Minimum Gear Requirements

[Brandon_SPC]

Another thing I want to add, depending on where you are hunting simple Merrell. Columbia, or Oboz boots will work just fine (like the picture below). Once you break them in they are extremely comfortable. I prefer the Oboxz because the tread is harder than the merrell and Columbia but all are great.

My gear list this year for my 7 day archery hunt was as follows:
- First Lite Merino Pant and I wore this pant the whole time (Merino pants suck but a quality pant you can wear the whole time)
- Good short sleeve merino shirt and a weighted (warmer) merino long sleeve
- Merino compression underwear or regular underwear in general. If you have thick thighs like me get compression underwear. This goes A LONG ways after like day three when you have had only a baby wipe bath. Because man with me regular compression and polyester I can smell my man jewels and sometimes it gets unbearable after day two lol
-Also some quality merino compression socks go along ways on days when you put some miles on your feet.
- Quality lightweight jacket
- Rain gear
- Merino base layers.
- I used a jetboil stove the whole time and dehydrated food



But I wore the same pants, shirt, and swapped underwear three times. Socks I swapped three times. The reason I keep saying merino is it helps from stinking and dries SUPER fast. When I wear regular polyester type clothes, after about day two, I can't stand to smell my own self. Just don't go merino on the pants because of durability.

 

[strand]

I'm a sucker for a deal and have been able to try out a lot of high end gear for 25-50% off or more by watching classifieds and buying used. That said, there are a couple big ticket items I won't shop for deals any more because I want something specific and I'll pay what it costs to get that. Boots and a backpack. Feet are weird and mine keep changing. 10-ish years into backpack style hunting and I've switched my 'favorite boots' every couple years. I attribute this to my feet changing, arches dropping, gaining weight, losing weight, etc. Currently running Crispi Summits with superfeet green insoles (+ Leukotape). I think I finally found the backpack I really like, although my last couple packs were great and I'm keeping them around for specific uses. I'm using a Seek Outside pack now, but find the right bag for that Kifaru frame and it will serve you well. I used the Tahr for a season and really liked that simple bag but the frame wasn't for me.

Clothes are such a personal thing, tons of options from super cheap to stupid expensive. Everything else can be cheaper, since that typically just means it's heavier once you hit a certain quality level. Once you get in hiking shape that extra weight won't matter nearly as much.

 

[Indian Summer]

Don’t skimp on your binos. Look at them as an investment in all of your hunting instead of a cost. You can’t shoot what you can’t see and you can’t shoot what sees you first.

I don’t know anything about your area or your style of hunting but generally speaking 10x42s are good for most elk hunting.

 

[Jhunt45]

Gear may not make or break a hunt, but it can certainly make it more fun

 

[corey006]

As far as binoculars I like to carry digiscope for phone and a 10x monocular by Vortex affordable and lightweight and the digiscope coupled with phone camera will allow to take some nice shots if you can hold it steady.

One thing I want to add is an in reach or in reach mini. & back country charger for cellphone which have decent maps and GPS.

 

[DenverCountryBoy]

...
- lightweight shovel - bury your crap and paper. Hate when people leave theirs exposed, really annoying.

...

I'm gonna disagree on the shovel. Nice to have at a truck camp, but not a necessity for backcountry when a stick will dig a cat hole just as well.

TP is a necessity not mentioned yet. Can do extra duty as flagging tape for blood trailing or add a dab of hand sanitizer for tinder.

 

[AaronMColeman]

Last year was my first year as a resident of Wyoming and I did a ton of hunting in just what I had, and learned what I needed to get for this year. I didn't tent camp (but we do for other hunting trips). To me boots and pack were a HUGE thing. I found that jackets and upper layers were far less important than I thought, but pants were far more important than I thought.

My suggestion would be go out and camp and simulate as much as you can and see what you feel you need. Boots don't need to be $500. I do all my hunting, summer heat and 2' of snow, in some Solomon hiking boots and gaiters...I was out lastnight in driving snow with those boots and not a drop of water on my socks.

For rain gear on the cheap, get any rain jacket and it can go under a camo layer. I wear my bright red light rain jacket under a moisture wicking kings camo summer top. You won't win a hunting fashion show, but you'll be warm and dry and the elk don't care too much

EDIT: Where I chose to spend my limited money was optics and rangefinder. Again, doesn't have to be stupid expensive. I got a Maven C1 10x42 for about $350 and it has been a game changer this season.