Mule deer hunt gear breakdown

[bigeasygator]

I'm headed to Colorado (Unit 43) for a week of high country archery mule deer hunting in a week. Being a nerd with numbers, I broke down my gear into weight by category. Curious if anybody has done the same and curious if this is in the ballpark of what other people are getting for their set-ups. Some of this gear I will end up sharing with a buddy, but I won't take credit for that here. I'm estimating food at 1.5 lbs per day right now and hiking in with 7 lbs of water.

Right now my pack weighs 68 lbs. By splitting up gear (camera, water filter, spotting scope, stove, etc), I can probably cut off 5 lbs at the most. Here's the breakdown...

Electronics 3.4 lbs 5%
Accessories 2.4 lbs 3%
Knives 0.9 lbs 1%
Cooking and Utensils 1.6 lbs 2%
Water filtration 1.2 lbs 2%
Optics 7.0 lbs 10%
Shelter 6.0 lbs 9%
Clothing 10.05 lbs 15%
Pack 10.8 lbs 16%
Toiletries/FirstAid 1.25 lbs 2%
Weapon 6.4 lbs 9%
Food 10.5 lbs 15%
Water 6.72 lbs 10%
Total 68.245

 

[fillthefreezer]

clothing and optics is minus binos around your neck and clothes worn on hike in?
and what is your 10lb pack?

 

[bigeasygator]

Includes my binos around my neck but not the clothes I plan on walking in with. Pack is a Mystery Ranch 7500.

 

[a3dhunter]

If I saw numbers that heavy I would be looking up some other gear lists that have been posting and seeing where to improve.
10lbs of clothing is way too much in my opinion, I would be looking to get under 50 lbs right away, which may be hard to do with a 10lb pack.
You might be able to go in with half the water, and then fill up closer to camp as well.

I'm under 45 lbs for 5 days with a Timberline T1, and I'm taking some luxuries as well.
I could get it under 40 lbs if I were camping near water and left out some luxuries.

 

[ohhiitznik]

I'm at 67 lbs for 10 days with 2 lbs of food per day and carrying a 3.5 lb side arm.

 

[ohhiitznik]

Post up your gear list A3D

 

[muleman]

I don't see a sleeping bag or pad on the list. Are they included in the shelter weight.

 

[a3dhunter]

Post up your gear list A3D

Description weight/ ounces

Timberline and 2 belt pouches 94 94
3 Liter Source Hydration bladder filled 103 103
Gaitors 3 3
Cabelas Ultra Space pullover 10 10
Sitka Ascent jacket 20 20
socks/underwear 8 8
1 Sitka core top and 1 first lite merino top 24 24
Minox MD50 spotting scope 26 26
velbon ultramax tripod 34 34
pullouts, belt pouches, stuff sacks 12 12
cabelas xpg bivy 26 26
Big Agnes Encampment Long sl. bag 60 60
B.A. insulated air core pad 28 28
Jetboil Sip with 1 fuel canister 20 20
Water purification- tablets 1 1
Princeton TEC Remix headlamp 3 3
Princeton TEC fuel headlamp (backup) 3 3
1st aid kit and meds 5 5
matches/lighters/firestarter 6 6
lashing kit 6 6
toothbrush and paste 4 4
tiolet paper and wipes 8 8
Havalon Piranta 4 4
Cabelas crosslock 5 5
Gerber multi-tool 5 5
carnivore game bags/kill kit 20 20
eye glasses and contacts/case/saline sol. 8 8
5x7 backpackers tarp 10 10
paracord 6 6
spot gps locator 8 8
digital camera 6 6
rangefinder 6 6
garmin gps 7 7
spare gloves and beanie 6 6
katadyn hiker pro 14 14
Food: 5 days- 25 oz per day 125

total 45.5 lbs


It lists the weight twice because it is in a spreadsheet, where the second collumn is it shows what items are selected out of my gear list. I deleted unselected items to make it easier to read. This does not include what I am wearing because to me that is not pack weight. I carry my bow in my hand, so that isn't counted either.
For an additional 24oz I can swap from a bivy to a GoLite SL5 tipi if needed.

 

[ohhiitznik]

Ahhhhh, carrying that bow is a big weight saver. What do you use to store water in? No drom bag?

 

[ohhiitznik]

Just roll with the 3 L all day?

 

[bigeasygator]

My shelter list includes my sleeping bag. Here's strictly my gear. Weighs in right at 50 lbs without food or water (the first number is the quantity and the second is the total weight in lbs)...


