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What makes up a good hunting/ready bag
- Thread starter Arnoc
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Wow, what a can of worms....can someone build a "smiley" for that?
I am glad though that you specified "hunting bag", because they are (should be) as different as night from day from a shooting bag. When you go on a woodswalk, you need all kinds of manure and enough shooting materials for 12 to 25 (or even 50) shots on a woodswalk. When you go into the woods, you need like, 5. If you need more than that to feel comfortable, you've not spent enough time at the range.
Also, your bag and gear should be QUIET, not sounding like a junk truck tromping through the woods like you do on a woods walk. Do the military "hop" test. Hop up and down, and anything that rattles, find it and secure it.
Okay, straight up tips:
Bag doesn't need to be big, in fact, smaller the better. Use soft material, because stuff rattles and rools around in bags made of hard "tooling" leather, a lesson hard learned in the woods. tie your powder measure to the strap but be sure that it is long enough to reach into the bag so that it isn't swinging around and getting caught on brush and inevitably getting LOST. Believe me on this one, I've left plenty of stuff in the woods, powder measures and cappers (one of the reasons I don't shoot caplocks anymore) chief among my lost items.
A small horn--if can get your gun to cooperate, prime with the same powder you load with. I use 3Fg so that I don't have to have a priming horn and notice no difference other than that 3f seems to handle humidity a bit better.
Bullet board for rifle shooters: easy to make or purchase, but get one for 5 or 6 rounds. No one needs a 2X4 full of lead in the woods. This cuts down on wieght, too. Don't forget, 28 .54 caliber balls is an extra pound hanging around your neck. In lieu of a bullet board, just put the balls in a small pouch within your shooting bag, but not around your neck, and patching material or prelubed patches in there as well. The less junk you have hanging off your body the better.
If you have a smoothbore, consider preloaded cartridges. IN fact, if you have a rifle, you can also preload powder charges into paper tubes and then use a bullet board or whatever. Never had much luck ramming paper down a gouged-bore, therefore I try to avoid using a rifle as much as possible... :blah:
As far as cleaning goes, I'll use a pre-lubed bit of patching to swipe away bits and pieces, a dry edge of shirt or jacket to remove water if it's damp out. When I shoot, I always reload, even if I know I just whacked the heck out of whatever I shot, so, I don't take time to clean between shots. Maybe leaving the field for the day, but now we're talking back to camp or the truck.
Hope that helps. It ain't gospel, but it works for me.
I am glad though that you specified "hunting bag", because they are (should be) as different as night from day from a shooting bag. When you go on a woodswalk, you need all kinds of manure and enough shooting materials for 12 to 25 (or even 50) shots on a woodswalk. When you go into the woods, you need like, 5. If you need more than that to feel comfortable, you've not spent enough time at the range.
Also, your bag and gear should be QUIET, not sounding like a junk truck tromping through the woods like you do on a woods walk. Do the military "hop" test. Hop up and down, and anything that rattles, find it and secure it.
Okay, straight up tips:
Bag doesn't need to be big, in fact, smaller the better. Use soft material, because stuff rattles and rools around in bags made of hard "tooling" leather, a lesson hard learned in the woods. tie your powder measure to the strap but be sure that it is long enough to reach into the bag so that it isn't swinging around and getting caught on brush and inevitably getting LOST. Believe me on this one, I've left plenty of stuff in the woods, powder measures and cappers (one of the reasons I don't shoot caplocks anymore) chief among my lost items.
A small horn--if can get your gun to cooperate, prime with the same powder you load with. I use 3Fg so that I don't have to have a priming horn and notice no difference other than that 3f seems to handle humidity a bit better.
Bullet board for rifle shooters: easy to make or purchase, but get one for 5 or 6 rounds. No one needs a 2X4 full of lead in the woods. This cuts down on wieght, too. Don't forget, 28 .54 caliber balls is an extra pound hanging around your neck. In lieu of a bullet board, just put the balls in a small pouch within your shooting bag, but not around your neck, and patching material or prelubed patches in there as well. The less junk you have hanging off your body the better.
If you have a smoothbore, consider preloaded cartridges. IN fact, if you have a rifle, you can also preload powder charges into paper tubes and then use a bullet board or whatever. Never had much luck ramming paper down a gouged-bore, therefore I try to avoid using a rifle as much as possible... :blah:
As far as cleaning goes, I'll use a pre-lubed bit of patching to swipe away bits and pieces, a dry edge of shirt or jacket to remove water if it's damp out. When I shoot, I always reload, even if I know I just whacked the heck out of whatever I shot, so, I don't take time to clean between shots. Maybe leaving the field for the day, but now we're talking back to camp or the truck.
Hope that helps. It ain't gospel, but it works for me.
You don't say how "PC" you want to be, but if carrying plastic around doesn't bother you, there are plastic tubes available that can be preloaded with powder and ball. Carrying five or six of these around gets the horn and measure out of your kit.
