Mountain hunt daypack essentials

[mcseal2]

I put this one up on another forum last fall and am still getting good ideas every few weeks. I thought I'd list it here and see if anyone had anything to add.

I have been on 5 mountain hunts with a friend of mine who always thinks I pack way to light. We hunt Wyoming in late October or early November for elk or muleys. The day starts with a 5 mile uphill hike into the area we want to glass at daylight and then hunting from there. The farthest we have ever ended up from the trailhead was 12 miles according to the GPS. We come off the mountain each night. We also have connections to have horses pack animals out if we are to deep so we don't carry frames. We cover alot of ground and I don't want to pack any unnecessary weight, but we get back in far enough I want to be prepared to survive an unplanned night up there if necessary. I started the first year with a list of what I carried in my daypack and checked off items I actually used and items I don't feel safe without. After 5 hunts this is what I still carry. I work on a family ranch in Kansas, so I spend the majority of my time outdoors and am in fair physical condition. For those with more experience please critique my list and let me know if I am missing something important or if I have my bases covered. Thanks!

In Pack (Camelback stryker 1280 cubic inch)
-Sog field pup knife & small sharpener w/ steel
-GPS with lithium AAA batteries, ATV or truck marked, also horse trails marked.
-blaze orange baclava (windshear fleece)
-cabelas dry plus thinsulate gloves
-cabelas synthetic down pack vest
-light fleece shirt (insulating midlayer, fits tight around neck & sleeves)
-spare wool socks
-Katadyn hiker water filter
-trashbags (3 for packing meat or sitting on in snow)
Survival kit
-handwarmer packs (2 7hr packs)
-GI rain poncho (has tiedown grommets in corners, unsnaps to make tarp)
-adventure medical bivy sack
-mylar space blanket (light thin one for ground sheet or improving shelter)
-small butane lighter
-firesteel
-pill bottle of vaseline coated cotton balls (tinder)
-25 yds of 150lb braided nylon cord (boot laces or making shelter w/ tarp)
-15yds of 400lb braided nylon cord (same)
-duct tape (two 1" wide strips about 1ft long wrapped around cord)
First aid kit
-suture kit
-antiseptic towelettes (6)
-bandages (assorted)
-moleskin (2 pads)
-gauze pads (6 lg)
-athletic tape
-neosporin
-aleve (4)
-Percocet pain pills (3)
-quickclot (1 sponge)
-vetwrap (1 roll, similar to a large Ace bandage)
Front pocket of pack
-scope cloth (cleaning lenses)
-scope caps (rain/snow)
-Petzl headlamp (3 AAA) 200hr battery life low, 55hr high 100hr red w/ lithium batteries
-compass
-spare lithium batteries (3AAA fit headlamp & GPS)
-camera w/ 2AA lithium batteries,
-10 rounds ammo in carrier (w/ accubonds)
-license, driver's license copy, tags, any other papers to be legal, & copy of the regs for what I'm after, and map of area.

- 20oz gatorade
- 20oz water (probably overkill with the filter, but I still carry it)
-4 Cliff bar energy bars and a bag of jerky. The jerky gets the taste of the cliff bars out of my mouth, they are light and high energy but not the best tasting. I never ate more than 2 a day.
-Stoney point rapid pivot bipods sitting & prone models

My pack weighs right around 14lbs loaded with all this.

I usually wear an orange cap, lightweight polypropylene base layer and Cabela's windshear windbreaker jacket. I would wear a hooded jacket, but the regs require blaze to be showing at all times so I put on the baclava when we stop to glass for long. I've been wearing camo jeans, but will have a couple pairs of the lighter Sitka pants by next season. No cotton clothes at all, and wool socks. Danner pronghorn boots.
I carry my binoculars on a chest harness.
Pockets
-rangefinder
-3" lockback knife
-small lighter
-4 extra rounds of ammo (w/ accubonds)
-cell phone on silent mode (I've actually found 3 places it works and marked them on the GPS)

Oh and I try to remember my rifle also.

What do some of you carry that I don't, or think I carry that is unnecessary?

 

[Elkman]

mc

Me thinks I already commented, I think we talked about adding a sweater and rain gear. "Elkhunter"

 

[JD338]

Thats a pretty good pack of goodies.

JD338

 

[Guy Miner]

Heck of an interesting thought there McSeal2. Like you I often hike way in to get to my preferred hunting area, and I've had to spend a night out, without my tent, sleeping bag or my dinner! Doggone. That can get uncomfortable. I really like my tent, sleeping bag and my little backpacker's stove & dinner.

