Mountain hunting gear??

[wisconsinteacher]

After a successful antelope hunt last year, my brother-in-law are talking about applying for a mule deer tag in WY. I have a point so we should draw in a general unit. I have never hunted in the mountains but he has 13 years ago. We both enjoy hunting and are willing to work for a crack at a buck. Right now, we are starting to look at gear and what we will need to have for his hunt and hopefully future hunts together. I am looking for thought and ideas as to what is needed and what is not needed for a trip like this.

Here are some items I believe we will need:

Tent-we are thinking about buying a wall tent with and a wood stove
GPS-What would you recommend?
Pack frame-hoping to leave it back at the truck and then fetch it and drop off unneeded gear at the same time to make getting the animal off the mountain
Cots/bedding??? we both have sleeping bags we just need something to sleep on
Tire chains for the truck incase it snows

Other than that, we have cook stoves, lanterns, hunting gear (cloths/boots/rifles)

What are we missing other than time, tags and good weather???

 

[CamoHunter]

How are you set up for optics?
A good pair of binoculars and maybe spotting scope may be in order, but you may have that covered as well.
Sounds like fun!

Camo

 

[Wyo7200]

Are you planning on driving in, setting up camp and then hiking in further?

I'd recommend boots with good ankle support.

Old school compass and paper maps as back up. Sometimes the GPs won't work deep in the hillsides.

Walking sticks? Helps with packing game out and keeping balance on uneven terrain.

And me. Don't forget me. I want to go.

 

[Rol_P]

A good laser rangefinder, emergency fire starter, first aid kit, ditto on good boots with ankle support.
These are just a few items that come to mind. Good luck Rol

 

[salmonchaser]

For your wall tent I wouldn't go any smaller then a 12x16. Big enough if your group grows to 4 down the road. I would buy a rain fly to go with it, but I hunt in Oregon and Washington so my perspective is a little soggy. Sheep herder stoves are great, eventually they burn out. We've replaced both of ours with cylinder stoves of heavier construction. That being said our last stove came from cabelas, lasted six years, and it would hold enough of a fire to make getting it going in the morning easy.
Our wood stoves have hot water tanks on them. We premake all our dinners, vacuum seal them and freeze them. First guy back gets the stove hot and sticks that nights dinner in the tank. An hour later dinner is ready, no fuss no cleanup.
We run Garmin rhinos. Good range, good maps and you can keep track of each other. We have a rule to update every hour minimum, all you have to do is key up. Could be a life saver, really helps with getting to your buddy to pack out an animal. Maps and compas are still a must.
A water filter system for potable water.
For cleanup water five drops of bleach per gallon will kill anything that could hurt you and won't turn your hair blonde.
During elk season we always have a couple of pairs of snow shoes with us. You can make a real nice pack trail across steep ground if you need to if you get dumped on.
Dinner time, good luck

 

[Guy Miner]

Are you going to hunt from a camp that you can drive to?

Or are you going to backpack or horse-pack in, and hunt from there?

BIG difference...

Take ANYTHING you want if you're camping where the truck can reach.

Big heavy tent.
Big heavy warm stove.
Big heavy comfy cots.
Whatever.

But if you're going in by horse... take a harder look at your packing list.

If you're going in by backpack, take a much harder look at your packing list.

Any of the three ways can result in a successful hunt. I've done all three.

Guy

 

[Anonymous]

Lots of different forms of mountain hunting. If you have transport- take everything and the kitchen sink. Big tent with a stove...oh yeah, great camp like that.

For hunting in steep terrain. Good boots, good glass and some cardiovascular fitness are generally what most folks find helpful.

I wouldn't get too around the axle on stuff- pack frames vary greatly, but one would have to be far out of whack to not be useful . I hauled a lot of meat on a "Camp trails" frame.... a whopping $59.99. I wouldn't trade my Mystery Ranch for it...but it worked for the time I had it and worked when I gave it to a friend.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Thanks for the great help so far.

I do have 2 range finders, a Nikon 440 and a Leupold 800 yarder
I'm weak in the glass department. I have a pair of Minox 8x42 and can borrow my dad's low end Leupold spotting scope. I would need to look at a better tripod because his is flimsy.

