If you are both the caller and the shooter when hunting elk and you have one coming in, try to move a little to one side from the last place you called....and then don't make another sound.  Elk have an amazing ability to pinpoint where the calls are coming from even if they can't see you yet.  I've had elk walk straight into me and get within 10 yards and then they stop and have the never ending staring match with the bush they thought would be an elk.  At that point you can't even blink without blowing it.  If you get off to one side a bit you might have a perfect broadside shot while they are focused on something else.

Another one I haven't seen on here yet for survival is a sewing kit.  I use dental floss.  You drill a tiny hole and store your sewing needle inside the dental floss box.  It's a very small and compact an dental floss is incredibly strong.  You can fix your pack straps, sew up your pants, make a wind indicator on your string, craft an emergency knocking point, etc.

Listen to the guys with lots of dead animals to their name, they have hundreds of cumulative years of experience between them. Actually, listening in general is a good tip. Listen. A lot.

Don't look for the whole animal but look for an ear twitch or a tail movement.

When glassing pay special attention to horizontal shapes. They may be a log or stump but they may be a moose.

If you hunt in africa where most hides are built from bricks shoot from as deep in the hide as possible this will limit string noise reaching the animal and will in most cases prevent stringjump

prepare for the worst, and hope for the best...simple things like a space blanket and parachute cord are worth their weight and bulk.

Expect the unexpected.

Learn to slow "yourself" down.

We live in a world where what we do is dictated by the time we have. When we carry that into the woods we don`t fit in as well. There is no hurry,
As soon as we slow down amd "fit in" good things will come...it is then that you must know how to shoot.

Keep it simple. Don't overload yourself with gadgetry. Most of it is useless. Do your homework. Scout thoroughly, prepare yourself and equipment as well as you can, pick your stand location judiciously, sit still, point your nose in the wind, pay attention, and be quiet. Then, at that all important moment PICK A SPOT!

If you have something hung around your neck like a grunt call or monocular , make sure you keep it tucked inside your outer garment . If you don't and a nice buck shows up you could forget about it and get your bow string caught on it at full draw . It can happen . You will discover that your vocabulary can be quite limited under those circumstances .   

Keep plenty of toilet paper in a ziploc bag in your pack.

I'm bringing this back to the top for everyone's benefit. Hunting season is almost upon us! Best be ready!

Tip: If you are going to ground hunt, don't get a stool with no back support. Even though they are smaller and lighter, you will never find a good tree to sit against, and you will move too much from your stiff back.

Watch yer top knot!

important things for me.
1. before i even move after the shot, i mark where i was standing, and then i walk up and mark where the deer was standing, then i start to look for sign
2.when tracking, DONT walk right in the deers trail, walk to the side- if you lose the trail, and have to circle back- you may have done more damage to the tracks.
3. once tracking, cut and make a quick "tracking stick" it can help a lot!
4.i was always taught to never step over a log or rock, always step on it, then over. where i come from, could be snakes and other sharp critters just on the other side 

but  3 life skills that may or may not come in handy while hunting.
1. never eat yellow snow
2. never look directly into the sun
3. never squat whilst wearing spurs

Use your compass to find your deer.  I take a compass reading of the last place i saw the deer after the shot, then turn the dial of my comenga compass to coincide.  Once ive climbed down the tree everything looks different.  I just keep the needle in the doghouse and the compass takes me right there.

Don't pass on opening day what you would shoot the last day.

Yes have adequate fire starter but some water purification tablets are good to have as well.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Props to Mike for starting this 7 years ago and Trumpkin for bringing it back up. "Nothing more dangerous than a dull blade" "Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it(within reason)"

 Don't let your wife use your favorite walking stick with a compass inlayed. Mine got broke and didn't notice till in the woods and went to use it.
  My question was once I found my way home  to wife "Was it done on purpose" as I asked the Mrs.?