Yes, keep those little handwarmers with you -- you just never know when they'll come in handy!

Sue

I will second the comment about hunters being under prepared. I have a Survival kit for wilderness type situations, but even when I am hunting near home I have some gear that I dont leave home without. A couple hunting buddies chuckle at the thought of being "Lost" in this one wood lot we hunt. It's about 2 miles wide, and 4 miles long. When they see me booting up my GPS at the truck, they get a good laugh. One evening my buddie shot a buck on this very peice of property. He called me from his cell while I was in a Resturant meeting my new girlfriends parents. I had to leave dinner to go find him and help him find the truck. See the problem wasn't being lost. He knew exactly where he was. He just didn't know What direction his truck was in the dark. Now who's laughing? I didnt give him a hard time about it, but he doesn't give me a hard time anymore either.
Here is a list of stuff that is in my bag, or on my person when I am hunting a KNOWN area, even a small one, like the one mentioned above.
My Knife
A NEW Bic lighter
2 fire starter packets (like Ignite-O)
Compass
Folding saw
Whistle
Emergency Meds, in a small match case
AMK Heatsheet
Cordage
A wind-up Fashlight.
Snikers bar - or Engergy bar
Sometimes my GPS, but not always

Obviously some will see this list as incomplete, and it is in a true "wilderness" setting; but if more hunters would at least carry these items, less folks would wind up in severe trouble, or even lost to begin with.
In my cousins case it could have saved him from dragging a dead deer around in the dark for a few hours. Who knows it could end up saving YOUR LIFE.

the outdoor magazines have been pounding the idea of having some sort of kit with you for years.when i pick up a Field and Stream type at the barbershop they always have a "ten things to save your life"article.there are lots of people out there who think safety is for sissy's.

For sissies? Heck no. It's just plain smart.

It may not be next week, it may not be next month, but if you spend a lot of time outdoors, sooner or later your "number" is bound to come up. Mine has come up several times.

Once, while doing some backcountry ski touring in Alberta, I fell and broke my right femur. I was dang glad that I had a heavy fleece hat, a sweater, a fleece jacket, a Gore-Tex type jacket, heavy Gore-Tex survival mittens, etc. It was long after dark by the time the Parks Canada rangers got to me.

The rangers' arrival time was not due to sloth by the way; it was more a function of where I was and the time it takes to assemble a team, find the person, etc.

HJ

I retort with: I would rather be a sissy and alive instead of macho and dead.

"Anyone who partakes in the range of wilderness activities that demand skill, knowledge, strength, and stamina... must expect sooner or later to be involved in misfortune, if not his own, then someone else's." -- Medicine for Mountaineering

Byrd Hunter

I am sorry if you were offended by my remark about being around 60. It is obvious from many of my posts that I am myself around 60, so I can't possibly be delibrately offending mature people ...

My concern is that at this age people usually have different physical and medical characteristics than people in their twenties for example, and it is always smart to know your limitations. I know for one that I cannot walk 10 miles carrying a 30 pound pack. That is just me, and I have to acknowledge that and do something about it.

On the plus side, us near 60 are much wiser than younger folks..

Now , apology is due to 20 yo folks .. LOL

Don't forget about Murphy's law of gear, the more gear you have the less likely you are to need it. So if you go in uber prepared the less likely your number will come up

Considering how cheap fannypacks and backpacks are...I'm surprised how many hunters don't use them. Snacks, thermos with hot coffee, raingear...so nice to have the comforts of home.

Way to go Eugene! Start 'em young! Their enthusiasm and your guidance will help them develop good lifelong skills.

My son loves carrying his own kit. He started with a Eureka Joe Dawg pack when he was about 3. We started with just his Teddy, a little snack and a juice box, and added things as he got bigger. An extra pair of mittens and a flashlight, then some extra clothes, etc. He's 8 now and carries a pretty comprehensive kit. (Teddy still comes sometimes too. He's got his own backpack too!)

One tip is to always make sure you have room in your pack for their pack. When they're young, it's important that we ease them into it, as their enthusiasm dictates. If the fun comes out of it because their packs are too heavy, they may lose their enjoyment altogether.

Keep posting pics - I love them!