New Member

[nomansland]

Hey everybody just wanted to introduce myself. Heading to Wyoming Sept. 16th for our first ever Elk hunt. DIY Unit 34. (Have a friend lives there and is helping us so not fully DIY). Just wondered if anybody had any gear tips for us? Any must haves or don't waste your time ons?

 

[volsfan252]

Welcome to the forum and good luck on your hunt. I did a DIY trip 2 years in a row in CO - was unsuccessful but learned a lot. You will love it here, a tremendous amount of info and good people. I would recommend looking around and posts first and then follow up with specific questions - you will probably find that most of your answers already exist.

To make a few recommendations for your first trip:
-What kind of pack do you have? I am a Kifaru guy but it's all personal preference and their lead time is usually 6 weeks so I assume you already have a pack
-Pack light - not sure how many miles you are planning to put on but it will pay dividends to pack as light as possible - my first trip I found I took a lot of stuff I didn't use that could have shed a lot of weight. (e.g. camp chair, mouthwash, too much ammo, etc.) Merino clothing is a must - you can get away with 1-2 outfits - make sure you have rain gear and appropriate for expected weather conditions.
-I think trekking poles are key - doesn't add much weight and will save your legs
-Make sure you have good glass - the first year my buddy and I both had good Glass but rented a spotter. Depending on your strategy I found our glass was sufficient and we could have shed the spotter but not sure if you guys plan to get at a high vantage point and find the elk before you stalk
-Food - I found I packed too much but make sure you eat enough - get as much carbs and protein as you can
-Recovery/hydration - I did Wilderness Athlete - lots of guys like them and Mountain Ops. I did the "Energy & Focus" and "Hydrate and Recover" - I think they call it Superman mix but it gave me good energy without jitters. I also took the altitude pills because I live in SEast and am not used to the altitude. Started 24-48 hrs before trip - seemed to help

I could ramble on forever but you will find lots of good info here, please feel free to follow up with any specific questions
-

 

[nomansland]

Welcome to the forum and good luck on your hunt. I did a DIY trip 2 years in a row in CO - was unsuccessful but learned a lot. You will love it here, a tremendous amount of info and good people. I would recommend looking around and posts first and then follow up with specific questions - you will probably find that most of your answers already exist.

To make a few recommendations for your first trip:
-What kind of pack do you have? I am a Kifaru guy but it's all personal preference and their lead time is usually 6 weeks so I assume you already have a pack
-Pack light - not sure how many miles you are planning to put on but it will pay dividends to pack as light as possible - my first trip I found I took a lot of stuff I didn't use that could have shed a lot of weight. (e.g. camp chair, mouthwash, too much ammo, etc.) Merino clothing is a must - you can get away with 1-2 outfits - make sure you have rain gear and appropriate for expected weather conditions.
-I think trekking poles are key - doesn't add much weight and will save your legs
-Make sure you have good glass - the first year my buddy and I both had good Glass but rented a spotter. Depending on your strategy I found our glass was sufficient and we could have shed the spotter but not sure if you guys plan to get at a high vantage point and find the elk before you stalk
-Food - I found I packed too much but make sure you eat enough - get as much carbs and protein as you can
-Recovery/hydration - I did Wilderness Athlete - lots of guys like them and Mountain Ops. I did the "Energy & Focus" and "Hydrate and Recover" - I think they call it Superman mix but it gave me good energy without jitters. I also took the altitude pills because I live in SEast and am not used to the altitude. Started 24-48 hrs before trip - seemed to help

I could ramble on forever but you will find lots of good info here, please feel free to follow up with any specific questions
-

All excellent advice! I've been lurking and reading for a little bit. This first year is more or less a learning experience and our goal is to just have fun. If we even hear an elk we will be happy! Any specific suggestions on food to take in for full day hunts? We will be back at the cabin every night this first year but eventually would love to do a full on back country hunt some year.

 

[Greg Beck]

Welcome to Rokslide! I don't have a lot of advice but will say this that Rokslide will be able to provide you with information to give you a great start!!! I've learned so lot by just searching the forum....