Start With Paperwork and Rules
Hunting rules vary by region, species and season, so this is the part of your checklist to confirm first. Check the official wildlife agency for your area. Items to verify:
- Hunting license, tags and any required permits
- Hunter education or safety certification, where required
- Season dates, legal hours, and legal methods for your area
- Rules for clothing, such as required blaze orange
- Land access, whether public or private, and camping rules on that land
- Fire restrictions and any limits on how long you can camp in one spot
- Rules about transporting and storing game
Keep paper copies in a waterproof bag in addition to anything on your phone.
Shelter and Sleep System
Hunting seasons often fall in cold, wet or unpredictable weather, so plan your sleep system for the coldest night you could reasonably see.
- Tent suited to the season and wind, such as a sturdy four-season tent or a canvas wall tent for a base camp. Pick based on weather and how you will travel
- Footprint or tarp, stakes and spare guy line
- Sleeping bag rated well below the expected overnight low
- Insulated sleeping pad, since the ground often steals more heat than the air does
- Pillow, and extra blankets if you are car-camping
- Cots for base camp, if space allows
If you are weighing tent styles, 3-season vs 4-season tents and how to choose a tent go through the options. If you are packing a vehicle for a long drive to the area, the camping road trip packing list offers vehicle organization tips that apply here too.
Camp Kitchen, Food and Water
Plan meals that are fast, high in energy and easy to eat when you come back tired or in the dark.
- Stove, fuel and a lighter or matches
- Pots, a pan and utensils
- Cooler with ice, or a plan for keeping food cold in cooler weather
- Breakfast and dinner you can make quickly (see the 3 day camping menu for ideas), plus snacks and lunch you can carry in a daypack
- Water jugs, a way to filter or treat water, and bottles for the field
- Dish soap, a wash basin and trash bags
- Hot drinks and a thermos
Store food properly. Where bears or other wildlife are active, follow local food storage rules, such as using vehicles, bear-resistant containers or hanging food, depending on what the area requires. Keep food and game meat away from where you sleep.
Clothing and Footwear
Hunters often sit still for long periods, so warmth management is key.
- Moisture-wicking base layers, and wool or synthetic mid layers
- Insulated and waterproof outer layers, quiet in the field if that matters to you
- Waterproof boots that are well broken in, plus camp shoes
- Several pairs of socks, and spare dry ones
- Warm hat, gloves and a neck gaiter
- Blaze orange hat or vest where required
- Spare clothes kept dry for camp
Avoid cotton in cold, wet conditions because it holds moisture. Staying warm while winter camping has more on layering and sleep warmth.
Hunting Gear and Optics
Specific gear depends on the species and method you hunt, so use the list below only as a prompt.
- Your firearm or bow, plus ammunition or arrows, and a case for transport
- Binoculars and a range-finding tool, if you use one
- Daypack with room for layers, water and food
- Knife and sharpener, plus gloves
- Headlamp with spare batteries
- Calls, scent control, or other items specific to your hunting style
Handle firearms according to your safety training (and see camping survival skills for general backcountry preparedness): keep muzzles pointed in a safe direction, treat every firearm as loaded, and store firearms and ammunition securely in camp.
Field Care and Game Processing
If you are successful, you will need to keep meat clean and cool. Check local guidance for how quickly it should be cooled.
- Game bags
- Sharp knife and, if needed, a saw or game shears
- Disposable gloves
- Clean water and paper towels
- Plastic sheeting or tarp
- A cooler, ice or a plan for getting meat to cold storage
- Tags and a pen to attach them as required
Plan in advance how you would carry out an animal and where you would take it.
Safety, Navigation and Communication
- First-aid kit including bleeding control supplies, and training to use them if possible
- Personal medications
- Map, compass and GPS device or app, and know how to use them
- A satellite communicator or similar device if you hunt where there is no cell service
- Fire starter and emergency shelter
- Whistle
- Extra food and water
- Sunscreen and insect or tick repellent, depending on season
Tell someone where you are going, where you are camping and when you plan to return. Be aware of other hunters and of weather changes, and know how you would signal for help. Carbon monoxide is a risk if you use a heater or stove in a tent, so do not run them in an enclosed sleeping space unless the product is specifically designed for it, and ventilate carefully.
Camp Comfort and Organization
- Folding chairs and a small table
- Lantern and spare batteries
- Tarp for a covered cooking area
- Axe or saw if wood is permitted
- Bins labeled for kitchen, clothing, hunting gear and tools
- Hand warmers and a way to dry wet gear
A clean, organized camp helps you wake early and get out the door quickly.
Leaving Camp Clean
Pack out all trash, and put out fires completely. Follow local rules for disposing of animal remains and waste, since improper disposal can attract wildlife. Leave the site as you found it or better.
Quick Hunting Camp Checklist
- License, tags, permits and maps
- Tent, sleep bag, insulated pad
- Stove, food, water and a cooler
- Layers, boots, socks and blaze orange where required
- Hunting gear, optics and daypack
- Game care supplies
- First-aid kit, navigation and communication
- Lighting, camp chairs and trash bags
For a more comfortable stay, you may also like our cabin camping packing guide, which is helpful if you are renting a cabin for hunting season.