First Aid Kit for Solo Hunting
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 พ.ค. 2023
- With sheep season quickly approaching I thought it would be a great time to go over what is in my first aid kit for solo hunts. Please jump in the comments section below if you’ve got any tips to add!
Jay Nichol
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I’m only 4 mins in so forgive me if it’s mentioned further into the video but a Canadian company that provides this kind of gear is called C-Toms , they do affordable prepacked bleeding control kits.
Awesome. I’ll add a link to the description.
CATs are great torniquets. I recommend that you have two, a practice one and carry the unused one in the kit. Another recommendation I have is to keep the TQ in a "ready use" state. If you need a TQ, its SHTF scenario (aka you have a life-threatening arterial bleed). By ready use I mean out of packaging, folded properly (there are guides online), and the biggest is being accessible on your kit. It might even be worth carrying the TQ on your person or in a separate pocket away from the rest of the kit that can be grabbed quickly without going into the bag. Seconds can mean minutes here.
I would also consider adding something to provide compression to bleeding. A 2" ace wrap would be perfect. Your tape may work too.
But overall, your kit is great and I would be happy to be hunting with you.
Great additional tips!
While hunting solo, I always carry 2 TQ on my first line gear that can be reached by each hand in case an arm becomes inoperable.
Strongly agreed on everything here! I’m former combat medic 🤙🏻
Wow! This might be the best post I’ve ever seen. I’ve learned so much from just the comments. Thank you for your comment, I have so much more to learn.
Jay, great video. I’m a former Army Medic and civilian EMT. You did a great job on your kit. You said all the right stuff and tossed out all the garbage. Very practical and sensible kit that is very similar to what I would use. The only thing I want to stress is to ONLY/ALWAYS buy CAT GEN7 Tourniquets from North American Rescue. Not all “cat” style TQs are created equal. If it’s not from NAR it’s a knock off. Stitching will break, windless snap all kids of stuff. .. for what it’s worth I’ve even broken the real ones on dudes. If you use it right…. It’s going to hurt like a mother. Awesome videos man keep it up. I’m subscribed 100% 🤙🏼
Appreciate the additional insight
Former combat medic and now an ICU nurse here.
Nice to see reflection on what and why you bring your gear. I would as with anything els go for KISS keep it simple stupid.
The CAT is need! But I would Definitely advice to have it ready for use (pack it out of the plastic and fold it for use), and store it outside of the kit, maybe in your binoharness, if you ever where needed to use it, it needs to be FAST!
Thanks for the tips!
Just a tip, magpul pouches color coded by purpose. Red for first aid, orange for my game processing, blue for water purification and food stuff etc. If it doesn’t fit you dont need it. Last item is a lighter in each one.
Good tips
One thing that I noticed when you were showing the Tourniquet off. It was a white tab, on real CAT-TQ it will be gray. I recommend that you check to make sure that Tourniquet is a real CAT Gen 7. Or sometimes the windless rod will fail and you will bleed out (Takes the human body 4 minutes to bleed out from an extremities bleed) Just something I noticed, and just recommending you make sure it is real, don't want you to die.
Thanks, I was not aware of that.
Second on this. Not all TQ created equal and it must be a genuine North American Rescue Cat gen7
Love the video. I took a trauma course before building out a similar kit, and something that stands out to me is staging your kit for quick access under stress. Small zippers are hard to grab, so add large lanyards that are high vis, or tape to enlarge tabs on bits that need to be torn open. When under stress, blood leaves your hands and feet and goes to your core, so you'll have less dexterity in your fingers. Also, in my pack, I tie an orange lanyard on the zipper of the pouch I store it in, so it's obvious where it is. Always tell your buddy where you keep your medical kit.
Great points!
Paramedic and WFA instructor/ fellow equipment geek here: Good kit. Just wanted to share with you some of my thoughts. I personally have 2 kits: one in the truck and one on my person. My personal kit is a bit more minimalist than yours , but I do like a ton of the stuff you have. Glad to see you have a tourniquet in there. Too many people don’t carry one while hunting, but it’s definitely a must-have that could save your life. I am glad you emphasized that. Lots of case reports of the windlass on cheaper TQs failing. I am not sure which one you have there, but I would ensure that you have a proper CAT (combat application tourniquet). To save weight and instead of carrying an assortment of different bandages, I just get a few pieces of larger non-stick or Telfa dressings and cut them into whatever size bandage i need. From there I can just tape it to the skin or use gauze. I also carry 2 triangle bandages for splinting and a Mylar blanket in mine. I don’t carry: bobby pins, tweezers, abd pads, quick clot, alcohol swabs, syringes or q-tips. I carry a multi-tool and use clean water for sterilization (sometimes I carry poly too). I am comfortable with direct pressure and effective bandaging so I don’t use any quick clot or hemostatic dressing. I also don’t carry any bulky dressings or abd pads. The more experience you get with first aid the less stuff you will carry. Less is often more. Find a few items that have multiple uses and build from there. Thanks for sharing this video and bringing up this topic!
Great additional tips. Thanks.
You're a man of the people doing a podcast with prep brain. I actually watched your solo hunting podcast last night for the first time so this is a nice follow up. I appreciate everything you do man.
My pleasure man. Thank you.
yeah what can i say... it's a good kit. i'd potentially add a tick kit if you're in tick land, and maybe mosquito spray...
what is definitely worth noting is that there's good statistics on accidents. there are very significant peaks both early mornings and later in the day, that is 1) when people aren't fully awake and aware and 2) when they're well into the day and fatigue starts setting in. a 3rd factor is always stress. so 3) when things get hectic, accidents happen. if you're aware of these points (i'm talking a second nature level of awareness) you can prevent 90% of accidents. so this one is very much on a behavioural level and costs exactly zero dollars.
i'd also think of an emergency/gps device as part of the emergency kit. a good practice would be to do regular check ins (for example garmin in reach or so) with someone that knows where you are (say every evening at 8 or something) so if you fail to check in they can alarm rescue services, say if you pass out or lost your device or whatever. it should generally remain in reach so you can do that yourself obv. but this is a great fail safe systems, just in case. it's standard practice where i am (high/ alpine area in europe).
