What am I missing?? What could I do better?

[PowellSixO]

So I'm preparing for a October deer hunt with my brother in Idaho this year. We'll be hiking in 8-10 miles, setting up a camp, and hunting from there. We should be in the 8500-9000 foot range. I'm still waiting on a few pay checks to purchase the last of the items I need for the hunt, and thought I'd post a list of what I have so far to see if there's anything I could do different or possibly better. Keep in mind, that I'm not a very rich person, so $$$ is a factor for sure.

List so far:
Eberlestock Blue Widow Pack
Outdoor Vitals Summit Long 0* Sleeping Bag
Outdoor Vitals Ultra Light Insulated Sleeping Pad (R4 value)
Garmin Rino 610 GPS
Swarovski SLC 15x56 HD's
Vanguard ALTA+ 264AP Tripod
MSR Whisperlite Cook Stove with 32 oz. fuel bottle
Head lamp (Cheap walmart head lamp. I'd really like to upgrade here)
Vortex Ranger 1500 Range Finder
Buck 110 Knife and Sharpener
Extra Mini LED Mag Light and Leather Man multi tool
Paracord (one for hanging food, one for hanging meat, and one for just in case)
2 Man 3 season Tent (Would really like to upgrade here as well, but not sure I will have the money to do it right)
Caldwell Shooting bags (Filled with ultra light material. Both bags together weigh in at 1 lb. 1 oz.)
1 pair of extra clothes (Kings Camo Lite Pants, and Lite long sleeve shirt)
1 pair of snow gear (Kings Camo Guides Choice Storm Fleece Top and Bottom)
1 pair of rain gear (Kings Camo XKG Jacket, and XKG Pants)
3 pairs of underwear
3 pairs of wool socks
1 pair of gloves (I'd really like to upgrade to some good gloves that are water proof here if possible)
1 pair of Thermal Underwear
2 Camelback Long Neck Water beast 100 oz. water bladders (fit perfect in the 2 water pouches I have in my bag)
1 Bore Snake Cleaner (To clean out the barrel of my rifle just in case)
Lighter, matches, and dryer lint (Sealed in water proof pouch)
Radios


I'm still lacking the following:
Game bags (Thinking about the Tag Bags BOMB game bags)
Water Filtration (Thinking about the Katadyn 10 L Base Camp Water filter, with an extra filter)
Food (Not sure which dehydrated food to go with yet)
Coffee Cup (need to find a lightweight coffee cup)


My Brother is bringing the following for the both of us:
First AID kit
Pot for boiling water
Eating Utensils
Tarp to put over camp

Here's some pics of what I've got going so far. Thanks for looking. Any and all input is appreciated.

 

[Crapshoot]

Remember your feet, good boots and another pair of some shoes for around camp while boots dry or just to let your feet rest.

 

[92xj]

Get rid of your shooting bags and use your back pack or extra clothes that you will have with you every second of the hunt. Save that pound for something important.

 

[PowellSixO]

Thanks guys. Yeah you're probably right about the shooting bags. I can probably just substitute my jacket or sweater for a rear support. That's one less thing to worry about. Let's keep it going.

I will mention that right now as the bag sits with everything in it (including ammo and the shooting bags), I'm at 42 lbs 4 oz. So with 128 oz. of water (1 gallon), and roughly 8 lbs of food, I'm going to be just under 60 lbs. I'm thinking I can get it all down to 55 ish. That's not including the clothes I'll be wearing, and my rifle.

Oh, and we plan on being gone for 7 days total.

 

[bsnedeker]

Very exciting! I have a few questions:

What kind of terrain will you be hunting? You're going in with a set of 15 power binos and no spotting scope. I've heard of this setup working pretty well if you have good open terrain to look through, but Idaho can be pretty think in places. Using 15's free-hand is pretty tough for most folks so you'll need the tripod to get the most out of them (looks like a SOLID tripod!).

Are you planning on sharing the tent with your brother, or is the 2 man tent just for you? I do NOT recommend sharing a 2-man tent, even if it is your brother!