I have a pair of Danner Pronghorns for boots that I have had for a few years so they are broke in but not used a lot due to hunting in wet areas here at home.

We plan on driving and setting up camp from the truck. No horses or packing in. We would consider taking a small tent incase we decide to camp over night on top of the mountain a night or two.

I like the idea of pre-cooked meals. Would you be willing to share your menu?

Please keep it coming.

 

[Bruce Mc]

When we cook ahead I make stuff like rice and gumbo, only don't cook the rice too much before you freeze it. Beef tips and noodles, same don't cook the noodles to much. Both will get kinda soupy if you overcook. Any kind of stew works out, I like to make mine heavy on potatoes and veggies for hunting. I know guys that have gone to their favorite chinese restaurant and got entrees with veggies and the such and put them in pressure bags and into the freezer to take. Most anything you like can be sealed in a bag and heated up in boiling water.

 

[Guy Miner]

Clothing - mountain weather can change multiple times during a day. Be flexible with the clothing. I like the layered approach myself:

"wicking" long-johns to get the sweat away from the skin

fleece or wool for an insulating layer - both work fine when wet

gore-tex or similar wind & rain blocking outer shell.

This stuff can all be reasonably light, is easy to dry in the tent in the evening.

For packing out your mulie - consider actually boning out the deer, instead of quartering. It takes a little longer, but the packs end up much smaller and the loads lighter. A big mulie, boned out, can be packed out by one man, but spreading the load between two is a great idea.

*** Do not forget to get the Wyoming "Conservation Stamp" ***

Bear spray! And keep yer eyes peeled. Much of Wyoming's high country is grizzly range and they are pretty aggressive... Have been several hunter/grizzly encounters in recent years. I've come across their tracks while hunting mule deer in the high country, in Wyoming.

Guy

 

[sask boy]

When we used to Hunt deep in the bush we all had Rhino GPS units the reason we used the Rhino is they had a radio so we could keep in contact with each other.
Now with tech stuff we use our Iphones for almost everything, we still take our trusting old compasses & a map incase we do not have coverage or the device fails.
We also took almost all home made pre-cooked food as getting up before sunrise and getting back after dark takes it toll so food that you just have to reheat is the way we always went :mrgreen:.
Pretty basic stuff but figured I would post it.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Guy Miner]

My buddy, packing out his mulie a few years ago. Hunted Wyoming high-country, not far from Yellowstone:


"Spike camp" for two of us, Wyoming's high country. We used horses and mules to get camp in and out. About 15 years ago when my hair was still black!


My usual mountain camp here in Washington. Backpacked in, so weight is very limited:



I'd rather have a real good pair of binos than a low end spotting scope. I've taken my low-end Leupold in... but it proved only marginally useful. On the other hand a good clear set of binos are almost constantly in use.

Entiat Mountains, Washington, on a mule deer hunt, backpacking:




Be in the best condition you can, use your head. Have a good first aid kit and know how to use it.

Guy

 

[pre6422hornet]

I will second the Trekking Poles. I purchased a set from Sportsmans Warehouse for 59 bucks and used them last fall Elk hunting in New Mexico. Best darn 60 bucks i have ever spent. 39 miles in 3.5 days and they performed flawlessly. Whether you are packing a 75 pound pack filled with Camp, or 100 pounds of meat, those sticks work phenomenally. Swallow the pride and get some. Your legs will thank you later.

Grab a good waterproof topo map. Doesn't need batteries.

We used to take a couple bales of straw up into Colorado and spread it on the ground before setting up the tent. Worked as insulation from the cold ground.

8x42's will serve you well. That is all I have used on all my hunting trips out west. Invest in a good Bino harness.

Chapstick. The air is dry. Your lips will thank you.

A good water filter for the camel back. I recomend the Sawyer Mini. For 20 bucks it can't be beat. It will gravity filter, inline, or squeeze. Top off your water bladder when you cross a creek or spring.

If you are camping at the truck you really don't have to worry about weight. I have used V bar tire chains and they are nice. At least a set should be behind your back seat in case of emergency and practice how to put them on. I made small homemade ramps where you lay the chains in the recess of a 2x8 with 2x4s across and drive up on the ramp. Wrap the chains and be done. Literally takes 5 minutes to get a set of chains on.

