Hunter's First Aid Kit

[Guyzgunz]

So I've gone down the rabbit hole on first aid kits for hunters on the WWW and am inundated with numerous choices from every spectrum in the planet. Any suggestions for a fairly-priced compact kit for your pack or bug-out bag? This will be a present for my son. I don't need one as he'll just let me bleed out!
Thanks!

 

[180ls1]

.5 ultralite + thermal blanket, paracord and tourniquet.

 

[Wildgame]

There is first aid and emergency. You can blend both.

My advice for a Dad looking for an emergency aid gift is: Buy him a "ZOLEO" !!!! if he doesn't have it. Let him pay the monthly basic fee during hunting season and he can freeze the service for $2 per month anytime. You and him will be glad he has one.

I found that many of the first aid kits have a bunch of silly stuff. I bought a basic one-person first aid kit and started to remove and add stuff based on my needs, not to mention I am always looking to shave ounces and I do not want to carry a brick full of stuff. At the beginning of hunting season I go through it and toss,add and replace.

With modern technology like a couple of lighters and again my Zoleo things like making fire and signaling stuff are not an issue. I added a little plastic tube container with vaselined cotton balls for fire starter. You have to keep that stuff dry when it rains though.

First aid stuff I like to have :

Pain relievers, pills for an allergic reaction, patching kit to fix yourself if you get cut or have a small puncture ( good tape, gauze, antibacterial wipes and ointment, even a laceration kit to close the wound).
Some sort of bandage long enough for a knee, ankle, and such. The Israeli emergency bandage for $8.00 is nice to have and it is also great for bigger wounds.
Tick removers, and a little sawing kit for repairs (the needle is great for removing painful splinters). Stuff to patch your feet (duck tape/leuko tape). Visine for your eyes for windy days.
I also carry a little roll of bright orange plastic tape for marking an entry exit point or my way back just in case the phone is dead. or to wrap it on a dead deer antlers so I don't get shot...a bunch of trigger-happy people out there.
Occasionally I will throw in a "Sam Splint II" They cost $20 and it can help you to support a dislocated or broken joint/bone, it weighs nothing and takes no room.

You can add a lot more but the way I see it is that if I have something catastrophic happening to me, I am going to call for help with the Zoleo. Other than that between my gear and the first aid kit I am pretty self-sufficient out there. At least I think I am.
A way to purify and collect some water just in case he runs out might come in handy...but good luck finding some water during dry years.

Save the money, get him this :



And add these 2 to his Christmas stocking :





But what do I know...

 

[YETI]

I have a few Dark Angel Medical Every Day Carry Trauma Kits with the tourniquet. They have all the basics for a traumatic injury situation, tq, quick clot, chest seals, gloves, and a compression bandage. You might be able to buy the components separately for less, but for ease I went with the kit. In my hunting back pack, I have a more substantial kit, the DARK from the same company. I also try to take a wilderness first aid class at least every other year.

 

[just_ducky_1]

Multi use items. There is nothing you cannot fix with Kerlix and ace wrap. Yes, the Israeli is sexy it hasn’t absorbent pad on it. There’s others that have a small plastic knob on it for a pressure dressing. Combat gauze would be good and there is a thing called a swat dressing that can double as an exclusive dressing and ace wrap, and a sling.
Getting all of those neat things in a package are nice, but if they don’t know how to use them, they’re no good. If you got a cat tourniquet, I would ensure that you have an actual cat tourniquet with the latest model I believe we are at GEN seven now. But they also need to know how to put it on by getting all of the slack out. Most casualties that I see that die die from improperly placed to tourniquets. Getting familiar with making improvised tourniquets out of belts cravats rifle slings is just as good.
I believe OFD Scooby had a pretty close call and in his line of work he’s probably seen some things.

 

[YETI]

Multi use items. There is nothing you cannot fix with Kerlix and ace wrap. Yes, the Israeli is sexy it hasn’t absorbent pad on it. There’s others that have a small plastic knob on it for a pressure dressing. Combat gauze would be good and there is a thing called a swat dressing that can double as an exclusive dressing and ace wrap, and a sling.
Getting all of those neat things in a package are nice, but if they don’t know how to use them, they’re no good. If you got a cat tourniquet, I would ensure that you have an actual cat tourniquet with the latest model I believe we are at GEN seven now. But they also need to know how to put it on by getting all of the slack out. Most casualties that I see that die die from improperly placed to tourniquets. Getting familiar with making improvised tourniquets out of belts cravats rifle slings is just as good.
I believe OFD Scooby had a pretty close call and in his line of work he’s probably seen some things.

That's why I like the SOF tourniquets, they have a slack indicator on them.

 

[just_ducky_1]

That's why I like the SOF tourniquets, they have a slack indicator on them.

Be careful. There was a recent lot that was produced that the buckle was plastic and every time we cinched it down snapped. I carry SOF-T wides in my bag and CATs on my kit.
One CAT in my back country aid kit as SOF-T isn’t as packable

 

[Ofdscooby]

Haha Yes I had to get myself out of a bad situation once. I’ve been a paramedic for 20 years and I probably don’t have all the stuff with me that I should but. I always carry a tourniquet, a couple rolls of simple gauze, chest seal and combat gauze( has quick clot in it). Think what’s gonna kill me vs what’s gonna make me uncomfortable. Have a plan above all else if your technology challenges learn how to drop a pin and give your location. There’s a lot of things that could make you not be able to walk out before they killed you. In the past I’ve been out on line medic gigs in big fires and we just need man power to get people out of the woods and not necessarily a lot of equipment. I’ve put in tourniquets and they are legit if done right.
In my truck I carry a bunch of medic stuff IV’s, epi, Benadryl. Here’s some pics of my 2017 adventure.

