What are some modifications or "must haves" to keep in your vehicle/hunting rig?

87TT

WKR
Joined
Mar 13, 2019
Messages
3,431
Location
Idaho
Tire chains
20’ tow chain
6’ tow chain
2, 20’ tow straps
100’ braided tow rope
2 comealongs
2, shackles
2, tree straps
2, 3/4” x 4’ sections of rebar for anchors
Garden spade
Long handle shovel
Ax
Hand saw
Tire plug kit
Tire slime
12v compressor
Tool kit
14ga wire
Duct tape
2, 20,000 Lb ratchet straps
2, 1500 lb ratchet straps
18” crow bar
Leather gloves
Bug spray
Tylenol
Flashlight
.22 rifle
.22 LR ammo
20’ Jumper cables
Radiator pellets
Hose clamps
2, 2x8x4’ with 1x2 cleats

Extra clothes, water and snacks appropriate for where I’m traveling

With that gear I’ve extracted trucks from snow and downed trees in ME to the bottom of a valley after rolling off a coal road in WV to mud in MS to a punctured radiator & tires in NV to a iced mountain road in AZ and a whole lot of other misadventures in between.
You forgot the kitchen sink and the Zombie repellant.:cool:
 

Phaseolus

WKR
Joined
Feb 25, 2018
Messages
1,265
I loathe tow straps after seeing one break and hollow out the back of a mans head. I will use a chain every time.
 

Top147

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
150
Should carry snatch straps or kinetic straps in place of tow chain or rope. Best vehicle recovery tool out there. But to have both is best.

Should look into what overlanding guys buy into.
 

Top147

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
150
I loathe tow straps after seeing one break and hollow out the back of a mans head. I will use a chain every time.


Saw a man loose his shoulder when I was a kid. He was using chain off the tow ball. So silly. At least throw your floor mats on the chain.
 
Joined
Feb 8, 2018
Messages
504
Location
Arizona Wilderness
Jump pack that will recharge electronics that are rechargeable (comes with the proper cabling to do it all and weighs 2 or 3 #s) plus jump any of my motorized vehicles, plus spare AA and AAA batteries. Spare binos, some Cliffs Bars (I don't like them very well so am not tempted to eat them unless I am about out of food), Muskol insect repellent, sun screen, lens cleaners, small pillow, blanket, hand sanitizer, paper towels, wash cloth, towels, bar of soap, plastic bags from small zip locks through garbage bags. Gorilla tape, soft tie wire, and a set of decent scissors or shears, knife, hiking poles. Small 12 v air compressor with tire plug kit. Shovel, ratchet straps, 18" Fiskars garden saw (straight with pistol grip handle...$18 and cuts like crazy).


And how big is the trailer you are towing?
 

87TT

WKR
Joined
Mar 13, 2019
Messages
3,431
Location
Idaho
Let me just say this, I have been offroading since I have been driving. I have had 4X4 since the early 70's. I have used everything from rope to tow straps but have never trusted a chain. I also make sure that EVERYONE is out of the danger zone. Yes you can hang stuff on a strap or cable (winch) or chain but you still can't trust it and that is more to minimize damage to the vehicle than people. Chains are the most dangerous thing you can pull with in my opinion. Snatch'em straps are made to leave slack in them and jerk them hard to unstick someone.
 
Joined
Sep 9, 2012
Messages
1,979
Location
BC
And how big is the trailer you are towing?
Laughing...It all fits in the door cubbies, bin between the front seats, on the rear floor and under the seats of my King Cab F150 and or Crew Cab F350. Really not that much volume and yes I do carry the stuff mentioned, moving some from truck to truck depending on what I am driving! If I was transporting more than myself and one passenger it would require removing the shovel on the back seat floor for one more rear seat passenger.
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2015
Messages
5,824
Two folding chairs lounge or tailgating chairs. The kind with foot rests and sunshades. I have been the envy of many dads at soccer and football games.
 
