DIY Elk Gear List?

[franklinmanklin]

35 Pounds of gear including food for a backcountry elk bow hunt should consist of...

[franklinmanklin]

This was supposed to be in the general forum.

[JJB2]

Read Cameron Hanes' "Backcountry Bowhunting".  Most informative gear book for the DIY bowhunter that I've found.  Don't have to buy the same brands, etc. that he recommends but the book and checklists are great resources.

[Gatekeeper]

Originally posted by JJB2:
Read Cameron Hanes' "Backcountry Bowhunting".  Most informative gear book for the DIY bowhunter that I've found.  Don't have to buy the same brands, etc. that he recommends but the book and checklists are great resources.

Thanks for the read information. Mike Mitten also has a gear list in his book, but he can carry more then the average man.    

[John Scifres]

Backpack

Hunting Gear - Bow, Arrows, Quiver, 10x42 binoculars

Fanny pack - Accusharp, small crock stick, Cow call, diaphragm calls, small bugle tube, Buck Crosslock knife, spare bowstring, shooting glove, armguard, lighters, whistle, compass, maps, gps, 20 feet of parachute cord, small first aid, space blanket, Digital camera

Camping/Cooking - 9x11 silnylon tarp, guy lines, 6 stakes, 20 degree bag, Ridgerest Sleeping Pad, ground cover, pocket rocket stove, 1 Fuel Bottle, Titanium Cup 16 oz., Nylon Spork, Journal and pen, headlamp, UL spare headlamp, 2 AA batteries, 3 AAA batteries, hiking pole with duct tape wrapped,Hydration Bladder, water treatment tabs, toilet paper, baby wipes, multitool

Food - 7 lipton rice or pasta meals, 14 Granola bars, 4 cups GORP, 1 jar PB, 14 oatmeal packs, 7 salmon packs, 1 pound jerky

Clothes - 3 pair underwear, base layer- pants and shirt, mid layer - pants and shirt, outer layer - shirt, 1 cotton long sleeve T, 2 chamois shirt, 2 chamois pant, jacket, fleece vest, wool parka, 4 pair socks, 2 pair rag wool gloves, 2 stocking caps, boots, Poncho

First aid - ibuprofen, acetaminophen, decongestant, antihistamine, hydrocortisone cream, hand lotion, lib balm, duct tape, inhaler, inhaler spare, tooth brush and paste, floss

Man that seems like a lot of crap. I'm including the things I wear and carry in this list. If I remember right, pack weight was mid 30's and total weight was 45#'s. this is for 7 days. I'm looking forward to weighing it all again since it's been 3 years since I last did this.

[jhg]

Thats a good list.

I like to include a 48" long sewing tape- like your Mom used.

Why? Its cool to measure things on your elk, like how deep his chest is (assuming a bull).

There is a pretty big difference in body size from some bulls to others, even if their racks are in the same category.

Anyway, it weighs nothing and its fun to have that kind of info rattle around in your head the next year you go.

Joshua

[m midd]

Good list... I like to carry flagging tape, zip ties and a small folding pack saw .

[Matt Fowler]

35 lbs seems pretty light. Last year I was 55lbs with 5 days of food. We didn't hunt with camp on our backs though. Is that what you plan to do? How many days can you stay out for at that weight?

[Nathan Killen]

Sheeeew ! My back hurts just reading this topic ! I'm not too big a feller though at 5'8 150# ! I've done a 3 day bivy for whitetails before with a 35# pack, I couldn't imagine 7 days worth of gear !

[tradshooter]

I use a Jet Boil stove and Mountain House makes some light weight meals, a little spendy and you can come up with some "home-mades" that will work. I also carry a water purifier pump. When hunting with a buddy we carry an extra fuel cannister and that gets us by for a week. I also carry Super Glue and a small wrap of duct tape. John's list is very complete. Taylor your equipment to your needs. If going remote and alone, a cell phone is a good idea, if with a buddy 2-way radios are also helpful. Best of luck to you.

[tradshooter]

Meant to say satellite cell phone if going remote and alone, although in a lot of places a cell phone can get coverage from a ridge.

[Hess]

Consider synthetic clothing vs. wool on the longer trips...lighter, dries quicker.  There are a lot of things listed above that seem to be more along the lines of a 'resort' type camping trip, not a bivvy trip.  I always lose a bit of weight and come out feeling great.  Enjoy the back country.  

PS  Don't take any cotton clothing, it could get you in a lot of trouble.

[JJB2]

It can be done if you train.  85 lb bag, 7 days in a CO wilderness area last fall - 4 mi hike in and out with the full bag in some steep country.  Little lighter on the way out but not much when you're still carrying out all the garbage.  I'm 5' 10" 175 lb.

[John Scifres]

Please read here for my take on cotton clothing:   http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=101429;p=1

My 7 day pack is less than 45# with water.  Here's my resort in 2008.

 

[Barney]

I'd start off with.......

1 Horse-1200lb +/-
2nd horse-1200lb +/-

     

[franklinmanklin]

Thanks for the help, Gents.

[franklinmanklin]

I was going to post a new topic but seems like the appropriate place.  Does wool suck for a trip like this?  Please explain either way and why.  Punchdown vs. loom-woven?  Thin vs. thick?  Wool vs. non-wet-synthetic-insulators?  Etc.

[The Night Stalker]

Kifaru pack/ longhunter guide
alps foam pad under thermarest to protect
thermarest
kifaru 4man tipi
stove
helle knife

jet boil stove
fly rod, flys, etc./tenkara
2 lighters/fire starter wet match          /
flashlight/fenix pd30/extra batteries
head lamb/petzl/ extra 3 AAA batteries
batteries/ 6 extra lithium
GPS
map cut map down
kaitadyn water system
cooking pot jet boil/ pot support

camera

extra string/ shelf material/   kept at  truck
spectra rope and  bear/bag for food
game bags/ alaskan bags
plastic bags
water bag 4l
tyvek sheets


Mountain house foods
Day 1
day 2
day 3
day 4
day 5
day 6
day 7
day 8
day 9
clothes sitka gear
rain gear/ small pack
extra socks/ theos
ascent sitka pants x2

90% jacket
kelvin jacket
sitka core bottoms
beanie
face mask cold gear


Crocs
gloves

transverse shirt X2
small detergent
calls


small pad thermarest
fuel X2 cannister
western mountaineering badger down bag
throat lozengers
diamox
chapstick

hunter wipes 5x8 and large 10x15
toiletries
tooth brush& paste

decoy/ heads up decoy

[The Night Stalker]

Last yr I carried 62# 5. something miles to base camp. I like my kifaru and my stove in case you get wet.

[slivrslingr]

Sounds stupid, but no one has listed hunting license and tag(s)!

When I pack in the only wool I bring is a merino wool base layer, a stocking cap, and my Filson wool vest.  Everything else is synthetic.  As much as I love wool, it is heavy and takes a while to dry when wet, synthetics are lighter and dry really fast.  

Since it seems you are on a budget but still want lightweight, quality gear, you should look at buying used gear.  A lot of guys sell off excess and older, lightly used gear to upgrade to the latest and greatest.  Check out Sierra Trading Post as well, sometimes they have some really good stuff deeply discounted.