Carrying everything into the set

^^^ Great post! I forgot to add that my post was tailored to night hunting, not getting crazy far from the truck.

Daytime you gotta get away from the truck sometimes and traverse terrain. In that scenario I do use an Eberlestock Gun Runner II to carry my rifle, shooting sticks, butt pad (I set during the day) and caller. It's all secured in the pack so it don't make noise. It has all my essentials and usually water and an IFAK.
 
I'm not as experienced in night calling as many here, but I feel my process has become pretty sound the past few years. I added a lanyard to my scanner and a shoulder strap to my X24 which has made getting in/out a breeze. I'm in MI hunting ag fields. I sometimes have to walk a pretty good distance to get to what little bit of cover I can find and still be a couple hundred yards from where I think the coyote is. I put my scanner around my neck first because it's not getting removed. Then I put the call shoulder strap over my head and position the call to my back (quietest way I've found to have it). My remote stays in a coat pocket until I get to my spot. Next, I'll shoulder my rifle, grab my tripod and walk in. Cell phone, leash/drag, extra ammo/mag, or any other small items are zipped up in pockets of my jacket. On one of the legs of my tripod I have a carry handle (made for a tumbler) velcro'd on to carry it, and a magnet style cell phone holder (with a metal plate on my TX1000) on another leg to hold my remote while calling. I think the biggest improvement I've made this year was upgrading my tripod to carbon. On paper the weight doesn't seem like a lot, but I noticed it immediately when walking in/out of stands this year. I shoot standing so I don't bring a chair or butt-seat with me.
 
And there you see some of the differences. Kino didn't say it but I'm guessing he is standing since he didn't mention anything to sit on. Wolverines shoots standing also. I'm not good enough to hit coyotes consistently at night as far as I want to standing. So I sit or kneel. I have been kneeling a lot more this year for the shot than previously. I'm probably 50/50 between kneeling/sitting. I've only shot 1 time standing this year. The CRP was almost nipple high so nothing else I could do.
 
That is true dirtytough. For 5 years now I have shot standing exclusively at night, doesn't matter distance. But I know Infidel 762 shoots sitting at night nearly exclusively, and you can't argue his piles of coyotes. Everyone has their thing, their system that works for them. I do sit during the day but don't use a tripod. Daytime calling for me is always sticks, and I am much more prone to use an e-caller for daylight too.

But you are right, I don't carry anything to sit on. I like to be able to just grab the tripod/rifle real fast and move on a coyote if I need to. Which is another reason I rarely use an e-caller at night. I don't want to have to go grab it, or come back later to find it/get it. I actually stalk coyotes quite a bit at night when I have a nice dark moon and some wind. Especially educated ones.

As far as weight goes I subscribe to the ounces=pounds, and pounds=pain school of thought.

In general I don't get too far from the truck at night if I can help it. Bright nights make it harder. I have an older truck I can shut everything off and run blacked out the final 1/4 mile before I park. I will drop the truck in a low spot or behind cover and pop over a hill, through some trees, around some equipment, whatever.
 
All excellent info. A fairly common trend is a “rifle clipped into tripod and put over the shoulder” method. I’ll need to try that method out.

I will need to look into adding a shoulder strap for my X24 so I can leave one hand free for my scanner when I walk in.
 
PING said:
Great question! Something I struggle with myself. Some times I sound like a stupid monkey with cymbals. I like my Foxpro xwave but that thing is way too big and the speakers are giant megaphones just begging to bang into something on the walk in. I can see where a more compact call could be advantageous. I started putting the xwave in a cinch sack or backpack to keep it quiet.

I was just experimenting with an old 3 wheeled golf push cart I had in the garage. Put some Rhino grip/Gun holders on it for the tripod and my rifle. Strapped a chair/stool down the middle where the golf bag went. Might sound stupid but I can roll that thing a lot of places. I had it sitting around doing nothing and gave it a try. So far it works and is generally quiet. The only negative is trying to push/pull it up some mountains I hunt.....not fun. Definitely a tool for open areas.

Was against the whole helmet and thermal tac-op look when I first started but from a functional standpoint it makes a lot of sense freeing up a hand so I may go that route eventually. In the mean time if you see an old dude pushing around a golf push cart with a bunch of gear on it don't laugh too hard.

Hope you get some better ideas from the more experienced people here
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no laughs here, that sounds functional.
 
Didn't mention in my answer above that my seats both have "claw" gun slings attached so they ride my left shouder as my gun does on my right.
 
I put call and remote, extra batteries, and other things is a multiple pouch backpack. I carry a ground chair with a modified music stand to hold my call to keep off the ground ( X24 or Roughneck with paracord loop to hang on stand hook) with a gator clamp strap holding them together. The gear ties you can buy now in various lengths will also work extremely well. Rifle is slung with a bungy cord hooked on to the barrel and loops around my back and hooks to sling to keep it from sliding off. Carry chair in one hand scanner in other. You could substitute tripod for chair if you're standing or bundle it with the chair with the gear tie.
 
