My dad taught me to wear a cartridge belt and that is what I carry into the woods.  I don't really need that much, but I feel more comfortable with 20 shells around my waist.

We are adamant about having plenty of extra ammo, and this is one of the few places we will compromise on additional weight.  While it's rare that we shoot that many rounds at deer, it is not uncommon to have to shoot to signal for help with a downed buck or to help a hunter out of the night woods. The cartridges are carried in the belt instead of a pocket for a couple of reasons.  One is that a belt distributes the weight evenly around our bodies and makes the load less noticeable.  The other is that cartridges in a pocket will tend to clink and rattle against each other.  Once again, this is a foreign noise in the woods and will alert a big buck.

Larry Benoit / NB