Hunting Gear

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concordprof

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I have only been a member of the board for a couple of days, but I am obsessed with all of the information that is available here. Great website and community.

A friend and I are doing an outfitter hunt in southwestern Montana during the 3rd rifle season in 2019. I don’t want this to be a once in a lifetime hunt, but it will be once in a long time due to our work/family schedules.

After reading and watching numerous videos, I would like input on the gear I will need/want for this hunt. So, if you were packing for a hunt in mid-November in MT, what gear would you choose/purchase? I am basically a treestand whitetail deer hunter in southern WV, so my gear is geared toward that style of hunting.

Backpack (just need a good day pack)?
Socks?
Boots?
Baselayers (I have minus 33 merino wool already)
Pants (I have Sitka Stratus pants)
Jacket
Gloves/Mittens
Any other essentials?

I’m not married to any brand/camo pattern. I’ve been purchasing Sitka gear just because of the Leoadventures discount.
 
Southwest CO? MT doesn't have multiple seasons for elk.

Regardless,
Warm clothes, anything you uses for whitetail will be fine as you will be hiking lots so will actually stay warmer even if it's significantly colder.
Boots, you want good boots. You can get away with more if your going to be using horses rather than walking the entire time. Just make sure they are broken in and something you can do a lot of hiking in, don't try to hike in a muck style boots, you can get by with a decent hiking boot.
If you are going outfitted they will be dealing with any animal you kill for you so a day pack is fine.
Don't bring cotton, period. (People think this just means no tee and sweat shirts, but IMHO socks and underwear are a bigger issue.

Get in shape.
 
3rd weekend of rifle in SW MT can be a crap shoot for weather. This year is was unseasonably warm as was 2016. 2017 it was around 0 degrees. I wouldn't worry about camo because you'll likely be wearing orange and brown pants work just fine. Spend your money on boots. There are 800 different brands so you're going to have to try some on and decide what you want and if you need insulation. After multiple attempts the only real brand I loathe is Danner and none of their boots have lasted more than a season for me. You very likely have a Cabela's nearby so Meindl might be your best option especially when it comes to swapping out for sizing. I'm a fan of their Denali boot and have destroyed 2 pairs now. I've also had decent luck with Zamberlan however I don't feel they fit my feet as well as the Meindl.

Socks are personal preference too however most agree that merino wool is where you start.

Watch Camofire for Mystery Ranch packs...they've had some decent deals...buy a bigger pack than a daypack especially if you're carrying extra layers.
 
I'd still use your Leo adventures discount and stick with Sitka. I've never gone white-tail hunting, so I don't know what pieces from that you can use on your western hunt. I would be wearing insulated boots, merino socks, merino bottoms baselayer, sitka Timberline pants, sitka merino baselayer, sitka core heavy weight hoody, kifaru LPP, sitka jetstream jacket, and rain gear. I'd also bring a windstopping insulated gloves and a WARM beanie.

Most outfitters have gear/clothes lists that they give to their clients. I'd call or check their website for it. If they have horses you might not need a heavy duty pack, as they might haul out the meat for you. Good luck!
 
I was on a mulie hunt this year in mid-November. The weather was awful, but its not always like that. And the previous week I helped a friend pack out an elk in 10" of snow and temperatures around -15 (after the sun set). I shot a cow elk around the same time a couple years ago and was stripping down to my skivies while boning her out.

That said, one thing that can make you have a really bad time in a hurry is foot gear. Whatever brand of boot you go with make for darn sure they fit right, and you've done some significant hiking in them before the hunt. Wear wool socks and get a good pair of snow gaiters. You might need them, might not, but if the need arises you will regret it if you don't have them.

As far as clothing "systems" go, you can litteraly spend thousands. My opinion is thats not necessary. I have a merino wool base layer, some army surplus pants, a lined pair for really cold days. For layers, a sweatshirt, a lightweight polyester running jacket, and an Arctic Shield parka does pretty good for whatever I run into.

