Two Weeks till blastoff

[wavygravy]

I've decided that typing this out will help with me to stop over analyzing my gear and game plan. It's my first time heading up elk hunting and while I've been on more than enough deer hunting trips, this is an order of magnitude greater than what I'm used to... that's also why I'm doing it in the first place. I've got a partner who has about as much experience as I do, but we figure it's an adventure and will be fun regardless.

Gameplan: Archery, Unit 78, early season for 6 days. I would have liked to go later in the season for the rut, but other commitments have me going in the first week, so I'll take what I can get. The plan is to hike in a few miles, setup camp and go from there, returning to camp each night unless conditions warrant a move. I have two locations picked out in case plan #1 is a turd.


Gear:
Between all the stuff I already had and some new additions I've compiled everything I believe I need. My total pack weight including bow, water & food is around 50 lbs. I've got some pieces that I would like to upgrade for lighter options, but at this point in my budget it's not likely to happen. Once I unpack camp and include just the items I need with me I should be carrying around 25-30 lbs, which I feel is a bit much for a daily carry amount but I'm hesitant to leave too much in camp should weather move in or something.

If you're wondering about colors on the pics, green means verified weight via a scale, orange means it requires batteries to operate.


I'll take any suggestions on items I have that are unnecessary or that I may be missing.

For daily food I'm planning on roughly 1.1 lb / day:
- Breakfast: Two packs of oatmeal with some dried fruit
- Snack: trailmix
- Lunch: bagels with peanut butter and bacon or tuna and mayo. Still debating on bagels or tortillas
- Snack: trailmix
- Dinner: Some variant of Mountain House meal, hopefully with a fire roasted tenderloin partway through.

Hunting Equipment:
- Elite E35 with all the fixins
- Full metal jacket arrows w/ VPA 3 blade 100 grain arrows
- Sighted in to 60 yards, although I'm imposing a 50 yard limit

I've got an AGC chest pack for my binos, but I do have a question for all my stuff. My binos obviously fit, but I'm wondering what everyone does with their GPS and range finder? There's a small compartment up front that will hold one or the other. I wish it held them all in case I need to dump my pack for a stalk. I also hate looking like a gypsy with all this crap hanging off my pack and chest.

Other than that, it's a 16 hour poke from Houston to Pagosa Springs to pick up our licenses, one last burger and anything we forgot.

There's a Walmart in Pagosa Springs I was planning on for the license, anyone have any other suggestions? I wish I could just buy online before we go.

Again, this was mostly to let me write this all down and use as a sounding board, but I'm open to suggestions on gear and anything else. I also won't turn down any info on unit 78, but I understand that's a little taboo. It never hurts to ask though and can speak through PM or phone if you want to swap lies.

Thanks for listening and letting me vent my anxiousness. I can't wait!

 

[dreamingbig]

Sounds like some good prep! I carry the gps in a mini belt pouch on my Kifaru and carry my range finder in the front pouch on my AGC cub. It works very well. The side pockets carry mouth reeds, wind checker, chap stick and an external cow call.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[camping1601]

Wet ones. You'll thanks me later! You can dry them out at home and then rehydrate at camp. I like to wrap the duck tape around my hiking poles.

That's a really nice way to do a list. Beyond my computer skills.

 

[PTaft]

Pretty solid list. Your pack in weight is actually pretty good, sounds like you're planning on carrying more than you'll need on a daily basis though. 30 lbs seems excessive, I'm not sure what you're planning on there but it's probably over kill. As was stated above...WET WIPES! Dry them out before hand if need be, but they are a luxury worth their weight in gold after a few days on the mountain.

 

[cshore93]

My gps goes right on one of the chest straps on my kuiu bag. I bought the garmin swivel belt clip and it works perfectly.

 

[xziang]

My GPS goes in a side pocket of my pants. I did what you did the first year and after that my friend and I thought we won't do that again unless we are familiar with the area and know elk are more than likely close. Just my opinion, but if it is a sum what easy 2 mile hike maybe consider base camp at the truck first two nights and hike in. If you are finding good sign and or seeing elk then take the 50lb pack in. OR you could look at it the other way, hike in 2 miles with 50lb pack and if nothing is seen gomdeeper.

