4 Things That Make Your Hunting Life WAY Easier
By Leigh Hauck | April 28, 2025
I’m all for earning your keep on a hunt. Hauling meat, breaking down an animal in the dark, dealing with weather—these are the things that make hunting meaningful. But I’m also a big believer in working smarter when I can. If there’s gear out there that saves time, reduces effort, or just makes the tough parts of hunting a little smoother, I’m all for it.
Here are four pieces of gear that I’ve come to rely on. They’re game changers that make post-shot recovery and field work faster, cleaner, and more efficient.
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1. Ice Fishing Sled – I don’t leave home without it
This one never leaves the back of my truck. Originally designed for pulling gear onto frozen lakes, an ice fishing sled is one of the most versatile tools a hunter can have. Whether it’s full of meat, gear, or both, it saves your back and keeps your truck clean.
After a successful hunt, I’ll drag the sled right to the animal—whether it's been field dressed, quartered, or left whole. It handles all of it. Even when there’s no snow, it glides surprisingly well across dry grass. I’ve pulled out a couple of bears with mine. It’s still a workout, but compared to strapping quarters to your back or dragging directly, it’s the clear winner. There are times where my sled has sped up my packout so much that it has certainly prevented meat spoilage, there isn’t a better sales pitch for me than that.
My sled fully loaded on a November freezer-filling hunt. I loaded up a whole doe - taking her to an area where the coyotes won’t disturb the landowner to field dress – as well as my bow, my lever action (just in case) and my camera bag. In the snow, this was a pretty easy drag out.
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2. Bone Saw (or Mini Recip Saw) – Massive time saver with a small footprint
I used to only carry a knife in the field, thinking a saw was overkill and unnecessary. Technically, you don’t need to cut bone to break down an animal—you can get by without it by cutting around joints. My ego certainly made sure I wasn’t going to ‘cheat’ and use a bone saw in the bush, but I’ve gotten over that, and I have a few of them now!
For hunts where my truck is nearby, I keep a mini battery-powered reciprocating saw on hand. Removing a skull cap, breaking down joints, or cutting through the pelvis goes from minutes of knife dulling work to a 10-second task.
On backpack hunts, I downsize to a small bone saw. It adds just a few ounces but pays for itself every time I use it. It's not essential—but it sure feels like it once you’ve had it.
3. Cellular Trail Cameras – they aren’t cheating!
I know this one’s a bit controversial. Some people think cell cams give hunters too much of an edge, I disagree.
In a single season, my cell cams save me hundreds in gas money and help me make far better decisions about when and where to hunt. Instead of driving out just to check a card—leaving scent, making noise, disturbing the area—I can monitor activity remotely. If there’s no recent action at one of my stands, I can shift gears and maybe chase another tag instead.
I also use solar-powered models, so I never have to go in and swap batteries. I let the cams do their job, and I stay out until it’s time to hunt. The animals probably don’t mind less disturbance, and I like it that way too.
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4. A Good Variety of Lights – I’ve learnt my lesson!
I love Ryobi tools, and part of what I like about them is their broad lineup of lighting options. I keep a handheld spotlight in the truck that’s helped with a few pitch black animal recoveries.
I’ve also got a lantern that runs on the same battery—perfect for lighting up the area when I’m field dressing in the dark. My mini reciprocating saw also runs on the same battery, so it’s a pretty convenient setup if my truck is nearby! However, this stuff is all too heavy if I am on a backpack hunt and I only carry a headlamp.
I always have a headlamp on me, one with red and blue light modes. Blue can help highlight blood when tracking, and red is less disruptive to wildlife and is way easier on your own eyes in the pitch black of night. I’m always trying to minimize my impact in the woods, and using red lights on my pack out helps with that for sure.
Final Thoughts
None of these tools are about taking shortcuts in my opinion. They’re about making better use of your time, energy, and effort in the field. Whether it’s dragging an animal out, breaking it down cleanly, making informed hunting decisions, or navigating the dark, each of these tools has earned its place in my kit.
If you’re serious about hunting—and serious about respecting the process—gear like this doesn’t make you less of a hunter. It just makes you a better one!
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If you have any questions or would like to discuss the topic further, please feel free to reach out to us at sales@toothofthearrowbroadheads.com
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