necessary gear for a successful hunt

R

robloft

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I will be going on my first elk hunt this fall. I am in the military and was planning on using some military stuff (rucksack, sleeping bag, etc) and supplementing with stuff I buy. What do you guys think are necessities and some things that you'd like to have but aren't really necessary and what did you think you needed but didn't use at all? I will be rifle hunting and I plan on being able to truck camp and/or backpack in.
 
Most hunters have historically been on the inefficient end of the spectrum in terms of gear for backpacking. As I came up I read a good deal of mountaineering and ultralight backpacking literature far on the opposite end of the bell curve that helped shape a realistic, effective gear strategy for backpack hunting. The only hunting gear I take backpack hunting is a sturdy pack, rifle/ammo, and optics. The rest is made up of the best tools for hanging out in the mountains. It's not without flaws, but there is a ton of good free info at BackpackingLight. Bedrock and Paradox is a great gear/strategy blog with minimum fluff. While his blog is a bit dated, Andy Kirkpatrick is a well traveled alpinist who writes well about the strategies behind gear use: https://andy-kirkpatrick.com/writing/gear.

I gravitate toward information sources where the author has little to gain by supporting specific brands, spends a ton of days outside, and writes in a linear fashion.

Best of luck and have fun!
 
I should add, once you figure out it's all about a strategy for staying dry enough, sleeping well enough, and eating well enough, you can plug in used gear form a forum, some cheap stuff from walmart, and whatever else to make it work without having to shell out a ton of money. The most current gear technology isn't irrelevant, but it's not that important either.
 
A really good pair of boots that are comfortable and water proof. Good quality rain gear that breathes. Staying comfortable and dry will make your hunt more enjoyable.
 
Yep on the good boots. Good synthetic game bags are a must.
Don't listen to Cush..pine cone or a snow ball works great and in a pinch you can sacrifice a shirt pocket��
 
Truck camping you will need very little just basic stuff but as you already know good boots mean every thing and decent clothing if your gonna have any weather. Now back packing is a whole new ballgame. Your gonna need a good light weight shelter and bag. Some type of light stove and fuel. Food,water,snacks for the duration of your hunt. As far as actual hunting gear well most guys way over pack in this area I think. Most hunters these days are gear crazy and think they gotta have the latest and greatest and spend a bunch of cash. I'm guilty also. Oh and most importantly TP or baby wipes.
 
I recently put a gear list together for a (hopefully upcoming) Colorado mule deer hunt and some questions about what I needed to add/change. If you look for the “prepping for Colorado” thread there was some very helpful pointers for me in there.
 
I would rank the "gear" in something like this though depends if a day hike hunt, road hunt, or pack in miles from the trailhead sort of deal.

Boots and socks
Wet wipes
6 hours of deep sleep at night
Hydration
Nutrition
Lighter, jet boil
GPS
Locator beacon
Optics with perhaps a spotting scope in addition to binos
Rifle that can shoot 300 yards and hit a pie plate 5 of 5 times
Box of ammo in case need to reset scope
Sharp knife
Hiking sticks
Clothing, suitable for the elements
Tent
Sleeping bag and pad, suitable for the elements
Backpack
 
LopeHunter said:
I would rank the "gear" in something like this though depends if a day hike hunt, road hunt, or pack in miles from the trailhead sort of deal.

Boots and socks
Wet wipes
6 hours of deep sleep at night
Hydration
Nutrition
Lighter, jet boil
GPS
Locator beacon
Optics with perhaps a spotting scope in addition to binos
Rifle that can shoot 300 yards and hit a pie plate 5 of 5 times
Box of ammo in case need to reset scope
Sharp knife
Hiking sticks
Clothing, suitable for the elements
Tent
Sleeping bag and pad, suitable for the elements
Backpack
Click to expand...

You forgot beer and crocs :W:
 
Call the boot place and ask about thier Military program. Kenetrek went above and beyond, best purchases I made. Also, most military rucksacks aren’t the best choice after using ones specific to hunting. I bought an EXO mountain, call Steve and he will square you away on sizing and price.
 
SnowyMountaineer said:
I should add, once you figure out it's all about a strategy for staying dry enough, sleeping well enough, and eating well enough, you can plug in used gear form a forum, some cheap stuff from walmart, and whatever else to make it work without having to shell out a ton of money. The most current gear technology isn't irrelevant, but it's not that important either.
Click to expand...

Lot of truth in this here post.
 
Read SnowyMountaineers posts several times and then do what he says. It’s really easy to grossly overthink shit. You need to eat, sleep, drink, stay dry and warm, find animal, shoot it, pack it out.

Im not an ounce counter, but I also strive to maintain a balance between comfort and efficiency.
 
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