Mitts are warmer than gloves. I have a pair of Gordini ski mitts for when its really cold. Aside from that, standard Wal-Mart glo-mitts are actually not bad down to about 20 or so.

But yeah, I imagine your outfitter would tell you the best stuff to bring. And he'll probably have arrangements for most packing in and out.
 
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Mthuntr said:
3rd weekend of rifle in SW MT can be a crap shoot for weather. This year is was unseasonably warm as was 2016. 2017 it was around 0 degrees. I wouldn't worry about camo because you'll likely be wearing orange and brown pants work just fine. Spend your money on boots. There are 800 different brands so you're going to have to try some on and decide what you want and if you need insulation. After multiple attempts the only real brand I loathe is Danner and none of their boots have lasted more than a season for me. You very likely have a Cabela's nearby so Meindl might be your best option especially when it comes to swapping out for sizing. I'm a fan of their Denali boot and have destroyed 2 pairs now. I've also had decent luck with Zamberlan however I don't feel they fit my feet as well as the Meindl.

Socks are personal preference too however most agree that merino wool is where you start.

Watch Camofire for Mystery Ranch packs...they've had some decent deals...buy a bigger pack than a daypack especially if you're carrying extra layers.
Click to expand...


Boots are what concern me the most. As long as I'm moving, I'm fine. Unlike Randy, my feet do get cold easily. I am thinking a 400 gram to give me both a lightweight boot and something with a little insulation.

On Camofire, what are the prices for for the MR packs? They seem like a pretty popular choice around here. This pack will be my carryon bag for airline, so size is somewhat limited.
 
They do take care of hauling the meat out. So my pack will just need to be big enough to keep my extra clothes, snacks, ammo, etc.

I currently have the Stratus pants. Those may be similar to the Jetstream pants. I also have the midweight zip t, Fanatic hoody, fanatic vest, fanatic jacket from their whitetail line. The fanatic jacket is heavy and bulky made for treestand hunting. When doing much walking, it would have to stay in the pack.

Could the Jetstream jacket serve as rain gear if needed?
 
Brian in Montana said:
I was on a mulie hunt this year in mid-November. The weather was awful, but its not always like that. And the previous week I helped a friend pack out an elk in 10" of snow and temperatures around -15 (after the sun set). I shot a cow elk around the same time a couple years ago and was stripping down to my skivies while boning her out.

That said, one thing that can make you have a really bad time in a hurry is foot gear. Whatever brand of boot you go with make for darn sure they fit right, and you've done some significant hiking in them before the hunt. Wear wool socks and get a good pair of snow gaiters. You might need them, might not, but if the need arises you will regret it if you don't have them.

As far as clothing "systems" go, you can litteraly spend thousands. My opinion is thats not necessary. I have a merino wool base layer, some army surplus pants, a lined pair for really cold days. For layers, a sweatshirt, a lightweight polyester running jacket, and an Arctic Shield parka does pretty good for whatever I run into.

Mitts are warmer than gloves. I have a pair of Gordini ski mitts for when its really cold. Aside from that, standard Wal-Mart glo-mitts are actually not bad down to about 20 or so.

But yeah, I imagine your outfitter would tell you the best stuff to bring. And he'll probably have arrangements for most packing in and out.
Click to expand...

Snow Gaiters are definitely on my list.

And I am leaning toward a ski style (waterproof) mitten. They are inexpensive on Amazon.
 
You should have an excellent hunt! Hoping to see your photos & hunt report here next fall. :)

Do you know if it's a high-country/pack-in type hunt? Or hunting on a ranch, which often means staying in a house/heated building overnight? Often the ranch hunts, getting around will be in a 4x4 pickup or Suburban. They can be two very different type of hunts! Like, how good a sleeping bag do you need? Or do you need one at all?

You're asking good questions. Hope you're also keying in on the need for good binoculars. Outfitter will probably have a decent spotting scope, but a good pair of binos for you can be very important. I spend a lot of time glassing on my hunts.

Kind of refreshing to see questions like these rather than which cartridge & bullet to choose.

