What redundancies do you maintain?

[Steve G]

So you are planning a looong trip away from home to hunt elk, or maybe just a 5 mile pack in hunt. Either way, whether you are hunting with a firearm or bow, there are some items which the failure or loss of would render your trip over and you can't just jog around the corner and purchase another.

We all carry extra rounds of ammo or arrows. What other equipment do you pack, in case you primary item fails? This is especially important for back pack hunters who have to weigh the risks of failure against the extra weight.

[idahoghost]

Extra release and fire making tools.

[WapitiTalk1]

Extra/back up diaphrams. I could operate without a tube but not without the calls

[itsnlkthing]

Backup light, backup batteries, 2 forms of fire starter map, compass and GPS, 2 knives.

[Wyo67]

Extra release and diaphragm calls / Compass and paper map to backup the GPS / Spare set of AA and AAA batteries / Two Knives / Two lights / Fire making tools

[Swede]

think Wyo67 covered it for me. I may have a little extra food with me too. I never thought about it, but that compass is a redundancy in case my GPS ever fails. I don't pack a lot of extra batteries as I figure if one runs out I can rob some from a flashlight or something.

[dapper]

We backpack hunt. But in the truck we have pretty much backups for everything including backup bows (since he shoots left handed and I right handed) as well as a portable bow press, extra strings for the primary bow.

Dan

[easeup]

I only have two legs. And a spare wouldn't do me any good.

[Toby]

Release, calls, and fire starter materials.

[Relentlessly Unforgiving]

Truck is packed with redundant items but we like to carry two water filters while backpacking. We have broken one and it was nice to have a backup. Having stomach issues doesn't sound fun anytime, especially on an back country hunt.

[Sucobowhunter]

Calls!! I have lost so many calls(yeah I lived in Colorado ) so I have a couple "sets" of calls I keep with me and at my camp.

[elkaholic]

I keep a backup release, bow, calls, flashlight and fire starter at the pickup.

[Lefty]

calls, fire starters and and arrows
In camp I carry double of lot of items, camp chairs, storage even extra sleeping bags junk shoes in front of the chairs and tent
I want camp to look like more than one person
Last year I saw a lot of people, well I saw hunters and people I had never seen before. The last two weekends I put up two tents

[JPD350]

I have only had one hunt ruined and that was a long time ago, I had a bow with a stick on arrow rest and had no spare at the truck. I had hiked 5 miles in and was preparing to take a shot, I nocked an arrow and to my surprise I had no rest for my arrow and the elk just walked away, game over! 25 years later I have never had another hunt ending incident, although a few times I have had close calls with physical injuries.

Now I always carry spare release and do my best to make sure my gear isn't going to breakdown prior to going on my hunt. I also take extra first aid supply's in case others are not prepared, I don't want to be left without first aid stuff

[Pop-r]

I'm kinda surprised by how many people carry an extra release. I never do! I have one at my base camp but have only had one failure ever & it was on one I had shot for year's and was simply wore out. Do yall have alot of failure's?

[JPD350]

I have never needed an extra release due to malfunction but I have often crammed them into the mud or dirt and had to dip it into water to get it work properly. I have also left my release at the tent and was happy I had one in my pack, saved me a trip back to the tent.

[Steve G]

I expected to see a lot of people mention releases. Its a mechanical device, and such things can fail, though I am sure it is infrequent. It is also relatively small and lite weight and it seems everybody has purchased mutiple releases for unrelated reasons. I would be willing to bet that 90% of the back up releases are a different model than the primary.

[ishy]

One kidney, and two testicals all worthless wieght in september. I need both eyes, and lungs though.

[Drawnandpinned]

I carry a lighter an extra fire starting kit and a flare (multipurpose)fire and signaling device knives sharpeners water and food a light extra batteries I have never had to start a fire (While hunting) and hope I never have to but one dont mean much without the other i make a list and check it ten times HOPE FOR THE BEST PREPAIR FOR THE WORST didnt put gps cause i know the areas i hunt

[Wyo67]

I'm kinda surprised by how many people carry an extra release. I never do! I have one at my base camp but have only had one failure ever & it was on one I had shot for year's and was simply wore out. Do yall have alot of failure's?

Never a failure, but I've walked miles from the tent or ATV only to realize there's no release on my wrist. Bought a backup that stays in the bottom of my pack if either me or my partner ever need it.

[8seconds]

At 69 and solo hunt so i'm anal about GPS, fire making apparatus, several baby snickers/jerkey, aqua, other emergency needs and among other things a vacuumed packed first aid kit that includes numerous things including several capusles of coaglants for a serious bleeding emergency (we old folks take blood thinners to ward off attacks so i bleed real good).

I started using SPOT two years ago. I got into trouble a couple of years back and realized i was in my 40's anymore. I could still be in the wilderness today undetected by anyone if things had gone further south.

Noticing all of the forgotten releases, sights, etc. I went to a recuve years back to not only dismiss such needs and more importantly to lighten the load. My Bob Lee is great.

I also carry a 6" 357 with an extra quick loader. I use a shoulder holster or sometimes i lace it to my Badlands for quick access.

Each hunt redundacy can be different in terms of what is going on my life at the time. There are the essentials and the not so essentials.

[Indian Summer]

I really like the idea of vac sealing the first aid kit. One of these days I should start carrying a first aid kit. lol Seriously.

One thing I'm obsessive compulsive about is lighters. I keep one in my pants pocket one in the easy access pocket of my pack and two more in the "hardly ever use it" pocket inside. Not to mention my magnesium & steel. I also keep either my Sitka Kelvin vest or a down insulated jacket in my pack. Since elk hunters get sweat soaked on a regular basis hypothermia is probably one of if not my biggest concerns. It's a silent killer and unlike a broken bone or cut it's not something that you can avoid by simply being careful. On a positive note it is something you can be prepared for. I have the layers I need and the ability to start a fire. If I ever die out there I know I'll be warm when it happens.