Frank Church Elk-Optics?

[Truck24hr]

i've got a September rifle tag, and will be hunting the last 9 days. Tag is for a brow tine bull. I'd be happy with any legal bull.

My pack weight with rifle is around 62lbs IIRC.

I've got 8x RF bino's @ 44oz
My spotter @ 68oz
And 15x bino's @ 34oz

I''m not willing to invest in any other optics, and I have a few handheld RF's I could use.

Would I be hurting my chances by leaving the spotter, RF bino's, or both at home? The lighter pack has obvious advantages.

 

[jdmaxwell]

Im sure this isn't popular, but I hunted Frank 3 times now. Never took spotter and never felt like I wish I had it. I would leave it home and just take your best binos.

 

[Soj51hopeful]

If you’re just elk hunting and not looking for a trophy then take just 1 pair of binos with a tripod.

 

[Truck24hr]

Thanks guys. That gives me a lot more confidence in just the 15's with a tripod.

 

[atmat]

62 lbs is heavy. Do you have much backpacking experience at elevation?

I would definitely ditch the spotter. I might even ditch a pair of binos.

 

[Truck24hr]

62 lbs is heavy. Do you have much backpacking experience at elevation?

I would definitely ditch the spotter. I might even ditch a pair of binos.

Not at elevation.

Dropping the spotter and 8x and taking a handheld rangefinder puts me under 55. I'm not sure how much water is in that weight either. I'll have to check my spreadsheet when I get back home.

I can probably lose another pound and a half in my rifle stock, as long as it doesn't hurt my shooting ability.

That weight was also including 10 days food. I'll be making a scouting trip late August, and that could change my plans.

 

[mtnbound]

i've got a September rifle tag, and will be hunting the last 9 days. Tag is for a brow tine bull. I'd be happy with any legal bull.

My pack weight with rifle is around 62lbs IIRC.

I've got 8x RF bino's @ 44oz
My spotter @ 68oz
And 15x bino's @ 34oz

I''m not willing to invest in any other optics, and I have a few handheld RF's I could use.

Would I be hurting my chances by leaving the spotter, RF bino's, or both at home? The lighter pack has obvious advantages.

I would dump the spotter and the 15x binos and use the 8xrf binos if they are decent glass.


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[awcopeland]

If 55lbs includes 10 days of food and potentially some water, I’d say you probably have a pretty good gear list. Either that, or you’re missing something if you don’t have much experience.

10x 1.5-2lbs = 15-20 lbs in food
55 - 15-20lbs = 35-40lbs base weight including weapon & water?

I've never been in the Frank, but it doesn’t hurt to double check your packing list.

 

[Slick8]

Man, I love your first world problem, I battle such issues myself at times.

Based on your stated goal, I'd take the 15s, tripod and a hand held RF.

Best of luck on the trip.

 

[Truck24hr]

If 55lbs includes 10 days of food and potentially some water, I’d say you probably have a pretty good gear list. Either that, or you’re missing something if you don’t have much experience.

10x 1.5-2lbs = 15-20 lbs in food
55 - 15-20lbs = 35-40lbs base weight including weapon & water?

I've never been in the Frank, but it doesn’t hurt to double check your packing list.

Yeah, I've got good, ultralight gear, besides my spotter and tripod. Lots of backpacking experience, but not backpack hunting.

I've got the list at the house. Nothing I don't need, but everything I have to have.

I'll verify weight when I get home and post up my list.

 

[chizelhead]

For the Frank and your needs, I agree that 8x RF with tripod is likely your best option. Do you use lighterpack.com? It's a free pack list/weight program that you can share. Maybe try it and post it for suggestions on cutting weight. The Frank is steep and ozs can matter. If you have lots of bp experience, but not bp hunting it's easy to overpack for your first bp hunt.

 

[Truck24hr]

For the Frank and your needs, I agree that 8x RF with tripod is likely your best option. Do you use lighterpack.com? It's a free pack list/weight program that you can share. Maybe try it and post it for suggestions on cutting weight. The Frank is steep and ozs can matter. If you have lots of bp experience, but not bp hunting it's easy to overpack for your first bp hunt.

I don't have lighterpack, but I've seen it used here. I'll gather it all there.

 

[yfarm]

Where I elk hunt, I sleep at 10k and hunt up to 12k, I hunt travel corridors and don’t move much which at 72 is fine for me. I lose my appetite at those altitudes and typically lose 10 lbs every year. I find myself eating one meal a day while maintaining fluid intake. My hunting partners are much more mobile and younger and eat normal amounts. My point is that I would tend to save some weight on the food side if you can tolerate the reduction in caloric intake. For me it makes no difference in my exercise tolerance. Cant imagine hauling a 62 lb pack.

 

[IowaNative]

In the Frank a 55lb pack feels like 100 to the Flatlanders like myself. It was the first hunt I ever did out west (spring bear). I am grateful I did because it really taught me what's needed and what's not, as well as where to spend my money.

Keep that heavy spotter in the truck and take the binos. I actually upgraded to zulu6 12's just from that experience.

I would also cut the weight from the stock and get used to shooting a lighter gun. Typical shots would be around 200-450. I am sure you may get a few others, but generally not a terrible shot to learn with practice.

 

[Marble]

I never have planned for 9 days of elk hunting in the backcountry. I have done it and we killed a ton of animals.

I like the idea of 4-5 days and then evaluating if it's a good idea to stay or go somewhere else. Generally, out and back in a day with a light pack is very doable. But I usually hike back in the evening, eat, sleep, clean up, resupply and either drive to the next spot or head back in.

My preference for elk hunting would be the 8x or better yet a 10x bino. I use them a lot in heavy timber, glassing 100 yards in front of me. Killed lots of bulls by spotting them in heavy timber with my binos.

10s on a tripod are pretty awesome. I like my 15s also, but for elk, I dont need a 15.

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[BoatsNGoats]

8x on a tripod does good enough to know I need to get closer look and stable to free hand when I’m closer

Yet with that country 15x would not be overkill really depends on the hunting style and glassing approach

 

[Deerhunter6250]

I quit taking binos for long stay trips and use my rifle scope if necessary. Every time I go, I try and figure a way to make my pack lighter. I usually only pack enough water because to drink on the pack in because I usually know there will be water where I'm going. I take my lightest rifle also. I usually try to keep my pack around 40 to 45 pounds, but I only hunt 5 to 7 days and usually have a partner to share some items with i.e stove, tent, ground cloth, gas and dromedary bag. Good luck.

 

[BoatsNGoats]

This seems like a dangerous approach to pointing your rifle (unloaded it may be) at unintended targets as you glass, really pushing the dont point your gun at anything you don’t want to shoot mentality

Just coming from somebody who has looked at other hunters through binos staring back at me with their “rifle” binos, uncomfortable to say the least

At what point does shaving ounces become a serious safety issue

 

[Deerhunter6250]

I don't look at people with my binos why would I with a rifle scope and I only use the scope when I see an elk I might want to shoot. Not a safety concern to me at all. I don't put a round in the chamber till I am ready to shoot my intended target. Don't like hiking with a loaded gun even with the safety on in case I fall or slip.

 

[mtnwrunner]

15 x all the way.

Randy