I've backpacked for elk that last 20 years and haven't missed a year since turning 14.  All the advice is good just remember ounces make pound and you would be suprised at what you can live without.  I also second large amounts of water.  I carry a 3 liter camelback and drink it all before the days over and am scrambling for more.  However, water weighs alot and if your in country with lots of water sources then its no big deal.  I do not carry a filter and just carry idoine tablets and powdered gatorade to cover taste and give me electrolytes.  Remember to eat/snack/refuel often cuz your burning a crap load of calories.  Rock on buddy and give them hell!!!

Oh yeah, like mentioned before know how to quarter and BONE OUT the elk.  I know a lot of buddies that still pack out the whole quarters.  Bone and hide weighs alot!!!!!

I don't know if this has been said or not,but when you are done with your first trip pull everything out of your pack.You will be surprised by how much stuff you took and did not use,Eliminate that stuff next time around,except for emergancy and rain gear
Tim

I have a friend that worked and hunted in and around the Rockies for twenty + years and we are planning an elk hunt in the near future (1-2 years), I will keep this good information, and would like to thank those that have contributed.

Thanks

P.S. Almost forgot, Hawk, good choice on the Kifaru tipi and stove. I don't have the stove yet but will be taking my Sawtooth tipi with me.

great info guys, thanks for the advice...  keep it comin,

I must admit that reading this thread makes me want to go; never have hunted out west but the desire is very much alive in me; just in case I don't get to go, I will always enjoy reading about the ones that do and just reading threads like this and seeing the pictures posted makes me feel like I get to go with you guys;

Thanks for sharing and look forward to many more stories; please don't feel too sorry for me as I greatly enjoy chasing the whitetails and turkeys all over the woods and back streams;


 

I hunt out of a pack as much as often as I can. All my hunts have be DIY. Even on my evening hunts on the mountian I'm still set up to spend the nigh if I find action.

love all the great info guys, i have been doin the diy backcountry thing for about seven years here in mt. and i learn something new everytime. i know elk seem to bugle more on high pressure weather days for some reason? and its best to wait out the middle of the day by a wallow, or just randomly cow calling in the dark timber, killed a few this way around noon. bring ducktape for the nasty blisters you WILL get. run hills in the off season. and i very highly recomend the kifaru tipi and stove also, just got back from three days in the woods bear hunting and it rained very hard the whole time. i was warm, dry and comfortable before and after each outing. saw three griz, 30 elk, two small blackys and there may or may not be a deflated wolf somewhere in montana  

A lot of great advice here.  From my limited perspective in the back country with my home on my back, the biggest thing to consider is water.  Know that there isn't a drop of surface water in Colorado that isn't suspect for Giardia.  Get it and your trip is ruined.  Know where the water sources are and how you are going to treat it to make it safe.  If it's boiling, you'll need extra fuel for your stove.  On a trip to the back country in '93 I had two stoves to boil water with me - a Colman single burner and a Svea.  At 9500 ft. it took an hour to boil a gallon of water with the Colman and 20 minutes with the Svea.  I know there are much better ways to treat water now days, check them out and pick one you have confidence in.

Have the best pack you can get.  Fully adjustable with good hip pads.  It's one of the most important pieces of gear you can have.

I just bought the SteriPen Opti Adventurer on sale the other day. VERY nice, light, proven record over several years to kill all cryptos and viruses (a bonus).

I was researching filters and since the water in the areas I hike and hunt are fairly clear (not usually cloudy) I got the Pen.