Hunting & Fishing Elk Hunting Gear Help

bmicek

bmicek

Gunny Sergeant
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Aug 23, 2017
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#1
Planning an elk hunting trip in the future with a couple friends. We all three are whitetail hunters so don’t necessarily have the proper gear at the moment. My main concern was clothing and pack size.

For clothing, comfort is a big deal but where do you draw the line on what’s good enough? I know kuiu is popular, but not cheap also. Is it important to splurge on a top tier brand like kuiu or are there cheaper alternatives to look into?

Pack size: we will likely hike in off a trail and set up a small base camp and hunt from there. Likely be a 3-5 day hunting trip. We thought a 3000 size pack would be sufficient. Would this be underkill? Overkill?
 
#4
I use a bunch of military surplus clothing for hunting. Durable and if you can find it on sale on egay or ...

You need to stay warm and dry regardless. Gloves I like lightweight, insulated, and waterproof, although I use military wool liners and have a couple old sets of shooting mittens.

I would get a bigger pack than I thought I needed... you don't have to fill it up. A build in Shelf to tie and support an elk quarter is a bonus.

I bought a bullpacs frame specifically for packing elk quarters and it jinxed me on elk, although it has packed a deer or two.
bullpacs.com

Bull Pac - Bullpacs

BULL PAC - Standard Width Regular Width - Comfortable for anyone up to a 50” chest. The Toughest, Most Durable Frame Available The Most Comfortable Suspension Available Powder Coat Finish Olive Drab Matte 14.5” Wide X 26” High, w/ 8” Rigid, Integral Cargo Shelf Buy 2 frames and get shipping for...
bullpacs.com bullpacs.com

Good luck with your hunt.
 
#5
Really depends on where you are going and the time of the year. It was 37 degrees and raining today in the valley and snowing in the mountains. So I would want a pile of layers for today. I have shot elk in jeans and a long sleeve camo shirt and also in full winter gear as it was 15 degrees in the morning. Location is a big deal as temps will differ. Layers are essential as well as something that you are comfortable hiking in. I have spotted elk in some places and just said No as I don’t want to pack them out of there. I have seen elk miles away that we go after as well as stuff close to road. Find decent gear that you are comfortable in. Rifle hunting you don’t need to be concerned about blending in perfectly as sometimes you are glassing meadows and you are in a thicket for coverage. Archery is a totally different deal.
 
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#7
Be In the best physical shape you can is more important than any gear. I have seen so many guys fold up shop day 2 of a hunt.
I have always liked wool; pants, shirt, outer and under layers. Heavy but it worked for me for decades.
 
#8
Congrats on your elk hunt, first have a great time and enjoy. The first is always the toughest IMO but you learn a lot.

Where you hunt and time of year will dictate a lot of gear choices, archery vs rifle.

For pack size, I am of the opinion the biggest you feel comfortable packing cuz elk even quartered out are big SOBs.

As for the pack, it's gotta fit your back/torso/lumbar etc 100%, there's nothing worse than a pack that doesn't fit worth a shit and you got haul gear.

For clothing, base layers in wool are best IMO, they just WORK! Yeah lots of synthetics blah blah blah, wool handles temperatures/BO/wetness better than any other material.

For outer wear, KUIU/Sitka/Kryptex/Scree are top tier stuff.

Look at Beyond Clothing on fleeBay as well.

I have had mixed results with Cabelas and BPS; the better clothing came when they were separately owned.

Last bit of advice, boots. Whatever you decide break them in well and carry a full pack around laced up to get a feel on foot support.

Good luck!
 
#9
I’ve hunted a little bit, still getting gear together for a backpack rifle hunt. Rifle elk season weather conditions can be drastically different year to year and if you‘re not lucky day to day. Montana is different than New Mexico. Don’t buy crappy stuff, have a layering system based on weather forecast. Kuiu is great but won’t make animals flock to you

I have Kuiu, EXO, and HMG packs. All good packs for the most part, wouldn’t hunt with the HMG but it’s the best UL backpacking pack and biggest volume I own. My first hunt in MT with a MTN Hardware daypack fucked up my back and hips for 6 months, and that was just from carrying spotter and lunch from the truck each day

Tents are generally heavy or too flimsy for winter use, look at Ultralight pyramid style tents and titanium stoves and ZERO degree rated bags. I haven’t used my HMG pyramid in the snow, but it is bombproof and light, and fucking expensive for a tent. Good insulated pad is also a must.

Boots may be the most important component, don’t cheap out.

Cooking systems and food can weigh a ton, at least you can share with your group and save some redundancy.

