This year, I drew an either-sex moose tag. I received my license and tags in the mail in July. This always gets the itch going and gets me thinking and planning for the hunt. There was a time in my younger years when I didn’t bother making lists, and 9 times out of 10, something was always missed. So now, a little older and maybe a little wiser, I start preparing a couple of months before the hunt.
I always start with my rifle, magazines (I always carry a backup), and ammo. I took my wife and daughters out, and we had an evening at the local gravel pit doing some shooting. I want to make sure I’m hitting nice, tight groups at 100 yards. This in itself is a good confidence booster before I ever put the crosshairs on an animal. The rifle then gets a good cleaning and gets cased up with my mags.
Next, I dig out my Badlands 2200 knapsack and start gathering my gear:
🎯 Licensing
License and tags: Kept inside a Ziploc bag to stay 100% dry in the brush.
🔭 Optics & Field Scouting
Binoculars and rangefinder: Fully cleaned, checked, and loaded with a fresh battery. I am a big fan of Vortex.
Tripod: The Bog Deathgrip is an absolute winnner here.
🪵 Processing, Blades & Tools
Field Knives: Freshly sharpened alongside a portable sharpener. Outdoor Edge SwingBlade
Dewalt Atomic One-Hand Reciprocator: Paired with 9-Inch Stainless Steel Butcher Saw Blades and fresh batteries. This setup makes dressing a moose a lot simpler!
Clearing tools: Fold-up hand saw and camp axes.
Game care: Cheesecloth to keep the meat nice and clean after skinning, and heavy rope for tying off the legs while paunching.
📡 Electronics & Survival Gear
Moose Caller: Fully charged Cocall 2 electronic caller with Cocall Remote, plus a portable power bank to top it up in the bush.
Illumination: High-lumen flashlight and a reliable headlamp.
Rifle Care: A Boresnake and oil, just in case the rifle accidentally ends up in the mud.
Emergency Fire Kit: Waterproof fire-starter pods and a reliable butane lighter.
First Aid Kit: A small emergency kit that packs easily and kept in a ziplock bag.
🧥 Apparel & Packs
Base & Insulation Layers: A spare pair of Merino wool socks, a spare long-sleeve sweat-wicking undershirt, and extra gloves.
Weather Armour: Rainsuit and premium LaCrosse rubber boots—the absolute best rubber boot.
Safety gear: A high-visibility blaze orange hat (either a ballcap or a wool toque depending on the weather).
Camo Suite: Camo pants, shirt, vest, and outer hunting jacket.
🥪 Rations & Comfort
Seating: Small fold-up tripod chairs that strap directly to my knapsack for comfort during long days of glassing.
The Thermos: Filled with hot coffee.
The Food Box: Provided completely by my wife, Nancy. We keep it light on these moose hunts so we aren’t cooking and adding extra unnatural scents to the air. It’s just sandwiches, granola bars, fruit, and water. Her specialty is bologna and peanut butter on her homemade bread—don’t knock it ’til you try it!
This is my master list, and it is forever growing and changing. I do this at least a month before the hunt, which gives me complete peace of mind knowing all I have to do on opening morning is grab my pack and go. No last-minute stressful thinking is required—especially when the adrenaline hits!
About the Author Bernard McGrath is an avid woodsman, hunter, and angler who spent years in the backcountry hunting, fishing and learning what works and what doesn’t. When he isn’t tracking game or scouting remote bogs and gullies, he can usually be found at the cabin with his wife Nancy and their four dogs: Maggie, Charlie, Willie and Leonard.
