Elk Newbie - Critique my gear list

[PantherCity]

I think the crocs are worth the weight. Being able to rest your feet and let them breath is really nice.

 

[whaack]

Next time you fill that pack snap a picture. I believe you on the pack expanding, but would like to see it loaded up with 6 days worth of gear. Thanks.

Yep will do!

 

[whaack]

I think the crocs are worth the weight. Being able to rest your feet and let them breath is really nice.

Ok, that was kinda my thought but I can see it either way. I would say that I am not going to ultra-light, but I am also not going to the other end of the spectrum. I'd like to have my pack all in around 30-35lbs which I think is pretty doable for 6 day.

To clarify, we will be in Colorado for 8 total days, but will likely break our hunt up into 3-4 day stints.

 

[cnelk]

Did you have any rain gear in that list?

 

[Felix40]

Looked like he has the dewpoint rain gear.

Looks like you have put some thought into everything. At this point its mostly about personal preference. Looks like all the bases are covered.

 

[drrice]

Looks like a good list to me, as long as you are comfortable with what you have I feel you are good to go. I got 7 days out of my Exo 3500 pretty easy on my first backpack hunt a couple years ago and probably could have gotten a couple more days worth of food in there.

 

[bwlacy]

Compass, maps? I don't trust my gps that much, things do break. I wish I could get my pack down to 35lbs! Mine with food for 10 days is around 60. But I do take a lot of food, last time my food bag was around 25 lbs!

 

[tttoadman]

I like what you have done. All I might add is look for shared opportunities.
1. Only take one stove.
2. Take in one set of game bags. bring in the rest after you hump out the first load.

Take an extra squeeze bag for the sawyer. They will fail.

 

[Felix40]

I like what you have done. All I might add is look for shared opportunities.
1. Only take one stove.
2. Take in one set of game bags. bring in the rest after you hump out the first load.

Take an extra squeeze bag for the sawyer. They will fail.

True that on the squeeze bag. Be gentle with it and backflush often. I bring a water bottle that can screw into the filter. Its convienient to use the bottle for cooking and stuff and it could be used to filter water in a pinch.

 

[mavmskyb8]

That's a great list! Couple things I didn't see: Bourbon and or beer? I too am surprised that all fits, with 6 days of food, in a 3500? My 6000 is full when I go for a week.

 

[Davesphizikal]

So for over a year I have been planning and scouting (Google Earth, Garmin Maps, etc) for my DIY backcountry archery elk hunt. I have my zone narrowed down and I have my plan A, B and C scouted...for the most part. Might add plan A, B and C in another neighboring GMU just in case.

I have spent the past year aquring all the gear I think I need, most of it as good as my wallet will allow. Take a look, let me know if i have soemthing that just isn't going to cut it, or if I am missing something totally obvious. I think I got it pretty narrowed down but looking for advice from some more seasoned elk archery hunters.

Thanks in advance!

Bow Mathews Halon or Halon 32
Range Finder Leupold RX-1000i
Binoculars Zeiss Conquest HD 10x42
Bino Harness Sitka Bino Bivy
GPS Garmin GPSMAP 64st
Backpack Exo Mountain 3500 w/ Side Pockets, Meat Shelf & Weapon Carrier
Sleeping Bag Kelty SB20 Sleeping Back
Bag Liner Sea to Summit Silk Travel Liner
Packing Pillow ThermaRest Trekker Pillow Case
Sleeping pad ThermaRest NeoAir Xlite
Glassing pad ThermaRest Z Seat
Jacket Kelvin Lite Hoody & Dewpoint
Pants Ascent Pant & Dewpoint Pant
Shirt Sitka Merino Shirt & Core Lightweight Hoody
Gloves Sitka Merino Gloves
Boots Lowa Tibet GTX and/or Solomon Quest 4D GTX
Camp Shoes Crocs
Gaiters Sitka Stormfront
Calls Bugling Bull Calls
Release Scott Exxus x 2
Game Bags Orvis XL Game Bags
Tent Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 2
Watch Suunto Core All Black
Water Bladder Platypus Big Zip 3.0L & Platypus Soft Bottle 1.0L
Filter System Sawyer Squeeze
Wet Wipes/TP Scent free baby wipes
Medical Kit Surgical glue, band-aids, gauze, alcohol wipes, antibiotic cream, steri-strip, q-tips, sting relief, pepto, ace bandage, tylenol, Advil PM,
Lighter Mini Bic Lighter
Fire Kit Small Cannister w/ Vasaline Cotton Balls
Gutting Knife Outdoor Edge Razor Pro
Pocket Knife Benchmade 940-1
Dry Sack Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Sack
Paracord 25' 550 Cord
Headlamp Petzl Tikka XP Lamp and/or Black Diamond Storm
Utensil MSR Folding Spork
Cook Stove MSR Windburner + 3x 3.9oz Fuel Cannister
Wind Checker Dead Down Wind Wind Checker
Bow Repair Kit D-Loop, Extra Strings/Cables, wax, serving string, allen set, multi-tool

Not a bad list. Everyone has their own must-haves and have-nots, so to speak. Best thing you can do to test if you are carrying excess is make a list of every single piece of kit you take. Go on a scouting or backpacking trip of equal length. Then as you use each piece, scratch it off your list. Items that remain after you get home get left out for good! You've narrowed your kit, scouted, and conditioned yourself! Wham bam slam!

 

[DEHusker]

Things to also consider:
- Bug dope or head net. Some parts of the West have terrible mosquitos.
- Sunglasses. Colorado is very bright up high.
- Backup light source ie small flashlight.
- Decoy. Personal decision on this one
- Notebook/pen. Always nice to write down notes, etc.
- Hiking Poles. Possibly the most underrated piece of kit you can take, esp if you have to haul out 150lb
- Small book to read if/when bored, raining, etc. I carry ElkNut's little playbook and read it at night. always something to learn there.
- Backup water treatment ie Chlorotabs or something.
- Lucky charm...LOL
- And for Pete's sake, don't forget a camera or phone to shoot some pics when you down the monster!!!

