted it at Wal Mart walking through the women's purses section (which is the shortest route to the sporting good section). It doesn’t look like any purse I’ve ever seen any woman carry, and it was the only one they had.

So yeah, it’s a purse. What can I say? :blah:

 

[BrownBear]

Kinda parallel to the talk of purses, I'm proud of a "new" source of leather I'm working with. In the same thrift shops with the cheap purses, you'll find a whole lot of leather coats and vests. I've never paid more than $5 for one, and they're a great source of leather for all sorts of projects. Some of it is thinner than usual for bags, but when I can turn out a bag from a $2 vest and still have enough leftovers for several more, I'll endure.

My prize is a jacket made of kangeroo leather. Have you ever handled the stuff? I don't know of a lighter or tougher leather. Based on current leather prices, I figure I got about $150 worth of leather for $5. Wish it was brown rather than black, but I'm willing to make and use a black bag until a brown coat comes along.

If you're even a little bit handy, you aren't risking much if you pick up a cheap coat or vest and try making your own bag. You can turn out a bag for next to nothing, and the things you learn on the first one will help the second one look great. You can have a bag for each of your rifles in no time at all, and not have the cost of a cup of coffee in the whole bunch.

The pattern for a fowler bag is here in the Member Resources section of the site. Just download the pages and print them, and all you have to do is cut it out and sew it up. Dandy.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

While hunting, what works best for you?
Do you strictly use a possibles bag, or do some use a more modern waist/belt pack?
If you use a possibles bag, what separates a good one from the others.
Thanks.

Depends on the Unit i am hunting. If its flat lands/ravines/scrub trees i'll take my possibles bag. Most of the time up in thick timber and a long hike,i put a nipple wrench in my back pack with some small items like a tin of caps "or extra 4f in a tube" Some extra flints. And 5 to 6 speed loaders.
This one i had 3 speed loaders in my orange vest pocket and my pan primer hanging around my neck.

 

[oneeye]

The requirement is that the upper body be covered in blaze orange.

Depends upon which state you are hunting in.
Dan

 

[paulvallandigham]

Yep. I have a list of all the state requirments if anyone needs to know about a given state. Just send me a PM, and I will look it up for you.

Beyond state requirements, Blaze orange requirements are to save you from being shot by some idiot with a gun. I have always worn more blaze orange than the State Law Requires. It made my wives happy. :rotf: :hatsoff: ( although not richer! :grin: )