Rather than taking 2 100 oz Water bladders, which you would NEVER need to carry with you in Idaho from what I've seen of that state, I would go with 1-100 oz bladder and then an MSR Dromlite 4 or 6 Liter bag for camp water. You carry that bag in empty and it weighs nothing, then fill up when you get to camp and you have a bunch of water for re hydrating meals in camp.

I end up taking a lot of little odds and ends with me in my possibles pouch. There are a million videos of folks showing what they carry in those kits so I'd recommend taking a look at those and putting a list together. Tapes: Tenacious, Lueko, Duct, Electrical. Optics cleaning options. At least 1 backup for firestarting. A 3 mil contractor bag. Stuff like that comes in really handy in the backcountry.

Those are my thoughts. For reference I'm only 3 years into western backpack hunting (although I've done quite a bit of camping in my life) so take everything I say with a huge grain of salt!

 

[ssssnake529]

List so far:


Garmin Rino 610 GPS (A SMART PHONE WITH A NAVIGATION APP LIKE BACKCOUNTRY NAVIGATOR SAVES THE WEIGHT OF THE STAND ALONE GPS, ASSUMING YOU'RE BRINGING YOUR PHONE WITH YOU)


2 Man 3 season Tent (Would really like to upgrade here as well, but not sure I will have the money to do it right)

(LOTS OF OPTIONS HERE. IF YOU HAVE THE $$, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE ZPACKS TRIPLEX)

Zpacks Ultralight Backpacking Gear - Triplex Three Person Tent


Caldwell Shooting bags (Filled with ultra light material. Both bags together weigh in at 1 lb. 1 oz.)

(I WOULD NOT BRING SHOOTING BAGS. USE YOUR PACK FOR THE FRONT BAG, AND ROLLED UP JACKET FOR THE REAR BAG. SAVE YOURSELF A POUND)


1 pair of extra clothes (Kings Camo Lite Pants, and Lite long sleeve shirt)

(NO NEED FOR EXTRA CLOTHING. ONLY DOUBLE UP ON SOCKS AND BOXERS.)

3 pairs of underwear (ONE TOO MANY)
3 pairs of wool socks (ONE TOO MANY)

1 pair of gloves (I'd really like to upgrade to some good gloves that are water proof here if possible)
(HARD TO FIND WARM, WATERPROOF GLOVES THAT DON'T COST A FORTUNE. TRY TO FIND SOMETHING ON SALE, LIKE THIS.)

Men's CloudSeeker™ Ski Glove | Mountain Hardwear


1 Bore Snake Cleaner (To clean out the barrel of my rifle just in case)
(INSTEAD, I WOULD CONSIDER BRINGING A MUZZLE "CONDOM" FOR YOUR RIFLE. PROTECTS FROM DIRT AND MOISTURE AND PROVIDES YOU AND YOUR HUNTING PARTNER WITH FODDER FOR ENDLESS SMALL PENIS JOKES)

Muzzleloading Rain Gear A1330 | TraditionsFirearms.com


Water Filtration (Thinking about the Katadyn 10 L Base Camp Water filter, with an extra filter)
(YOU WON'T NEED AN EXTRA FILTER.)


STUFF THAT'S NOT ON YOUR LIST THAT YOU MIGHT CONSIDER:

TREKKING POLES. (SUPER HELPFUL WHEN HIKING ON ROUGH GROUND, AND PACKING OUT AN ANIMAL)

DIAPER WIPES (WAY BETTER THAN TP)
HAND SANITIZER (TINY TRAVEL BOTTLE)

BEAR SPRAY (IDAHO HAS GRIZZ)

EAR PLUGS (DON'T GO DEAF)

LATEX GLOVES (FOR BUTCHERING THE ANIMAL)

 

[PowellSixO]

Very exciting! I have a few questions:

What kind of terrain will you be hunting? You're going in with a set of 15 power binos and no spotting scope. I've heard of this setup working pretty well if you have good open terrain to look through, but Idaho can be pretty think in places. Using 15's free-hand is pretty tough for most folks so you'll need the tripod to get the most out of them (looks like a SOLID tripod!).