Be prepared for rapidly changing weather, from bitter cold, to surprising warmth, and maybe even driving rain. I think you're already onto a decent system. Good Gore-Tex type parka & pants, over a mid-weight insulating layer, and of course good wicking long-johns. Socks & boots are important. They've just got to be comfortable, and I like something sturdy enough for side-hill hiking. These days I probably go with lighter, more flexible boots than many here, but in the past I've worn boots that were pretty close to mountaineering boots for the support.

Best of luck on your hunt!

Guy
 
It is a ranch style hunt. According to the outfitter transportation is by ATV.

I am currently looking at 10x42 binoculars. Just purchased a 4x12x50 Vortex scope for my 300 win mag.

I have been researching ballistics of different ammo, but I am still looking into that.

How about camo? Can I get away with solid down jacket (ie Eddie Bauer, Columbia, etc.) while glassing? These tend to run a little cheaper than branded camo ones.

Would the Jetstream cover all bases? Wind, Rain, warmth?
 
Yes, you can get away with a solid down jacket. The Jetstream Jacket, they don't make a Jetstream Pant, is windproof and water resistant. It is not waterproof. It is fleece lined, so some warmth.
 
concordprof said:
It is a ranch style hunt. According to the outfitter transportation is by ATV.
Click to expand...

Honestly you could probably get by with a hoodie, jeans, and tennis shoes. I wouldn't hesitate to hunt in carhartts and a solid down jacket.

Not trying to knock the experience, my in-laws own a ranch and I have done quite a bit of hunting there, but when I do I don't even bother bringing camo or my typical hunting gear, just a knife, rifle, and binos.

I love my jetstream jacket, get that in open country and bring layers to go underneath, i.e. a down jacket. The DWR on the jetstream is pretty good, it will keep you dry in a really wet snow storm or in a light drizzling rain. Definitely not the jacket for summer showers or the pacific northwest. The jacket has an athletic fit, I'm 6' 150lb and wear a medium.

Other good options,

Firstlite Catalyst
Kuiu Guide Jacket
Outdoor Research Obsidian
 
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Thanks to everyone for the feedback. Now it's time to start price shopping to find the best deals.
 
Lots of good advice so far. Definitely ditch anything cotton. Sounds like you have a good start with the clothing you have. If you don't have smartwool socks or similar, treat yourself. I think the Fanatic jacket is a little big if you will be doing lots of hiking. The Jetstream jacket is probably my favorite piece from Sitka along with their timberline pants. The Jetstream is not waterproof so if you want rain gear, that will be an add on. Frankly, for as much as I've needed rain gear, I would go with something packable from Cabelas.
Good advice on the Meindel boots. They are way better than Danner in my opinion but still priced somewhat reasonable. A day pack should suffice for what you are doing. I would include a gps and compass to your kit. My one and only guided hunt I was glad to have my gps as my guide forgot his and got us turned around.
I know you said this will be once in a long time thing, but I suspect that will change once you get out there, so now would be a good time to be strategic in your gear purchases if you think you would ever want to go DIY. If so, I would do more research on boots and packs as well as rounding out your clothing. There are myriad thread here on those items.
 
Boots are going to be your #1 item. I own Kenetreks and Danner. The Kenetreks are a great boot for side hilling and all around mountain boot. Understand that when they say it may take 50-70 miles to break them in, this is a low estimate.

I use the Danner Vital for my standard walking boot. Easy to break in and comfortable. If cost is your fear, spend 190 on the danners and you will not regret it. If you have a spare450 go for the Keneterek Mountain Extremes and start breaking them in this weekend!
 
Thanks again to those who took the time to offer feedback. Seems the consensus is the Jetstream and Timberline are pretty reliable pieces for western big game hunting.

The boots are a concern. While the Kenetrek are on my list, with other stuff getting purchased $450 is probably not in the budget. I am actually considering the Danner Vital 800 grams. Just trying to find a place around here that stocks them so I can try a pair on.
 
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