It's also a good idea to put away the cotton socks and look at either wool or new synthetic materials. Cotton socks are hydrophilic, which means they retain moisture and cause friction. This makes for uncomfortable feet and the dreaded blisters.

• New gloves on the market feature such things as a combination of mitten and glove, and gloves with places for small heater-packets.

Those chemical warmers are perfect for those cold mornings and evenings. Simply open the package and expose the packet to air. The packet provides comfortable heat for up to 12 hours.

Some hunters also like to take along a pair of plastic gloves to make clean up easier and quicker.

• Binoculars are important but often are among the things "forgotten" and left at home.

They needn't be expensive or large. There are inexpensive binoculars on the market that are small and powerful.

• GPS. A global positioning system can be fun and also lifesaving, especially for those hunters who sometimes have difficulty making it back to camp. One benefit hunters sometimes overlook is that with a GPS they can easily return to a favorite hunting spot or find an old game trail. New GPS units also come with topographical maps that can be pulled up in seconds and show detailed layouts of the land.

• A game bag is something else a hunter should not forget, especially if the weather is warm.

Another handy item is survey flagging. The flagging is biodegradable and will be gone within months. Until then, it marks trails and locations to help hunters find game and their way back to camp.

There are, of course, a number of other items that are important and/or can make a hunt easier and more pleasurable. With only two days to spare, hunters should go down the checklist and then check and double check to make sure it's among the things to be packed.

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E-mail: grass@desnews.com