Great additional info.
Great looking kit for the tape I find it rolls great onto old gift cards then you can almost get 2 different types on 1 card
Great tip!
Great kit! I would consider adding latex gloves, Tylenol PM, Benadryl, a few electrolyte/salt pills, Imodium AD, pepto bismal, Afterbite (sting relief wipe), steristrip, and I like to carry a tiny plastic CPR face shield and an extra set of foam earplugs in case I forget mine at the truck. Another lightweight tourniquet option is the R.A.T.S. These are just a few items I carry in mine that I didn’t see in yours, they weigh next to nothing, but could drastically change your hunt if needed. Great video!
Great info. Appreciate the feedback!
Great video man!! Dig the in depth little reviews an gear lists man, glad to see them out every week, good luck at ur competition 👌
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After watching this I need to update my kit as well thanks for great info.
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Thanks Jay!
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Great video! A mylar blanket is a must IMO. It weighs nothing and has many uses. I keep one for meat care (deboning, laying down cuts, etc...), it also keeps you warm, dry, collects water (raining), and signals in an emergency since they are very reflective and easy to spot. I'd also recommend using one on a hunt just so you know how much heat it adds. They are cheap and take up minimal space.
Great tip. I use to have one of the SOL ones in there. Took it out at some point and never made it back in. Gotta fix that!
@@MindfulHunter I'll carry one of those also if the weather is more serious. The 4'x6' (roughly) mylar blanket usually is all I have though. I doubt it tops 1oz and they are like $1 each.
What a great video and there are some great tips in the comments as well. As a young hunter I never carried IFAK. Now it is as important as the weapon I'm carrying when gathering gear for a hunt. Excellent topic J!
Thanks Mike!
Good information, thanks for the video.
You bet!
An epipen and benadryl is very helpful to keep in a med kit.
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Nice, concise overview. Always appreciate your videos.
Also, lookin vascular and lean! Hope the rest of your cut and show goes well!
Thanks brother!
Another awesome vid, Jay. One thing that would be nice if you could post a text list of the contents of your kit somewhere convenient. Maybe even in the vid description. Good luck in the upcoming bodybuilding comp! Knock 'em dead!
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Yeah man! Nailed it. I cut my thumb on a backpack hunt pretty bad and had access my first aid kit. I had it on an external pocket of my kifaru pack. If its buried deep in the bag, you are bleeding all over it, getting dirrt and crap into the wound possibly, or bleeding out in worst case scenario. Like you, i sealed up the bleeding cut with bandages and leoko tape and left that thing alone the rest of the hunt (3 days in backcountry, and another day on the road getting back home from Wy to Tx.
Beast mode!
Excellent post! Few things that I would also consider would be some ibuprofen/aspirin, and to house them in a small old eye drop container that way if you get something in your eye rinse it out, put in purified water and you can flush your eye. Additionally, too big for your medical kit but always run aluminum hiking poles that will break down into individual components and can be used as make shift splints for leg/finger injuries.
I keep an assortment of pills in my possibles pouch. I forgot to mention them. Great tips!
Belated comment. Way to power through.
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Awesome vid man!!
I saw a hot tip from Barklow: Use a bum bag for your possibles pouch (also where I keep first aid) and snap it on EVERY time you leave camp or pack. Stalking, water, quick recce etc 👍
Good tip!
What’s a bum bag?
Great video! Only thing I would add are these “zip” sutures. I got mine on Amazon. It comes with 3 different sizes that can be used together to close up to 12” wound. They weigh nothing and take up zero space.
Copy!
Good video.
In my opinion the tourniquet and the whistle should be readily available and you should be able to use them with only one hand.(Is awesome how fast a person can bleed when you cut an artery,if you get stock and can’t get in to your pack is imposible to use your whistle)
I would add some kind of soap to clean any superficial wound and assisting to a backcountry first aid course will be a great help.
Everything else is spot on.
Great points!
Add Israeli Bandage.
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Yes. IZZY bandage is soooo versatile!
Thanks your the great information. Will be adjusting my first aid kit asap
No problem.
Way to fight through the carb fog and just get it done. 💪🏼
Yessir!
Tweezers have since been added to mine. The trusty leathermans couldn’t dig out the cactus I got on a mule deer hunt
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Your crazy glue I would not use if you’re not going out that same day. Reasoning is my wife that’s a nurse said she has countless people coming in with swollen body parts because they crazy glued a cut even a small cut. The infection cannot get out of the cut. So it stays in and grows. You go to sleep with that and people wake up with extremely swollen hands feet or legs
Good info!
No links for quick clot and turnicaite?
Both on Amazon
Apparently my last comment was a little too spicy for the TH-cam lords when I said that I just recently swapped my CAT TQ in my hunting first aid kit to the Snakestaff ETQ because it's 1/3 the size and much lighter... So I guess let's try it again
You’re the second guy to recommend an ETQ. Gonna check em out.
Epi pen is necessary
Are there uses for that other than allergies?
@@MindfulHunter No, however one wasp sting might not cause an allergic reaction but multiple stings from the same wasp could cause an allergic reaction. They are jerks with wings.
@@carlos_2856 good point. I know guys who use to carry Benadryl tree planting for the same thing.