In a world where everything is conveniently available at our fingertips, hunting for survival may seem like a thing of the past. But there’s something primal about reconnecting with the wild and mastering the skills our ancestors relied on. Survival hunting is a skill that’ll prove useful in different situations.
If you’re tired of city life and decide to go off-grid or to live off the land, hunting is one way to put food on the table. If grocery stores and online food deliveries are no longer available due to economic collapse or natural disasters, you will need to find other food sources. If you’re lost in the wild with no or minimal food supply, you have no choice but to hunt and forage.
In all these scenarios, you’ll have a better chance of successfully catching animals if you have the right survival hunting gear. Here, we list down some of the essential tools you need for a successful hunt:
Hunting Rifle
Hunting rifles are often considered the most reliable survival hunting gear. They’re designed to be accurate at longer distances, allowing hunters to maintain a safe distance from their prey. Hunting rifles are typically equipped with scopes that enable hunters to take more accurate shots even at extended ranges.
Rifles are also built for the outdoors. They’re designed to withstand harsh conditions and rugged use. Hunting rifles are also lightweight, easy to maneuver, and powerful enough to bring down a range of animals from medium-sized game birds to large mammals like elks.
It’s important to note that hunting regulations, local laws, and ethical considerations should always be followed when using a hunting rifle or engaging in any hunting activities. So unless you’re in a dystopian or apocalyptic situation, always make sure to observe the laws.
Additionally, make sure you have ample ammunition to avoid ending the hunt early and empty-handed because you ran out of bullets.
Bow and Arrows
Bows have been used for hunting for thousands of years and can provide a means to procure food when other resources are scarce. They’re relatively quiet compared to firearms, which can be beneficial when trying to avoid scaring off potential prey or alerting others to your presence. They also allow for a more sustainable approach to hunting, as arrows can be retrieved and reused.
To use a bow for hunting effectively, it’s crucial to develop the necessary skills in archery. You should also be familiar with the behavior of the target animal. Additionally, knowledge of local hunting regulations and restrictions is essential to ensure compliance with legal requirements.
Crossbow
A crossbow is another reliable tool for survival hunting. Like longbows, crossbows are quieter than firearms. It’s the perfect hunting weapon if you don’t want to draw too much attention to yourself. Since it doesn’t make any loud sound, you also won’t scare away other animals in the area making it possible to catch more than one prey.
Compared to traditional longbows, compound bows, or recurve bows, crossbows are easier to learn and use. This makes crossbows a better fit for people with little archery experience and those with limited upper-body strength.
Crossbows are designed to be more stable and have a built-in sight making it easier to aim and hit your target. Using a scope further enhances accuracy giving you a better chance of having something to eat.
Hunting Knife
Knives are incredibly useful tools for hunting and survival for a variety of reasons. First, you can use it to take down an animal as is. However, it can be difficult and dangerous to try this with large animals like elk, deer, or wild boar.
A better option is to make a spear by attaching your knife to the end of a long pole. But if you want to keep your knife separate and handy, you can sharpen one end of the pole with it instead. It may not be as effective but it’s good enough to catch fish or small animals. Once you catch something, you’ll need your knife to skin, gut, and butcher it.
Multi-Tool
There’s always the possibility of some of your survival hunting gear getting damaged during your hunt. It’s a good idea to bring along a multi-tool that can help you repair or make adjustments on the spot.
Multi-tools typically include pliers, screwdrivers, wire cutters, scissors, files, blades, and other useful tools. It proves handy for making quick repairs, adjustments, or handling small tasks in the field such as tightening screws on your bow or rifle, cutting twine or rope for traps, sharpening a stick, or adjusting your scope.
Trail Camera
Trail cameras are a valuable tool for hunters, providing valuable insights and improving the overall hunting experience. They help hunters make informed decisions, increase their chances of success, and contribute to wildlife management and conservation efforts.
