Hunter's Survival Kit

A wise old colleague once said, "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst!" Nowhere does that statement ring truer than making preparations for that next big game hunt, or even an early morning shoot at the local duck pond. A basic survival kit is a necessity for every hunters pack.

It's important to consider the environment you will be hunting in when you pick the contents of your survival kit. Some questions to consider are:

• What is the potential for injury in the area I'm hunting?
• What types of injuries are possible?
• How long could it take for help to arrive?
• What is the general topography of the area?
• What are the normal weather conditions and what are the potential weather conditions?

Doing a bit of homework, combined with a bit of forethought, can turn a potentially life threatening situation into a much safer experience. Nobody goes looking for an accident and it is the unforeseen that you need to consider.

There is a wide variety of prepackaged kits on the market, but making your own allows you to make slight adjustments to the contents based on the nature of your particular outdoors activity.

A basic kit should contain:

• A good quality compass and topographical map of the area (even if you carry a GPS). Absolute reliance on a GPS is one of the biggest mistakes a hunter can make. Batteries can fail, dense tree cover can impede satellite signals, even deep ravines or river bottoms can affect the accuracy of a GPS.
• A whistle for signaling or calling or help. Remember the help call in the bush is three regular blows on the whistle at a consistent interval. For example a two second blow every two seconds. Wait a couple of minutes and repeat.
• Environmentally friendly toilet tissue. This isn't essential, but it sure beats wet leaves.
• A good quality multipurpose knife and / or multi tool. Even if you carry a hunting knife or hatchet these devices can prove invaluable.
• A good quality waterproof flashlight (preferably a generator type).
• Waterproof matches.
• Basic first aid kit.
• Water purification tablets. These tablets don't take up a lot of room and can literally be a lifesaver. Finding fresh drinking water is usually not a problem in Canada, but finding pure, clean water is another story.
• A metallic survival blanket. These inexpensive, lightweight blankets fold into a small package that takes up virtually no room and weighs almost nothing. They serve both as a wind break and also to retain your body heat. Again, this can be a lifesaver.

Other things to consider are:

• Pepper spray. If your hunting adventures take you to bear country you should consider this to be an essential item.
• Topographical maps of the area. Even in Southern Ontario farmlands this can save you a long walk if you should happen to get turned around; in the wilderness a current topographical map in a waterproof jacket is essential.
• Make a small fishing kit. A coil of fishing line, a couple of small hooks and a couple of flies will fit in a pill container. It can mean the difference between a growling stomach and a tasty fish dinner.
• A coil of rope or even a small spool of twine will prove most valuable. It can be used to tie a frame for a shelter, make a snare, or even to tie a splint to immobilize a broken limb.

Make your survival kit as much a part of your hunting gear as your gun and ammunition and you drastically increase your odds of surviving a mishap. Enjoy the great outdoors, but always, always, treat it with respect.