Are you planning on sharing the tent with your brother, or is the 2 man tent just for you? I do NOT recommend sharing a 2-man tent, even if it is your brother!

Rather than taking 2 100 oz Water bladders, which you would NEVER need to carry with you in Idaho from what I've seen of that state, I would go with 1-100 oz bladder and then an MSR Dromlite 4 or 6 Liter bag for camp water. You carry that bag in empty and it weighs nothing, then fill up when you get to camp and you have a bunch of water for re hydrating meals in camp.

I end up taking a lot of little odds and ends with me in my possibles pouch. There are a million videos of folks showing what they carry in those kits so I'd recommend taking a look at those and putting a list together. Tapes: Tenacious, Lueko, Duct, Electrical. Optics cleaning options. At least 1 backup for firestarting. A 3 mil contractor bag. Stuff like that comes in really handy in the backcountry.

Those are my thoughts. For reference I'm only 3 years into western backpack hunting (although I've done quite a bit of camping in my life) so take everything I say with a huge grain of salt!

Thanks for the reply. We will be in some pretty open country. Should be glassing in the 500-2000 range. The 15's work pretty good for hunting coues deer and mule deer at similar distances here in AZ. I'm hoping they'll be ok for Idaho. The tent is a 2 man tent, and we were planning on sharing it, but only if the weather gets bad. Other wise were were just going to stash out gear in it. The tent is pretty big for a 2 man, and weighs 5 lbs even. I'd like to come up with a better solution, that didn't break the bank. But I'd also like to be dry in the case of rain and snow. This tent is rated for rain and 35 mph winds. It's not the best tent in the world by any means. Good idea on the tape and what not. I did forget to mention that I will have a small tool kit (lens cleaning kit, allen and torx wrenches for my rifle). I'll be sure to add som electrical tape to the kit. The MSR Dromlite is pretty similar to the Katadyn 10 L I was planning on bringing, but would allow us more water at camp, and less trips to our water source. I only planned on bringing the 2 water bladders, just in case there are no deer in the area we chose to be our first stop. There's a long hike to the next spot we had picked out, and wanted to be able to hunt a day or so on the way over, without having to worry about needing a water source. I don't plan on filling them completely to the top, unless I need them. I'm fairly new to backpack hunting myself. I've done several 3 and 4 day trips in AZ, but never 7 days, and I've never even been to Idaho (my brother lives in Idaho).

Keep the ideas coming. Great stuff so far.

 

[PowellSixO]

List so far:


Garmin Rino 610 GPS (A SMART PHONE WITH A NAVIGATION APP LIKE BACKCOUNTRY NAVIGATOR SAVES THE WEIGHT OF THE STAND ALONE GPS, ASSUMING YOU'RE BRINGING YOUR PHONE WITH YOU)


2 Man 3 season Tent (Would really like to upgrade here as well, but not sure I will have the money to do it right)

(LOTS OF OPTIONS HERE. IF YOU HAVE THE $$, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE ZPACKS TRIPLEX)

Zpacks Ultralight Backpacking Gear - Triplex Three Person Tent


Caldwell Shooting bags (Filled with ultra light material. Both bags together weigh in at 1 lb. 1 oz.)

(I WOULD NOT BRING SHOOTING BAGS. USE YOUR PACK FOR THE FRONT BAG, AND ROLLED UP JACKET FOR THE REAR BAG. SAVE YOURSELF A POUND)


1 pair of extra clothes (Kings Camo Lite Pants, and Lite long sleeve shirt)

(NO NEED FOR EXTRA CLOTHING. ONLY DOUBLE UP ON SOCKS AND BOXERS.)

3 pairs of underwear (ONE TOO MANY)
3 pairs of wool socks (ONE TOO MANY)

1 pair of gloves (I'd really like to upgrade to some good gloves that are water proof here if possible)
(HARD TO FIND WARM, WATERPROOF GLOVES THAT DON'T COST A FORTUNE. TRY TO FIND SOMETHING ON SALE, LIKE THIS.)

