Bowsite.com

What to take what to leave

About to go on a backpack hunt. Will be long hike in and out. 5-8 days. What is a must bring and what can I live with out. Would love to keep my pack under 50# going in.

Must bring toilet paper and/or wet wipes.

Wet wipes for sure...

An empty widemouth Gatorade bottle!

Extra pair of sox and a small First Aid Kit.

Bring some good clothing. I froze my ass off in the Uintas a few years ago because I wasn't expecting snowy weather. Goat hunt.

Expect the unexpected.

The last thing you need to put in you pack is your first aid kit. So that it is on top, no digging. If you know right were you are going to be, go to google earth an pull up your area. Put your curser on that spot. In the low right hand corner, there will be the long. and lat. numbers. Write them down. Give them to family, so if something does happen. They will have a starting point.

Make sure you have everything you need to change a flat tire. Dont ask me how I know :)

From my BSA days- Compass, map, water or purification tablets, something to start a fire with, space blanket, parachute cord, pocket knife (sharp).

You need everything till you don't and vice versa! Best way to reduce your weight is to spend more money! I dumped a lot of weight through experience like learning I only need one of the smallest butane bottles for my stove, used to take a couple large ones. Replaced my super sweet heavy Knifes of Alaska knife set with lighter Havalon. Sleeping bags and pad was probably my biggest weight saver but have up some comfort in the pad but made up some of it in the bag. I don't carry as much water going in now unless I'm really unsure of availability, have a Steripen now and it's no big shake to refill my nalgene.

For a complete answer the best thing to do is study the gear lists of folks who have “been there,done that” as a starting point. Then tailor your list to your particular hunt.

Most guys carry way too much the first time and learn it the hard way.

Take your wiener dog, for sure.

Extra pair of bootlaces / paracord.

Gather gear lists of those who have gone before you. Pair it down to make it fit your needs. If you don't want to get out of the tent to pee at night, bring a Gatorade bottle. Wet wipes are also a necessity for me on any hunt.

More than one way to start a fire Lighter, Ferro Rod, and birthday candles will help if it is wet to start a fire. DANNY

The amount of clothes is tripping me up.

Clothes are the hardest part.

Short answer is that quality, packable lightweight clothing that can be layered is a must.

Again, the gear lists of others can be a big help in what those specifics look like.

Also remember you don’t need 6 pairs of underwear, 6 pairs of socks, etc., etc....

i went on my first elk hunt last year. met up with some friends at the trail head but we were basically DIY. i had research and had a backpack of items weighing 20+ lbs. water, food for the day, field dressing items, 1st aid kit, etc. about day 4, I ran into some young guys in their late 20s sitting eating lunch at their camp. i got to talking with them, they had been coming to that area with their Dads since they were teenagers. they offered to take me to a small wallow, which i accepted. since i knew i couldnt keep up with them i suggested that i go ahead up the trail and let them catch up with me. they caught up with me about a mile in, carrying nothing but their bows and a water bottles. if it didnt fit in their pockets, they didnt need it because they wasnt more than 3 miles from camp and they could go back and get it if they shot an elk. i thought right then "i'm carrying too much crap".

Clothes are tough to plan for. Since you're going in for 5-8 days you'll need a spare set of socks and probably underwear. No other spares. One pair of pants. One base layer top. Depending on how warm you stay and where you're hunting (high means more layers while low elevation means fewer layers) you need to pick your insulating layers. Fleece is a lightweight insulation layer. Down is better, lighter, and way more expensive. Then, you'll want some kind of raingear - Cabela's Spacerain is a good start.

Clothes are tough to plan for. Since you're going in for 5-8 days you'll need a spare set of socks and probably underwear. No other spares. One pair of pants. One base layer top. Depending on how warm you stay and where you're hunting (high means more layers while low elevation means fewer layers) you need to pick your insulating layers. Fleece is a lightweight insulation layer. Down is better, lighter, and way more expensive. Then, you'll want some kind of raingear - Cabela's Spacerain is a good start.

Register here to reply to this topic