2nd what was said in regards to baby wipes and the such. Goodluck!

 

[dman35]

We always go to the outfitter department(21 Pike Dr, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147) store to pick up our tags, the city market grocery store also sales the as well as the ski and bow rack shop.
good luck

 

[xziang]

Don't forget to take a HARD COPY of your hunter education certificate! You will need that in order to purchase a tag.

Also if you buy your tag from a small town I ran into one place a week ago that only accepts CASH for licenses (I bought a fishing license). I have since called a wallyworld which is on the way there and they confirmed I could use a CC for the purchase. Just something else to think about.

 

[wavygravy]

Awesome, thanks everyone. I'll get some babywipes and add them to the list. My last long hike I did have a pretty serious case of swamp ass, I expect nothing different this time around.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I might have missed it in your OP, but is that OTC? If it is, you can do your license online, and have it shipped overnight for $20. That's what I did, had it the next day.

 

[brn2hnt]

Have you ever lived on 1.1 lbs per day of food? I know everyone is different but I would be ready to chew my partners arm off on 1.1lbs even if it was a super high fat content. Your list seems very high in grain carbs, which I have found run out for me after 2ish hrs. Like I said, everyone is different, my advice would be to at least test your menu with some high exertion days at home.

 

[huntMT]

You may already have these items but I didn't see them on your list. I'm a bit over-obsessive but I always carry at a minimum 2 different ways to start a fire (waterproof matches, ferro rod, lighter etc.) and a fire aid, (Vaseline soaked cottonballs, tinder in a sealed box, commercially made fire starters etc.) I know it's an early hunt, but the weather can change pretty quick and a fire is one thing you don't want to go without if you can't make it back to camp.

I also like to carry a bone saw with me. It's fairly easy to quarter and gut an elk without one but it does make it easier. They also come in very handy to cut wood with to make blinds, or for shelter and firewood in a survival situation.

I personally carry my GPS and rangefinder in a pouch on the waist of my pack. I figure I can live without both if I have to drop my pack, though if I had a pouch on my bino case for a range finder, I likely would carry it there.

Good luck

 

[veganhunter]

I know you mentioned upgrading some of your stuff at a later date - my advice is to start with your sleeping bag and pad. You could easily cut that weight in half.

 

[Bulldawg]

GPS goes in the side pocket of my AGC, chew goes in the front, headlight in the basement, and the other side will get a call probably, rangefinder goes in my pants pocket. I always keep a lighter in the cargo pocket of my pants too. So if i ever drop my pack I'm good to go in any situation. Also winidcator goes in the elastic top part of the AGC as well.

 

[Northernpiker]

25-30 pounds is a lot to carry all day, I would try to lighten that load. You'll also be making a large elevation change, you should try to acclimate as much as possible and not work to hard the first day, when you don't have a lot of time it's hard to resist hitting hard right away. I get a prescription for Diamox to prevent altitude sickness(does it work?).

 

[RallySquirrel]

try the little bow shop on the way into town for your tag. it is on the east side just as you are getting into Pagosa. They traditionally give you a free gift with the purchase... nothing fancy but a nice souvenir all the same. Do bring your hunter ed card. Not a huge fan of the sunglasses. tend to get in the way more than they help. stick with the tortillas unless you have a way to toast the bagels daily. I like to have a couple of pepto pill in case the guts start to act up.

 

[wavygravy]

Thanks everyone, this is helping. Rallysquirrel just blew my mind the fact that I've forgotten pepto up to this point. I also took other's advice and went ahead and ordered the tag online with the overnight shipping. I ordered it at 10 am Monday morning and it was on my doorstep by 3 Tuesday afternoon. Worth the $20 expedite in time savings. It's already safely tucked away in my pack.

I'm working on daily pack weight now. The 25 lbs included water and bow weight. Without water and bow weight my pack is around 10-15 lbs, 5 lbs is just the pack. The gear is pretty much everything in my EDC items, the kill kit, rain jacket, outer jacket, and a spare set of socks.

I think i'm pretty well set for this year. Next year will be the year where I start to trim weight via camp stuff like the tent, pad and bag, but this year's budget would not allow those expenses. We all know how crazy some prices can get on those items.

Thanks again everyone, 6 days till we hit the road.