my buddy says way to much, but up in the mountains elk hunting, your usually a long long ways from communication devices or help. I carry a spot satellite messenger, water, candy bars, sandwiches, knife set, canvas quarter bag, rain coat, high quality reusable emergency sleeping bag/blanket, small firstaid kit with Benadryl, ibuprofen, allergy pills etc, diarrhea medicine, clotting agent, water purifications pills, headlamp and a backup headlamp, extra batteries, GPS, whistle, compass, extra socks, calls, chapstick, sharpening device/s various cordage, couple small bungees, sanitation stuff, wet wipes, firestarter, bow stringer and extra bowstring. I'm sure there's some other little odds and ends in there that I can't think of, but these are the major items. When deer season on the plains rolls around, still carry most of this stuff out, but lose some of the elk hunting particular stuff. Pack usually weighs in at about 20 to 25 pounds depending on the water volume I'm carrying and that's usually closer to the 25 during elk season.