Elk Hunting: What to pack

[menhadenman]

Here’s a crazy list I found some time ago. We’ve got five elk tags to fill in WY this year.

https://lighterpack.com/r/mswehb

 

[sea trout]

Awesome!!!
The best boots and the best clothes.
Get in best hiking shape you can. Your elk guide will probly be great at finding elk if you can keep up with him you'll be in the elk.
If you can run down the driveway and back then do 10 pushups and then target practice controling your breathing and your heart rate.
I'm excited for you I hope to see some pics and a story!

 

[jdgator]

Doesn't the guide provide a list of what they want you to pack?

 

[Michael F Sights]

Darn Tough Socks!!!!!!!

Take some Stinger Waffles, Nuun Tablets, GU Energy Gels.

Good Luck & Enjoy!!!

 

[dwhee87]

WELL broken in boots. Start breaking in new boots now…every day, with the socks you’ll be wearing. I use Lowa Renegade GTX boots

Merino wool socks. Don’t ever be caught on the side of a mountain hunting in cotton socks.

cotton camo outerwear is sufficient in that season, plus a vest for early morning chills. One heavy jacket if it gets crazy cold.

rainsuit

moleskin for blisters

knife to gut your bull out. Double H Knives preferably

knives to skin, cut up/bone out bull.

binoculars. Bow hunting? 8x30 should be fine. Spend a little beyond your budget and get excellent glass. Chest strap for binocs…holds closer to your body.

rangefinder. Keep around your neck.

Coolers: My 165 Grizzly will easily hold a boned out bull. A Yeti 105 holds my cape for mounting later. Trash bags to sort cuts in your cooler. One trash back for back straps, tenderloins, one for scraps (hamburger), one for roasts, etc.

Handheld Garmin GPS. Learn to use it!

Orange flagging to hang from tree to “mark” your bull when it goes down.…..When you return to the bull, it’ll be easier to find.

Rope to tie to the bulls legs to spread them when dressing him out, if you’re there alone. 15’ para cord is just fine for this.

Decently good camera unless your cell phone camera is very very good.

meds: bag for your prescription meds + aspirin, ibuprofen, alka seltzer, tums, toothpast, toothbrush.

More rope to tie the rack down on top of your coolers in the bed of the truck.

Important: cable locks to secure your coolers (and rack!) in the back of your truck. Any place you stop, filling station, restaurant, motel….make dang sure everything is cable locked securely. People WILL steal $$$ coolers in a heartbeat if they think they can get away with it. A big ol rack as well.

Flashlights. Small 200-400 lumen for your daypack. Big 1000 lumen if blood trailing at night. Your guide should have them. Assume he/she doesnt.

Obviously get in shape. Walking around the neighborhood every evening will NOT cut it. I promise. Doing so will also help you with your mental state, which is essential. If you’re not mentally tough, with a never ever quit attitude, the hunt will rapidly turn into just another camping trip.

Assuming this is an archery hunt, ensure your arrows have strong, cut on contact broadheads. Personal choice, but an elk’s one inch thick ribs will turn many broadheads inside out. I like Slick Trick’s myself, and so do a ton of other elk hunters.

I’ll post more if I think of anything else. This was just off the top of my head.

Best of luck! I’ll be there 10/1-10/5

Great info. I'll be there 10/7 to 10/11. Guided, rifle. Unit 52. I'll wave at you as you go by on your way back to GA. I'll have both my Double H knives in my pack.

 

[godogs57]

Great info. I'll be there 10/7 to 10/11. Guided, rifle. Unit 52. I'll wave at you as you go by on your way back to GA. I'll have both my Double H knives in my pack.

You dang well better post a bloody knife pic and @ me.

Ill be in unit 55. My birthday is October 11….get your big boy then…

 

[dwhee87]

Here’s a crazy list I found some time ago. We’ve got five elk tags to fill in WY this year.

https://lighterpack.com/r/mswehb

Need some help?

 

[georgia_home]

Watching too. Have a ML elk tag for late October into early November . 2 weeks season

 

[menhadenman]

Need some help?

I always need help

 

[ddd-shooter]

Specifically for archery:
A target to shoot at camp
Extra arrows
Extra broadheads
Allen wrenches
Spare release
A nice quality hard case for the trip

 

[godogs57]

Specifically for archery:
A target to shoot at camp
Extra arrows
Extra broadheads
Allen wrenches
Spare release
A nice quality hard case for the trip

Always have an extra release. Don’t ask me how I know….

 

[dwhee87]

@GAbuckhunter88 jump onto spotify (free) and look up the Meateater podcast, episode 83, "What the [Heck's] in your backpack". I just listened to it, and they give a comprehensive list of what they carry on an archery hike in hunt. Adjust as appropriate if you are gun hunting. Good info.

 

[flconch53]

Im heading to New Mexico mid september for an elk hunt. Wanting to make sure I am not forgetting anything as I finalize my pack.

For those who have gone what are your recommendation to take with you? Will be based out of a cabin and going out each day to hunt. Will have a guide.

Thanks in advance

I would hope you are well on your way to conditioning yourself for the altitude. What part of New Mexico. Big difference between the area around Taos and Southern part of state. Probably be shirt sleeve or light Jacket but it could snow

 

[Tight Lines]

Following

 

[leecrook]

Definitely check sights on bow once you get there. Bug repellent would be nice I know in 2016 I went to Northern NM and while not overly hot it was crisp in mornings and fairly bad mosquitoes in afternoon. If you haven’t already practice shooting a life size print out of an elk…helped tremendously when I didn’t have time to use range finder and my gut estimate was only a few yards off but would have been further off without practice just due to sheer size compared to a whitetail.
may have been said but a light backpack worked for me with snacks, equipment, tag, etc. having a 2nd release is smart just in case and have it in your pack at all times.
also know what you are comfortable shooting prior to getting there and have the discipline to wait…one thing my guide stated was he was impressed I waited on a nice representative bull that took 4 days of my 5 to get instead of taking a cow early on to make sure I didn’t eat my tag.

 

[leecrook]

Also don’t be afraid to listen to your guide about being aggressive in pursuing elk and getting to spots to try and be ready for the shot opportunity when it arise. Mentally go through shot checklist and be prepared to potentially need to hold full draw for a bit if elk doesn’t present perfect shot initially. On mine the guide got him to come back to us to about 34 yards but the first bleat stopped him behind a tree and took about 30 secs for him to over again and that bleat stopped him in a lane for the shot.

 

[huntfish]

Get there early to allow you to acclimate to the altitude and drink lots of water. High Altitude sickness can ruin your hunt in a quick minute.

 

[deers2ward]

LMNT packs are great for keeping your electrolytes in balance.

Get the best binos you can afford.

The better shape you show up in, the more your guide can do to help you be successful

What unit did you draw, or did you buy a landowner tag?

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

 

[gobbleinwoods]

Do you have two bows? I bought a second one to take with me when I went to Canada just in case.

Check your fletchings. Ask guide if they have a blitzen should you need to reflech for some reason.

 

[dwhee87]

OnX is doing a Zoom seminar this evening at 7p CDT on what to pack for a September elk archery hunt.