Ive been backpacking and hunting for years, still haven’t had the guts to combine the 2 hobbies for rifle season elk, was tempted last year to overnight because it was sooooo dry and hot and therefor not life threatening but that’s impossible to plan for a year in advance in your case.

Search for Andrew Skurka writeup on his first backpack elk hunting trips, he’s literally walked across multiple continents and got his ass handed to him trying for elk in Colorado.

Bottom line, an outfitter is cheaper than the gear you will need
 
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#11
Get a larger than anticipated pack. You can always cinch it down, but the extra space is handy.

Bring rain layers .. expect sleet and snow.

If spike camping, get plenty of freeze dried meals. They're light and easy to pack. You will need a water filtration system - usually plenty of water available on the mountain so no need to carry gallons with you.

Boots - get the absolute best you can afford. Crispi, Schnee, Lowa, Saloman are all my preferences. I would bring two pairs in case you blow one out or they get soaked. Also, a fresh pair of socks for each day goes a lonnnng way.

Layers .. if you're moving, consider buying lots of layers. Kuiu, First Lite are my preference. Sitka is okay too.

Binos and tripod .. you will spend lots of time glassing. Best invest here.

Camping .. the key is to have a good sleeping bag. If you're not sleeping well, your day will suck.

Nice to have: LRF (assuming you are shooting beyond 3 hundo), Walking Sticks, Gators, GPS, Solar charger like a GoalZero, Anker batt packs, spoon, fork (I do everything w/ a knife), small camp stool or padded seat for when glassing, elk calls (needs practice, but you can be just as successful spot and stalking).

This is about 16 years of experience for me, and a collective 60 years between my family in the shittiest parts that Colorado has to offer for archery and rifle. You will undoubtedly spend a metric truck load of cash to live like a homeless man for 10 days, but it's always worth it :)
 
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#12
Appreciate the help everyone! Currently have a Razor HD spotter and plan to pick up 8x Meopta Meostar Bino’s prior to the trip as well. Would prefer to bow hunt but will see what the other two hunters in our group plan to do. Will be hunting Wyoming to start but plan to start venturing out other places as well.
 
#13
I think @isofahunter has given some real info in his first line. Case in point I brought a friend from Texas out west to elk hunt on the first morning he almost died climbing straight up our little Hill for 2 hours he was white as a sheet of paper, I had told him previously to get in shape he failed this almost ruined his hunt being in shape can make up for a lot , you don't have to be a designer Hunter wearing the latest cool fashions I have a friend who hunted elk in Idaho for 40 years he has 15 bulls 6 by 6 or better, five cows , and the balance spikes and rag horns he was not a Trophy Hunter he was feeding his family he's now retired not hunting much at all but he was full of great information one of the things he said was thermal underwear blue jeans ,good boots , and a plaid shirt with a heavy wool jacket accounted for 95% of all his elk, no designer fashion there he's 84 years old now and whenever you talk about elk you can see his eyes light up he was a lumberjack he worked hard he hunted hard something people have forgotten in this day and age of modern conveniences.Just my opinion worth what you paid.Good glass, good boots, and the ability to pack in and out if sucessful.Remember the best spot to shoot an elk is close to a road.: ) Happy hunting I have some elk check lists I use if you want them let me know.
 
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#14
This last hunt I did in Montana I thought my boots would make it through “one last trip” but they blew out on day 1. Learn from me and make sure your boots are broken in but not on their last leg or you’ll be Leuko-taping the hell out of your feet the whole time because obviously you’re not going to leave. For clothing I have first lite, Sitka and some generic stuff. It’s all great when the weather is mild but when it sucks you want the best you can afford. Besides the aforementioned companies, check out Stone Glacier and Seek Outside.

As others have alluded to, elk hunting has nothing to do with the latest fashion camo and trends but more to do with a no-quit attitude and hard work, in my opinion. Nice gear will help keep your morale up when it is sucking but is no substitute for going for it and getting the experience from doing it.

Get a bigger pack than a 3000 or something that you can be modular with- like the Kifaru Stryker(there are many other options). That way you can throw your base camp stuff in a dry bag attached to the meat shelf. A 3000 will be fine if you have the option to strap quarters to a load shelf. I’ve been running an old Mystery Ranch that I got while I was in the army for years and it’s perfectly adequate. Try rokslide out for used gear.

I’ll be looking forward to hearing about your hunts! Good luck!
 
