What do you mean by pack around? I Don't foresee myself carrying them while actually hunting, but more so for the pack in and out. Depending on the terrain too.
None beside what I'll put, in for in my home state. And a planned otc out west. Other priorities this year. Also with the points creep in many western states it's a game whose odds are getting too long for this old body.
Yeah, im banking on leftover tags from WY. Maybe OTC in ID. Depends really, since I already have the Muley hunt in NE planned.
I really like WY and most of the Rocky mtn range but my wife is a Southern gal so relocating west probably very unlikely. I'd like to try a hunt out in WY/MT/ID in a couple years, God willing.
I think he was just joking, but that is the right idea. Just for packing out meat. If you can use something for two different uses it is a good thing with anything involved with backpacking. Not necessarily a hunting thing, but works too. I wouldn't use until packing meat. You can run into an elk 50 yards up the trail. You ever know. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yes, there was a little joking, but the majority of people bring far too much stuff to a hunt, rarely is anyone under-prepared with gear. Trekking poles are great if your packing gear for a really long way or packing meat, outside of that... It's something else to make noise, get hung up on stuff, etc. I certainly wouldn't have one during the hunt.
Gotcha. I wasn't arguing, just curious as to what he meant seeing as he guides for a living. If anyone knew what was worthwhile and what wasn't I would assume it would be him.
I would absolutely agree on bringing too much stuff for most people. Especially the first time. Tarp tents are the only way I would bring trekking poles assuming you are packing in aways. Trekking poles were secured in pack with zero noise. We packed in 6 miles first day this last year for spike camp. Shot elk 8 miles away from road. I had set up spike camp and didn't end up using poles for hiking out because they were being used to keep up my tent......that and because of poor decision making on our part. We hired outfitters to get meat out with horses and mules. Much easier than hiking poles. I rode in with them and it saved my legs. It would have been tough even with 4 people to get everything out. We put on 18-20 miles first day and got burned out. Should have taken care of meat and went back to spike camp. Instead we hiked out that night after taking care of meat. I was in what I thought was good shape also. Ran a 10k on bluffs of Mississippi with a 30 pound pack. My main problem was we ran out of water and didn't eat enough while tracking the elk. Live and learn. Dubbya.....maybe give people an idea of what you carry on hunt and logistics of how far you are hunting normally. Why you do or don't carry something? I'm sure a lot of people could benefit and I'd like learning more from people that have more experience. Seems like everything is very dependent on what type of hunting and how far in. Spike camps. Day hunts. Etc. Everything should be specific to your hunt. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I will get back to this, on the road now... headed to the Deer Classic in Des Moines but I will write something up when I get a second.
Bump.. I'm slowly piecing my setup together. Latest score was a Kifaru Sawtooth with a Oval titanium stove. Now I just gotta decide if I should keep my Jimmy Tarps Granite Mountain setup.
I saw your post on the other forum, did you find a used sawtooth? Sounds like a little 'field testing' may be forthcoming...
I did. I picked one up off of a guy who's fiancé bought him a setup when he already had one. Wasn't planning on running a stove, but I am warming up to it, so to speak. lol And yes, I wish I knew of places in MO to do some hiking and suck that would be good grounds for testing the gear.
Sorry for the delay, not sure how I missed the subscribed update. Either way here you go. The majority of my hunts are day trips out of either a main (not quite a drive-to camp but close) camp or a spike camp. Some of the time our spike camps are in the wilderness, so they are a little difference since you can't have fires, livestock rules are different, etc. So in my typical day pack, assuming daylight to dark, this is how it looks... I'm not saying this is the best or how everyone should do it, but this works well for me. I just sold my Exo pack that I used for 1 season. It wasn't bad but it didn't fit my "system" and I didn't like how the top pack attached. The two packs that I use are a Badlands 2200 (this will be it's 10th season) and either an Alps Extremd Commander X-Pack or the Alps Extreme Traverse X. Anyway, here is what typically take. Keep in mind most of the time I'm guiding so I have way more stuff than I take when it's just me hunting. Our average temps are lows in the 20's or 30's and highs in the upper 60's-70's during archery season. Granted, we get the huge snow and 10 degree days almost every year. Our average day hunts cover about 8-12 miles depending on the situation, sometimes more many times less. In the very bottom of my pack is typically rain gear unless I'm expecting precipitation. I'll also have some extra gloves and stocking cap in there as well. Also in the bottom of the pack, I have a Wyoming saw and a gallon ziplock that has a bunch of Havalon blades, extra avalon knife, nitrile gloves, 100' of