Important thing to me is to be able to make it through the night in good shape, so that I can hike out in the morning. I'm either too tired & too far from the trailhead to make it at night. Or it's too dark on a dangerous trail and I don't have a working headlamp (shame on me). Or I'm hurt. Or something else has gone wrong. So, I have to figure that I'm already starting out at less than 100%. Might just be real worn out and too darned far to go safely at night.

So - what do I need? I need to be warm enough that I don't get hypothermia or frostbite, and hopefully warm enough that I don't shiver all night. I need to stay dry. That's essential for me. I really get uncomfortable if I'm cold and wet - and I get real worried about it. Have been mighty cold and wet before. Not only is it nasty, but it's dangerous.

I've got to have water to replenish the tired body. And food. Doesn't need to be a lot of food for one night out, but I might actually need quite a bit of water if I've been working hard and sweating prior to my little bivouac.

What I've done in the past is put on EVERY BIT OF CLOTHING I HAVE. Making sure to get warm, dry long-johns on first, and layering out from there. Top it all off with my gore-tex pants & parka. The Gore Tex, all sealed up, actually holds some heat in pretty well, but most important, it sheds rain & wind. Almost like having my own little tent wrapped up around me. If I've got some fleece on under that, or wool, I'm probably good to go.

Now - let's figure I'm tired - and maybe not generating much body heat. Time to carb up! Some protein to maybe replenish those sore muscles is a good idea too. I like your Cliff bars & jerky idea. If a guy has a tiny little stove, or can make a tiny little fire, he can also have a cup of hot tea. Dang I like a cup of hot tea when I'm on a bivouac... An old metal canteen cup is perfect for brewing up a hot cup of tea over a tiny fire or on a tiny stove. Getting some calories inside, and a hot drink, makes all the difference.

Also - not being tucked in my nice down mummy bag, I will REALLY appreciate some external heat. Have found that the mountains in October and November during hunting season are real cold at night. And there's not usually enough snow then to make a decent snow shelter. Pity. A good snow shelter can really keep a man alive nicely.

So, it's time to build a fire for external heat. Also helps keep a man company on a long, cold night, when he might be worried about getting back to the trailhead, or nursing an injury or...

First thing to do is to have fire-starter. Looks like McSeal2 has that well in hand. I've done amazingly well with a cheap Bic lighter when my hands were about half numb. Build the doggone fire where the wind won't whip the heat away, and if at all possible, use a reflector. We've got some real nice cliffs around here, and giant rock formations that make dandy heat reflectors. They also shelter a fellow from the wind a bit. I like rocks, big ones, at my bivouac site.

I'll even make kind of a long, narrow fire and lay down next to it. Put something on the ground for insulation - pine branches or something - heaps of dead, dry leaves - anything to stay off the cold ground. Otherwise your body heat is escaping via conduction.

Getting kind of windy here. My apologies. I've spent a few nights out with nothing but a small day pack, or a butt pack. It's not usually very fun, particularly in cold weather - but it's nothing an outdoorsman can't handle with a little prior thought.

McSeal2 - more than answering your question, I just kind of turned the discussion a bit - because I think you've got a fine list of "stuff" in your pack. More than I've carried on most occasions, and more than I've needed on a night out, but a man can never tell. Can't really add much to your list, although I truly do favor that old metal canteen cup. It's a lot better to be hunkered over a little fire, radiating heat back from a big boulder, slurping hot tea from that old canteen cup and chewing some jerky - than to be sitting out there alone in the dark, with no fire and no hot drink.

Normally I don't go far enough that it's a huge worry, but time to time I'll find myself way back in there come nightfall - and for some reason it's just not a good idea to keep on hiking to the trailhead in the dark. Best to make like a Boy Scout then, and Be Prepared.

Regards, Guy

 

[Elkman]

Guy
We are thinking the same thoughts only you stated it more eloquently than I. The primary reason I mentioned the rain gear and sweater is for heat retention when you have to hunker down. Either at night or for a long cold afternoon two or three miles from the truck or ?.. I put my face mask/hood on, sweater on crawl into my bib goretex rain gear, put on my stocking cap, hood up on the rain gear wool gloves and hunker in a sunny spot or next to a fire and nap. Gortex holds the heat (somewhat) and helps with the breeze. I have spent several nights out in my life (more working than hunting) and have not found it to be a particular challenge other than I think there are a lot of people out there whom are uncomfortable because it is night. I also find that if I carry any kind of extra food I eat it long before the end of the day.

