But if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck…it might not necessarily be a duck. Here are ten nifty hunting gear tricks I’ve come across from different sources. What’s special about them is that in each case, the “gear” is something other than what it was originally intended for.
1. Bee sting relief. Tape or band aid a moistened aspirin over the sting.
2. Sutures. In an emergency, dental floss can be used to stitch wounds closed.
3. Crampons. Slide a wool sock over the toes of your boots; the wool fibers will be sticky on smooth ice.
4. Ice pack. Saturate a sponge and freeze it in a plastic zip bag. As it melts, it won’t be drippy like a bag of frozen water would be.
5. Fire lighter. If you don’t like getting your knuckles singed lighting a fire or burned-in candle, light a piece of spaghetti and use that on the tinder or wick.
6. Fire starters. Your choice: the wax covering from a small packaged cheese like Bonbel (kneaded into a ball) or a stick of lip balm. Wrap either with toilet paper or stick some dry tinder to it, then light.
7. Boot deodorizer. Put some baking soda in the center of a couple of coffee filters, cinch with a rubber band to make a little pouch, then drop one it in each boot when you’re not wearing them.
8. Dog bowl. Cut a 6-inch rubber ball in half. It will fit nicely in your game vest for use in the field if your dog doesn’t like to drink out of squirt bottles.
9. Screwdriver. Standard power-cord plugs work well as medium or large-sized screwdrivers.
10. Tourniquet, leash or muzzle. A shoelace – easy enough!
Even though most afternoon hikes, hunts or dog training sessions don’t put us in full survivalist mode (thankfully), it doesn’t hurt to expect the unexpected. Does anyone have other multi-purpose gear tricks to add to this list? I’d love to learn them.
Nancy Anisfield, an outdoor photographer/writer, sporting dog enthusiast and bird hunter, serves on Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s National Board of Directors. She resides in Hinesburg, Vermont.