Garmin Montana 650t GPS 1 0.64375
Canon Elph 110 w/ Tines-up adapter 1 0.5
iPhone 1 0.5
Petzl Tikka Headlamp 1 0.1875
new Trent Battery Charger 1 0.625
Sure-fire flashlight 1 0.1875
Extra batteries (AAA, AA) 7 0.175
Rope (30') 1 0.1875
Rope (100') 1 0.375
Game Bags 4 0.5
Lighters 2 0.25
Garbage bag 2 0.25
Ziploc bags (quart) 4 0.025
Ziploc bags (gallon) 4 0.05
Map 1 0.125
Zip ties 5 0.003125
Accessory straps 4 0.175
Wind checker 1 0.0625
Super glue 1 0.00625
Extra batteries (AAA, AA) 7 0.175
Face Paint 1 0.125
Pen 1 0.0125
License w/case 1 0.046875
Havalon Piranta 1 0.25
Outdoor Edge Swing Blade 1 0.5
Sharpener 1 0.125
Jet Boil 1 0.9375
Gas cannisters 2 0.4375
Titanium silverware 1 0.125
Snow Peak Titanium mug 1 0.125
Smartwater bottles 2 0.125
Platypus 4L Water Container 1 0.25
Katadyn Base Camp 1 0.8125
Swarovski 20-50x65 STM 1 2.76875
Vanguard Tripod 1 2
Swarovski 10x42 EL 1 1.7625
Leuopold RX-1000 TBR 1 0.5
Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 1 2.4
Big Agnes tent floor 1 0.375
Western Mountaineering Highlite 1 1
Exped Synmat Sleeping Pad 1 1
Exped Synmat Pillow and pump 1 0.3375
Sleeping pad repair kit 1 0.01875
Thermarest Ridgerest Solite 1 0.875
Sitka Traverse LS 1 0.8625
Sitka Kelvin Jacket 1 1.75
Sitka Mountain Pant 1 1.8
Sitka beanie 1 0.3125
Kenetrek liner socks 2 0.375
Kenetrek Canyon sock 1 0.25
Kenetrek Montana Sock 1 0.375
Crocs 1 0.5
Lightweight Gloves 1 0.125
Sitka Jetstream Gloves 1 0.25
Sitka Shooter Gloves 1 0.25
Cabelas Space Rain suit 1 1
First Lite Merino Llano Crew 1 0.5
First Lite Merino Allegany Bottom 1 0.5
First Lite Labrador Sweater 1 1.2
Mystery Ranch 7500 1 9.6875
Mystery Ranch Flip Top Box 2 0.625
Sea to Summit Compression Sack (L) 1 0.20625
Sea to Summit Drysack 1 0.29375
Deodorant 1 0.25
Toothpaste 1 0.0625
Toothbrush 1 0.125
Moleskin 1 0.0625
Bandaids 1 0.0625
First Aid Kit 1 0.5625
Toilet Paper 1 0.125
Heli-m 1 6
Tru-Fire release 2 0.375

 

[JG358]

Counting my bow, Im just shy of 43 lbs for five days. Bit over 45lbs if I bring my usual sidearm.

 

[JG358]

Ahhhhh, carrying that bow is a big weight saver. What do you use to store water in? No drom bag?

He's a slacker, bums his water off me... I carry a 10l drom bag. Pack it in empty and fill it by camp.

 

[ohhiitznik]

I just went through my pack and put it on a quick diet. Still heavy on food with 1.75 lbs per day, but I ditched the Paratipi tent poles and I'll just pitch them with my trekking poles. Also ditched my tyvek ground sheet. just dropped 4 lbs right there. Also ditched some extra paracord and got rid of some packaging and the ground tarp that comes with the Carnivore2 pack because I have a garbage bag. Only carrying 1 Kifaru Meat baggie as well, no real point in carrying 2. Took the extra Kuiu Merino top out as well, as I'm wearing a regular T shirt and shorts on the hike in. I probably dropped 7 lbs off it. Its really easy to put your pack on a diet, you just need to know that you can do without some things!

 

[ohhiitznik]

Wow man, I cant believe you carry that many gloves and all that extra stuff..... You really do have a lot of extra stuff..... You might need to put that pack on a diet.

 

[ohhiitznik]

What unit are you boys going to this year?

 

[bigeasygator]

I can probably cut the Jetstream gloves, the Mountain pants, and the Traverse shirt and cut three pounds out. This gets me down to 47 without food. Any other suggestions?? Not sure what all the "extra" gear is...appreciate all the input!!

 

[BuckSnort]

Stuff I'd personally cut from yer list..

Rope (100') 1 0.375
new Trent Battery Charger 1 0.625
Gas cannisters 2 0.4375----Leave one at home or just take 1 of the larger sizes cans.1 med can lasts almost 7 days for me though..
Exped Synmat Pillow and pump 1 0.3375
Thermarest Ridgerest Solite 1 0.875
Sitka Kelvin Jacket 1 1.75
Mystery Ranch Flip Top Box 2 0.625

I'd also only take 1 pair of gloves...

Not counting the gloves I just cut 4.8 lbs off yer pack... I'm sure I could cut off some more of yer clothing weight as well...

 

[Nick Muche]

Bigeasy, I'd bet that after this trip, you will realize that a lot of that stuff you won't even use and you can cut it off your list. Keep a list of what you actually used this time around and make all the corrections for next time.

I know that my first trip out for 5 days, I had many items that I did not ever use.

Best of luck!

 

[bigeasygator]

BuckSnort,

Those are some good suggestions. Some of that stuff I may in fact cut back on or leave entirely. The one piece I'll definitely be taking is the Kelvin Jacket. It's the only real insulation I have and coming from New Orleans I'm not as acclimated to the mountain climate. Without it, my heaviest piece is the Labrador sweater...not really heavy at all if you've seen one.

Nick,

Thanks and that's what I'm figuring! This is my first backcountry adventure like this. Even some of the clothes I'm bringing I planned on bringing because they are tried and true whereas I haven't worn the other stuff in the field but want to give it a shot. I'm sure some of the other things I'll never use. For my first week long foray into the high country I figured I'd rather be safe than sorry. Obviously it may mean a bit less comfort! I'm thinking that between some of the suggestions above and splitting gear with my buddy going with me, I should be able to drop about 7 lbs off the final weight.