My Solo Elk Hunt gear list

[ssssnake529]

Here's my latest solo elk hunting gear list.

It has been refined a bit based on experience.

I typically get out for 4+ nights at a time, and try and get 5+ miles from the nearest road. I tend to cover a lot of ground, and camp where I hunt as opposed to basecamping.


Solo Elk Hunt Checklist

Clothing
Julbo Race Sunglasses
Merino boxer briefs
Firstlight Kanab pants (or Patagonia Mixmaster softshell pants if cold/snow is anticipated)
Orange Patagonia silkweight long sleeve capilene top
Orange Ghost Whisperer windbreaker
Voormi High E wool hoodie
Montbell Mirage down hooded jacket
Patagonia Torrentshell lightweight rain jacket and pants
Orange Cashmere Watch Hat (Golightly Cashmere)
Orange Buff
Orange Cap (LL Bean Technical Upland Cap)
Patagonia Expedition wool socks
Simms Foldover fingerless fleece mittens
Danner Marine RAT Mojave GTEX boots with custom insoles.
Camo Orange polyester vest (Cabelas)

Camping, Personal Gear
Survival parcord bracelet
Black Diamond Carbon Cork alpine Hiking poles
McHale INEX Pack
Integral Designs tarp
Klymit Inertia X Frame pad
¾ length Ridge Rest pad
Klymit Cush inflatable pillow
Marmot Helium (15 degree) sleeping bag with water-resistant shell fabric
MSR Reactor stove with 1 liter pot and small gas canister
MSR 2 liter water bag
Water purification tablets
Sawyer squeeze water filter
Titanium spoon with long handle
Titanium cup
Lighter
Chris Reeve Mountaineer fixed blade knife
Benchmade carbon fiber Osborne folding knife
Zebralight headlamp (red led) and extra AA lithium battery
Ricoh GR Camera
Suunto Ambit 2 Watch
Diaper wipes
Map
Delorme InReach
Android phone
Hunting Tags
First Aid Kit
Gallon ziplock freezer bag for trash.

Shooting Gear
R Bros lightweight rifle (300 Win Mag,) Kahles scope, Neopod bipod, cheek pad, and Slogan sling.
Soundgear earplugs
Kifaru Gunbearer
Traditions muzzle protector gun condom
Ballistics wrist card and space pen
Ammunition carrier and 7 rounds of ammunition
Vectronix PLRF 15 range finder
Zeiss Victory 8x20 compact binoculars (for heavy timber.) (Swarovski 10x50 for open spaces)
Kestrel 4500
Lens wipes
TAG Game bags
Latex gloves

Food
Pepperoni
Maple Almond Butter
Bridgeford French Toast sandwich
Costco coconut chocolate almonds
Heather’s choice dehydrated dinners
Heather’s choice snakeroons
Heather’s choice breakfasts
Cashews
Trader Joe’s dried chili mangos


In the Land Cruiser:
Cooler and ice
5 gallon water jug
Extra socks
Comfortable shoes
Extra gloves
Phone charger
Extra battery for phone

Bushranger jack
Tool bag with winch, straps, and hardware
Tool bag with tools
Trax
Shovel
Snow chains for tires
ARB Air compressor
Axe and saw



 

[raiderbowhunter]

Only thing I would change would be that stinky capilene. Swap for wool base layer.

 

[ssssnake529]

Only thing I would change would be that stinky capilene. Swap for wool base layer.

You are right. So far, I haven't been able to find any bright orange wool base layer tops, however.

 

[MTGomer]

Whats with your orange fetish?

 

[TimeOnTarget]

You dont eat much.

 

[whiskeydog]

McHale Pack eh? and people think MR, Stone Glacier, Kifura, etc are expensive!

 

[Biggs300]

I agree with Raiderbowhunter, I'd ditch the Capilene base layer and go with merino wool. I've worn merino wool for 5 days straight (several times) without offending myself or my hunting buddy. If you need hunter orange, I would invest in a inexpensive, lightweight hunter orange vest to throw on over your base layer top, mid-layer or even drape it over your backpack. Depending on what state you are hunting, "camo" hunter (blaze) orange may not be legal, CO is one. Your food looks adequate to me but, my appetite is usually poor when hunting in higher altitudes. Good luck and have fun!