(I hate cliff bars) :roll:

 

[Greg Nolan]

That's a pretty comprehensive list and I'll add a couple of things to mine based on that.
There are two things I carry that I didn't notice on the list. (1) A compass. Just a small 1.5 -2" plastic one with a snap cover. I've carried that for 30 + years and still do in case the GPS gets soaked and quits or I loose faith in the GPS's directions I can verify them. (2) A roll of flourescent orange marking tape. Again Pre-gps but it can mark a trail or downed animal and wrap antlers and hide on a pack frame and there's enough to effectively mark a rescue or landing zone.
Greg

 

[HTDUCK]

Like Guy I like that old metal canteen cup.
I'm a coffee fella though rather than a cup of tea.
I always carry a Rocky Mountain packsaw as well. It's a double edged saw with a folding handle.One side is for cutting bone,the other is made for cutting wood.

Also for starting a fire I carry a small can of Sterno, a zippo lighter and a small can of lighter fluid.
Back when I used to smoke I ALWAYS had an extra pack of cigarrettes too.

Couple packets of Lipton instant soup.

Build a fire,get out of the wind/rain/snow. Cup of hot coffee/soup while I collect my thoughts, I can survive.

 

[mcseal2]

Good ideas, a hot beverage or soup is great when you are chilled through.

I actually have a .7 liter Snow Peak backpacking titanium cup with a lid and that weighs next to nothing and doesn't take up much room. I have that in my vehicle emergency kit with an alcohol stove and some soup & hot chocolate packs. You can put the stove and several small packs in the cup. I am not a coffee drinker, but hot chocolate or tea are nice sometimes on a cold day. It might not be a bad idea to add that to my list if it looks to be a long trip.

Elkman, I am not a fan of cliff bars either. They looked like good "fuel" for the weight but they don't taste great by any means. If I buy goodies before a hunting trip I want to eat them all on the way, so these work good for me. I don't eat them unless they are the only thing I have.

I'm still trying to get the ideal layering system down for the activity level I keep up on the mountain. My arms and legs don't seem to get that cold if I keep my extremities and core temp regulated. I'm looking at a jacket with a hood to replace the light fleece shirt and vest that won't add alot of bulk, but having the shirt and vest separate gives more layering options. I wish Cabelas made a hooded jacket in the synthetic down like my vest, it is light, very warm, and packs well. I hate to add the bulk and weight of gore-tex bibs and a heavy parka because I would be to hot wearing them except for holing up for the night. I'm one of those people who like to pack everything you might possibly need. My two trucks on the ranch are equipped for almost anything. The problem comes when I have to start carrying all the weight on my back and chasing the crazy guy who takes my friend and I hunting. His pace is brutal, but if you are willing to push yourself to keep up with him he will find game and teach you a lot in the process. The other locals are smart enough not to hunt with him, but I figure what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Plus sucess is sweeter if you work for it. Maybe I'm crazy too?

 

[Elkman]

Mcseal2

When I was just a little bit younger and hunting in Idaho we would typically start the morning (in the pitch dark) by walking straight up around 1500 vertical feet prior to daylight. The object of course was to be in our respective spots when it became light enough to shoot. It was pretty much always in the teens. Many times I ended up near my final location in my long john top with the rest of my clothes tied on my pack. (All I needed to complete the picture was a shopping cart) as soon as I got close to my spot I put "everything" back on and slithered into my spot. EVen this last year I humped up a trail every morning for an hour and a half. It was warmer, 20's so I was also in my underware top before long. Sometimes I change layers three or for times in a day. Top quality underware, lots of light wool layers, and gortex outerwear for wind rain and snow. My .02 :grin: :grin:

 

[mcseal2]