Men's CloudSeeker™ Ski Glove | Mountain Hardwear


1 Bore Snake Cleaner (To clean out the barrel of my rifle just in case)
(INSTEAD, I WOULD CONSIDER BRINGING A MUZZLE "CONDOM" FOR YOUR RIFLE. PROTECTS FROM DIRT AND MOISTURE AND PROVIDES YOU AND YOUR HUNTING PARTNER WITH FODDER FOR ENDLESS SMALL PENIS JOKES)

Muzzleloading Rain Gear A1330 | TraditionsFirearms.com


Water Filtration (Thinking about the Katadyn 10 L Base Camp Water filter, with an extra filter)
(YOU WON'T NEED AN EXTRA FILTER.)


STUFF THAT'S NOT ON YOUR LIST THAT YOU MIGHT CONSIDER:

TREKKING POLES. (SUPER HELPFUL WHEN HIKING ON ROUGH GROUND, AND PACKING OUT AN ANIMAL)

DIAPER WIPES (WAY BETTER THAN TP)
HAND SANITIZER (TINY TRAVEL BOTTLE)

BEAR SPRAY (IDAHO HAS GRIZZ)

EAR PLUGS (DON'T GO DEAF)

LATEX GLOVES (FOR BUTCHERING THE ANIMAL)

Awesome additions. Thanks. I really like the diaper wipes. You can even take a shower with them. Lol. I like the rifle condoms too. I will have my phone with gps on it, but wanted the garmin as a backup (I've been lost before, and it's not fun. I really don't want to do it in Idaho. LOL)

Keep them coming guys. Great stuff so far.

 

[UtahJimmy]

As was said already, ditch the GPS if you are bringing your phone. Get a portable charger for it. Download the maps ahead of time.

I'm assuming the green rod looking items are your paracord? You can save space and weight by going with a 2mm cord instead. Check out Lawson.

Your tripod could use some slimming down. If you are not using a spotter and plan on sitting you could shave 2+ lbs pretty cheaply. If terrain doesn't allow glassing much, leave at trailhead.

8# of food for 7 days is not enough. At 100 cal per oz, you'll only have 1600 cal per day. You probably want to double that estimate.

Water won't be as scarce as AZ. Bring a bladder for camp and a bladder for day use. One mode of filtration will suffice.

Get a decent headlamp.

2 person tent sounds tight, but doable. If you decide to upgrade, go floorless. Saves a ton of weight.

Anything redundant should stay at the trailhead. If you are bringing spares because you don't trust an item, it should be replaced with something else.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[PowellSixO]

As was said already, ditch the GPS if you are bringing your phone. Get a portable charger for it. Download the maps ahead of time.

I'm assuming the green rod looking items are your paracord? You can save space and weight by going with a 2mm cord instead. Check out Lawson.

Your tripod could use some slimming down. If you are not using a spotter and plan on sitting you could shave 2+ lbs pretty cheaply. If terrain doesn't allow glassing much, leave at trailhead.

8# of food for 7 days is not enough. At 100 cal per oz, you'll only have 1600 cal per day. You probably want to double that estimate.

Water won't be as scarce as AZ. Bring a bladder for camp and a bladder for day use. One mode of filtration will suffice.

Get a decent headlamp.

2 person tent sounds tight, but doable. If you decide to upgrade, go floorless. Saves a ton of weight.

Anything redundant should stay at the trailhead. If you are bringing spares because you don't trust an item, it should be replaced with something else.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Great info.

I'm still nervous about not having a secondary GPS. We're doing a Frank Church Hunt, and getting dropped off by plane for 7 days. I think that's one thing I'll have no issues carrying the extra weight of.

I didn't realize they made 2mm cord. I'll check that out.

Yes my tripod is a little on the heavy side. I don't have the money to replace it at the moment, but I do plan on ditching the carrying case to save a couple ounces.