There are also a lot of different styles of bags out there. Personally, for hunting I went with a belt bag. Instead of a shoulder strap, you put it on your belt. There's alot less flopping around that way.
Not sure if you can see everything in the picture, but it's five or six speed loaders that hook over the lip of the inside pocket in the bag, a flint wallet with three flints, leather and flint knapper that goes in the bottom of the bag. There's a spare vent pick, ball puller and worm that go in an inside pocket of the bag, a small priming horn that goes in the front outside pocket, a short starter thru a loop on the outside of the bag. I carry some cloth and my regular vent pick in the rifle's patch box. My pocket knife is all I need for the cock screw to replace flints.
This suffices for a day hunt where you're going back to camp at the end of every day.
Any stuff you need for "you", lunch, water, etc. or gutting/dragging a deer, goes in a small day pack.
A fair amount of this stuff is "extra" or "just in case" stuff. I don't really expect to need three flints, but like to factor in the "clutz" factor, (lose one, drop one, break one). ::
There are also a lot of different styles of bags out there. Personally, for hunting I went with a belt bag. Instead of a shoulder strap, you put it on your belt. There's alot less flopping around that way.
Not sure if you can see everything in the picture, but it's five or six speed loaders that hook over the lip of the inside pocket in the bag, a flint wallet with three flints, leather and flint knapper that goes in the bottom of the bag. There's a spare vent pick, ball puller and worm that go in an inside pocket of the bag, a small priming horn that goes in the front outside pocket, a short starter thru a loop on the outside of the bag. I carry some cloth and my regular vent pick in the rifle's patch box. My pocket knife is all I need for the cock screw to replace flints.
This suffices for a day hunt where you're going back to camp at the end of every day.
Any stuff you need for "you", lunch, water, etc. or gutting/dragging a deer, goes in a small day pack.
A fair amount of this stuff is "extra" or "just in case" stuff. I don't really expect to need three flints, but like to factor in the "clutz" factor, (lose one, drop one, break one). ::
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Mr. Hobbles,
If you please, what do you carry in the "nylon/velcro" pouch? Doesn't appear to be a knife. Would imagine the rope is for hauling game out of the field (and a hundered other uses).
Best Wishes
If you please, what do you carry in the "nylon/velcro" pouch? Doesn't appear to be a knife. Would imagine the rope is for hauling game out of the field (and a hundered other uses).
Best Wishes
My hunting pouch & horn
Three-shot block shown a little better. It's just above the top edge of the first image.
You'll note the ball-blocks I use. A three shot with 0.010" (undersize) patching on the horn strap, and a five shot (0.018" patching) that rides in a sheath on the back of the bag.
A follow-up shot goes like this:
Fill measure that hangs from horn strap and pour into muzzle.
Pull three-ball block from horn strap and push ball in with rammer (block is on a tether so I can't drop/loose it).
Draw hammer to halfcock and prime with horn (or with 2 oz FFFFg flask in pouch if not a REAL hurry - I can slide this out without unbuttoning the flap as it's always the farthest thing forward in the bag).
Raise rifle, cock and shoot.
Total elapsed time: 20 or 25 seconds.
Add time for wiping pan with piece of tick usually hung from strap and pricking vent with vent pick that hangs with powder measure.
Note I didn't need to go into the bag except for the priming flask, and that I can use the main horn for priming. With the two ball blocks I can get off eight shots without lifting the flap.
Three-shot block shown a little better. It's just above the top edge of the first image.
You'll note the ball-blocks I use. A three shot with 0.010" (undersize) patching on the horn strap, and a five shot (0.018" patching) that rides in a sheath on the back of the bag.
A follow-up shot goes like this:
Fill measure that hangs from horn strap and pour into muzzle.
Pull three-ball block from horn strap and push ball in with rammer (block is on a tether so I can't drop/loose it).
Draw hammer to halfcock and prime with horn (or with 2 oz FFFFg flask in pouch if not a REAL hurry - I can slide this out without unbuttoning the flap as it's always the farthest thing forward in the bag).
Raise rifle, cock and shoot.
Total elapsed time: 20 or 25 seconds.
Add time for wiping pan with piece of tick usually hung from strap and pricking vent with vent pick that hangs with powder measure.
Note I didn't need to go into the bag except for the priming flask, and that I can use the main horn for priming. With the two ball blocks I can get off eight shots without lifting the flap.
