[mossa]

hey guys im getting a bow big enough to take a deer within the next couple of weeks and im really keen to do a back pack hunt within the next month or sooner and i was wondering how do you all go about it with planning when going into an area you dont know like do you get maps of the area you plan to start off in and if so were to get them or do you just guts it with a gps ,or do you do some scouting before hand ,,i really have no idea at all so any help will be awsome ,, also i was thinking i could do a sort of practice pack hunt up the back at bruntans bridge wich is only like half an hour from home but in deep bush and im sure plenty of sambar around, like i said i have no idea how to go about it so any help on how to plan a pack hunt were ill come back in one peace will be awsome. btw i live in victoria gippsland and plan on hunting bush area not owned by anyone cheers

[mossa]

anyone got any advice ?

[LukeBeaman]

EPIRB, Sat Phone, GPS, Compass, First Aid Kit and a Polartech liner for your below zero rated sleeping bag. If your hunting alone, tell someone where your going and where you expect to be at certain times and dates and when you expect to be out. Also, if there are visitors books in the parks, fill one in with your rough itinery so the authorities have a rough idea of where you will be should something go wrong.

[excelpoint]

Planning wise I like to get as up to date Topo maps of the area I can and look at likely water sources as water is about the heaviest single item you will carry in. I always take a water filter with me as well. Get on all the forums and ask questions about your intended area, get up to date weather reports. I usually like to call the general store in the area and ask for current weather and expected weather conditions. I dont carry an EPIRB or Sat phone as I always pack in with others but if I was on a solo trip then an EPIRB would be a must. I like to carry a good emergency kit which includes 3 seperate fire starting devices(matches, lighter and blast match), space blanket, a Jiffy firelighter block, compass, whistle, chemical hand warmers and a survival band. Make sure your gear is up to scratch and suited to worst case scenario, especially this time of year in the Vic high country.

[mossa]

ok guys cheers ill start saving for most of those items already have a couple of em thou.. exelpoint were do i get hold of topo maps?also do you guys use google earth ? or isnt it detail enough cheers heaps guys

[Big Bill]

There's a good map shop in Warragul Mossa........Has heaps of vic map topos.........It's on Queen st from memory........Google earth is a great tool in that you can plot distance, up and down, i,e plan a basic itinery off it........Just be aware that some tracks and rds are misnamed and that it won't show you private accesss rds etc

[LukeBeaman]

EPIRBS and Sat Phones can usually be rented from a NPWS office.

[Rambo]

I used a map on my last hunt and that was many bucks cheaper than a gps and it does the same job pretty much

[bear]

Originally Posted by Rambo

I used a map on my last hunt and that was many bucks cheaper than a gps and it does the same job pretty much

not quite a good topo and a reasonable gps will mean you will hunt more and navigate(or get lost ) less, they work together well. I would recommend a gps especially if you are unfamiliar with the area. you can get an garmin etrex for a little over a $100 now so they should be well within the budget of most hunters.

BEAR

[beauy boy]

learn to use a compass and map confidently as a back up in the event your GPS breaks or gets lost.