Elk Hunt clothing?

[wislnwings]

I'll be backpack hunting for elk for the first time this year.  My question is, for those of you that have done this, what is your normal list of clothing you bring?  How many changes of hunting clothes?  How much heavyweight vs. lightweight?  We'll be hunting Southern Colorado anywhere from 9,000-10,500.  I'm not looking to go out and break the bank of new Sitka, KUIU, or any of the other high tech stuff this year.  Just wondering what to pack from my existing range of camo.

[Preston Lay]

Usally not too bad that time of year but there are exceptions. Hate to mention but Sitka and Kuiu were designed for mountain hunting and are hard to beat for being mobile. Layers is the key. Mornings will be cool and then you will need to shed off later. Rain gear for afternoon rain showers.

[Steve O]

I would urge you to pick up two pieces of new hi-tech clothing.

Once you hunt elk in a pair of Sitka Ascent pants, you will hunt in no other.  They move with you and dry out from the morning dew of the meadow in minutes.

The second piece is either a Sitka Kelvin Vest or Jacket.  This will ride in your pack stuffed down to the size of a water bottle, but if you get caught in a storm or are cold, the Kelvin WILL warm you up.

I used to do a lot of mountain hunting in all kinds of quality wool and other pieces.  You cannot beat these new synthetics like Sitka...they were designed to excel in just the situation you are putting yourself in.

[wooddamon1]

Yeah, weather shouldn't be too bad temp-wise, but up that high you can't be too sure about it. That being said, last year was my first for elk in central Colorado and I was fine with my regular old cotton camo with a fleece jacket over a wool flannel on those chilly mornings. If it rains I just break out the old pvc poncho and hunker down, it usually passes quickly. You can get by with 2 changes, but that's not necessary. One thing you will want fresh is socks, nothing feels better after a hard days hunting than a fresh pair  

[hill boy]

The wool/silk lightwight thermals and fleece are a good budget alternative.Don't  skimp on a good pair of boots with little or no insulation and good socks.Weather can turn cold and wet.A good wool or fleece sweater or jacket in your pack could make things more comfortable.

[Mike Vines]

Originally posted by Steve O:
I would urge you to pick up two pieces of new hi-tech clothing.

Once you hunt elk in a pair of Sitka Ascent pants, you will hunt in no other.  They move with you and dry out from the morning dew of the meadow in minutes.

The second piece is either a Sitka Kelvin Vest or Jacket.  This will ride in your pack stuffed down to the size of a water bottle, but if you get caught in a storm or are cold, the Kelvin WILL warm you up.

I used to do a lot of mountain hunting in all kinds of quality wool and other pieces.  You cannot beat these new synthetics like Sitka...they were designed to excel in just the situation you are putting yourself in.

If you ever decide you need a new pair of pants Steve, I would like to be first in line for the old ones.

[John Scifres]

There was a thread about this a couple months ago:   http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=101429

[Bails]

Have you taken a look at ENIGMA camo , light , quiet and works Brilliantly for the terrain you're gonna be hunting .

[Ranger44]

I've hunted southern CO several times all in September and have had lots of 80* temps and even 90* but have also had a snowstorm that lasted all day more than once.  You need to be prepared for the really bad stuff which means you will carry extra clothing a lot more than you will wear it but will glad you have it if you ever need it.

A common theme among guys that have gone elk hunting a lot is that they are always looking to lighten the load for the next trip.  If you have to buy anything new buy the best you can afford.  You'll be glad you did when it comes time to use it.

Layers is best and camo patterns don't mean much.

[MTArrowLauncher]

I would advise against cotton, cotton kills in the high country. Even though it might be pretty nice, temps will drop at night and storms can blow in with no.notice in the west. And if your cotton is wet and the temp drops, it will suck out all your heat no matter what else you have on and could cause hypothermia leading to death.

Perfect example. Ever have a soaked shirt on after swimming  during the summer and get really cold even though its 80 degswimming?

Just IMO and YMMV

Fin

[Zbearclaw]

Yep, no cotton except Vaseline soaked cotton balls for fire starting.

If you are going to tempt mother nature with less than the ideal clothing (new synthetic stuff) then make sure your sleeping bag and pad are well warmer than you predict the lowest temps to be.

I hunted Alaska last year and had at least a few hours of rain everyday.  My Sitka stuff dried insanely fast.  I expect the same of KUIU as well.

For a cold or wet night a nalgene bottle with hot water will keep you cozy for hours.

Good rain gear is a must.  Also don't forget to have fun!

[hedgetree]

A good set of thermals and socks seems to be the key for me and layer from there...No Cotton.. The biggest mistake I ever made as far a gear in the mountains was the use of a cheap sleeping bag.....Live and Learn.

[4Blade]

Craig,  Here are a few suggestions if you want to go inexpensive.
I can hunt elk eight days straight with the following.
One pair camo(tops & bottoms) underarmour type long underwear.
Three pair of good quality socks. (Cabelas Ultimax)
Two pair of undies.
One pair of cotton camo bibs.
One camo synthetic long sleeve tee shirt
One camo hoodie, synthetic light weight as possible.
One Camo Goretex uninsulated rain coat that is quiet and you can shoot your bow in from all positions.
One pair of uninsulated boots that you can wear for an extended period. I like Danners.
One pair of light weight sandals.
One small light weight fold up umbrella.
One baseball type hat.
One large cotton camo kerchief.
Two pair cottom cammo gloves.

