Elk hunting day pack list

[yotekillrr]

yeah i am going to MT on a D I Y hunt. tired of payin guides for nothin. what part of KY are you from?

[KentuckyTJ]

Nice Yotekillr, one of our zones is on the MT border. I'm from Shelby county.  I have a buddy that has a farm on the KY and IN side right on the river so I hunt in your neck of the woods some.

[ib4elk]

I will start with my day hunt list - I always check this list before I leave:
NORMAL STUFF:
Hunting Knife
Belt
Lighter
Calls
Arrow fixin kit (extra broadheads, Judos, nocks, superglue, lighter, Hot Glue, miniture leatherman with pliers, dental floss, grouse feathers)
Compass
Wind Tester (squirt bottle with chalk line chalk)
First Aid Kit
Liscence and Tags
Binoculars
Bow w/single arrow quiver attached
Back Quiver
Arrows (4 broadheads and 2 judos)
Shooting glove
Arm Guard
Camera
Chapstick
Toilet Paper
headlamp
Extra Bow String
Day fanny pack
Watch
Tracking tape - blaze orange

CLOTHES:
Wool Gloves
Fleece hat (easily made from scrap fleece)
Wool Coat (King of the Mountain)
Stalking Socks

FOOD:
Water bottle with filter
Power bar
Gorp
Jerky
Dried Fruit
Glucose Tabs
Apple or Orange

ITEMS TO BE LEFT IN THE TRUCK
Backpack
Elk/Deer Game Bags
Extra Clothes
Cooler with ice and Beer (for celebrating?)
Some extra food

All this comes to a total of about 8-9 pounds and fits in my day/fanny pack or in pockets on my pants.  Usually if I am on just a day hunt I am only a few miles in but it sure is nice to be carrying that light a load chasing critters up and down mountains above 10,000ft.  I have also spent a few nights out with less (purposefully) so I know what it is like and what to expect.  I would carry a lot more stuff otherwise.  I will post next my overnight list that is good for 2 nights and 3 days of hunting all coming to around 20-21 pounds...

[Mike Orton]

Baby wipes are the best, except last year when they were left outside at the privey and froze up solid into a brick....man the guys in my camp whined something aweful.  Mine were warm and toasty in my sleeping bag and made for great "trade items" the following morning....  

[ib4elk]

As noted in my last post, here is my list of stuff for 2 nights and 3 full days of hunting.  I carry everything with me at all times so wherever night finds me is where I sleep.  So here goes:

NORMAL STUFF:
Hunting Knife
Belt
Lighter
Calls
Arrow fixin kit (extra broadheads, Judos, nocks, superglue, lighter, Hot Glue, miniture leatherman with pliers, dental floss, grouse feathers)
Compass
Wind Tester (squirt bottle with chalk line chalk)
First Aid Kit
Liscence and Tags
Binoculars
Bow w/single arrow quiver attached
Bison Gear Quiver (Fits on my Bison Gear Pack)
Arrows (4 broadheads and 2 judos)
Shooting glove
Arm Guard
Camera
Chapstick
Toilet Paper
headlamp
Extra Bow String
Day fanny pack
Watch
Tracking tape - blaze orange

EXTRA CLOTHES:
1 pr. Smartwool socks
1 pr. Underware
Extra long sleeve shirt
Long johns
Rain pants and coat
Fleece hat
Wool Coat (King of the Mountain)
Stalking Socks

OVERNIGHT ITEMS:
Bison Gear Pack
Bivi sack (7oz from Titanium Goat)
Tarp (made from Silicone Impregnated nylon - home made and weighs about 9-10oz)
Sleeping bag (down, 30 degree bag - I wear all my clothes to bed if it gets cold)
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Titanium cup
Mini stove with Nesbit tablets

FOOD:
Water Bladder with inline filter (carries about 32oz)
Power bars (1 per day)
Gorp
Jerky
Dried fruit and fruit leather
Glucose tabs
Apples or Oranges (Just take 2 total)
Oatmeal (2 total)
Hot Cider (4 total - 1 for morning and 1 for each night)
Gatorade or Tang and 12oz water bottle

Everything fits nicely in the Bison Gear pack.  If I get something, I quarter it out to start the cooling process and then cover it up with remaining clothes and hike out to get the backpack and game bags.  I leave the same stuff in the truck as the previous post.  All the above comes to around 20-21 pounds that I carry in my pack - including food and water.  I force myself to drink all the water I can everytime I find it.  I can usually get in about 5-7 miles pretty easily and wander the hills with this setup in comfort.  I sometimes get in further than I should but since I don't get much it hasn't been a problem yet!

[KentuckyTJ]

ib4elk, now that's what I'm talking about.

Thanks

T.J.

[leatherneck]

Very good ib4, very good indeed.

TJ, when you going to be out there? Me and longbowben will be in unit 70 from 9-9 to 9-24.

[leatherneck]

It's a DIY as well.

[yotekillrr]

tj i hunt henry county ky and IN as well.  good luck out west.

[Steve B.]

