What to take elk hunting?

[TrophyHusband 0]

Jeanne, this is mostly for you, but I thought there might be some other big game hunters that could give some input. nWhere I hunt is steep, rocky, rough terrain. The last couple of years I’ve been killing myself going up and down the hills so this year I’m trying to reduce the amount of weight I carry. I’ve started by getting some lightweight pants instead of wearing my heavy insulated bibs, and that should be a big help. Now I want to pare down the other things I carry with me. There may be some things that I can find lighter replacements for, but that will have to wait another year. I hunt alone and could be up to six miles away from my truck, so most likely I will have to bone out the elk and get it all hung in a tree and ready to pack out before going back to the truck to get my pack frame. My pack frame is noisy so I don’t want hunt with it. I did some weighing and found out that I am carrying over 30 pounds of stuff around. This could get really heavy if I try to take a load if meat out on my first trip. I’m wondering what other elk hunters carry and what they do when they put an animal down. Here is a list of the things I take and their weights in pounds and ounces:

Jacket 2-8
Sunglasses 0-0 5/8
Bi-pod 1-1 5/8
Binos 2-6
Hoochie Mama 0-3 1/8
Mask 0-1 ¼
Gloves 0-1 ¾
Hat 0-3 7/8
Hot Seat 0-14
Gun (unloaded) 10-10
Candy bars 0-3 5/8
Water 2-11
Hunting knife 0-8 ½
Knife sharpener 0-1 3/8
Compass 0-1
Garbage bags (2) 0-2 7/8
Toilet paper 0-0 3/8
Handkerchief 0-1
Game bags 0-5 7/8
Head lamp 0-6 7/8
Gerber multitool 0-6 7/8
Bone saw 0-7 ¾
Fillet knife 0-5 ¼
License and tags 0-0 ¾
Reloading/muzzled loader stuff
(6 loads) 0-12 ¾
Lighter 0-0 3/8
pack 6-12
Balaclava 0-4 3/8

I’m still missing a few things such as a backup way to make fire, first aid kit, and rope, 100 feet of gutted 550 cord should do. I can justify all of these things, but what do I really need?

"Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama
www.kjandmegan.com

[SpeedRacer 1]

Dick Cheney.

Speed Racer
--------------------------------------------------

[TrophyHusband 0]

didn't you read? i said i don't have a first aid kit.

"Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama
www.kjandmegan.com

[quade 3]

Quote

Dick Cheney.

Whoa, whoa , whoa!

He asked, "What to take elk hunting?"; not "Who should I get to shoot me in the face?"

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Andy9o8 0]

Here's my list:

1 Elk.

[shropshire 0]

No Eye Deer

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Rookie120 0]

I would look into a good GPS. I know some men call me a pussy for getting it. But when we were in Montana lost from here to tuesday, guess what those guys asked from me? The GPS. As for the rest of the gear I don't see anything that I would get rid of. Thats about whats in my pack. I have a few other little things but about the same as you carry.

If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

[LuckyMcSwervy 0]

Quote

What to take elk hunting?

Condoms.

Always be kinder than you feel.

[TrophyHusband 0]

i would like a gps, but even if i had one, i wouldn't take it where i elk hunt. it would be nearly impossible to get lost there.

"Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama
www.kjandmegan.com

[quade 3]

Quote

I would look into a good GPS. I know some men call me a pussy for getting it. But when we were in Montana lost from here to tuesday, guess what those guys asked from me? The GPS. As for the rest of the gear I don't see anything that I would get rid of. Thats about whats in my pack. I have a few other little things but about the same as you carry.

For less than $100 no person needs EVER be lost out in the woods again. Without a doubt the least expensive insurance available.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[TrophyHusband 0]

actually that's a good idea. i'm hunting with a muzzle loader and if it rains, a condom would keep water from getting into the barrel and getting my powder wet.

"Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama
www.kjandmegan.com

[Amazon 7]

Good list to start..

You may want to add an internal farme pack.. add some large grommets to it so you can lash a gamebag on.

Firesteel to replace the lighter.
Add a waterproof matchcase filled with cotton balls.. STUFFED. much better for starting a fire.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/754d/
http://www.rei.com/product/678278

Wiresaw to replace the bonesaw.


50' of 1/4" dacron rope and a couple aluminum blocks(pullies) to hoist the carcass off the ground to finish skinning it out of the dirt.. also helps to debone hanging.

Later the rope can be used to create tripods to put the gamebags into the upper tripod.. to keep the meat from scavengers.

I always carry a couple extra pairs of REI RAG wool socks to keep my feet dry and prevent blisters.

replace the seat pad with a good space blanket.. not mylar..
multiuse.. sit on it when you stop...use as a ground cloth when deboning..etc..

http://www.rei.com/product/407106

[TrophyHusband 0]

crap, i was hoping you would tell me i didn't need all that shit. my pack is an internal frame and i can lash a gamebag to it for the first trip out, but all later trips will be with my pack frame.

i have a firesteel and waterproof matchcase somewhere, i'll dig them out. do you soak the cotton balls in anything? i tried vaseline, but it didn't work. i also have 50' of 1/4 inch rope and a couple of pullies, but i hadn't planned on carrying them.

its been several years since i've used a wire saw, and it sucked. have they gotten better? i hope so because that would save a lot of space and weight.

i've gone back and forth about the seat pad, hunting both with and without it. i have determined that i just cannot be still and quiet if i'm not comfortable. its part of what makes me a bad hunter. the space blanket is a good idea though, it get cold here at night, and since the only reason i should have to spend the night where i'm hunting is because of injury, fire and shelter may not be an option.

"Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama
www.kjandmegan.com

[airdvr 198]

I was expecting something about Palin's ability to field dress a moose.

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[TrophyHusband 0]

i hope to get to field dress a moose some day. i would have to buy a bigger freezer.

"Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama
www.kjandmegan.com

[Amazon 7]

Sorry.. I always carry everthing so I can process the animal as quickly as I can... makes for better meat.

Nothing on the cotton balls... stuff as many as you can in... really compress them down..the tube.

Oh.. and think about your headlamp.. what size battereis...

the new ones with LED's last longer.. and the batteries can be the small AAA

[TrophyHusband 0]

i just bought a new one and i was more concerned about how much light it put out than weight and it take's aa's and is all leds. that is the one in my bag right now, but i have another that takes 3 aaa's but is halogen, and a third that is leds and only takes two aaa's. the third one is by far the lightest, but it doesn't put out mych light. i've never used it, i've always carried it as a backup to get me out of a jam. since i'm hunting alone, i'll be leaving the woods before it gets dark, so i might just use the lighter one.

"Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama
www.kjandmegan.com

[kelpdiver 2]

Quote

Quote

I would look into a good GPS. I know some men call me a pussy for getting it. But when we were in Montana lost from here to tuesday, guess what those guys asked from me? The GPS. As for the rest of the gear I don't see anything that I would get rid of. Thats about whats in my pack. I have a few other little things but about the same as you carry.

For less than $100 no person needs EVER be lost out in the woods again. Without a doubt the least expensive insurance available.

pussies!

what happened to using brains and eyes, the usual response to any gear reliance threads in other forums here?

And what about all the times people still miss the LZ even with a GPS?

[nate25 0]

I hope to be ID sometime in late October to do some hunting for several weeks. I already have just about every tag you can get. Any chance I could get you to put me on a good deer or elk? I will most likely be in or around Poky most of the time but if you know of a good place on that side of the state I can drive over.

[TrophyHusband 0]

tell me the dates/tags/gmu's and i'll help you as best as i can.

"Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama
www.kjandmegan.com

[nate25 0]

Dates? Dunno exactly. I know it will be after Oct 15 and I have to be back before Nov 15 but I can be gone as little or as much of that time as I wish. The only reason I have to be back in Ms then is to guide Duck hunts...
I have deer, bear, mountain lion, elk and just about what other tags you can buy. I have not picked the unit for my elk yet.
I know I will be bringing my bow, rifle, and shotgun.

I will PM you when I know more about the dates

Oh yeah, How about a visit to twin Falls? I would love to jump off the bridge. what does that require?

Sorry about being off topic.
I would add a 40 cal to the list for quick protection from bear and lions...

[1969912 0]

I'd take Sarah Palin and only one sleeping bag. The rest is optional.

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[akarunway 1]

Quote

Dick Cheney.

LOL.

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[akarunway 1]

Quote

Jeanne, this is mostly for you, but I thought there might be some other big game hunters that could give some input. nWhere I hunt is steep, rocky, rough terrain. The last couple of years I’ve been killing myself going up and down the hills so this year I’m trying to reduce the amount of weight I carry. I’ve started by getting some lightweight pants instead of wearing my heavy insulated bibs, and that should be a big help. Now I want to pare down the other things I carry with me. There may be some things that I can find lighter replacements for, but that will have to wait another year. I hunt alone and could be up to six miles away from my truck, so most likely I will have to bone out the elk and get it all hung in a tree and ready to pack out before going back to the truck to get my pack frame. My pack frame is noisy so I don’t want hunt with it. I did some weighing and found out that I am carrying over 30 pounds of stuff around. This could get really heavy if I try to take a load if meat out on my first trip. I’m wondering what other elk hunters carry and what they do when they put an animal down. Here is a list of the things I take and their weights in pounds and ounces:

Jacket 2-8
Sunglasses 0-0 5/8
Bi-pod 1-1 5/8
Binos 2-6
Hoochie Mama 0-3 1/8
Mask 0-1 ¼
Gloves 0-1 ¾
Hat 0-3 7/8
Hot Seat 0-14
Gun (unloaded) 10-10
Candy bars 0-3 5/8
Water 2-11
Hunting knife 0-8 ½
Knife sharpener 0-1 3/8
Compass 0-1
Garbage bags (2) 0-2 7/8
Toilet paper 0-0 3/8
Handkerchief 0-1
Game bags 0-5 7/8
Head lamp 0-6 7/8
Gerber multitool 0-6 7/8
Bone saw 0-7 ¾
Fillet knife 0-5 ¼
License and tags 0-0 ¾
Reloading/muzzled loader stuff
(6 loads) 0-12 ¾
Lighter 0-0 3/8
pack 6-12
Balaclava 0-4 3/8

I’m still missing a few things such as a backup way to make fire, first aid kit, and rope, 100 feet of gutted 550 cord should do. I can justify all of these things, but what do I really need?

You gonna gut an elk and carry the parts 6 miles alone? Com'n. Last one we got was 800 lbs. You need a friend my friend.

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[longtall 0]

Take a survival kit(space blanket , signal mirror , ect ) and bearers(camp slaves) to haul the harvested elk.

" 90 right, five miles then cut."---Pukin Buzzards