Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Gear list for a newbie

Easy, killer. Only tipped the scales at 192 last night. Never measured myself but I was figuring about 6'1" more or less.

Thanks to all for the advice/words of caution. I've never slept in a mummy bag before and to be honest I'm a little apprehensive. Not stuck on down either, it just seemed like the best bang for the buck to me. Keep in mind that I'm totally new to this. If there is a rectangular type bag out there with synthetic insulation that'll stay below the 4 lb mark or so and be warm/big enough, I'm all ears.

Thanks again.

This one in syn...

http://www.backcountry.com/montbell-super-spiral-burrow-0-synthetic-sleeping-bag-0-degree

or in down...

http://www.backcountry.com/montbell-super-spiral-hugger-0-down-sleeping-bag-0-degree

Kent

Kifaru bags

Next bag I buy will be a Kifaru slick bag... of course I have a passel of bags already, mostly BA that I like.

There is a distinct performance line of low end, middle and top end. Kelty is in the low, BA the middle, where I usually stay in my gear... though I do have some top end with packs and had a WM bag that was great, just too narrow for my flopping self.

One more bag for me and that will be it... the slick bag.

Kent

I think you'll be hardpressed to find a 0 degree bag under 4 lbs that is truly a 0 degree bag. I like to wear a poly or merino wool top and bottom when I sleep, keeps you from sticking to the bag and gives you a little bit more insulation too.

hey just get Sean a double as a present and curl up with him to keep you warm..

your warm he gets to carry it.. win win ...

Here's my list from the last time I did what your doing - 2nd rifle season in CO on public ground.

Rifle & scope:
- Remington 700 Stainless ADL Mountain Rifle .30-06 in Ti take-off stock with Shilen trigger
- Leupold matte Vari-X III 2.5x8x36 in low Leupold dual dovetails
- 16 rounds of ammo � 4 in rifle belly, 12 in a Kifaru ammo pouch on pack waist belt
- Rifle weighs exactly 6 � pounds sans ammo (no sling, use gunbearer on pack instead)

Optics:
- Pentax DFC MP 8x28
- Nikon rangefinder

Shelter:
- Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight CD 2 man tent
- Slumberjack -10 degree bag
- RidgeRest regular pad
- Thermarest � inflatable
- Small pillow
- Small blue tarp to make gear storage/dry area lean-to

Pack:
- Kifaru LateSeason with GPS pouch, 1000 c.i. Back Pouch, GunBearer, Possibles Pouch, Rifle Rain Cover, Waterbladder, Cartridge Pouch, Handwarmer Pouch, and CargoChair

Kitchen:
- MSR PocketRocket + canisters (1 large, 1 small as backup)
- 2 cup aluminum pot for boiling water
- Snow Peak Titanium Spork
- Water bottle to mix GatorAid

Clothing:
- Cabelas MTP Boxer x2
- Cabelas Coolmax liner socks x2
- Cabelas Ultimax heavyweight socks x2
- Cabelas MTP medium weight longjohn top & bottom
- Unknown water proof camo pants
- Rocky Fleece jacket
- Long sleeve fleece button down shirt
- Rocky boots
- Goretex hunter orange baseball cap
- Manzella Thermastat Gloves
- Leather work gloves sized to fit over the Thermastat gloves
- Unknown balaclava
- Cheap Poncho

Cutlery:
- Ingram #15, S30V
- Gerber Exchange-a-Blade saw
- Victorinox Hunter with 4�� blade and saw as backup to both
- Leatherman Juice multi-tool
- DMT diamond folding sharpener and mini-Crox sticks

Possible�s Pouch:
- Almost identical to the list by Patrick Smith in his essay in a Kifaru pullout in the pack
Possibles Pouch list

Miscellaneous:
- Map/compass/GPS (Garmin 315)
- Kodak digital camera + pocket tripod
- Pur Hiker Water filter
- Collapsible 5 gallon water container
- Princeton Tec Aurora LED headlamp
- Princeton Tec Blast flashlight
- TP & wetwipes
- Game bags
- Cotton handkerchief
- Spare pair of glasses

5 days worth of food:
- Mountain House 2 serving freeze dried meals x 6 for dinner (5 days + extra)
- Power bars x 18 (3 per day + an extra day)
- Jerky
- Small jar of peanut butter
- 1 pound GatorAid powder
- Some kind of sausage log
- Big bag of homemade trailmix (mostly peanuts/cashews/M&Ms)
- 1 small bottle of Jack Daniels for after kill celebrations

Not really specific to elk hunting, but I highly recommend taking a couple of tubes of a good quality superglue and a small pack of two part epoxy like J-B Weld..The ability to make a running repair on some critical item isn't needed often, but it pays to be prepared..

