when you leave camp in the morning, not counting your rifle/bow, what's the weight on your back? Just curious.

9-16 lbs combined HPG recon and daypack, weather and water being the major variables.


mike r

Varies. On the low end, I've done some spot and stalk hunts from a boat where I didn't carry anything but my gun, tag, and knife ... didn't bother with water or anything else because I was in the bottom of a deep canyon and there was no real way to get more than 250 yards from the boat. On the high end, there's a hunt I like which is about a 15 mile walk and I usually do it in warmer weather. Basically it's a short cross country walk and the rest is a slow trek down a very old, abandoned, unmaintained road through some incredible deer country. For that, I generally carry a pack capable of hauling a deer out in one load, plus meat sacks, etc and a gallon or more of water. 20 pounds, maybe.

Basically I look at what I am going to need for the specific hunt if I am successful. Take that. Try not to take any extra.

15-25. I typically start with 1/2 gallon of water, so that's four pounds right there. Add two sandwiches and snacks for the day, and that's easily another pound. Depending on the weather, I may have a down jacket or rain gear stuffed in their too. Empty pack weighs six pounds (that's including the extra straps I carry to support an elk quarter).

25-35 pounds. But I usually have to carry 4 liters of water minimum...

Sure adds up, doesn't it Greg.

30-40lbs depending on if it is 100+ Degrees or not. Water and optics sure add up quickly!

Indeed, especially with a bunch of heavy optics!

For elk hunting I figure I'm typically carrying 30 lbs sometimes more but that includes the rifle/scope/ammo. I day hike year round with that weight which helps. I've managed to lose about 5lbs recently (very slowly) which should help. Hoping to keep losing some more. In my early 20's I weighed about 155, now its 185. Sure would like to lose more table muscle:)

Right at 21 lbs all up. Pack, sammies and snacks, 2L water, spotter and tripod, puffy jacket, rain gear, kill kit, Therma Rest Z seat, flashlite, knives, TP and very basic first aid. The binos, rangefinder, 4 extra rounds, jerky, batteries, lip balm are separate in an AGC chest pack. About 3 1/2 lbs.

Depends on what I’m doing but standard dry ground AZ I go light as possible,
Hoping to be able to drive to a critter or call on cavalry

10lbs plus Copenhagen?

And I see now this is in the backpacking forum...

Disregard my dumbass answer

More like 25 plus Copenhagen assuming a drop camp and tripod

Around home its probably around 15lbs sometimes less. I always have 2+ liters of water so that adds some. When headed out west it's 25lbs-ish. I went with a light daypack once for elk and the heavy haul out sucked. Since then my pack includes a frame.

Varies. Usually about 12# to 15# pounds. I carry only a liter of water and a filter.

Weighs more, maybe as much as 20#, in the winter.

Does not count rifle or binos.

When I'm loaded, I try to carry less weight to prevent injuries, so about 15 lbs.

Too much!

Really, about 25-30 lbs.

25lbs or more. It includes knives, sharpener, rope, block n tackle, fire starting stuff, clothing for expected wx, 1st aid kit w/meds, saw, food for all day, lg camel back, rangefinder, binos are packed in the dark, calls, ammo, GPS, map, compass (i still carry them) and a Thermorest seat...im probably forgetting something.

Cant believe i used a simple wool backpack with no waist strap in the 80s and it was just fine.

I carry a light bag/bivy and a ccf pad just in case of an unexpected night out (about 2 lbs). A decently warm puffy (and usually puffy pants), along with an active mid-layer and the usual stuff- first aid/fire/headlamp/navigation etc. A pretty complete kill kit. All goes on a hauling frame (Stone Glacier Krux) which in itself weighs 2.5 lbs with a smaller bag (SG Avail stripped of it's frame/waist belt and shoulder straps) that weighs a pound. Often a tripod (2 lbs) and my trekking poles are typically lashed to pack as well (unless I'm bent over w/ a load of elk meat! :)). A liter of water and a filter and about 1.5 lbs of food (a little extra just in case)

Soooo- just a wee bit over 20 lbs, BUT with the Krux frame I can honestly say it feels very light

Without weapon but with 2L of water 19-20 lbs

All up w/ water, optics, rifle...25-35 depending.

Assuming you mean daypack, 22 lbs in elk season, 17-18 lbs when I'm chasing whiteys around home.

Optics is what really jacks up the weight in my pack, especially my relatively light 65mm spotter and the accompanying tripod. I suspect I am around 20-22 pounds all in, without rifle.

I don't carry a lot of stuff that others seem to...first aid kit, hatchet, saw, extra headlamp, extra socks and other cloths, etc. I usually only have one nalgene bottle on me for a day hunt.
If it's warm out I don't carry rain gear or a few other things. If I even sightly know the country I am in, I also forgo my GPS.

I don't know how some people get their pack so relatively light with all the stuff they seem to carry.

Between 20-30 depending on optics/tripod.

Including my little Kowa TN-553 and tripod, and 1.5L of water, around 15lbs.

I do not carry many "ifs", though.

Around 25 going in, about 100 coming out. Eberlestock Mainframe with batwings and butt bucket when bowhunting or scabbard when rifle hunting.

Early seasons in warm weather; About 17 pounds.

Late seasons and cold weather: About 34 pounds.