All right, all right, all right.
I'll comment because I have spent more time in elk country than most, although most of the time was purely spent in the country for the sake of being in the country, elk are always a bonus.
Lightweight. Good. Double or triple usage= real good. EVERY trip I take I pile my gear at the end and remove the stuff I didn't use. BUT you can't skimp on some things. Elk country is HUGE. You can get into trouble quickly if you do skimp.
That said, here are MY rules and the gear I WON'T skimp on.
Stay warm. NO cotton. Synthetics or wool. Period.
Have multiple types of ways to start a fire. I like ferro rods. Lighters over matches.
Don't skimp on food. On my elk hunts I can eat like a pig and still loose weight.
DRINK lots of water. Make sure it is ALL treated. Nothing like getting beaver feever in the middle of your hunt. Now THATS a treat. I use "Potable Aqua" pills. Light weight, and no real taste disadvantage to me. I do also drink some "Nuun" electrolite drinks during the day as well. Really cuts down on cramps and sore muscles. I got mine at REI.
Weight issues... if I don't use it or it can't supply me with warmth or shelter, it doesn't go. I don't bring much in the way of clothes. Water is the heaviest thing you will carry, it makes food heavy, and if you're lucky, it makes meat heavy. As much as I like camel backs, I carry one nalgine bottle and one platypus flexy canteen. By carrying less it forces you to stop and drink.
Food... try to google some backpacking recipies. There are tons. Good ol' GORP is my snack during the day. I don't really do lunch. I also eat a lot of jolly ranchers.
Remember, less is more.
In my opinion, 45-50# is about right for a weekish- long backcountry elk hunt. Less is possible, but you are going to comprimise something... durability, emergency situations, etc.
Good luck, PM me if you want my gear list, it's fairly extensive.
Also, a good website is
www.nesmucking.com Mike