Average Weight for Day Hunts? What’s in Your Pack?

[trophyhill]

So I’ve never weighed my pack for a typical dayhunt, but I’d think it’s 20# + easy. How bout yours?

And it’s just basic stuff. Weight of the pack, 100L bladder, Havalon Piranha w/blades, game bags, rain gear, paracord, cell phone (OnX) InReach & 60CSX and food for the day.

 

[Laramie]

Mine is just over 15 pounds. Basic kill kit, game bags, water, head lamp, snacks, and a few survival essentials. One odd ball item I carry is a wash cloth in a zip lock that is damp with soapy water. Ads a few ounces but it's so nice to actually wash up after a kill.

 

[jfs82]

Pack, knife, water, bags, rain gear, cordage, tripod, maybe spotter, few extra rounds, snacks... 20 sounds right

 

[Laramie]

Pack, knife, water, bags, rain gear, cordage, tripod, maybe spotter, few extra rounds, snacks... 20 sounds right

If I carry my spotter and tripod, I'm very close to 20... I usually don't though in the country I hunt regularly.

 

[wapitibob]

12# with 1st aid kit, hygiene kit, xtras kit, kill kit, and 1-1/2 litre water

 

[Wmmichael20]

20, pack, kill kit, iso stove,fuel,metal cup for coffee,first aid kit,rain jacket,para cord,snacks,2l water blatter,sock hat,gloves, and extra ammo

 

[N.ID7803]

So I’ve never weighed my pack for a typical dayhunt, but I’d think it’s 20# + easy. How bout yours?

And it’s just basic stuff. Weight of the pack, 100L bladder, Havalon Piranha w/blades, game bags, rain gear, paracord, cell phone (OnX) InReach & 60CSX and food for the day.

Sounds about right. I have never weighted mine though. Go in light come out heavy as they say!

 

[mtwarden]

going to be some apples and oranges here- September hunt or November; are you using a daypack or a frame and daypack, etc

I weighed mine for a November elk hunt and it weighed 23 lbs all in (4 lbs of water and 1.5 lbs of food)- it’s a hauling frame with a mid size bag (SG Krux with Solo bag) and weighs 5 lbs on it’s own. Binoculars and small tripod, pair of trekking poles that are strapped to it used only for hauling. Several layers of clothing (puffy top and bottom, over boots, over mitts, hard shell, midlayer, balaclava), an Apex quilt for glassing or emergency overnight, an emergency bivy and short ccf pad, pretty robust first aid and fire kits, two headlamps and spare batteries, inReach Mini, kill kit with several meat bags and a pulley setup if I need to hang meat and a few other bits and pieces.

An early season hunt without a hauling frame, probably 10-12 lbs.

I do prefer to hunt with a hauling frame, the ability to get one good load out is worth a few extra pounds to save two trips to the truck.

 

[5MilesBack]

15-17lbs and a good portion of that is water.

 

[Desk Jockey]

15-20# is easy to do. That include base pack weight of close to 5# (pop up with some pouches). I roll a big kill kit with Tyveck and game bags. I also run rain gear, snacks, water, flashlight, trekking poles and a few items regularly. Pack weight goes up based on weather, mileage style of hunt (mobile blind material, tree stand gear), bivy gear and other factors. I would be more selective about items I carried if I was doing big miles but for shorter hikes I will carry a little extra weight to have the comfort.

 

[trophyhill]

going to be some apples and oranges here- September hunt or November; are you using a daypack or a frame and daypack, etc

I weighed mine for a November elk hunt and it weighed 23 lbs all in (4 lbs of water and 1.5 lbs of food)- it’s a hauling frame with a mid size bag (SG Krux with Solo bag) and weighs 5 lbs on it’s own. Binoculars and small tripod, pair of trekking poles that are strapped to it used only for hauling. Several layers of clothing (puffy top and bottom, over boots, over mitts, hard shell, midlayer, balaclava), an Apex quilt for glassing or emergency overnight, an emergency bivy and short ccf pad, pretty robust first aid and fire kits, two headlamps and spare batteries, inReach Mini, kill kit with several meat bags and a pulley setup if I need to hang meat and a few other bits and pieces.