 

[Guyzgunz]

Haha Yes I had to get myself out of a bad situation once. I’ve been a paramedic for 20 years and I probably don’t have all the stuff with me that I should but. I always carry a tourniquet, a couple rolls of simple gauze, chest seal and combat gauze( has quick clot in it). Think what’s gonna kill me vs what’s gonna make me uncomfortable. Have a plan above all else if your technology challenges learn how to drop a pin and give your location. There’s a lot of things that could make you not be able to walk out before they killed you. In the past I’ve been out on line medic gigs in big fires and we just need man power to get people out of the woods and not necessarily a lot of equipment. I’ve put in tourniquets and they are legit if done right.
In my truck I carry a bunch of medic stuff IV’s, epi, Benadryl. Here’s some pics of my 2017 adventure. View attachment 60707View attachment 60708View attachment 60709View attachment 60710View attachment 60711View attachment 60712View attachment 60713View attachment 60714

That's exactly what I'm thinking about. Shit happens. I carry basic stuff but the suggestions here are awesome. I really appreciate everyone's input. The last thing I want is a bunch of junk I don't need or is completely useless when you really need it. I don't want to end up like the Youtube guy "Kentucky Ballistics" and have to "Put a thumb in it!"

 

[Guyzgunz]

There is first aid and emergency. You can blend both.

My advice for a Dad looking for an emergency aid gift is: Buy him a "ZOLEO" !!!! if he doesn't have it. Let him pay the monthly basic fee during hunting season and he can freeze the service for $2 per month anytime. You and him will be glad he has one.

I found that many of the first aid kits have a bunch of silly stuff. I bought a basic one-person first aid kit and started to remove and add stuff based on my needs, not to mention I am always looking to shave ounces and I do not want to carry a brick full of stuff. At the beginning of hunting season I go through it and toss,add and replace.

With modern technology like a couple of lighters and again my Zoleo things like making fire and signaling stuff are not an issue. I added a little plastic tube container with vaselined cotton balls for fire starter. You have to keep that stuff dry when it rains though.

First aid stuff I like to have :

Pain relievers, pills for an allergic reaction, patching kit to fix yourself if you get cut or have a small puncture ( good tape, gauze, antibacterial wipes and ointment, even a laceration kit to close the wound).
Some sort of bandage long enough for a knee, ankle, and such. The Israeli emergency bandage for $8.00 is nice to have and it is also great for bigger wounds.
Tick removers, and a little sawing kit for repairs (the needle is great for removing painful splinters). Stuff to patch your feet (duck tape/leuko tape). Visine for your eyes for windy days.
I also carry a little roll of bright orange plastic tape for marking an entry exit point or my way back just in case the phone is dead. or to wrap it on a dead deer antlers so I don't get shot...a bunch of trigger-happy people out there.
Occasionally I will throw in a "Sam Splint II" They cost $20 and it can help you to support a dislocated or broken joint/bone, it weighs nothing and takes no room.

You can add a lot more but the way I see it is that if I have something catastrophic happening to me, I am going to call for help with the Zoleo. Other than that between my gear and the first aid kit I am pretty self-sufficient out there. At least I think I am.
A way to purify and collect some water just in case he runs out might come in handy...but good luck finding some water during dry years.

Save the money, get him this :



And add these 2 to his Christmas stocking :





But what do I know...

Great advice. Thanks!

 

[HATCHET1]

Helmet?...too soon??

 

[180ls1]

You also have to consider what he will actually carry. Mine isn't perfect but its with me 100% of the time.

 

[just_ducky_1]

Well Kentucky thumb guy could have benefited from a Foley catheter with a 30cc balloon on it. Of course, it does no good if you don’t have a 10 cc syringe to blow that balloon up with.
That foley trick works well. Seen it dove in Israel and South Africa.

 

[just_ducky_1]

Haha Yes I had to get myself out of a bad situation once. I’ve been a paramedic for 20 years and I probably don’t have all the stuff with me that I should but. I always carry a tourniquet, a couple rolls of simple gauze, chest seal and combat gauze( has quick clot in it). Think what’s gonna kill me vs what’s gonna make me uncomfortable. Have a plan above all else if your technology challenges learn how to drop a pin and give your location. There’s a lot of things that could make you not be able to walk out before they killed you. In the past I’ve been out on line medic gigs in big fires and we just need man power to get people out of the woods and not necessarily a lot of equipment. I’ve put in tourniquets and they are legit if done right.
In my truck I carry a bunch of medic stuff IV’s, epi, Benadryl. Here’s some pics of my 2017 adventure. View attachment 60707View attachment 60708View attachment 60709View attachment 60710View attachment 60711View attachment 60712View attachment 60713View attachment 60714

Heed this advice! Life not comfort. Rub some dirt on it, grab a can of man, and survive!