Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpMwHq01oUc
When you’re bugging out, there’s only so much food and ammo you can carry. If you’re on the move for more than a few days, you’ll need a sustainable way to hunt that doesn’t rely on bullets. One great solution is a bow and arrow since arrows can be reused, fletched in the field, and even repaired.
But instead of simply adding a bow and arrow to your bug out bag, you could create a bowman’s bugout bag. That’s the name of the video I found by Andrew from Ranger Survival and Field Craft. He put together a fully functional, field-ready archery system for bugging out and wilderness survival.
This bag perfectly balances compactness, reusability, and versatility. It includes everything you’d need if you were forced to live off the land. Below you can watch the video and find a complete list of everything in the bowman’s bugout bag.
The Core: Bow and Arrows
At the heart of this kit is a takedown recurve bow. This is a 40 lb draw weight youth model from Top Archery, and it packs enough punch to take down big game like deer and pigs.
It’s been upgraded with a real string (a 52″ for a 58″ bow), beaver balls for sound dampening, and a knock ring. Most importantly, it’s ambidextrous both in limb orientation and shelf design, so it works for left- or right-handed shooters.
The arrows are collapsible takedown shafts (30″ long, 500 spine), ideal for bows in the 40–60 lb range. They’re kept in a waterproof quiver made from black-painted PVC pipe. Inside, foam padding protects both the nocks and broadheads, and because the arrows break down, the whole system easily fits in a bug out bag.
Arrow Optimization: Feather Fletching and Field Mods
One of the smartest tweaks in this setup is the attention to fletching. When arrows leave the bow, the fletching on the arrow hits the shelf on the front of the bow, causing the arrow’s path to shift slightly, making it more likely that you’ll miss your target.
Andrew gets around this problem by using feathers for fletching. This works because feathers compress as they pass the shelf, allowing the arrow to continue straight.
Support Gear: Scout & Recon Kit
Of course, if you’re going to hunt, you need more than just a bow, which is why this kit also includes:
- Binoculars for glassing. Plus, one lens can double as a solar ignition device.
- Compass and mirror for signalling and navigation.
- Notebook and pen for recording travel routes and game sightings.
- Camo gear like face paint and a sniper veil to stay concealed.
Tools: Processing, Crafting, Surviving
Once you kill something, you need to be able to process it and cook it. That’s what these tools are for.
- Schrade hatchet for processing game and shelter material.
- Bushman’s knife (usable as a spear, machete, or flint-striker).
- Buck 112 folder as a lightweight pocket blade.
- Diamond sharpener, flashlight with strobe, and a ferro rod fire starter with cotton/Vaseline tinder.
Cordage, Water, and Traps
Here are some other miscellaneous items for things like dragging game, purifying water, and catching fish.
- Paracord, bank line (large and small gauge), and tubular nylon for dragging game or rigging a Swiss seat.
- A compact fire kit and three water purification methods: a Geopress filter, boiling with a canteen cup, and chemical tabs.
- A micro fishing and trapping kit with snares, bobbers, hooks, wire, and even a frog gig spear.
Shelter & Adaptability
While there’s no tent or tarp, the kit includes everything you’d need to build a natural debris shelter. It’s lean, but great for someone moving light and fast.
Final Thoughts
If you’re prepping for a long-term bugout situation or wilderness survival scenarios, the Bowman’s Bugout Bag is one of the smartest, most sustainable systems I’ve ever seen. What I love most is that it’s built by a real woodsman who clearly uses and trusts his gear.
Don’t forget to check out his channel for more videos are survival gear and bushcraft.
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