An early season hunt without a hauling frame, probably 10-12 lbs.

I do prefer to hunt with a hauling frame, the ability to get one good load out is worth a few extra pounds to save two trips to the truck.

 

[PNWkid]

My first day hunt ever I had close to 35#... I'm a quick learner however, 2nd and 3rd day went down to about 20#.

 

[PNWkid]

My first day hunt ever I had close to 35#... I'm a quick learner however, 2nd and 3rd day went down to about 20#.

Pack, Water, med kit, kill kit, day food, duct tape, misc. tools, rain jacket. Is that bare essentials?

 

[trophyhill]

going to be some apples and oranges here- September hunt or November; are you using a daypack or a frame and daypack, etc

I weighed mine for a November elk hunt and it weighed 23 lbs all in (4 lbs of water and 1.5 lbs of food)- it’s a hauling frame with a mid size bag (SG Krux with Solo bag) and weighs 5 lbs on it’s own. Binoculars and small tripod, pair of trekking poles that are strapped to it used only for hauling. Several layers of clothing (puffy top and bottom, over boots, over mitts, hard shell, midlayer, balaclava), an Apex quilt for glassing or emergency overnight, an emergency bivy and short ccf pad, pretty robust first aid and fire kits, two headlamps and spare batteries, inReach Mini, kill kit with several meat bags and a pulley setup if I need to hang meat and a few other bits and pieces.

An early season hunt without a hauling frame, probably 10-12 lbs.

I do prefer to hunt with a hauling frame, the ability to get one good load out is worth a few extra pounds to save two trips to the truck.

Good stuff! I have to tell ya, every time I put this pack on, it just seems to be getting better and better with the small tweaks with each excursion out.

My gear did not change from My September archery hunt to my December rifle hunt as far as day hunts go.

Of course hunting in NM in December is a huge difference than hunting states north of here in December. Weather was in the upper 40’s and low to mid 50’s this past weekend in the Gila for highs.

My clothing was the same as it was in September Colorado high altitude hunting and actually saw snow and colder weather the second week of archery than what it is in SW NM right now.

In addition to the items I mentioned previously, I also carry trekking poles, headlamp(s), 45 ACP, and on occasion Binos in September. Binos definitely went with on this past weekends trip plus the weight of my Hells Canyon Speed 7 mag slung over my shoulder.

Totally different style of hunting. Although I spent as much time still hunting thick piñon pine and juniper as I did glassing vast country below me where some was thick with cover and some pretty open country.

I am not an ounce counter. I believe my frame w/pack probably weighs in over 6lbs. Kifaru Tactical Frame, Hoodlum bag, 2 large belt pockets on the belt, 3 medium and 1 small pocket on the back of the pack plus my gear.

 

[roosiebull]

totally depends on the hunt and weather... archery elk is 15-16lbs, spring bear and rifle blacktail i'm often in the high 30's with my rifle on my pack. the one day i weighed it this year with my rifle was 38#... i could easily get it lighter, and in reality could get it around 20# most days, but i just don't care and bring everything i may need plus some redundant items.

rifle blacktail is the heaviest potential day pack, because i often will have extra layers plus rain gear, and optics/tripod, as well as a camera that i rarely take out but always intend to.

 

[Geewhiz]

Knife, lighter, water, tags, maybe a jacket. If I plan on killing something I'll bring game bags.

Not sure why guys in the shows have expedition packs crammed full of junk for an afternoon outing...

 

[Catahoula]

Day pack.... I’d say 18-23lbs. Water being majority.

 

[PNWkid]

Day pack.... I’d say 18-23lbs. Water being majority.

Depending on your geographical location, a life straw or filter + a bladder could save a good chunk of weight.

That was my biggest fear, running out of water as well as not having a known water source convenient. But scouting and OnX took care of that. = )

 

[PNWkid]

I carried alone like at least 10# of water I think my first trip...

 

[BBob]

AZ/NM Coues day pack 30-35+lbs weather dependent. Big optics+big tripod = big weight
AZ/NM Elk run and gun early archery 10-15lbs max. If in in a unit with big open country see ^^^ Coues pack.
AZ/NM Elk late season see ^^^ Coues pack.