Bowsite.com

Not sure yet where/when my hunt will be but probably either CO or Montana, slight possibility for NM.

Most likely wall tent type camp style and hunt from that with possibly over night stays away from camp...

I don't even know what type of temps to expect... We would be looking for mid september...

Thanks so much

I used to be able to search out past threads - now, since the change, I have no idea how that is done.

thanks man

As far as temps are concerned, be prepared for anything ole Mom Nature can throw at you. I've experienced the high 80's, single digits, and everything in-between. I've seen it as dry as the Proverbial popcorn fart, and I've also seen 18" of snow up high and 12" down low. If you have a choice at all, leave the cotton stuff at home! Not only is cotton uncomfortable when it gets wet, it can be dangerous when winter weather hits without warning and you're miles from camp.

You can customize as needed, but think about how you will survive a night out with a bad wound or injury, after an unexpected hailstorm drops the temps 40 degrees. Or how you will help another hunter survive a similar situation.

Water Bladder, 80-oz 4 Elk Bags- Wyoming Pack Saw-

Orange flagging tape- Food for all day- Back up energy bars 5- Space Blanket-A Good One! Large plastic garbage bag- can be used for many things including a shelter or work surface!

1 25' & 2 50' 1/4" nylon rope- Paracord

Water Purifier Carbon Straw - 1-oz

Roll of Athletic tape-Emergency Use Celox, Stops Severe Bleeding

Ziplock bag of matches,lighter,fish hooks,flies,20' fishing line,small packet magnesium flakes-

Knife & carbide sharpener- small leatherman- mini mag & petzel headlamp flashlights- 4-extra AA batteries, fits all my units- Garmin GPS 655T- Compass & maps-

small notebook & pen in ziplock bag- 6-rounds .357 spare bullets- Eye glasses- Baggie with aspirin, benadryl for bee stings, vicadin for bad muscle/leg pulls-

Digital camera - Nikon Cool Pix

ElkNut1

there is a lot here i didnt consider...

thanks so much ben

I'm not an expert. There are a lot of guys who have this gear gig dialed in to the infinite detail. A lot of what I use I got from folks I've elk hunted with over the last 25 years, with Bowsite being a good place to get more info. A lot of this is personal preference and hunting style. A lot of it applies to both archery and rifle hunts.

The link above was the first "bag dump" video we did, that ended up with so many questions that we did follow up videos on 1) additional gear based on questions from the original video 2) what we use to stay warm, 3) and footwear.

I'm interested to read what other folks are using that might allow me to tweak my "gear bag" in future hunts.

Right now its in a state of flux as I was changing a few things, but it still works, and can provide a good staring point for someone.

I got this initial idea off of someone on bowsite several years ago.

PM me with your email if you want a copy of it - wish I could attach it to this post, but it appears that we cant do that.

Gives me a reasonable wt for hiking and I don't carry a bunch of unnecessary crap. Hunters tend to bring way more crap than they need compared with recreational backpackers.

45 lbs including the pack without any of your hunting stuff or rain gear/jacket is totally realistic.

Doing it this way will save you lots of dough for this year! Carry in your pack the needed items mentioned above for day hunts & you will be well equipped for about anything & only have 17#-19# packs, that includes the weight of the pack. The extra two # is if I add light weight rain gear if it looks like I may need it for the day, I do not carry it everyday.

We have hunted from a base camp like this for many years with lots of success. We do not walk out of our base camp to hunt, we drive to different areas we've located before hand on topo maps or by taking a day driving around to look country over & choose areas to hunt that few if any hunters would start their hunts from. We stay away from trails & the such where hunters congregate. This in itself separates us from most hunting pressure.

This would be a doable & reasonable approach for a first time elk hunter. Bivy hunting may have a bit of glamour to it but it's not needed to successfully hunt elk! Good Luck!

ElkNut1

Things I Do carry and hope not to need is my Anti bee injection kit, blood clotting powder and a surplus Army combat bandage.. Cuts are a real potential and bees are thick in many areas.

Also.. a teent tiny little device especially handy on solo trips is a Clip-Shot.

Email have been sent to those who PM'ed me. Hope you enjoy the spreadsheet.

Also, I think that 35# or less should be do-able (without hunting weapon and water) for a 5 day trip without too much light-weighted-ness. My normal 5 day pack weight w/o water and bow is around 33# .

When I first started thinking about going the bivy route I read everything I could. and the overwhelming consensus is you dont need everything you think you do. When I created the pack list I could see my anticipated weight and contents, and you can really ask yourself "Do I need that" and it helps you make some smart decisions on what should you upgrade to go lite, and what to avoid.

If I'm out all day in really unsettled weather, when afternoon hailstorms are possible, I'll accept an extra pound and carry a Kifaru Paratarp in the daypack. It's a real two-man shelter that weighs basically nothing, can be quickly set up with a trekking pole or a couple sticks. Then if something goes really haywire and I'm out all night in bad conditions, I'll manage fine.

Ever set your pack down and get busy before getting back to it?

If its a short, quick trip, I grab my fanny pack that has the necessary minimalist items. When I go for bigger day hunts, I grab my Superday that also has my fanny pack inside it.

I do know that if you have room in a pack, you will put stuff you 'think' you'll need.

From experience, I do know that a half empty pack weighs a lot less than a 'what if' full pack.

How about this first timer photo. A friend from Cleveland in about 1990 in NW Montana.

ElkNut1

Cnelk, I go back and forth over which weighs more, a half-empty pack or one half-full. Still looking for that happy medium. :)

Aside from what is in a pack, the most important thing is what's between the ears. We used to head out of elk camp with a knife, flashlight, TP, flag tape, couple candy bars and a small bottle of water. That was back when we were young, invincible, and borderline stupid. Fortunately life's lessons let us all survive and learn. Others aren't so lucky.

For backpack hunting I would suggest doing a spring trip at home when it gets around freezing at night. Good way to refine a list and see what gear changes you want.

A few days experience is really valuable. My dad use to say that experience is really important knowledge that we usually gain a split second after it would have been really helpful.

Good game bags, knives (yes, more than 1) paracord, a tarp to lay meat on while boning, and pepper or citric acid to keep flies and bees of your meat. Last but not least, a sturdy pack that can handle a good load of meat on the first trip out.

You're not just out for a hike - be prepared to kill something! Elk are not at all like a whitetail when you put one on the ground.

Actually... haha I wasn't on the hunt that time. Him and a partner pitched their tent I what turned out to be a dried up sort of creek bed. They lasted 3 days.

But this guy actually turned out to be a pretty good outdoorsman. He lives in Bozeman now.

Ben