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#15
bmicek said:
Appreciate the help everyone! Currently have a Razor HD spotter and plan to pick up 8x Meopta Meostar Bino’s prior to the trip as well. Would prefer to bow hunt but will see what the other two hunters in our group plan to do. Will be hunting Wyoming to start but plan to start venturing out other places as well.
Click to expand...
That sounds good. If the country you're hunting is quite open, you should 100% have a tripod to attach your binoculars to. Do you already have one? Additionally it'd be nice to get a binocular pack that straps to your chest for easy access to them.
 
#16
NateVA said:
That sounds good. If the country you're hunting is quite open, you should 100% have a tripod to attach your binoculars to. Do you already have one? Additionally it'd be nice to get a binocular pack that straps to your chest for easy access to them.
Click to expand...

I have an overly large tripod for my spotter so my plan is to pick up a good quality aluminum or carbon fiber tripod before the trip.
 
#17
Chesapeake said:
This last hunt I did in Montana I thought my boots would make it through “one last trip” but they blew out on day 1. Learn from me and make sure your boots are broken in but not on their last leg or you’ll be Leuko-taping the hell out of your feet the whole time because obviously you’re not going to leave. For clothing I have first lite, Sitka and some generic stuff. It’s all great when the weather is mild but when it sucks you want the best you can afford. Besides the aforementioned companies, check out Stone Glacier and Seek Outside.

As others have alluded to, elk hunting has nothing to do with the latest fashion camo and trends but more to do with a no-quit attitude and hard work, in my opinion. Nice gear will help keep your morale up when it is sucking but is no substitute for going for it and getting the experience from doing it.

Get a bigger pack than a 3000 or something that you can be modular with- like the Kifaru Stryker(there are many other options). That way you can throw your base camp stuff in a dry bag attached to the meat shelf. A 3000 will be fine if you have the option to strap quarters to a load shelf. I’ve been running an old Mystery Ranch that I got while I was in the army for years and it’s perfectly adequate. Try rokslide out for used gear.

I’ll be looking forward to hearing about your hunts! Good luck!
Click to expand...
I appreciate the tips! Makes a lot of sense. I recently purchased a Mystery Ranch Metcalf which is a little over 4300ci and has a removable lid so I think that will treat me well for now.
 
#19
Another point what ever you take with you, spend 6 months using it at home and afield. New things are of 0 use in the mountains. Take your fancy Ti camp stove and new hunting clothes outside in a rain storm and boil water in your driveway. On the coldest day of the year do the same. See how it all works in those conditions, if you are going to build a fire practice that in your clothes and in shit conditions. It is amazing how fast HiTech catches on fire and melts.
Wear that pack (loaded) and boots all day and see where it rubs you wrong and fix it at home not at 9k feet in -20. I believe in the KISS principle and use your kit all the time so you know what is going to happen when you strike that match or pull that knife.

Since you are going to WY get Bear Aware especially if you are in NW quad of the state.

Get Tough or Die, there is no quarter given in the mountains.
 
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#20
Oh and I'd recommend getting some trekking poles. They're not that expensive in the grand scheme of things but they'll be a huge quality of life boost especially if you have to pack out an animal.
 
#21
Just returned from Wyoming mule deer hunt - NE Wyoming. You need room in your pack to carry out your gear, the rack/head, and meat. Good binos are important - with a group of 5 it was easy to see the value of good optics vs weak optic quality. I am retired Army - I used my Army clothing systems to good effect. I also like the Outdoors Research CIRQUE pants (off eBay used but like new). Used Saloman boots - one lightweight goretex and one insulated goretex depending on conditions. In the past, these trips were cold, wet, snowy - this year was in the 80s! Be prepared for dramatic weather swings. In this area - you may have a 50 yard or 500 yard shot so your rifle/cartridge/scope combo needs that flexibility.
 
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#23
My two cents as a on the move hunter who walked miles of mountains and thick timber and deep swamp and in knee deep snow- anything ya don’t absolutely need leave in the truck or camp.
gear you absolutely need keep simple- rifle of appropriate caliber or bow that you shoot well , good boots sharp knife , snacks water serious fist aid kit, not$9 wal mart bandaids and gauze. Fire starter Map/gps/compass. And most importantly as good a physical condition as you can be. More hunts ruined by fatigue/ leg cramps/ blisters/ out of breath than gear failure. If it’s cold wear layers, wet wear rain gear , hot than lighter weight stuff.

and my last and best advice - hire a mule skinner to pack the elk out-if your in elk country there is folks around who offer the service- last elk I packed out was a killer and we hadn’t been out of the Corps that long and were in stud shape, hills and deep snow and loose rock , mud made it horrible . Last trip out another guy was parked by our truck- he was wondering if we wanted the card for elk packing/ mule service- about 15 miles away, cost was very reasonable and would have been split 3 ways. Funny how that shit works.
 
