Elk Hunting Gear... Necessity or waste of time?

I'll go against the grain. The only things you NEED are a weapon, a tag, and a knife.

Everything else is a luxury that will make your hunt exponentially more enjoyable, but none of it should keep someone from going hunting.

I think a lot of guys would be blown away at what some locals that don't know any better use for gear (or lack of) to kill a bull every year.

Randy11 said:

I think a lot of guys would be blown away at what some locals that don't know any better use for gear (or lack of) to kill a bull every year.

Click to expand...

I'd agree. For years I hunted with a friend in Missoula who hunts with his gun, his tags, and a belt knife. He slays some nice critters year after year. IMO, on public land, that which sets the successful apart from those with tag soup is mostly driven by lung capacity and toughness.

Me, if I go one hour without water I'm crampin up and on my way back to the truck.

I'm going to assume that this is a backpack hunt.

It's really easy to get caught up in gear, and it becomes the focus of your hunt preparation. Resist this urge. Focus on fitness, nutrition, and attitude. Many people pack out early because they weren't in good enough shape, and on day 3 of a 10 day hunt, they were burnt out. Or, they didn't pay attention to nutrition, and ran out of energy. The most important and hardest to prepare for is the mental part. I don't care how tough, or confident you are, spend a few nights alone in the wilderness and you will learn some things about yourself that you didn't know. It's really easy to talk yourself into packing out early for myriad of different reasons, or not going after that bulging bull. It's easy when you're not seeing animals, to pack up and go home early, instead of moving camp to a new area. You're there to kill elk, so go kill an elk, and if you don't, make sure it's not from lack of effort.

I strongly urge you to go backpacking somewhere away from your vehicle for a night or two. Do it as often as you can. Every outing will teach you more about what you need and don't need on a backpack hunt. I've been backpacking for years and go on 5-10 hunts/scouting trips every year. I learn something about my needs and wants every trip.

God luck and take lots of pictures to share with us.

Randy11 said:

I'll go against the grain. The only things you NEED are a weapon, a tag, and a knife.

Everything else is a luxury that will make your hunt exponentially more enjoyable, but none of it should keep someone from going hunting.

I think a lot of guys would be blown away at what some locals that don't know any better use for gear (or lack of) to kill a bull every year.

Click to expand...

Agreed. Don't overthink shit.

I don't own a gym membership. You can find free workouts on the internet that you can do at home with nothing but a piece of floor.

Buy good boots. That fit. They'll last you for many years unless you get them too close to the fire.

All the rest you can pick up used for a steal if you are patient.

Don't wear cotton.

Get some good binos.

Learn to shoot your rifle.

If you're hunting higher elevations than you are use to:

Chap Stick! You'll thank me later!

One thing that hasn't been said is if you are hunting with a partner wich I highly recomend you can split the weight of a few items that you don't both need to carry. Things like stoves, bone saws, tent and poles, and any other item that you won't need two of in camp. And I say again, break in those boots all the molskin in the world won't help when you have layers of blisters on your feet.

packing in... will have a base camp but don't plan on spending much time there..

Quality Boots are key. Good pack(that has some kind of internal frame) with hydration bladder 3L. GPS with map chip. Best Binos with harness you can afford. Headlight. Radio. Good knife. Game bags. Emergency kit with firestarter, etc...
These are pretty much my essentials. I also bring something to tie down things, electrical tape(just in case), a few extra batteries. I do day hunts and usually hike in before light with my headlamp on and try to get back a minimum of 1.25 - 3.25 miles. I've also started packing a Lifestraw just in case I end up somewhere where I need water and have none left.

My list posted earlier may seem long, but most is very small. What you really need is shelter, food, water, something to hunt with, process the elk, carry the elk meat out. The rest is to cover prudent what-ifs. Examples: good boots that won't cause blisters and will prevent a rolled ankle. You'll step over hundreds of logs, countless slippery rocks and through many wet bogs and a rolled ankle miles from the truck would suck. Blisters on your feet whether because of a rub or being wet and you're screwed. Eye drops, because I got saw dust and the moss growing on a branch from a tree (cutting above my head) in my eye and they were basically matted shut the next morning. Sinus stuff because the dry air at 10k will wreak havoc on your sinuses. I take a mix of MREs and Mtn House because I like the ease of preparing an MRE mid-day while hunting. I don't need to carry a stove to make hot water. Rain gear because it I'll likely rain or snow.

Packs are only so big, the mountains are steep, there is less oxygen. You will want the lightest, least space occupying gear you can get by with. Fortunately most of it is an investment you can use year after year.

RyanLawsonHunter said:

packing in... will have a base camp but don't plan on spending much time there..

Click to expand...

Yep. Boots, boots, boots. Definitely listen to everyone when they say to avoid going overboard with the items in your pack. You'll end up regretting every unnecessary ounce. Thought that doesn't mean to go to the extreme side of packing light. ultimately, the bare essentials mentioned here are what you need, but throw in a few things to keep you comfortable too.