My 8# estimate is low for sure. So at 2750 calories a day, I'm looking at more like 12 # of food. Thanks for bringing that up.

Thanks for the tip on water filtration. I'll plan on a camp bladder, and a day use bladder. Maybe the Katadyn Base Camp bladder for camp, and maybe the Sawyer for daily use.

I'm looking at the Black Diamond Icon for a head lamp. Does anyone have any suggestions as far as a headlamp goes?

Any suggestions on a floorless tent set up? How is a floorless setup if it rains or snows?

 

[mtnrunner260]

Have you and your bro talked about who's bringing what?
Is he bringing a stove and water filtration set up as well?
Some good suggestions already but some other suggestions are get a lighter knife. Havalon or tyto. Don't carry the Leatherman.
Is there a possibility to stash some "in case" gear at or near the landing strip?

 

[PowellSixO]

Have you and your bro talked about who's bringing what?
Is he bringing a stove and water filtration set up as well?
Some good suggestions already but some other suggestions are get a lighter knife. Havalon or tyto. Don't carry the Leatherman.
Is there a possibility to stash some "in case" gear at or near the landing strip?

Yes we have discussed who's bringing what. I'm the only one bringing the water filtration for camp, but we are responsible for daily use. I'm bringing the only camp stove. Good idea on the knife. The Buck 110 is a great knife, but it's not lite. We are planning on stashing an extra pair of clothes, and some fly fishing gear near the running way, in case we get back a little early. And we plan on stashing some extra food in case we have to stay late.

 

[stormsearch]

Have a back up stove or at least parts to fix the whisperlite, either at strip or with you. The light weight Amazon cheapies (Confirm they work first) are

Amazon.com : SUNRIS BRS-3000T Mini Camping Stove Ultralight 25g for BBQ Picnic Cookout : Sports & Outdoors

The BRS is somewhat proven, $17 and 25g. We use one as a back-up and sometimes use it.

Camp towel or bandana for light general bowl, glass, spoon cleanup.

I really like using gaiters if planning to encounter snow or lots of brush.

Take a serious look with your brother on emergency/first aid kit. Make sure both are comfortable on what you are taking. Add a whistle for each while out and about.

Add a lightweight fleece hat for sleeping or general camp to help stay warm.

Need a pillow? Use a stuff sack with extra clothes inside.

Food - ideally you want to try some of this stuff beforehand. It does get a bit expensive trying everything out, no fun experimenting out in the bush. Though typically eat anything in front after long days in field, but good food tends to uplift the mood. Add snack bars to the mix. Lots of brands to chose.

GSI Outdoors Cup is cheap and light for a good cup:

Amazon.com : GSI Outdoors Infinity Backpacker Mug, Blue : Sports & Outdoors

Toothbrush/paste

 

[austinphps]

Any suggestions on a floorless tent set up? How is a floorless setup if it rains or snows?

Plenty of options out there for you to choose from.....Check out Kifaru - maybe something like the Tut. SeekOutside and their Cimarron or Redcliff....there are several others that are eluding me right now. Floorless in the rain or snow is actually awesome - and better in my opinion. You can just walk right in and not have to worry about taking off muddy boots and wet gear. Just don't set up in a low spot and you'll be fine. Snow - just kick it out of the way if it's light. If not - pack it down and it's not issue sleeping on top of it. Have some sort of ground cloth and you're good.

 

[austinphps]

There is the MountainSmith Mtn Shelter (I use this for backpacking/solo hunting). You won't be gaining much, if any, room over your existing 2 man tent - but it would introduce you to a floorless shelter and not break the bank.

 

[PowellSixO]

There is the MountainSmith Mtn Shelter (I use this for backpacking/solo hunting). You won't be gaining much, if any, room over your existing 2 man tent - but it would introduce you to a floorless shelter and not break the bank.

That's perfect. I could afford that, and it would save me a couple of pounds. Thank you!