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#24
bmicek said:
Planning an elk hunting trip in the future with a couple friends. We all three are whitetail hunters so don’t necessarily have the proper gear at the moment. My main concern was clothing and pack size.

For clothing, comfort is a big deal but where do you draw the line on what’s good enough? I know kuiu is popular, but not cheap also. Is it important to splurge on a top tier brand like kuiu or are there cheaper alternatives to look into?

Pack size: we will likely hike in off a trail and set up a small base camp and hunt from there. Likely be a 3-5 day hunting trip. We thought a 3000 size pack would be sufficient. Would this be underkill? Overkill?
Click to expand...
Clothing is importaint. But depending on the terrain amd type of hunt. A pack is just as importaint if not more. I run kings cammo from sportsmans ware house. Good enougb for single digit mornings. Layered of course. I spent my money on qiluality boots. Kennetrek is my preference. And the rest went for a kifaru pack. Best money i spent hands down. 7 miles from the truck. Up and down steep terrain. The boots and pack. Were worth every penny. Packing out a bull every thing gets heavy. The clothing of course keeps you warm and dry but if you have cheep boots or a shitty pack. Youll be miserable
 
#25
OG10 said:
I think @isofahunter has given some real info in his first line. Case in point I brought a friend from Texas out west to elk hunt on the first morning he almost died climbing straight up our little Hill for 2 hours he was white as a sheet of paper,
Click to expand...


haha TX'ns just sit in a blind to kill deer at a feeder 25-50 yds away. They arent used to hunting
 
#26
Good info. High quality boots - Kennetrek or Crispi level. and a high quality pack - Mystery Ranch level.
Depending on how you plan to hunt the rest is variable. Are you hunting with your camp on your back? Then every ounce matters. Are you going back to a base camp next to your truck or motel every night? Then common camping equipment will suffice.
The high end clothing - sitka, First lite, etc is worth every penny.

Remember ounces = pounds and pounds = pain.
 
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#27
Spend your $$ on great boots (that fit), good rain gear, and a great pack.

The rest you can make do with "ok" stuff.

Boots: Hanwag, L&S, Crispi, Lowa, Zamberlan are all good. Get what fits.
Pack: Stone Glacier, EXO, Kuiu, MR, Kifaru are all good.
Rain Gear: Kuiu, Sitka, First Lite (or what of the mountaineering brands i.e Arcteryx, OR, etc.). I use Kuiu and it has been great.
 
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#28
Feel free to shoot me a PM, I live in Montana and do all sorts of hunting out here. I do everything from spot and stalk to tree stand hunting. Biggest thing you can do is have some good boots that are well broken in. If you’re lucky enough to need to pack out then a high quality backpack will do wonders as well.
 
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#29
I agree with big ern here. Good boots and a great pack as well. I’ve used the kuiu packs and while they were okay I’ve switched to exo and it was a HUGE difference when packing game. Heavy load was still comfortable. And the load shelf is amazing. Optics are the third thing to spend what you can on. Most everything else you can survive with less. I also use lots of wool clothing but you don’t always have to have the best brands out there. Check out Sierra trading post and you can get some great deals on quality equipment.
 
#30
I would not spend a bunch on clothing (unless all you have is cotton stuff), that or if you simple don't have clothing for the weather you expect to encounter.

Good boots and a good pack are where I would put money. Seeing as you don't know, I would go with a pack that is bigger than you need. Exo and Seek Outside both make great packs, with both, other than a few ounces of material, the big packs cinch down and work great as day packs. Kifaru and Stone Glacier also make good packs, I just don't have any experience with them.

Hot tents are awesome, but not cheap. I own a Seek Outside Silvertip and a Redcliff and have no desire to go back to floored shelters.
 
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#31
I’m still a rookie elk hunter but have been twice to Colorado now. Is all the fancy clothing necessary? Absolutely not. BUT you will be much more comfortable.
My first trip, I had Walmart camo, thermals and jackets. It worked but I felt like the Michelin man. 5 years later and a bunch of kuiu stuff, I was much more comfortable in even worse conditions than the first trip.
Like many others have said, good boots and a good pack can make or break you. IMO those are the top two things to look at. If you plan to elk hunt more in the future, you might as well buy some of the “high performance” clothing of your preferred brand. Just watch for sales or buy used stuff the gear junkies buy to only wear for one hunt and then sell. I like those guys. You can normally get decent deals on good stuff lol
 
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