The only difference in the way my crazy friend hunts is that he knows the terrain very well, but on the negative side has little patience. We "glass and sprint" for lack of a better term at daylight and dark. He knows where the current feeding areas are, and we try to glass as many as possible in a short time so he can get his spotting scope on them. When we identify a shooter, and he has had me pass on 320 bulls, we stalk within shooting distance at another "sprint" and set up for a shot. It is a far different hunting style than I am used to shooting mature whitetail through extreme patience. I cannot argue it's sucess however, I have had opportunities at 300" bulls, and taken a 327. Now that I have a good one under my belt, I have to hold out for a 340+. I do not take offense because after he took a couple 150+ whitetail with me I put restrictions on also. He took a beautiful 161" buck on opening morning this year right where I told him to go. He is not trying to kill me or make me quit hunting with him, it is just that the area we hunt is massive and the more of it you can see during prime time the better. Honestly I would hunt differently on my own, and will if I draw a tag in another state, but I've seen it proven that his method works and won't try to change him. I've been thinking about doing a DIY backpacking hunt in the near future in another state. My friend that thinks I pack to much is interested in trying it also. I think we could pack in one day and set camp and glass before dark. We could hunt all the next day, camp again, and walk out the following morning after hunting. Then we could regroup and and do it again. I'm thinking pack in, hunt 3 days, come out and restock, go back and hunt another 3 days, and pack out for good. That makes and 7-8 day hunt with a day off to shower, eat well, and rest in the middle. We would have a much different pack arrangement for a hunt like that, but splitting the load I think it is very managable. I think that beats 3-5 miles each morning before we start hunting that must be repeated after dark. I've slept many nights outdoors, but not in mountain conditions, so I may rethink this after gaining experience at it in various conditions.

 

[Elkman]

I am to old for glassing and "sprinting" however I have done a fair share of sprinting in my day. I much prefer sneaking and peeking now. Just as effective except as you say when you have lots of country to hunt. I have never had the opportunity to take a 300+ plus bull. Been close a couple of times, but not many of those in the country I have hunted throughout my life. Have hunted one of the best units in New Mexico, good BC country, but no chances. I am building points in Nevada perhaps for a chance in a few more years, and had a good unit in Wyoming but to many other hunters, there was no opportunity for stalking of any kind.
I have packed into a spike camp a few times and found that it works really well. Would like to do it again but need the right partner, my best one works and does not have the flexability, time wise that I have. Also in some of the some units that I hunt and the time of year and county do not lend them selves to packing in!!! I envy you however !!! :grin: :grin: :grin:

 

[Guy Miner]

McSeal - time to time I'll backpack in, set up a little "spike camp" and hunt from there for mule deer. It's a lot of work, but a lot of fun as well, and serves to keep me right in the area I want to hunt.

The procedure then is just roll out of the sleeping bag early, hike with a light pack and rifle to where I want to be at sunrise, and glass, glass, glass, until finding something I'm after, then go make the approach.

Good stuff - and I've found that I'm happiest if I go in for at least two or three nights, staying at the same campsite and hunting from there, rather than moving camp. But - I'm flexible enough to move if need be. I don't take much gear, sometimes not even a tent - that saves about six pounds right there, just going with a mummy bag and a gore-tex bivvy cover.

The problem comes on the way out, if successful. Essentially a guy has a choice of making the trip out with all his camping & hunting gear PLUS a boned out mulie, or making two trips. Mulie first, camp on the second trip. Either way is tough.

Guy

 

[Guest]

I don't "pack in" much here in north Alabama, but I can tell you I keep a daypack on me most of the time, or at least what I call my "possibles bag" with the things I think I need. That usually includes whatever hunting gear I need - some worn on me, like binos and rifle, and some in the bag, like calls, rattling bag, rangefinder, extra ammo, etc. - but I have taken to carrying a backpack when I'm not carrying a climbing stand on my back. I usually include some warmer layers, extra gloves, first aid, water, saw, and some granola bars, trail mix, and/or jerky. Really like trail mix and jerky as far as energy content for the weight goes. Seems to keep me feeling up to the tasks at hand. Oh, and I always carry a knife on my belt, and one in my pocket. And a compass in my shirt pocket, lanyarded around my neck. I never go in the woods without a good knife and a compass, period.

As for the warm drink - I'm a huge fan. Started with hot chocolate when I was a kid, then went to black coffee, which I still carry on day hunts, in a steel thermos bottle. But if I'm going out for long hunts, or something strenuous, or overnight, I've started using beef broth or chicken broth carried hot in a thermos. Still drinks about like tea, but has great nutritional value for tired muscles and low energy.

I'm trying to get out west this fall or next, and I'll be packing differently for that. Probably use the suggestions here as a starting point. Great information.