Joined
Apr 14, 2019
Messages
954
Location
Fort Myers , FL
Air compressor
Tire repair kit
Jumper box
Battery cables
Tow strap
Shop rags
Headlamp
Tool kit
Knife
First aid kit
Two bottles of water
Crapper kit (hand cleaner,moist wipes and TP)
Rain jacket
Hat
Battery pack and cable for charging phone
Treking poles in case none of this stuff works.
 

mcseal2

WKR
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
2,671
I tend to overpack until I have to start carrying it on my back. My truck is a fairly new Ford F350 with an aftermarket front bumper and a flatbed. The flatbed has a slanted lid toolbox that holds most my stuff. The spare oil & stuff goes in a milk crate on the flatbed. I had a neighbor who is handy with a welder build me a 40 gallon reserve fuel tank that gravity feeds into my primary tank. I always top both tanks off and treat them with Antigel at the last big town I pass through. Most of the other stuff not counting the food/water lives in the truck either behind the back seat or in the toolbox.

It's my work truck that I use on the ranch, primarily pulling trailers. I still like my old 93 Chevy 3/4 ton as my beater truck for a lot of stuff. It has a locker in the rear axle that helps it get around. The newer truck has so much computerized crap on it that it sucks at staying unstuck. That's probably part of the reason I pack so much. The computer makes rocking the vehicle to unstick it difficult between the computer keeping it from revving up to fast and the anti-lock brakes. I have to remember to turn off the traction control also before getting into a place where I might get need to give it a little throttle to make it through. It has a locking differential but it only stays locked to 20mph. I ordered it for the ranch with every off road option they had and a simple vinyl interior. I'm not picking on Ford, all the newer trucks seem to have a lot of safety features I would prefer to go without. All my other vehicles are pre-2000. I guess I like the older simpler stuff especially for a ranch or hunting vehicle. The new ones sure cruise down the highway nice and pull a trailer as fast as you want to go, they have their upside too. My solution has been to pull the trailer on out of state hunts and camp somewhere halfway easy to get to, drive the UTV from there to where I start hiking.

Anyway here is my list:
-Tire chains (for all 4)
-Hi Lift Jack
-Hi Lift Jack winch kit
-Hi Lift Jack large footprint plate
-Hi Lift Jack tire lift strap
-Hi Lift Jack bumper hook kit
-Hi Lift Jack wheel hook kit
-Chain and tow rope x2
-12V compressor
-Plug kit
-Jumper pack
-12V plug to dual USB adapters (2)
-Spare serpentine belt
-Tool kit
-Fuse kit
-Antifreeze
-Engine and transmission oil
-Phone chargers
-GPS and Atlas
-Spare food kit (Mtn House)
-Drinking water
-duck tape, electrical tape, and baling wire
-canvas sheath with folding bow saw, GB small forest axe, and stout carbon steel knife. That goes in the UTV while hunting.

-if I'm going into an area with beetle killed timber I add a 14" Stihl saw with an ammo can that holds tools, spare chain, bar oil, and a bottle of the pre-mixed fuel. The bottled stuff is less likely to leak and make a mess, not to expensive for how little I use it on a trip.
 

Marble

WKR
Joined
May 29, 2019
Messages
3,219
The only thing I have done differently to my hunting rig over the last 20 years is add a shelf to the bed. I always have shells on my trucks and the side windows open up so I can have access to from the side. I put a piece of 1" plywood on the rails that is about 3' in width so I have a shelf towards the cab of my truck. Big ice chests slide under it, heavy stuff can ride on it including a couple 60 pound shorthairs, and it's easier to set my pack on that shelf than to open the back of my truck.
 
Joined
Feb 8, 2018
Messages
504
Location
Arizona Wilderness
Dad and I went Antelope hunting.Arrived at 11pm.
Drove over a cattle guard and blew both front tires.
2 spare tires!Sounds crazy but it worked.Deer everywhere.
Not one Antelope all week. :cool:
 
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