 

[Jic]

Reading this sounds like I'm watching a high end sponsored hunting show. Hopefully the cooler is not just a cooler... but at least a "Yeti".

I would drop the Kestrel. Just more stuff to carry and potentially fail. Practice at your range under less than ideal conditions to learn a rough estimate of wind speed.

One set of glass should suffice. Sell the rangefinder and buy a pair of range finding binos(with some change to spare).

No need for camera if you have a decent phone, again more unnecessary bulk IMO.

just my .02.

 

[whiskeydog]

Reading this sounds like I'm watching a high end sponsored huntingshow.

Sell the rangefinder and buy a pair of range finding binos

:hump: Yeah...this gear list costs as much as my first house!

...and you'd never convince me to combine my binos and rangefinder

 

[ssssnake529]

Reading this sounds like I'm watching a high end sponsored hunting show. Hopefully the cooler is not just a cooler... but at least a "Yeti".

I would drop the Kestrel. Just more stuff to carry and potentially fail. Practice at your range under less than ideal conditions to learn a rough estimate of wind speed.

One set of glass should suffice. Sell the rangefinder and buy a pair of range finding binos(with some change to spare).

No need for camera if you have a decent phone, again more unnecessary bulk IMO.

just my .02.

The cooler is a Coleman. It keeps ice frozen for close to a week. Maybe a Yeti is better, maybe not.

Kestral does more than just wind. I use it when I get to the hunt site to input temp, density altitude etc, when filling out my range card. It is also my back-up ballistic app as it has the Horus software, so if my primary ballistic app (Strelok Pro on my phone) fails, I've got a backup.

I have yet to find a pair of rangefinding binoculars that even come close to the performance of my dedicated rangefinder. I've hunted with people who use bino-rangefinders, and they often get erroneous range data. My PLRF never fails. Just to be clear, I don't bring two binoculars. I just bring one, with my choice dependent on what sort of terrain I'm in. (This year, it will be the compacts, as I'm hunting in heavily timbered country.)

The camera is small; about the size of a pack of cigarettes. It produces better photos than any phone, especially in less than perfect light.

McHale Pack eh? and people think MR, Stone Glacier, Kifura, etc are expensive!

I've owned and used Mystery Ranch and Eberlestock packs. Carried a Kifaru. McHale is far superior for load hauling. I've carried close to 200 pounds in it packing out a bull elk, and the load remained balanced and supported by my hips. My legs were tired, but my back and hips and shoulders were not sore. I don't think there is another pack that is even in the same class as McHales when it comes to carrying really big loads.

Whats with your orange fetish?

I agree with Raiderbowhunter, I'd ditch the Capilene base layer and go with merino wool. I've worn merino wool for 5 days straight (several times) without offending myself or my hunting buddy. If you need hunter orange, I would invest in a inexpensive, lightweight hunter orange vest to throw on over your base layer top, mid-layer or even drape it over your backpack. Depending on what state you are hunting, "camo" hunter (blaze) orange may not be legal, CO is one. Your food looks adequate to me but, my appetite is usually poor when hunting in higher altitudes. Good luck and have fun!

I have a camo orange vest (which is legal in Utah.) Have another lightweight orange vest for when I'm hunting out of state. I wear the orange vest over my my heavier layers (softshell and/or down jacket.) However, I spend a lot of time hiking and moving in just my base layer, or my base layer and a windbreaker. If I'm moving up a steep slope, I'm warm down below freezing in just my baselayer, and down to single digits with a baselayer and a windbreaker. When I'm doing this, I don't like to wear the vest, as I'm typically sweating anyway, especially if I'm moving uphill. So, I prefer to wear an orange baselayer top so I can not bother with the vest.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

:hump: Yeah...this gear list costs as much as my first house!

? The bipod is only $400 for 8" - that's got me doing some math in my head...

 

[Jic]

200# pack out. wow. You have it dialed in. Ignore my .02.

 

[whiskeydog]

200# pack out. wow. You have it dialed in. Ignore my .02.

no doubt...we usually load the horses out at 160ish...

 

[whiskeydog]

that must be one hell of a hat!
http://www.golightlycashmere.com/products/the-cashmere-watchcap?variant=733687177