A first aid kit for hunting
Start from a standard list, then make it yours.
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A standard list
The American Red Cross lists, for a family of four, items including 25 adhesive bandages, sterile gauze pads, roller bandages, 2 triangular bandages, an emergency blanket, and 2 pairs of nonlatex gloves.
Make it fit the trip
The National Park Service says to start with a pre-made kit and modify it to fit your trip and your medical needs, include personal medications, and check expiration dates.
Skills matter too
IHEA-USA hunter education standards list cuts and bleeding, broken bones, and tree stand falls among the emergencies first aid skills are needed for. A first aid course teaches what a kit cannot.
Check it
The Red Cross says to check the kit regularly.
FAQ
General information only. Hunting laws, seasons, licenses, and hunter orange rules are set by each state; check your state wildlife agency's current regulations before you hunt, and take the hunter education course your state offers. If you hunt from a tree stand, wear a full-body fall arrest harness system every time you leave the ground, including while climbing up and down, follow the Treestand Manufacturers Association's Treestand Safety Guidelines and the maker's instructions, and have a plan for rescue. Tell someone where you will be and when you will return. In an emergency, call 911.
Next: what to pack
The Ten Essentials.