You might also want to leave a second set of boots each in the truck..I'm not thinking of any thing expensive, just something that you already have, that are comfortable and that could be pressed into service in an emergency..

If there is a chance you might get caught out away from "camp", I'd also highly recommend a plastic bivy bag over a space blanket..They do weigh more, but are ten times as effective in keeping you dry and out of the wind...

Regards,

Peter

I highly recommend checking out all Patrick Smith's essays on his site and the 4 part backcountry navigation for the hunter set by Dick Blust.

Kifaru essays

CFVA;

I was being generous... ;

A fella here just hooked us up in your bag quest. I'll PM the deal. It'll satisfy your "conservative" nature, and get you a helluva lot better bag than a Kelty.

Upgraded boots on this end today; Asolo 520s. Fit like a glove; crazy comfortable, added gaiters to the purchase, too.

I'll pack an extra pair or two of boots, too. One for the truck, one for the pack, depending upon conditions.

You guys need to make a road trip to Cabelas in Wheeling. I hear the prices are reasonable

I will say this, right now...

The outpouring of support and advice here has just been staggering.

You guys just floor me. And, it won't be forgotten.

Also, once CFVA get this gear list lined out from all the contributions, I'm gonna hang a thread on it. Just because we won't be the last two to need the help, and the help has been amazing.

Also, fully expect pics, details, reports, etc.

Again, y'all rock.

Sean, good deal going elk hunting. There's a ton of stuff listed here already. I take it you are going DIY? If so, there are many things you'll need or that will make life easier. But maybe one thing that's not listed here yet is [/b]time[b]. The more time you guys can take the better. If you camp and hunt on foot it'll take time to find em and you might want to take a day off in the middle just to recuperate and rest whether in your camp or in a motel. Elk hunting is usually not easy. That goes in Spades on public land.

But it's fun. .............................

Soft bailing wire is always in my pack.

Bring a copy of the regulations with you. And read EVERYTHING in it before hand. On your maps, mark the unit boundaries. Most of those will be a divide between drainages, not just a road a creek to follow. In the unit you will be hunting in, CFVA, with the OTC bull tag can hunt some of the neighboring units, but you cannot with that cow tag. Also, unit 45 borders two limited draw areas, don't end up there (you'd really have to do some serious climbing, so it's unlikely, but this kind of goes for everyone).
Also, read about the evidence of sex. A detached head is not evidence of sex. This is probably the single most common offense each year. A head attached to the meat is evidence of sex, but if you cut it off, there should be a twig and berries(or the lady version) naturally attached to one of the rear quarters, with or without bones. Other biggies are on page 7, where it says It Is Against the Law To:....
Read up on how to attach carcass tags and properly fill that out also.

jds44, did you happen to record the weight of your pack/gear? I am backpacking next month in CO, elk, archery, and plan a somewhat similar list.

also might want to toss a chain saw in the truck never know when you might need it and also some good road music.

dont forget the duct tape. i wrap some around my match case and bic lighter. if you dont have a blister kit just use duct tape on the blisters. it really does work well.

start a thread on how to keep warm in your sleeping bag. lots of tricks to help in cold weather. make sure your sleeping pad has enough insulation for cold ground. if your bag wont keep you warm suspect the pad and add stuff under you.


and dont forget to bring your water inside at night and cover it or it may be frozen in the morning.

Got about 4800 tracks on the iPod. Got music covered.

CFVA already mentioned dropping a chain saw in the back of the truck.

That sounds great, a big Thank You to whomever is helping out!