Binoculars
A good pair of binoculars is one piece of survival hunting gear that’ll make it easier to spot and catch game. From afar, you can find a potential meal, track its movements, and study its behavior. This way, you can plan your approach and make sure you don’t scare your prey away.
Since many animals are more active at night, you can hunt in the dark with the help of a night vision monocular or binoculars. With this tool, you can still find animals even in the dark and take your best shot.
Headlamp or Flashlight
A reliable light source is necessary, especially during night hunting or in low-light conditions, such as dawn or dusk. It allows the hunter to navigate safely, track game, and perform tasks in the dark. A headlamp is the best option as it allows the use of both hands. A flashlight or torchlight will work just as well, albeit with one hand tied up.
Field Dressing Kit
A hunting knife can be used to dress your catch but you’ll find that it’s better to have a field dressing kit whenever you go hunting. This kit is necessary to ensure that you clean and remove the internal organs of the animal without sacrificing hygiene and food safety. This helps prevent the spoilage of meat and reduces the risk of contamination.
A typical field dressing kit usually contains a skinning knife for cutting through the animal’s hide and separating the muscle tissue, a bone saw for the ribs and other bones, and a gutting knife for skinning and gutting. Other items that can be included in this essential survival hunting gear include disposable or reusable gloves, game bags for storing field-dressed animals, garbage bags for the internal organs and other parts you want to keep, and Zip ties or rope for tying the legs and hanging the animal before skinning. You can also keep a sharpening stone, a hook, tweezers, and a scalpel for fine cuts.
Game Calls
Game calls are tools used to mimic the sounds made by animals when they’re communicating with each other when they’re distressed, or during mating. These sounds trigger the animal’s natural instincts enticing them to go towards the source of the sound bringing them within shooting range.
Camouflage Clothing
Another way to improve chances of successfully hunting for food is to wear camouflage clothing. These clothes are designed to help you blend into the natural environment by mimicking the patterns, colors, and even textures of the surroundings. It aids in staying concealed from game animals, increasing your chances of getting closer for a shot.
Blaze Orange Vest
Wearing a blaze orange vest or other highly visible clothes is required in some hunting areas. Make sure to familiarize yourself with local hunting regulations to avoid any potential penalties. More importantly, wearing a blaze orange vest increases your visibility and keeps you from getting shot accidentally.
Backpack
You need a durable backpack to carry your survival hunting gear, including weapons, ammunition, and field dressing tools. You want one with enough space to also carry some food, water, and other supplies you’ll need during your hunt, especially if you’re planning to come home only if you catch an animal, which may take more than a day.
Water Filtration System
Bringing water to a hunt is a no-brainer. You’ll be spending hours or even days waiting, tracking, and trying to catch your prey so it’s easy to get thirsty and dehydrated. Make sure you bring bottled water or a hydration bladder with enough water to last during your hunt. You should also pack a portable water filtration system. In case you run out of water, you can use your portable water filter to turn any water source into safe drinking water.
Navigation Tools
When you’re out in the wild looking for your next meal, it’s easy to wander too far and get lost. Experienced hunters know the lay of the land so they can find their way home. Still, these veteran outdoorsmen and women pack navigation tools in their gear just in case. If you’re a newbie, the need for maps, compasses, and GPS devices is even more important. Pack one or all three of these so you don’t get lost in the wilderness.
These are just a few examples of survival hunting gear that you need to thrive in the wild and live off the land. Of course, there are a number of other tools and equipment that can make it easier for you to catch prey and bring home the bacon, so to speak. You can bring materials to set up traps so that you have more ways of catching animals. And since the goal is to catch something to eat, why not bring some fishing gear, too?
You also need to pack survival gear just in case something goes wrong. Some that come to mind are food rations, a first aid kit, an emergency shelter, fire-starting tools, and signaling devices. Make sure you’ve got your bases covered before you set out for a hunt. And don’t forget to check out Gentleman Pirate Club for some life-saving tips on how to survive being out in the wild.
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