Checking more backpack pockets

This is the last of a multi-part series about checking a hunter’s backpack before the season begins.

As we continue checking the backpack, we find four Motorola hand-held radios. My hunting partners carry both a cell phone and a Motorola. Extra batteries are always in the pack.

There are two Model 103 Buck skinning knives. One was a Christmas present and the other is older. They are both used for skinning deer and elk.

The next knife is an Outdoor Edge SwingBlade. The first blade is a drop point, which can be used for skinning. The second blade is a gutting blade, used to open the belly skin of the animal.

This blade is different from the traditional gut hook, because the blade goes inside the belly cavity and does not touch the hair of the animal. Yet, this blade will not cut the guts, just the belly skin.

There are two Model 183 Crosslock knives. Both are signed by Chuck Buck, again, these are good-luck knives. There is a Camillus bone saw in the pack. Sometimes the pelvic bone is split on my deer and elk. This saw has a blunt curve at the end of the blade, so the saw will not cut soft tissue.

Why so many knives in the pack? There is no need to carry all of these knives, but the pack makes a great place to store them. If the pack is going on a hunt, most of the knives are removed.

There are also held two flashlights and one headlamp, but none worked. The batteries will be replaced. There are also four knife sharpeners.

A “Pocket Survival Guide,” a book about survival, and a deck of playing cards were found.

The last pocket of the pack holds two rangefinders, a binocular, a GPS and a first aid kit. Both of the rangefinders are made by Bushnell, an older model and a newer one.

A rangefinder is an important hunting tool, according to this hunter. An accurate determination of distance to a big game animal should result in a more accurate shot placement.

The global positioning system tool, or GPS, gives the user their position in the field. This tool has helped many a hunter find their way out of the woods.

The binocular is also a must-have hunting tool, allowing the hunter a closer look at an animal.

Now for the big question of the day: What is the most important item a sports man or woman can take with them into the Great Outdoors? The answer: Toilet paper. Flatten a quarter roll and place it in a resealable plastic bag and put it in your backpack.