Gun? Check. Ammo? Check. Food and water? Check? Is that everything? No – it isn’t. Although you might be planning on a nice trip into the woods that will last no longer than 12 hours, you never know what’s going to happen.

Whether it’s an accident, bad weather, an encounter with a wild animal, or if you simply got lost – bad things happen when you least expect them. To make sure that you’re ready when they do happen, here’s the list of 5 items to take on a hunting trip.

1 – A Safety Whistle

Safety whistles are one of those flawless emergency tools. They’re small and light, so you can keep them around your neck or in your breast pocket, but they can become an invaluable resource if you find yourself in a rough spot.

The purpose of a safety whistle is to emit a sound so powerful, no one in your range will be able to ignore it.

Let’s say you slipped and fell down a ditch, breaking your leg. You obviously won’t be able to walk and look for help – you called mountain rescue, but your battery died and you lost contact with them.

Blowing into a safety whistle will allow them to locate you in no time. A safety whistle is something many mountain rescue services recommend to all hikers, hunters, and other adventurers.

Stay safe and keep a whistle on you at all times.

2 – A High-Quality Raincoat

Heavy rain, even if it lasts for no more than an hour, can easily ruin your hunting trip. It will get you and all your gear wet, and once it ends, you’re going to have to go home – otherwise, you risk getting sick.

This can be easily avoided if you buy a good raincoat. Although a basic raincoat that you can get in practically any store for just a few bucks offers some protection, good raincoats can take a pounding from the skies and keep you dry for hours.

Keep in mind that the raincoat has to be big enough to fit your ruck underneath it too.

Take it a step further and buy a waterproof jacket – they’re a bit expensive, but they don’t limit your movements as much.

3 – A Knife

This should go without saying, but you simply do not go into the wilderness without bringing a knife with you. It’s one of the basics, alongside water, maps, and your weapons and ammo.

You might need your knife for simple tasks, such as opening packs or cutting bread and meat, but it can also be a lifesaver if you find yourself in a survival situation. A knife can help you skin and prepare food, mark your position, start a fire, and it can cut clothes, rope, and small branches. If bad comes to worse – you can use it as a weapon.

Something that must be said is to always keep your knife sharp – carving wood requires some sharpness and your knife will quickly fail you if you don’t keep it sharp.

4 – A Laser Signaling Device

Another smart investment, similar to a safety whistle, is the Rescue Laser emergency signal. The expanding beam from a high-quality laser light- designed for signaling rather than pointing- can be seen from miles away – this way, you can communicate with someone who’s too far away to hear your safety whistle.

Even more importantly, you can attract the attention of someone in a vehicle (be it a car, a boat, or a helicopter), as they definitely won’t be able to hear your whistle because of the sound of their engine.

Just like the safety whistle, the Rescue Laser is a small tool you can keep on your person and forget you even have it. But if you find yourself in a situation where you need it, you’ll quickly learn about its usefulness.

5 – Flashlights and Headlamps

You might be planning a day trip, but you never know where the hunt will take you and how long you’ll stay there. Therefore, always bring a flashlight and a headlamp, just in case.

It’s borderline impossible to walk around a forest safely at night – our night vision isn’t as good as that of other animals.

If you’re going on a night hunting trip and you’re worried about giving away your position, use a headlamp with a red light. Animals don’t see red light as well as lights of other colors, so you won’t be alerting them of your presence.

Summary

A safety whistle, a raincoat, a knife, a laser signal and a flashlight. These five things will keep you dry, safe, and let you find the help you need if you find yourself in a tight spot – don’t leave home without them.