I'm not just a hunter. I volunteer with a Search and Rescue team and spend a lot of time hiking year round. Some of my gear is used a lot and I need a better pack than I can get for $10. My biggest issue with the ultra cheap ones is they are designed for 10 year old kids and don't really fit an adult male.
I use this. I wouldn't buy it just for hunting a few days each year. But this gets used year round and I often need to carry a fair amount. You don't have to fill it up just because you have the room.
MYSTERY RANCH Scree 32 Pack - Men's | REI Co-op
A trick I picked up in my SAR training is to carry a couple of lashing straps instead of paracord. Not the ones with hooks or a ratchet strap, just these simple ones. They can be used for a lot of things. It is a lot easier to rig one of these up to drag a deer out than trying to use paracord.
Keeper 8 ft. x 1 in. x 200 lbs. Over-Center Lashing Straps (2-Pack)-85243 - The Home Depot
Instead of TP a few napkins "absconded" from a fast food restaurant kept in the pack seems to work better for me. Small packs of baby wipes are always in the pack. They also are great for cleaning up after gutting game.
Equate Everyday Clean Aloe Baby Wipes, 1 Flip-Top Pack (80 Total Wipes) - Walmart.com
Been there. I could write a book on my experiences poop'in in the woods. Used gloves, socks, you name it.
I always carry compact binoculars. I can kill a deer without them, but enjoy having them.
There are a lot of very usable knives that won't break the bank. I don't have any true high end knives, but I enjoy having a decent knife. My money, my choice. And two is one, one is none.
I never go into the woods without a compass and GPS, and usually a paper map too. I've found the compass useful several times even without a map. If the road I'm parked on runs north/south and I walk into the woods on the east side of the road all I have to really know is to walk west to get back to the road. And in flat woods on a cloudy day it is easy to get direction confused without a compass.
I've never needed my GPS to find my way home. But it is the most essential tool I use in SAR. Taking it with me in the woods is just 2nd nature. Using it while hunting is good practice. I also like to save my tracks and download them onto Google Earth after I get home as well as keep up with the distance I've walked during the day.