 

[mcseal2]

I am to old for glassing and "sprinting" however I have done a fair share of sprinting in my day. I much prefer sneaking and peeking now. Just as effective except as you say when you have lots of country to hunt. I have never had the opportunity to take a 300+ plus bull. Been close a couple of times, but not many of those in the country I have hunted throughout my life. Have hunted one of the best units in New Mexico, good BC country, but no chances. I am building points in Nevada perhaps for a chance in a few more years, and had a good unit in Wyoming but to many other hunters, there was no opportunity for stalking of any kind.
I have packed into a spike camp a few times and found that it works really well. Would like to do it again but need the right partner, my best one works and does not have the flexability, time wise that I have. Also in some of the some units that I hunt and the time of year and county do not lend them selves to packing in!!! I envy you however !!! :grin: :grin: :grin:

When hunting by myself I prefer your way also. I worry that we spook to much game covering ground as fast as we do without looking it over as thoroughly as I'd like. This last season with 70 degree days while I was muley hunting we had the opportunity to park the ATV on the top of the mountain and walk the canyons down. I got to see alot of new country that is snowed in by elk season, and really see how the areas we hunt tie together. I would be very comfortable going by myself now if he can't go some days. I would hunt at a slower steady pace and spend more time glassing. Let my eyes do some of the walking. Sounds like you have hunted some great country and are going to some more. Your big one will run into a 180gr Partition one of these trips, from our conversations I know you put the time and effort in. I have run into the to many other hunters problem also. That is one reason I'm thinking of packing in and getting back past where they are willing to go. I'm always amazed at the number of people who complain about not seeing game when they never get over 50yds from an ATV trail. We use horses all the time on our ranch and I've thought of packing in with 2 or 3 of them to help with the load and getting past the crowd. It just adds complications to a trip when you start thinking of caring for animals and packing supplies in for them. Most of the horse camps I've seen are either near a vehicle acessable road or long term camps. I still think I'd rather just take 2 people and pack in for a spike camp. I always try to make some contacts in the areas I hunt to get horses to pack an animal out if possible. That way if I get something down real deep I have another option. Part of the reason I usually don't fill my tag in Wyoming is that I'd be packing an animal 2-6 miles to a horse trail and then paying $300 to get it packed back to the vehicle. It tends to raise my standards the farther I have to pack it out.

Guy, it sounds like you have a good system figured out. I was thinking that if two people split the camping load we could still pack at least one animal out with us. It wouldn't be easy, but would probably be manageable. I always mark a down animal, or where I pack meat to for recovery, with the GPS so I can send the GPS back in with the horses if they don't want me to go along.

 

[mcseal2]

I found another piece of gear that I am going to add to my list. Some people had expressed concern that I only had one headlamp, and no back-up light source. I retired my old headlamp to the catfishing bag, and am going to order a couple to replace it. I found the switch to be a little to sensitive and don't want to find it turned on by accident. My new one I will use is a Petzl XP2 with a 160hr run time on low that weighs 3oz. It had 21 reviews on REI and was rated 4.9/5. For a back-up Petzl makes a e+lite headlamp that weighs 1oz with batteries. It takes the same CR2032 batteries that my wind meter uses, and has a 45hr run time on low. For that weight, I will throw it in for a spare.

 

[Elkman]

I have a petzel, an off brand and a mini-mag in my pack. There are three things that I am slightly paranoid about, light, a fire, and keeping my bearings. So I am redundent in all three, 3 lights, two direction finders, GPS and compass, of course spare batteries, and about 4 or five waterpoof match cases with a couple of different fire starters. I also carry two knives but one is a pocket knife. I did look into one of the winter survivial suits last winter, thought they might work better than tent, bivy, pad, sleeping pad etc. at $1200 I decided on the tent etc. nuff from me!! :grin:

 

[mcseal2]

I have been thinking about standardizing batteries for my hunting gear. Right now my camera and GPS take AA and my headlamp's take AAA. I need a new GPS anyway because my screen crapped out on my old one last year. I am weighing between going to a AA headlamp and GPS. I put brand new lithium batteries in everything before a hunt, so if everything is the same the camera batteries can be considered spares. I have a charger and rechargeable batteries at the hunting cabin, so if I use the camera there I switch batteries.

There are headlamps available now with a good run-time that use a single AA battery. That would let my camera hold 2 spares for the headlamp or a spare set for the GPS. My wind meter would hold a spare for the back-up lamp that way. I searched ebay and did not come up with a AAA camera, so I think AA would be the right choice to standardize

I also carry 2 knives, a 3" blade 1.4oz schrade lockback in my pocket and the fixed blade SOG field pup in my pack for skinning or heavier use. I sometimes carry a folding Gerber saw with bone and wood blades but both my friends carry saws so I consider that a little redundant. I replace the weight with my Katadyn filter that we all can use. I carry a small BIC in my pocket, one in my pack, and the firesteel with vaselined cotton balls for tinder. Having a knife and being able to start fire are my biggest things I'm paranoid about. Those are the most basic of basics.