 

[Jordan Budd]

So for over a year I have been planning and scouting (Google Earth, Garmin Maps, etc) for my DIY backcountry archery elk hunt. I have my zone narrowed down and I have my plan A, B and C scouted...for the most part. Might add plan A, B and C in another neighboring GMU just in case.

I have spent the past year aquring all the gear I think I need, most of it as good as my wallet will allow. Take a look, let me know if i have soemthing that just isn't going to cut it, or if I am missing something totally obvious. I think I got it pretty narrowed down but looking for advice from some more seasoned elk archery hunters.

Thanks in advance!

Bow Mathews Halon or Halon 32
Range Finder Leupold RX-1000i
Binoculars Zeiss Conquest HD 10x42
Bino Harness Sitka Bino Bivy
GPS Garmin GPSMAP 64st
Backpack Exo Mountain 3500 w/ Side Pockets, Meat Shelf & Weapon Carrier
Sleeping Bag Kelty SB20 Sleeping Back
Bag Liner Sea to Summit Silk Travel Liner
Packing Pillow ThermaRest Trekker Pillow Case
Sleeping pad ThermaRest NeoAir Xlite
Glassing pad ThermaRest Z Seat
Jacket Kelvin Lite Hoody & Dewpoint
Pants Ascent Pant & Dewpoint Pant
Shirt Sitka Merino Shirt & Core Lightweight Hoody
Gloves Sitka Merino Gloves
Boots Lowa Tibet GTX and/or Solomon Quest 4D GTX
Camp Shoes Crocs
Gaiters Sitka Stormfront
Calls Bugling Bull Calls
Release Scott Exxus x 2
Game Bags Orvis XL Game Bags
Tent Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 2
Watch Suunto Core All Black
Water Bladder Platypus Big Zip 3.0L & Platypus Soft Bottle 1.0L
Filter System Sawyer Squeeze
Wet Wipes/TP Scent free baby wipes
Medical Kit Surgical glue, band-aids, gauze, alcohol wipes, antibiotic cream, steri-strip, q-tips, sting relief, pepto, ace bandage, tylenol, Advil PM,
Lighter Mini Bic Lighter
Fire Kit Small Cannister w/ Vasaline Cotton Balls
Gutting Knife Outdoor Edge Razor Pro
Pocket Knife Benchmade 940-1
Dry Sack Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Sack
Paracord 25' 550 Cord
Headlamp Petzl Tikka XP Lamp and/or Black Diamond Storm
Utensil MSR Folding Spork
Cook Stove MSR Windburner + 3x 3.9oz Fuel Cannister
Wind Checker Dead Down Wind Wind Checker
Bow Repair Kit D-Loop, Extra Strings/Cables, wax, serving string, allen set, multi-tool

Sweet, looks pretty good. Couple things I'll just chime in on.
I'd only take one pair of boots in... maybe leave the other in the truck for worst case scenario, or if you want to switch later.
The folding spork... I'd go with a long handled spork instead. Reason being if your eating MH it's much nicer for getting into the bottom of the pouch. I use the sea to summit one.
For fuel canisters I wouldn't bring more than 2.
I'm a 2 headlamp person.. and I don't bring spare batteries unless it's a long trip.
Allen set.. instead of a set I'd just bring a few assorted important ones. Maybe that's what you meant anyways.


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[bowinhand]

Where are you coming from? Have you tested the bag to make sure it's warm enough for how you sleep?

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

Looks pretty solid but I'd leave the extra boots and bow repair kit and extra fuel at the truck.

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[FlyGuy]

Things to also consider:
- Bug dope or head net. Some parts of the West have terrible mosquitos.
- Sunglasses. Colorado is very bright up high.
- Backup light source ie small flashlight.
- Decoy. Personal decision on this one
- Notebook/pen. Always nice to write down notes, etc.
- Hiking Poles. Possibly the most underrated piece of kit you can take, esp if you have to haul out 150lb
- Small book to read if/when bored, raining, etc. I carry ElkNut's little playbook and read it at night. always something to learn there.
- Backup water treatment ie Chlorotabs or something.
- Lucky charm...LOL
- And for Pete's sake, don't forget a camera or phone to shoot some pics when you down the monster!!!

These are good. I was going to say trekking poles. I bought some last year and I was actually kind of embarrassed to pull them out in front of my hunting partners the 1st day. Turned out to be one of the best purchases in my entire kit! after day one in the San Juans, everyone wanted to borrow them! Wouldn't think of leaving without them now.

The notebook/pen is also good. I enjoyed logging my experiences before crashing each night, and the (lightweight) book was good for that too.

Back-up Water treatment. I found myself alone for a 1 nighter away from the group in an area that just had no water. I ended up having to pull water out of a small nasty wildlife reservoir and my filter broke. I had been completely out of water for hours at that point, so I was very happy I had brought the back up treatment (drops)

 

[Steve]

I would definitely add chap stick


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[fencesitter]

A small plastic bottle of baby powder (anti-chaffing) can also be a lifesaver!

 

[blackpowderhunter]

A small plastic bottle of baby powder (anti-chaffing) can also be a lifesaver!

I carry the un-scented gold bond...that can be a LIFE SAVER

I would definitely add chap stick


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I was going to add this.. neverrr forget your chapstick haha.

 

[whaack]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. Definately some items I'll consider. I should add some of the items listed will be items left in the truck for backup and/or emergency use. Not everything on the list will be in my pack.

Thnaks!!