I like cotton pants because they sheds burrs and seeds easily and they dry quickly.  The underarmour will keep you insulated if they get wet.  I always carry unscented baby wipes & camp soap.  I rarely return to camp until after dark & during the mid day lull you can wash out your shirt or socks, etc. or scrub up a bit and all will dry in the sun.  The umbrella is very handy for those pop up storms.  The camo kerchief is a very handy item and is a must in my daypack. Using the above I have hunted in temps from the 70's to the 30's and 12" of wet snow.  I am usually 5 to 8 miles from my vehicle and have back up clothing and boots there.  I like to have the above list duplicated in my truck in a pack ready to go so I can change out quickly if everything is wet and dirty.  Limited hunting time encourages efficiency.  I am planning on getting some Sitka gear soon like Steve O suggests.  Good Luck

[jhg]

Originally posted by wislnwings:
... My question is, for those of you that have done this, what is your normal list of clothing you bring?  How many changes of hunting clothes?  How much heavyweight vs. lightweight? ...

Without going into the boring details I bring tried and tested by me my style of hunting or hiking body type etc, layers that will keep me comfortable from 75* down into the 20's.

1)One pair a technical pants that are quiet and fit the way I like pants to fit.
 A)one pair of lightweight thin wool or tech long underwear. These can go on and off usually on in the AM and off all day and on in the PM. I found thicker underwear just weighed too much and had limited usefulness.

2)good wool socks two pair not real thick and one  pretty thin pair for hot or to double up. I don't mind carrying an extra pair of socks because from  our feet is where all joy or suffering grows.

3)two under shirts tech or wool, both long sleeve, one with a zip tee neck and one with normal neck. One is thin and the other a bit fuzzier/a little warmer. I can wear these together or alone, giving me three combinations.

4) one wool jac shirt which is a Pendelton dress shirt xx large and really nice wool and blends into the woods. I can wear this even if its really hot and not suffer. Its warm when its cold, cuts wind etc. I don't tuck in my shirt when I hunt BTW.

5) power stretch zip vest with a high roll down collar. Stops wind, stretches, breaths is lightweight I love this vest. I can get that collar up onto my ears if its really cold.

6)very light down vest 750 fill and packs into a ball the size of a baseball.

7)a good brimmed hat, and a fleece watch cap.

8) a very thin stretch wool sweater. Think so thin almost like a tee shirt thin. I wear this over undershirts but under the jac shirt. Almost no weight penalty. I found mine in a high end mens store on sale. Green too.

With this set up I can handle almost anything in comfort, stay warm when/if wet, dry out pretty fast and not get all twisted up in a knot about weight. I wear a lot of it a lot of the time up high and am glad to have it all don't need more.

For example, putting that down vest on under my powerstretch vest over my wood shirt thats on top of two tech undershirts and I am wearing thin long underwear beneath my pants and put on the watch cap I am the guy who is feeling no pain when its spitting snow and wind and I found a great place to sit a game trail for a while. OR if its really hot I wear just the thin undershirt, unzip the neck and all is good.  I am wearing pants too BTW, even when its hot out.

I bring one large garbage bag for a poncho. I don't think rain gear where I hunt is a smart way to fill up a pack. No rain pants for sure. But thats me and I know the pros/cons and handle myself accordingly.

Joshua

[Bjorn]

Check out Cabelas Microtex.

[Wolfkiss]

X2 on the microtex.

Though not as light as he Techy stuff its soft and quiet, tough  as nails and dries real quick.
Combine that with some quality wool base layers and you cant go wrong.

Can be had for cheap money too.

[Bails]

For underlayers I use Helly Hansen baselayer shirts and Ron Hill DXB tracksters , which have a quick wicking system and Ron Hill Fleece . I also carry a Mountain Equipment Firefly GoreTex waterproof ( folds into a fist size ball ) incase it Rains heavily . Socks are Thorlo Mountain socks ,mated with my Meindl Burma Pro GTX Boots , my feet are super comfortable and get no blisters at all . For sitting around the camp at night , I change into fleece hoody's and My big Mossy Oak Insulated Jacket .

[jhg]

He is going on a back pack hunt.

 With shelter, sleeping bag and pad, and food and game bags, etc I think some of the suggested items are going to be out unless he has a sherpa to carry an extra pack or wants to lug 70lbs up the mountain.

[Wary Buck]

I understand how the initial investment of Sitka Gear clothing or others may scare some off, but I truly believe SG will last through maybe 15-20 LONG, HARD SEASONS of hunting.  Probably longer; I have four-year old SG stuff that has been used 40+ times a year that barely looks used.  With that in mind, the initial investment becomes very little over time.

What I like most about the Sitka system is how everything is designed to work together.  So as conditions change, you either add or take off a layer.  In this way, you end up packing less for trips.

I know you said you were not looking to spend much money, but if you intend to do these types of hunts often, you might at least consider some real technical gear.  The developments in rain and wind gear for instance, are astounding over what was available even just 5-10 years ago.

[Keith Zimmerman]

I have been on many elk hunts up to 12000 ft.  I love my cotton pants by Sleeping Indian.  So maybe cotton isn't the best, but for me and an early season elk hunt, they work great.  Weather is usually warm and storms are short.  

It always seem I pack too much stuff.  The basics you must have are chap stic, wipes, good boots, and a good pack.