paracord, game bags, small first aid kit, electrical tape, batteries for headlamp, extra headlamp, allen wrench tool, fire paste, compass and map, lighters (regular Bics because sometimes butane won't work at higher elevations). I carry water bottles, I hate hydration bladders but that is simply personal preference. Always carry a thicker walled bottle like aquafina and not the thin ones like ozark. I've had the tripod base plate puncture both water bottles on a miserable pack out with a full mule deer in my pack. Bad news. I also do not use nalgene bottles because they slosh unless they are completely full or completely empty. My lunch is always in a ziplock as well, sandwiches, granola bars, nuts, jerky, whatever you like of course, but that is just up from the knife blades, etc. If I know I'm in for a long day and feel that I can't pack enough water to be safe, I'll take my water pump with charcoal filter. My spotting scope and tripod goes with me everywhere I go, generally these are their specific purpose pockets on the outside of the pack but that depends on which one I'm using. In the top pouch or "easy access" pocket. I typically have my phone, camera, chapstick (yes chapstick, don't forget this), gum, leatherman Wave, Poseidon by Dark Energy and extra diaphragm calls. I have a diaphragm call in my mouth 100% of the time. If we're anticipating really cold weather, I'll pack extra clothes but I've found that if I do it right I can wear the appropriate layers without adding too much stuff. In the mornings, depending on how far we're walking, I'll wear a lightweight synthetic thermal with my sitka pants and sweatshirt style top with their puffy vest. I often times put my coat on the outside of my pack and secure it with the compression straps. (The vest is by far my favorite garment of all time, all year long). I wear my binoculars with an S4 gear harness. I give up a little bit of protection if it's snowing but they are much faster to remove than any other case/harness I've found and when I want my binoculars, I want them now, with one hand so I don't have to put my bow down or whatever. I made a call lanyard out of paracord in the unlikely event that I need it but I could also customize the way I wanted the calls to sit. A little extra paracord never hurts when you're dealing with horses either. This is the grand majority of what I carry, I'm sure there are a couple things that will come to mind later and I'll add those on. I've learned that on day trips, often times, less is more. If it's not something that is going to keep you alive in dire circumstances, you probably don't need it that bad. If I'm packing my camp with me, I'll have about the same stuff plus my Big Agnes Seedhouse 3 tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag and my jetboil. I'll also carry an old school film canister with vaseline and cotton balls or sawdust/diesel fuel, or whatever you like for fire starter. Oh and I always take a pair of Crocs :D This way I can take my boots off after the hunt, keep my tent clean and they weigh next to nuttin. If I need to wade into the water, whatever... I'm covered. As for the knife, people always ask, "don't you have a real knife?" Havalon (or occasionally the Outdoor edge replaceable blade knife) are the only ones I carry. I can gut, skin, quarter, cape, etc. with a single knife. I don't have to carry a sharpener. I can do an either elk from start to on the pack with 2-3 blades. I'm not about being a "hardcore" mountain man and sharpening my 1lb knife all the time because it sounds cool. I'm all about efficiency. I rarely gut an elk, never do I gut an elk if it's coming out on a pack. I don't need a saw except to cut of the antlers and I use the Wyoming saw for that. That's what I can come up with right now. I'll answer questions about anything I've left out.
As for the knife, people always ask, "don't you have a real knife?" Havalon (or occasionally the Outdoor edge replaceable blade knife) are the only ones I carry. I can gut, skin, quarter, cape, etc. with a single knife. I don't have to carry a sharpener. I can do an either elk from start to on the pack with 2-3 blades. I'm not about being a "hardcore" mountain man and sharpening my 1lb knife all the time because it sounds cool. I'm all about efficiency. I rarely gut an elk, never do I gut an elk if it's coming out on a pack. I don't need a saw except to cut of the antlers and I use the Wyoming saw for that. That's what I can come up with right now. I'll answer questions about anything I've left out.[/QUOTE] Do you bone out or keep on the bone for packing out elk on your back? Thanks By the way.....if anyone is still looking for packs. Camofire has a couple of Mystery Ranch packs on sale today. I've heard people liking them.
Do you bone out or keep on the bone for packing out elk on your back? Thanks By the way.....if anyone is still looking for packs. Camofire has a couple of Mystery Ranch packs on sale today. I've heard people liking them.[/QUOTE] Mystery Ranch does make a good pack, I'll look at them when and if my current setups fail. I usually always leave the bone in for a little bit of rigidity on the pack, I cut off the legs at the lower joint and remove the entire hide. It's personal preference I imagine but I like being able to get the heavier part up a bit higher to save on the back. I'm not one to carry a 80lb bag of jello around if I can help it. :D
