How do you carry your gear lamping ?

LIFFY FISHING · 19-05-2020 6:58pm #1

So between, Callers..lamps..spare batteries, a knife, sticks, gloves, ammo, magazines...and anything else you might think you may need ...how do you carry all your gear if you are out solo lamping...

Bogwoppit · 19-05-2020 7:11pm

Led lamp on a strap over my shoulder along with the rifle and gun mounted led lamp. 1 magazine and a few spare rounds in my pocket with a knife and phone in another pocket.
Sticks in my hand.
2 callers on a lanyard around my neck.
No need for spare batteries.

cookimonster · 19-05-2020 9:16pm

PHONE / CAR KEYs
In a safe accessible pocket.
LIGHTS:
1 Red LED gun mounted
1 Red LED on lanyard over my shoulder off side.
1 White LED Torch - in pocket or LED head torch - on my head.
STICKS:
various dependent on terrian, carried in hand
AMMO
Rabbits - 50 round box in my pocket + extra 5 shot magazine.
Foxs / Deer (sec42) 20 rounds between gun and sleeve in pocket.
KNIFE
Quarry appropriate - folder or fixed, pocket or belt.
CAlls
Lanyard around neck with 3 variations
DRAG ROPE
poachers pocket in jacket
COTTON CLOTH
General uses
GAME BAG, satchel type
Only for rabbits,seldom used if I have direct access to the land via car. I will drive to each location, get out sweep the area, pick up as I go and dump in the game tray. If I have no access I'll walk around with the bag on left shoulder and paunch as I go to reduce the weight.
I don't knock a lot of rabbits so weight and bulk is not an issue.

I base what I carry around the type of jackets I wear. Wheather it be a thin shell military jacket, a heavy gun fighter style fleece or a traditional stalking/shooting jacket once they have similar pockets. Deep dump pockets, hand warmers chest pockets, poachers pocket or similar and some internal or sleeve mounted secure pockets for phones, keys , valuables. I find that for lamping, woodland or lowland hunting I can comfortably get away with a jacket as my carry all. Other then a packet of paper tissues, a few rubber gloves or light weight skip cap I don't put stuff in my trousers pockets.

For hill stalking I'll carry a waist bag to carry heavier weight drag ropes and a bit more kit, like radio, range finder, hygiene kit, water etc etc. If I'm after hinds and calves I'll take a back pack to carry them out and therefore a extra carry system.

Hunter456 · 20-05-2020 10:10am

night master 800 on the rifle, handy sized torch for spotting and shooting sticks works for me now i leave the big lamp at home. the less you bring the better.

badshot · 24-05-2020 12:19am

usually get the girlfriend to carry the gear
if she's not around i get the wife to do it

Ml cav · 16-02-2022 4:59pm

Good jacket lots of pockets,caller straped around neck,along with spotter,if lamping have lamp on head,rifle on shoulder, shooting sticks in spare hand

Zxthinger · 23-02-2022 9:55pm

Its a pain in the hole, all the bits and bobs.

I had lasers for eye shine with no real beam. 100mmx30mmdia 3ozs

Gen1 NV (wide field) with 120mW IR laser illuminator 150mm x 70mm 10 ozs on neck lanyard

Digital NV(long range) with IR laser illuminator 150mm x 70mm 10 ozs

Rifle on standard sling,

Torch from rifle in hand as spotting aid- the quickly mounted to gun when needed

Head torch, Knife, Keys, Drink, Apple, Keys, Phone, Ammo, Spare mag, spare batteries..

Now shooting sticks just one sturdy walking stick to act as a third leg

Its a PIA all of it but I love it and I love the solitude of being out on the mountain alone at night..

Went thermal on a spotter and dropped the two NV units..but still wielding a lamp

JP22 · 24-02-2022 2:24am

God, don’t get me started on shooting/hunting/fishing clothing and pockets………………. You can never have too many pockets said the sales person, right says I and parted with me cash, to learn later that too many pockets means you can’t find what you’re looking for, at least not when you actually need it………….

God be with the good old days when we went out with shotgun/rifle over our arm and half a dozen cartridges, if we were really lucky we had a mongrel dog to talk to or give out to when we missed and some baler twine in a pocket as an accessory.

I must be getting old and grumpy……..🤬

Anyhow, back on track, for all shooting, not just lamping.

A good lightweight/waterproof jacket with strategically placed pockets and lanyard connectors, a small rear game pocket (multi use) is recommended, similarly a good medium weight (anti rip) cargo trousers plus good boots and gaiters. Do not wear new socks, trust me, you’ll regret it, well broken in is the name of the game for boots and socks.

Anything not immediately needed to task in hand (wallet, licenses, permissions, maps, game tags, zip-ties, cord, spare ammo, car keys, spare knife, spare batteries, small torch, picture of girlfriend/better half, phone etc..) should be stowed and distributed evenly for weight/balance in internal zip pockets for safe keeping and always connected (if possible) to a lanyard. Been there, done that, have tee-shirt, loose car keys 20 miles from home, 😪

The stuff you actually want to hand should be to hand (rifle/scope, shooting stick, etc.), binos/range finder/whistle on short lanyard around your neck.

Other stuff (fags/lighter/spare mags, knife, hand held torch, etc….) should be spaced evenly between outer pockets and on waist belt, all easily accessible.

If you carry it with you, you have to lug it about, every pound/kilo matters today.

Just me tuppence worth.

Hunter456 · 26-02-2022 6:43pm

led night master 800 on the scope, set of sticks and i carry the lamp over my shoulder 99 percent of the time i'm out solo and i've perfected a style that works for me. hopefully to invest in a thermal spotter soon so that will to make it easier to get on top of the foxes.

kunekunesika · 27-02-2022 12:04am

Jaysus, that's expensive shooting

kunekunesika · 27-02-2022 12:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/113532899#Comment_113532899

Jaysus, that's expensive shooting

Bushwack · 07-05-2022 1:09am

Sorry had to grin a bit . Harden up a bit you don't need gloves ,they get in the way . Leave the sticks at home ,to akward and make too much noise and get a good bipod and some decent waterproofs and pick your calling spots on as high ground as possible. A few rounds in the mag and a few in your pocket with a knife and whistle around your neck for calling and as for a lamp, well the options are endless and can be mounted any way you desire but keep a small torch with a dimmer for minimal light while calling. Those fishing hats with the lamps built in are handy for finding your way. And don't forget the toilet paper, very important as I found out once or twice.

Bushwack · 07-05-2022 1:47am

The bit I had to grin about I left out . Memories of car batteries and the green Parker army jackets burned to cinders with leaking acid and car spotlights that nearly fried and burnt me half to death while wiring them. The weight of those things and maybe 20 or 30 rabbits . I don’t know how we did it . I think we’re spoiled these days with the technology we have. That’s no harm I suppose.

clivej · 09-05-2022 1:36pm

Best thing I did did was to change over to using a PARD 008+ and a lazer torch, fixed to the front side of the stock on a picatinny rail. Light weight short quad sticks, used kneeling. Made from B&Q Garden sticks. A "Gun Slinger" rifle sling, puts all the rifles weight on my hips. Gen 2+ night vision for spotting, again with a lazer torch.