 

[PowellSixO]

Have a back up stove or at least parts to fix the whisperlite, either at strip or with you. The light weight Amazon cheapies (Confirm they work first) are

Amazon.com : SUNRIS BRS-3000T Mini Camping Stove Ultralight 25g for BBQ Picnic Cookout : Sports & Outdoors

The BRS is somewhat proven, $17 and 25g. We use one as a back-up and sometimes use it.

Camp towel or bandana for light general bowl, glass, spoon cleanup.

I really like using gaiters if planning to encounter snow or lots of brush.

Take a serious look with your brother on emergency/first aid kit. Make sure both are comfortable on what you are taking. Add a whistle for each while out and about.

Add a lightweight fleece hat for sleeping or general camp to help stay warm.

Need a pillow? Use a stuff sack with extra clothes inside.

Food - ideally you want to try some of this stuff beforehand. It does get a bit expensive trying everything out, no fun experimenting out in the bush. Though typically eat anything in front after long days in field, but good food tends to uplift the mood. Add snack bars to the mix. Lots of brands to chose.

GSI Outdoors Cup is cheap and light for a good cup:

Amazon.com : GSI Outdoors Infinity Backpacker Mug, Blue : Sports & Outdoors

Toothbrush/paste

Thanks for the tips. That coffee cup is perfect. Thanks. I do have a rebuild kit for the whisperlite, so I'm good there. Great idea for a pillow too. I can just keep my socks, shirts, and underwear in a small bag, and use it for a pillow. Thanks.

 

[PowellSixO]

Plenty of options out there for you to choose from.....Check out Kifaru - maybe something like the Tut. SeekOutside and their Cimarron or Redcliff....there are several others that are eluding me right now. Floorless in the rain or snow is actually awesome - and better in my opinion. You can just walk right in and not have to worry about taking off muddy boots and wet gear. Just don't set up in a low spot and you'll be fine. Snow - just kick it out of the way if it's light. If not - pack it down and it's not issue sleeping on top of it. Have some sort of ground cloth and you're good.

Thanks. Yeah, I think the floorless tent will actually be the best bet for us. It will be nice to not have to worry about tracking mud into the tent, or spilling something inside of it. The weight savings are pretty substantial too. I hadn't planned on bringing trekking poles, but now I'm thinking I'll give them a try. My knees bother me going down hill with a pack on, and the trekking poles are supposed to help with that. Thanks.

 

[austinphps]

With the Mtn Shelter you don't have the standup room like a tipi - but for the price; it's pretty hard to beat. You can always cut branches to the height you need - but trek poles will help for the pack-in/out. You lose them once you set up the shelter - but I find I don't really need them for day hunting. Figured IF i ever got anything I would take the the first load back to camp - pack up and then be able to use them the rest of the time. It'll be snug with you and your brother - your boots and some essential gear in there with you - I'd probably have a small/lightweight tarp to set up to put your bags under. Plenty of those options as well. Borah gear, Bear Paw, SO. I just have a Bushcraft Outfitters 5x8 MEST tarp - Once again; won't break the bank - they even offer it in silnylon to save a few ounces. It's well made and will work for storing gear. That plus the Mtn Shelter still probably weighs less than your tent and takes up less space

 

[PowellSixO]

With the Mtn Shelter you don't have the standup room like a tipi - but for the price; it's pretty hard to beat. You can always cut branches to the height you need - but trek poles will help for the pack-in/out. You lose them once you set up the shelter - but I find I don't really need them for day hunting. Figured IF i ever got anything I would take the the first load back to camp - pack up and then be able to use them the rest of the time. It'll be snug with you and your brother - your boots and some essential gear in there with you - I'd probably have a small/lightweight tarp to set up to put your bags under. Plenty of those options as well. Borah gear, Bear Paw, SO. I just have a Bushcraft Outfitters 5x8 MEST tarp - Once again; won't break the bank - they even offer it in silnylon to save a few ounces. It's well made and will work for storing gear. That plus the Mtn Shelter still probably weighs less than your tent and takes up less space

Thanks. I was just looking for a tarp too. Those all look like good options. I think this is the way to go.