Q&A with Slayer Pro-Staff Chance Robbins: The ‘kill kit’
By M.D. Johnson
Okay, so I’ll be honest. When Slayer pro-staff, Chance Robbins, said the phrase ‘kill kit,’ I didn’t catch it at first. It’s one of those things where the instant you ask the question — “Chance, did you say ‘kill kit’?” — you’re suddenly hit with the answer. Ugh! But to back up a bit …
Hailing currently from Trinidad, Colorado, 29-year-old Robbins is the co-founder of God’s Country for our Heroes, a non-profit organization that “provides outdoor experiences to outstanding individuals, including veterans, first responders and children 18 and younger who have physical or mental disabilities, as well as a previous or existing life-threatening illness.” It keeps Robbins busy, to say the least, as does his role as an outfitter/guide in not only his home state, but a couple others as well. He’s a man of many hats, Robbins is.
So now let’s go back to Robbins’ use of the phrase ‘kill kit,’ and jump right into our conversation with the young man.
Slayer Calls (SC): Chance, you used the phrase ‘kill kit’ here. What do you mean by a kill kit?
Chance Robbins: A kill kit is [used for when] you harvest an animal. For me, it’s a small kit inside my pack that’s very organized and contains all the goodies to cape that animal and cut the meat. Everything you’re going to need to take care of that animal. I carry mine in a soft-sided Kifaru bag that’s probably 8 inches by 14 inches, and that’s inside my pack.
SC: That’s the kit inside the pack. Now, Chance, let’s begin with your knives.
Robbins: Outdoor Edge makes the SwingBlade knife, with the replaceable blades in a 3.5 inch model that’s great for skinning and everything else. Author’s Note: I wasn’t familiar with the SwingBlade, but after watching the short YouTube video, I’m impressed with the dual blades and the quick switch from the skinner to the gutting knife. She’s worth a look!
Havalon also makes a good knife with replaceable blades. They’re smaller blades and thinner and do have a tendency to break if you’re trying to debone meat, so I like to use those for caping out heads … around the mouth and eyes. I also carry a blade from The Montana Knife Company, which are good all-round knives. Super sharp, and you can skin and cape and everything. I’m using their Speedgoat Blade.
SC: So there’s the knives. What’s next in the kit?
Robbins: I carry a small $3 Walmart tarp that folds up to nothing. It’s a four-by-six foot tarp. I just like keeping all the meat clean. I use the gutless method [of skinning], so when I’m quartering a bull out, I’m taking a chunk of meat off and laying it on that tarp. That way, it stays clean while you’re digging out your meat bags and bagging it up.
SC: Talk to me about your game bags. Make? Model?
Robbins – In the past, I’ve used Kifaru Game Bags. They’re really durable, and you can just wash them once you get done and get them home. They breathe well, but they’re thick enough that the flies can’t get in there and start laying eggs on the meat. They’re not cheesecloth. [NOTE: I asked, as that’s what I’m accustomed to] It’s a rugged material. I hear that Slayer has game bags now. I’ll be field testing those this season.
SC: You’ve mentioned super glue a couple different times. What’s the story there?
Robbins: Super glue is one of the items I always have with me when I’m out hunting. It’s handy for any number of things, but I always have people cutting their fingers, and [super glue] has always been my favorite method for dealing with cuts.
Author’s Note: Allow me, if you would, a minute to jump in here. I, as I’m sure Robbins does in his main pack, always carry a smaller first aid kit in the field. In an upcoming segment of the Slayer blog, we’ll take a more in-depth look at what goes into a proper field first aid kit; something built to handle many an eventuality, but doesn’t add much in the way of weight. So stay tuned!
SC: What about field dressing gloves, or something like Hunter’s Specialties Field Dressing pack?
Robbins: A lot of people wear gloves [when they’re field dressing game], but I’m one of the guys who doesn’t. I don’t have a reason; it’s just the way I prefer to do it. I just wash off with a water bottle afterwards, and I’m good to go.
SC: Am I missing anything, Chance? Anything else in the ‘kill kit’?
Chance Robbins: Let me think here … tarp, game bags, knives. I do have a small scoring tape [measure] in there. You can pick ’em up at any sporting goods store. Some clients are eager to know this measurement or that measurement, so I keep one in there. There’s a headlamp in there, too. You might already have one headlamp out, if it’s dark, and I always have a spare headlamp in my kill kit.