I talked to a doctor about a first aid kit for the woods.  When we finished we had consolidated it down to basically duct tape and ibuprofen.  Duct tape for splints and cuts and no more than 800mg of pain killer at a time.  If you are really hurt heavy duty pain killer will give temporary relief but could hinder you from functioning for survival or from escape.

[ib4elk]

Steve, that's a good note!  I carry a couple other items - vaseline in case I start chaffing, small tweazers, a few bandaids and needle and thread to sew up ?? - needle doubles for blisters as required along with a little moleskin.  Will definitely look into the duct tape.

[Steve B.]

Yea, I didn't mean to imply that duct tape and pain killer was all you need, just that you can go a long ways with those two major items over the pile of stuff that you usually get in a store-bought kit.
I also carry scissors, nail clippers, chap stick, etc.  But for snake bites, bad cuts, broken bones, etc., you need to patch up and get out of there.

[LoweBow]

TJ.....Don't forget that you need room in that pack to carry my fat @ss up the mountain....I think I can handle the down on my own so you'll have more room on the downhill jaunts...so plan accordingly.

Can't wait buddy!!!!

[wingnut]

If your hunting in the west where giardia is in nearly every stream, pack a good water filter in your day pack and you don't have to carry as much water at one time.  Check your topos for water and stop and refill a couple of times a day.

Mike

[elkbreath]

Mine is similar to others, but for selfish reasons I figured I might as well list them.  How many times CAN you pack your pack before the season???

Fist, though it hasn't been mentioned, the pack itself.  I've gone through badlands and eberlestock, etc...  But nothing has  fit my needs as well as this kifaru hauler.  I don't carry much in the woods.  But I plan to carry alot out.  Often over 120 lbs.  I hate hiking back to get a frame pack, as I am generally 4-5 miles in when the work begins.  Also, I hate external frames, and they are impossible to hunt with on.  So, that being said, this is MY perfect pack to put it all in.
 

There behind that camo portion of the shelf is my boning materials.  Game bags, Helle boning knife, file and a lite rain coat, along with the 8,000 ci bag that carries it all.  Also not including the clothes I'm wearing (wolfskin-predator or wool and merino under clothes), wool gloves.

 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/elkbreath/IMG_8661-1.jpginside  that top pocket is my possibles pouch which carries the bare essential for survival

  http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/elkbreath/IMG_8662-1.jpg
food
whistle (carltons fightin cow call)
heavy space blanket
fire starting tinder
flint, matches, lighter
razor knife, cord
may have forgotten something...
 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/elkbreath/IMG_8666.jpg
Ok, then in the main compartment...firstly, not pictured is some oranges, dates, judo and broadhead.

then...

calls
sog cub knife/multitool with sheath

Katadyn water filter (black bag, for when I use a platypus water blader)

Nalgene, with built in filter (for when I don't take the bladder)

para cord

4 Dia reeds (red coin case, attached to cord)

various cow calls (carlton, custom wood, primos, sceery)  

All calls are tied to the pack and carried in a little pouch on the pack

Grunt tube, also attached to pack

 Finger and arm guards

wook hat/socks

Head lamp

batteries

GPS /compass  (topo maps on GPS)

brain food

 Thats it!  This setup has gotten me through several squalls.  Packed me in as deep  as I can go and got me back out.  Packed out twenty or so elk with monster loads.  It doesn't get in my way while wearing it hunting.  It is narrow enough and light enough that I don't notice it, and its load carrying capability can't be matched.  I've even tried Bull pacs, and they just don't compare well.

Anyway, thats what works for ME!  I hope I;m not forgetting something!  Heres a pic of me wearing the pack...

 

and loaded down roughly 120 lbs...

 


Hope ya'll like picutres!     :rolleyes:    and thanks for the input everyone...DAn

[[email protected]]

Its impossible for me to get a good afternoon sleep with the flies crawling on my face amd hands...drives me nuts!

I suggest you carry a small piece of netting and a pair of gloves.

Come nap time, get as comfortable as possible...place netting over face, put on your gloves and you can have a fly free nap.

Bob

[KentuckyTJ]

Originally posted by leatherneck:
Very good ib4, very good indeed.

TJ, when you going to be out there? Me and longbowben will be in unit 70 from 9-9 to 9-24.

I'll be there the 17th-29th

[KentuckyTJ]

Originally posted by yotekillrr:
tj i hunt henry county ky and IN as well.  good luck out west.

Yote, I've got a family farm in Henry County we hunt quit a bit. Thanks and good luck to you too this season.

T.J.

[KentuckyTJ]

Originally posted by LoweBow:
TJ.....Don't forget that you need room in that pack to carry my fat @ss up the mountain....I think I can handle the down on my own so you'll have more room on the downhill jaunts...so plan accordingly.

Can't wait buddy!!!!

Haha, I think we will have to pull each other around Bro. Two flatlanders in the mountains is going to be interesting to say the least.

[ib4elk]

TJ, what unit are you looking to be in?  I have been hanging around unit 43.