A lot is up to you and how you feel. I tried carrying a touchhole prick, a screwdriver, short-starter, a spare flint and two extra loads in plastic speedy loaders, plus a little extra 3f in a film can, all in my pockets. Didn't feel right. I went to a bullet board with three balls and patches, powder horn and measure, plus the aforementioned stuff in my pockets, no hunting bag yet. Truth to tell, still didn't feel right, so I added the hunting pouch with bullet bag with maybe three more balls, cotton patches for wiping pan and frizzen, and a whetstone. With all that, a knife and tomahawk on the belt, I feel a lot more like a real hunter, even if I am wearing a lot of goretex when it is cold and wet. I prime with 3f from the horn except when shooting target competition. :thumbsup: graybeard
Experience and comfort will dictate what goes into your pouch. There are things that you will start with but not use in 5 years. Then you will dump them. Next trip out, you will need that item. Such is the world of black powder. I have been hunting for a few years and I carry a pouch that has about five or six loose balls for the rifle I am carying. I have a strip of pillow tick about 2 inches wide and 18 inches long that has about 6 inches pre-lubed. A small container of bore butter, extra caps, powder measure, nipple wrench/screwdriver in the bag. Powder horn over my shoulder and 3 ball bullet board around my neck. A pair of knives on my belt: patch knife and skinner. But everything you carry is something you carry. You have to pick it out yourself. Good luck and good hunting. :m2c:
Shooting Accessories thread - what to buy
Shooting Accessories - Shooting bags
A couple recent threads in Shooting Accessories
Shooting Accessories - Shooting bags
A couple recent threads in Shooting Accessories
I also use a small belt pouch, one per caliber:
A 3 flint wallet w/leathers
Small bag of ramrod accessories & T-handle
Spare nipple & wrench
Spare vent liner & wrench
Cleaning/lubing supplies
A few reloads
Short starter
All other small items are on my body somewhere, like a pocket pan primer, compass, pocket knife, skinning knife, mini-maglight, eyeglasses, etc.
And since I have to / WANT to wear hunter orange, I use a large hunting vest with some orange sections on it, as an equipment vest.
I carry plastic to sit on, water, food, a few first aid items, large flashlight, gloves, cap, hand warmers, rain gear, drag strap, or whatever else I might want for a particular hunt at a particular time of year...get to where I'm going, take it off, and set it aside.
[/quote]
Johnny Tremain
Silversmith in training
"If you can hear you, they can too"
Sign in the mess hall at jungle school.
Sign in the mess hall at jungle school.
arcticap
54 Cal.
I keep my shooting accessories in a rather thin, suede leather possibles bag and most other items in a soft Polartec fanny pack. Other items include those needed for survival & field dressing, including rubber gloves. I try to make sure everything is secured or padded enough to remain quiet, even the noisy zipper pulls get secured with twist ties.
Thanks for the good, helpful replies. I have been thinking and toying with the fly-fishing type vest that I have got. I seem to fit everything that I need into it and it then gives me lots of freedom of movement (the bag that I tried kept on swinging around and was always in the way when I tried some pretend stalking) :no:. The problem is that I have had to put different items used in the loading process into the same pockets. That causes a lot of digging and feeling to make sure I bring out the right tool that I need for the job. What I liked on some of the pictures is that some bags have external holders for some items. Seeing that I am already using a fly-fishing type vest, it would be no harm copying some more of their gadgets. They use a retractable stringy thingy to hold the pliers or what ever and I though that would work nice for the in line capper and maybe even the short starter. :hmm:
Anyway, I am off to the hunting grounds now for the weekend and will do some experimentation. This is my first time hunting with a mz and I am almost as exited as with my very first hunting trip when I was about 13 or so. Hope the .45 is gun enough for the Kudu, but some of the local chaps have had some good success with .45
Anyway, I am off to the hunting grounds now for the weekend and will do some experimentation. This is my first time hunting with a mz and I am almost as exited as with my very first hunting trip when I was about 13 or so. Hope the .45 is gun enough for the Kudu, but some of the local chaps have had some good success with .45
Good luck! Remember a couple of things and you will be fine. A ball that exits leaves a trail to follow. Don't hit the off side shoulder and try for as prefectly broadside as you can get. Get close! That one things will cover up for just about all the other problems you will run into. Looking forward to hearing your story when you return.
Maestro
Moderator
I use rather small hunting bags (not shown in the photos are cleaning patches) - the first photo is the contents of my rifle bag and the second is my smoothbore bag contents:
POSSIBLE BAG OUT OF BLUE JEANS
I made one of these out of some old blue jeans and they really do work slick. Lots of room and pockets. I did put flaps on the pockets with buttons to hold then shut so nothing fall out. The pockets are a great place for extra caps, and small things like powder measures....
Not what you would call a proper traditional bag, but its cheap because we all have pairs of these around the house, and you can make it as deep as you like..... Plus when it gets dirty, you empty it out and throw it in the laundry.
I made one of these out of some old blue jeans and they really do work slick. Lots of room and pockets. I did put flaps on the pockets with buttons to hold then shut so nothing fall out. The pockets are a great place for extra caps, and small things like powder measures....
Not what you would call a proper traditional bag, but its cheap because we all have pairs of these around the house, and you can make it as deep as you like..... Plus when it gets dirty, you empty it out and throw it in the laundry.
