DIY Bow Hunting in New Zealand - Part 2: Equipment List
“The things you own end up owning you.”
Damn right, so make sure the things you own you want to be an extension of you. Aside from pulling the trigger on buying plane tickets and finding a place to hunt, this is the most important part of planning your trip to bowhunt New Zealand.
Two checked bags totaling one hundred pounds that will be your lifeline. One carry-on that will be loaded down with your most expensive and heaviest of gear. This is it boys and girls, choose wisely.
The Packing Strategy
We’re making burritos here right? Jam as much crap in there, tighten it down and hope the tortilla doesn’t split at the seams. Simple! Slow down partner, if you’re planning this trip you’re obviously parting with some serious coin and dipping into those finite vacation days. It’s time to slow down and think it through.
I’ve attached my spreadsheet that I use that includes all my necessary gear as well as how much they weigh. Better yet, I break everything down into what bag to pack it into. You can steal spreadsheet and plug in your gear as you see fit. Maybe you can care less about camera gear, get rid of it and pack in those extra Twinkies you can’t do without. It’s your party big guy so don’t let me spoil it!
Here’s what we know:
Bow Case - Hopefully you have a case that carry your bow (and perhaps a spare) as well as some extras. Archery tackle and clothing to keep your weapon protected is crucial here.
Extra Big Duffel - You’ll pack your soft goods and gear that isn’t fragile in here. Keep some extra room so on the trip home you can pack in the backcountry protein you acquired.
Carry-On - Here’s where I carry some of my heaviest gear as they don’t weight this bag. Also this is where my fragile gear goes, the stuff I don’t want the gorillas below having a shot put contest with. IE. Camera equipment, optics, electronics, my teddy bear.