 

[Thankful Otter]

I read through the posts quickly so I may have missed this, but the only thing I can think of that has not already been mentioned is, medical supplies both at base camp and with you. Bear repellent ( actually I think this one was mentioned but it is important, especially after the kill ) Carry dried food with you. When we are going to hike far from base camp, we take whatever we might need to survive the night in a spike camp. The weather in the mountains can chance quicker than your wife's attitude when you forget to take out the trash.

 

[salmonchaser]

Some thoughts on wall tents.
1. Do not get a built in floor.
We scatter a bale of straw then cover with astro turf.
2. If you order one new, get doors at both ends, really helps with venting moisture and climate control.
3. Pay the money for an internal frame. Much easier to set up and saves trying to find the perfect lodge poles.
I have two Montana Canvas tents. A 14 x 20 and a 12 x 16.
One of the best things we've done inside our tents is hang about two dozen s shaped hooks on the frame. Everything gets hung up, boots on the ridge pole, day packs rifles and binoculars on the side, everything is dry by morning. Back over the sleeping area we hang a closet dowl. Soaking wet wool coat is dry by morning.
I also carry trekking poles. Huge when carrying meat also work for shooting sticks. Slide the fore end through the wrist straps, cross the sticks and you're good to go.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

http://wausau.craigslist.org/spo/5460125740.html

Would you consider this tent???

It has been used for 5 seasons and they are adding guys to their group so they need a bigger tent. The owner says they have slept 4 guys in it. He is the second owner and the first owner bought it new and used it 2 times.

 

[Guy Miner]

Ya, I would.

I've spent nights in that kind of tent, with a lot more than four guys. Snow on the ground. Lines fastened to "deadmen" buried in the snow.

The tent held up just fine to some pretty extreme conditions. I was impressed. Not the fastest thing to set up, but with a couple of guys working together, it happens.

Guy

 

[salmonchaser]

That looks like a good tent, no experience with that design, my guess is it would work just fine. I recall seeing similar tents in elk camps. Looks like you get a lot for 700.00.
The kerosene heater could be mighty handy early in the season with fire restrictions.

 

[DON]

Wisconsin,
Check with an REI Store if one is in your area. I have rented camping equipment from them in the past while living in Colorado. It may be helpful rather than purchasing all the items needed.

I have experienced the truck camp method and have packed in with horses too.
Both methods using a high side wall canvas tent. additionally we had a separate tent just for gear, back packs etc. This would free up more area in the main tent for other things especially if your group grows to more than 2-people.

Food:
We prepared stews, spaghetti meat sauce, Lasagna etc. Stews, soups and meat sauce were poured into 1-gallon slide lock freezer bags and frozen laying flat.

My wife made the Lasagna which was sectioned into serving portions and vacuum sealed, then frozen. later we boiled the servings in hot water till ready to serve.
Spaghetti noodles were light to pack in and gave us several meals, just boil in water.

We set the flat freezer bags upright on the ends as they packed well into a cooler, added dry ice as it would last for days.

We ate pretty good and after a hard days hunt it tasted even better. Home cooked is better than freeze dried or other meals that are loaded with sodium. :wink:

Don

 

[Blkram]

The above posts have given a lot of good info and tips.

I can only add, be mentally prepared ( in addition to physically prepared) to deal with conditions new to you:
Terrain, elevation,mountain slopes, shale, poor footing, that is hard on the legs and the lungs
Take your time and watch each step, do not try to reach top in one go, take lots of short go's and breaks so you reach goals or destinations quicker and in better shape for a quick shot vs having to rest for several minutes before you can hold steady enough for a shot
Quickly changing weather, layers, rain Gera and be prepared for unexpected early snows
Watch weather forecasts and alerts
Be prepared to spend the night on the mountain (tent, food & water, and fire starting materials) or be prepared to hike out in the dark

And remember when you are asking yourself how you got into such a situation on the side of a mountain, you are there to enjoy the experience and take a moment to be thankful for the ability to be there and enjoy the great view!