How many bullets for backpack elk hunt?

[LopeHunter]

No one has had a scope get bumped taking a tumble? What is the impact if you do bump your scope? Is your hunt over if will take 5 shots to get dialed in again? Or is it less than a half day lost to get to more cartridges?

Is the hunt one you can do every year or takes a decade to pull the tag?

I have hiked in by foot solo carrying it all on my back including my rifle to stay for 5 days. The Forest service bulldozed the road closed two miles before the 3 miles of switchbacks on mostly nasty ridges. Google Earth showed the road being open. Doh. I still did not take just two cartridges. Was a brutal pack in and never did that degree of insanity again. I passed on legal though merely representative bulls as the pack out was going to be on my back as well.

If day-hunting with a rifle from a trailhead, I take 3 down in my rifle plus three in pocket. If a muzzleloader adventure then 1 loaded muzzleloader without the primer in place plus 3 quick reloaders. I used to take 4 arrows. Back at the SUV, more ammo.

If instead was on a hunt where I would lose more than a half a day to get more ammo then I double the cartridges/reloaders. Have never ran out.

Archery hunts were the big roll of the dice for me if I nicked the string. I was not packing a bow press on my back for a compound bow.

 

[nrpate05]

I take 10 usually. A few in the rifle, a couple in my bino harness and another few in my pants pocket or hip belt pocket. I'll also leave the rest of the box at the truck just in case.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

20 for me always. Never know whats going to happen, and you might need those extra shots to signal your position to search and rescue. There are a lot of things I would reduce weight with, but bullets isn't one. Bump your scope and need to sight it back in, that could be 5 shots if its really bad. You could bump the scope, not notice, fire 5 times at an elk and not understand why all missed. Then take another 5 shots to get it back to zero and now were down to 10 left.


Pretty extreme example, but I keep 20 to be safe.

 

[44hunter45]

I got some goofy plastic ammo wallets from the old NA Hunting Club product review program. Still use them. They hold 5 standard or 4 Magnum rounds.

3 plastic ammo holders and a full mag with chamber empty.
Standard cartridge = 20 rounds
Magnum cartridge = 15 rounds

 

[brymoore]

12. Rifle holds 4. 8 reloads in case the Russians invade.

 

[SC Living Outdoors]

3 in the mag and a sleeve of 10.

 

[brockel]

I usually take 10. 3 in the magazine, 3 in the spare magazine in my bino harness pouch, 4 taped together in my pack so they don’t rattle around.

I try and use scopes that I don’t have to worry about bumping them and having to sight them back in

 

[Potsie]

I usually take 10. 3 in the magazine, 3 in the spare magazine in my bino harness pouch, 4 taped together in my pack so they don’t rattle around.

I try and use scopes that I don’t have to worry about bumping them and having to sight them back in

This.

But also if it’s down to 1/2 pound for some spare ammo, I can easily loose that same amount by taking a deuce.

 

[huntnpack]

This.

But also if it’s down to 1/2 pound for some spare ammo, I can easily loose that same amount by taking a deuce.

I carry my spare ammo in my pack lid but that works too I guess.

 

[Bill Zent]

I started hunting with a single shot, so one in my pocket and five in the rifle is more than enough.

 

[Bicyclerips]

17 for me. 10 in a ammo wallet, 3 in a pouch on my pack and 4 in the rifle(empty chamber). Two biggest issues being if you drop the gun and the scope is off. That could burn 5+ shots getting a re-zero when you're hunting solo and other is worse case audio location reasons. Weight is minimal and extra rounds along with a tourniquet and a extensive medical kit can save your life. My wife is a wilderness physician and the situations she comes across every year on rescue calls, that stuff happens more than you think.

 

[BAKPAKR]

No one has had a scope get bumped taking a tumble? What is the impact if you do bump your scope? Is your hunt over if will take 5 shots to get dialed in again? Or is it less than a half day lost to get to more cartridges?

You don’t use a scope that has passed the drop test?

 

[mtmuley]

You don’t use a scope that has passed the drop test?

My scope on my primary rifle would never pass. Been on there 25 years. I carry 9 rounds. Sorry form. mtmuley

 

[cgasner1]

Man may need to start carrying more rounds clip holds 3 and I usually throw 3/4 in the side of my bino bivy. Figure if I get down to 1-2 the animal should be about hurt enough I can finish it with a spear and I just need to get closer

 

[bmontang]

Well the limit is one elk.

So if you take a box of factory rounds, thats like a 20 year supply of ammo.

Forget about how accurate your are, I want to know where and how you kill an elk every year!

20 rounds for a one shot one kill deadeye would be a lifetime supply of ammo given even above average success rates.

 

[BuzzH]

Usually around 14-16. I have one ammo pouch that carries 12, another 10.

I think @Treeshark made the best comment. If I go through that many, I need a timeout and intervention.

 

[elkmo]

30...15 for me and 15 of my buddies. I carry all his ammo, prevents dink killing.

 

[ashersdad]

Thanks for all the responses. I think I'm going to drop down to 14 for this trip. 3 in the mag, 1 in my pocket and 10 in my pack. Won't save much weight, but I'm thinking 20 is overkill.

 

[hank4elk]

4 in the mag and 10 in the belt pack.
Have not needed more than one for a while now. I might have a lifetime supply...

 

[shb]

Forget about how accurate your are, I want to know where and how you kill an elk every year!

20 rounds for a one shot one kill deadeye would be a lifetime supply of ammo given even above average success rates.