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bmicek said:
What’s everyone doing to carry everything into their set at night? Currently, I have my rifle slung on my back, I carry my tripod and X24 in one hand, and scanner in the other. I like to keep a free hand so I can scan while I’m walking in. I’ve seen tripod slings, and call slings as well. I feel like I can only sling one item otherwise they clank together. But at times I clank my call and my tripod since they’re in one hand as well. Curious as to what others are doing.
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For night hunting I use a cheap Voodoo Tactical gun scabbard (works like a backpack, with shoulder straps and belt) Reese Predator Pack, and a Kifaru Gun Bearer.
The Scabbard is covered in Molle, so I strap the call to it and have extra ammo attached as well. I did add some ties to the top of the scabbard to keep the rifle from flopping around from side to side. It holds a suppressed rifle with a 20" barrel with ease. I also removed the Voodoo belt and installed an Eberlestock belt that I had lying around.
Reese pack does it all, holds hand calls, remote, batteries, pistol, and scanner.
I have a sling on my tripod, short walk I use the sling, if it is a long walk I will put the tripod in the gun bearer.
Kifaru just came out with a gun scabbard, looks amazing but it will be an expensive route to go. I have spent way more than the Kifaru Scabbard will cost on other packs and attempts to be comfy, quiet, and efficient. I would expect other pack makers to do the same in the future.
I have tried several different packs and carrying combinations over 15 years of day hunting and night hunting, and so far I like what I am doing now the best.
I have used a couple of different Eberlestock packs with scabbards, I just never liked them that much and never cared for how I stored the call in them, it took me too long to dig the call out. I am not knocking their packs, they build a great pack, I just did not like it in this application.
I can set up the tripod in the last 20 yards of the walk, quietly remove the pack, put the gun in the tripod, go put out the call, and start hunting.
I have not day hunted in a while, when I do I will follow the same process.

In a normal winter, we are snowshoeing a lot, so I like to have my hands free for when I fall on my face or get stuck.
 
there's alot of good ideas on here, some I've tried others I haven't. At this point in life I'm maturing, (Dad called it ripe) and had hip replacement last year so walking alot is out of the question as well as taking chances like jumping a creek, things I used to never give 2nd thought to. I roll as light as possible and my neck is still in good shape so I hang everything like it was a coat hanger. Scanner's on a neck lanyard and goes in right pocket, remote's on a neck lanyard and hangs in left pocket, Foxpro call has a lanyard and slung over my neck as well. Tripod legs remain extended for fast deployment and has a sling also, generally I carry it, and carry my rifle in right hand. My rifle has a 10 rd. mag no need for xtra ammo, it's in the truck. Oh, and a head lamp with an extra in my pocket just in case, light can be real handy. Last but no least warm clothes and waterproof boots. And a cell phone that I keep turned off! Getting ready to roll tonight! :)
 
Hunter55 said:
there's alot of good ideas on here, some I've tried others I haven't. At this point in life I'm maturing, (Dad called it ripe) and had hip replacement last year so walking alot is out of the question as well as taking chances like jumping a creek, things I used to never give 2nd thought to. I roll as light as possible and my neck is still in good shape so I hang everything like it was a coat hanger. Scanner's on a neck lanyard and goes in right pocket, remote's on a neck lanyard and hangs in left pocket, Foxpro call has a lanyard and slung over my neck as well. Tripod legs remain extended for fast deployment and has a sling also, generally I carry it, and carry my rifle in right hand. My rifle has a 10 rd. mag no need for xtra ammo, it's in the truck. Oh, and a head lamp with an extra in my pocket just in case, light can be real handy. Last but no least warm clothes and waterproof boots. And a cell phone that I keep turned off! Getting ready to roll tonight! :)
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I used my tripod as a walking stick when my hip had problems. Now I use it as a walking stick for my knee problems. Life sure can be challenging!
 
I use a back pack for my X24, lights and such. Rifle on left shoulder and chair on right shoulder.
 

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I find myself not going any further than 50 yards from truck at night, so I just stick caller on roof of truck cab. I also screw some strong magnets to feet of caller and can drive to next stop and leave caller up there. I generally park on county rode and walk straight in from truck on properties I call. I think it's an advantage having my callers sound behind me as opposed to in front of me. Seems my coyotes come in closer doing this. Leaving the caller behind when walking makes it much more manageable carrying gun tripod scanner and usually a chair
 
I'll also add I think it helps getting permission when I say I'm just going to park on road and walk in 50 yards and call, adding ill only be there once per week and for 15 to 20 minutes then gone....by not wanting to drive in I think landowners are more receptive to giving permission, this is on small parcel farm ground country realize, on larger range ground tracts you'd need more access
 
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