2021 Colorado Elk Pack List

[NeHunter13]

Following. Great info for newbie hunters!

 

[Brian_Holcombe]

I just went to incognito mode to search “butthole sandwich” and Rokslide was the first result. Looks delish.

5 wipes per day seems like a lot.

Do you have med training to use the tourniquet? If not, leave it at home and carry quickclot and know how to fashion a cloth tourniquet.

I agree with others on number of lighters and similar.

i think you included two compasses. One is on your phone. Dump one of the others. You still have two wind checkers. If you shake before you spray you won’t need more than one.

I’d definitely carry rain pants.

if you have budget to spend on your sleep system, I’m 1.5 pounds lighter at 0F with an overstuffed Versalite from Western Mountaineering and an Exped Down Lite.

Do you need two knives? Spices?

Think about switching one of the broadheads out for a judo tip for grouse.

Fun challenge. Have a great hunt.

 

[ndforbes]

I agree with Holcombe on most topics other than the wind checker. I always carry two of those as I have been an idiot and dropped a couple of them in the past and consider it an essential item. I also do carry two knives. Havalon for most of the work, but prefer a real knife for popping the skull and skinning around the antlers. Those Havalon blades are useless for that.

Good luck this fall!

 

[Grant K]

I think you are about as light as possible with the gear you have for a 10-day hunt, you're going way light on food IMO, and I'm saying that as someone who can function on a near-starvation diet for a while... dinners are good but a bar, cashews and mangos, and a waffle per day is going to be rough after a couple of days... ramen or instant potatoes are easy ways to add calories to freeze-dried, or just brew some up and throw in some pepperoni or salami, meal replacement powder is also your friend, taste isn't usually great but calories are what matters.

as a couple of people have said above I prefer doing a series of shorter trips to one mega backpack trip, if you can stay on elk in the same area for ten days and not blow them out you are doing better than I can, better to be flexible, and you can get away with less food if you can make up for it by stuffing yourself at basecamp.
another reason to do this is that you can ditch extra clothing if the forecast is good, the 10-day forecast in the mountains is pretty worthless but if you are only looking a couple of days out it's reliable enough to plan your system on.

 

[SteveinMN]

I'm in agreement with most of the things people above have mentioned, but am surprised to see nobody balked at 3 rolls of TP. If you're not brining it in to share with the group, and don't crap more than 3 times a day that's too much! Depending on personal preference and financials I'd really considering finding some lighter boots. During archery season you're not going to have cold feet for long if you have them at all. I've hunted in trail runners and light weight hikers. I've had Vasque Breeze LT GTX for the past 2 seasons and have found the support to be ample but the claimed weight on them is 27 oz. Taking that much weight off your feet will let you go longer/farther.

Also noticed wood stove in the group gear list...the odds of a fire ban are more likely than not so your group can probably save weight there too.

 

[Brian_Holcombe]

I'm in agreement with most of the things people above have mentioned, but am surprised to see nobody balked at 3 rolls of TP. If you're not brining it in to share with the group, and don't crap more than 3 times a day that's too much! Depending on personal preference and financials I'd really considering finding some lighter boots. During archery season you're not going to have cold feet for long if you have them at all. I've hunted in trail runners and light weight hikers. I've had Vasque Breeze LT GTX for the past 2 seasons and have found the support to be ample but the claimed weight on them is 27 oz. Taking that much weight off your feet will let you go longer/farther.

Also noticed wood stove in the group gear list...the odds of a fire ban are more likely than not so your group can probably save weight there too.

I thought about that, too, but those Coleman outdoor rolls look pretty small.

 

[Kwa_bena]

Hey Everyone, long time lurker first time poster so be easy! I have started to compile my check list for this years Archery Elk Hunt in Colorado. I was hoping a few of the seasoned vets out here could take a peek and let me know what you think? This is my first western hunt and I am beyond excited. We plan to do a true backpack trip with a max of 10 days in the wilderness.

I have been physically preparing since the new years with HIIT exercises (insanity) and now have looped in peleton workouts 6 days a week for aerobic endurance. Since January I have also been doing 60# pack hikes for the steepest stuff I can find around here on the flatlands of the northeast! I do plan to go through the atomic workout 6 weeks before we leave as well

Evolving PACK LIST - https://lighterpack.com/r/j0drdc

I should mention the other guys in the crew have the tent and sawyer filter.

Thanks for this list. I'll be using this for my own first elk hunt next year if I can make it out there.

 

[Waterman86]

Hey Everyone, long time lurker first time poster so be easy! I have started to compile my check list for this years Archery Elk Hunt in Colorado. I was hoping a few of the seasoned vets out here could take a peek and let me know what you think? This is my first western hunt and I am beyond excited. We plan to do a true backpack trip with a max of 10 days in the wilderness.

I have been physically preparing since the new years with HIIT exercises (insanity) and now have looped in peleton workouts 6 days a week for aerobic endurance. Since January I have also been doing 60# pack hikes for the steepest stuff I can find around here on the flatlands of the northeast! I do plan to go through the atomic workout 6 weeks before we leave as well

Evolving PACK LIST - https://lighterpack.com/r/j0drdc

I should mention the other guys in the crew have the tent and sawyer filter.

That is an impressivly detailed list. Just throw it all in the pack and start carrying it around...you'll quickly decide what you're not willing to hump into the mtns.