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

As much as I like having variety in my pack, MRE's are just too heavy, though I do carry 1 in my wheeler cargo box when I'm out on a day ride or in the backcountry fishing.

Same with the MREs, only take parts I want. I certainly didn't mean to imply the phone went with me hunting. It gets packed for the trip from VA to CO, then stays in the truck And, I actually measured my para-cord, it was actually 45'. Need to add hand warmers to my list.

I've been reading this thread with a smile for the past few days.

There's some good advise here, but it seems like you need at least one or two of everything in a Cabela's store, except the fishing tackle. Or did I miss that post?

I'm just wondering how I have survived 40+ years of Elk hunting without all of that stuff.

Well, any advice would be appreciated.

Ok, it's been 36 years since I lived and Elk hunted in Colorado so I don't know the units and seasons.

If I understand right, you'll be doing day hunts out of a tent base camp by your pickup. Camp should be comfortable, dry, and warm. Better if the tent is too big rather than too small. Nice to store extra gear inside out of the weather.

Cots are more comfortable than sleeping on the ground, plus you have storage area underneath. A 2-4" foam pad on a cot makes them more comfortable and warmer. A source of heat inside the tent is good. Most of my tent camping was in a wall tent with a folding wood stove. Toasty inside when it's below zero outside.

For base camp gear: an axe or hatchet, several 5 gal water water jugs, plenty of rope, a couple of 8'x10' or so plastic tarps, a shovel, a folding table, camp chairs, cooking gear, including a large pot for boiling water, a couple of plastic tubs to do dishes in, a large frying pan, a grill for cooking over a fire, plastic trash bags, camp stove, lantern, fuel, dry camp cloths and camp shoes or boots.

For this type of camp we have several large plastic tubs with tight fitting lids (keeps mice out) for storing food that is not stored in coolers.

Have one or more methods to get your elk back to camp. I've packed quarters and bags of boned meat out on a pack frame, I have a 2 wheel cart from Cabela's that works if the snow is not too deep or there is not much downfall. I also have a 3'x6' heavy plastic tarp (from Cabela's) that makes dragging Elk or Elk pieces easier.

I prefer to leave the hide on the quarters and to put each quarter in a heavy duty game bag.

Like someone else mentioned you HAVE to leave evidence of sex attached to a hind quarter or attached to a large piece of meat from the hind quarter -- even if the meat has been boned out. Cut off antlers or a cut off head are NOT evidence of sex attached to the carcass, but may be required for proof of points.

For day hunts I try to go as light as possible. I'll either carry a pack frame with a day pack or just a fanny pack. Inside, I'll have several lenths of parachute cord (5'to 30'), waterproof matches, a butane lighter, fire starters (waxed, rolled, newspaper), a Sandvik folding saw, a knife sharpner, a whistle, several candy bars, a couple of small bags of trail mix, a partial roll of orange flagging, TP, several packaged hand wipes, black tape, small flashlight and extra batteries, small plastic bottle with powder to check the wind, extra foam ear plugs, and a 16 oz bottle of water. (I just checked my fanny pack and it even had a couple of petrified cookies from my last hunt last year.)

If I'm hunting in unfamiliar country I'll carry a topo or land status map, but I don't own a GPS and have never carried a compass.

On the pack belt I carry a sheath knife, sometimes a camera with a small folding tripod, and a plastic case with 10 cartridges. I always have a small folding knife in my pocket and a leatherman multi-tool on my belt.

My binoculars are Nikon compact 9x35s on a Butler Creek foam strap. If I'm hunting open country I'll take my Bushnell rangefinder.

I zero my rifle 2" high at 100 yds, and regularly practice to 450 yds, but I've only shot at one Elk at over 300 yds. I also tape the muzzle of my rifle. A little snow in the barrel can ruin a shot, and your rifle.

Outer cloths and gaitors should be fleece or wool that is quiet when you're moving through the brush.

And don't forget your orange vest and hat to keep the Colorado Game Wardens happy.

Heres my light load Elk list. You can beef it up for base camp hunting with all the lanterns, ice chests, cots, etc.

Ground cloth - walmart painters tarp or tyvek�
Tent with stakes
Sleep bag
Goretex bivvy sack
Pad, sleeping
Trecking poles
Stove, kifaru
GPS, compass, map
6 esbit tabs
2 lighters
Radio
Petzl
Camera
Flashlight
Battery
Fry pan
Spatula
Fork
Titanium cup
Pocket rocket or jetboil
Extra gas canister�
Water filter
2 or 3 platypus
2 Gatorade bottles
Burbon or scotch in plastic bottle

Rifle and 12 round
Laser
Game calls
Sitting pad
Large garbage bags
Game bags
Tape
550 cord
Trail tape or pins
Saw
Knife
Scalpel
Disposable poncho
2 pair latex gloves

Lightweight polypro top & bottom
Shell pants
Orange top shell
Sleeping shirt
Orange NF shirt
Subzero jacket
1 hat
Balaclava�
Neck warmer
2 pair socks
2 sock liners�
Glove liners
Ski gloves
medium weight poly pro

Cigar x 2
Meals
Pancake mix
Jerky
Trail mix
Coffee
Cider
Tang
Gatoraide mix
Hot chocolate
Candy

TP
2 pack handiwipes
Toothbrush & paste

You're not base camp hunting so it must be pack-in. What's the weight of your pack?

Not necessary for some but no matter what i'm hunting I have a arctic shield waterproof muff I use (with handwarmers if its cold). I will keep calls, camera, quickloader, etc close at hand. Plus its nice if the weather is cold

Mine goes about 40 lbs.

I'm a huge fan of packing a Swedish fire steel in all of my packs and keeping it there for emergencies. They're pretty cheap and they work awesome.

Swedish Fire Steel

I'd also take a cheap Bic lighter along as well, as they're handy when the conditions are favorable to use them

Never leave home without some quantity of duct tape. Might not be a bad idea to take a couple small zip ties in case you have to make an impromptu repair to a pack or something, even if they stay in the truck.

Smartwool socks with liners will do you wonders, I won't wear anything else when hunting.

Merino wool for a baselayer will do you wonders. I prefer a loose fit compared to something slimmer fitting or compression fit like Under Armour. Merino or synthetic for underwear, as well. Synthetic will stink, but you can rinse/wash and dry them pretty easily.

A good headlamp is an absolute must. I got myself and my girlfriend each a Petzl Tikka Plus2 and they absolutely rock. Don't forget good spare batteries.

Hope this helps!

I'm packing in in CO in about three weeks. I have a Kifaru ZXR coming tomorrow. I'll have to pack it up and weigh it. I hope I can keep it that light.

Humping water is what kills you. We hump streams all the way in so we don't carry more than a litter each.

We also split the tent and stove up so that helps too.

My partner has never backpacked and communication is sparse. I hope it works out.

Hope he's fit and has a good attitude. We took a fellow who was used to oklahoma tree stand hunting for deer, up to Colorado for elk. On the first morning, half way up the trail to the ridge we were going to walk out all day he said he had gone far enough and would see us at camp. He was miserable for the duration and didn't make a serious effort to get out and find hide nor hair.