Whats your Favorite early seaon elk gear

Jaquomo

WKR
Joined
Apr 27, 2012
Messages
325
Toilet paper and jock itch ointment.

Seriously, Have you ever bivy hunted in the mountains in September? Will you be good if you go to sleep and it's 50 degrees and wake up to a foot of snow and 50 mph wind and you're five miles from the truck with a dead elk. Are you planning to bivy/backpack into a place where you are SURE there are elk? Have you ever packed an elk out? Is this a camo bow hiking/bugling/calling adventure like you watch in YouTube videos, or are you truly trying to kill an elk?

All of these questions, and many more, are far more important to consider than whether to spend $300 on a Sitka thong and matching crop-top, vs. KUIU or FL, or a BHA logo man-bun scrunchie vs. A simple rubber band.
 
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martie88

FNG
Joined
Jan 25, 2024
Messages
18
Toilet paper and jock itch ointment.

Seriously, Have you ever bivy hunted in the mountains in September? Will you be good if you go to sleep and it's 50 degrees and wake up to a foot of snow and 50 mph wind and you're five miles from the truck with a dead elk. Are you planning to bivy/backpack into a place where you are SURE there are elk? Have you ever packed an elk out? Is this a camo bow hiking/bugling/calling adventure like you watch in YouTube videos, or are you truly trying to kill an elk?

All of these questions, and many more, are far more important to consider than whether to spend $300 on a Sitka thong and matching crop-top, vs. KUIU or FL, or a BHA logo man-bun scrunchie vs. A simple rubber band.
No have never Been in the mountains in September. Where I'm from everything is flat. Like really flat. But I do a lot of deer and moose hunting. Definitely won't be anything like the elk hunt but I do know what it's like to be in a t-shirt one day and full snow gear 2 days later. There will be 4 of us so packing out if we do get one shouldn't be horrible.

Definitely actually trying to kill elk. But all we can go off of is topo maps and stuff we find online for scouting since it's a 20hr drive.


I couldnt care less about name brand stuff and no man bun here .but I'm just looking for tested and true equipment that works and people love. Would rather spend the money once on something good and not buy stuff multiple times because I find out there's something better or more reliable
 

Ross

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Feb 24, 2012
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4,687
Location
Liberty Lake, WA
A very good friend, my elk reeds, game bags and paracord🤙
 

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Jaquomo

WKR
Joined
Apr 27, 2012
Messages
325
You have a good attitude, and you'll have an adventure, for sure. Go for it and enjoy the ride.
 

Marble

WKR
Joined
May 29, 2019
Messages
3,254
I tend to really enjoy whatever it is at the time that keeps me the most comfortable.

Might be the dry T shirt in my pack
A fresh pair of socks
A nice butt pad to use as a seat or a pillow.
My puffy


Gear that has made the most difference in my success:

binos
pack
Boots

They keep me comfortable and I'm not afraid to go further or carry a lot of weight.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
2,603
Location
Tijeras NM
My 3 favorite pieces of gear are my 14 year old Bowtech D350 with 10's of thousands of shots on it, my Kifaru backpack, and my Gen 3 Elknut bugle tube. With those 3 things, my confidence level is thru the roof every day I'm in the elkwoods.
 

Purdue

FNG
Joined
Nov 4, 2018
Messages
13
Sawyer squeeze
Light weight rain suit
external battery charger
Sunscreen
Wal Mart has lightweight Wrangler stretch pants (khaki, olive) that are perfect for early season hunting and a fraction of the price ($30) you might pay for a brand name.
Small first aid kit
 

Z Barebow

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 24, 2012
Messages
295
Since you are a first timer, you will overpack. Keep track of the stuff you actual did use (Minus first aid kit which we hope you don't use) Elk don't care what camo you wear. A couple of items that are always with me on a backpack hunt.

Small 6x8 sil tarp. Use it to cover my bow at night. (Keeps rain, snow, frost off of it. I also throw may pack under it.

Beanie. Wear it not only for hunting, but at night. Not only warmth, but keeps your bag cleaner. (If you have oily hair like me) (I actually have a sleeping beanie and hunting beanie)

Collapsible camp stool. Mine weighs about a pound. Use it at camp for extra comfort/convenience. But also in my hunting pack. I use it for glassing, calling, or ambush. In all of those cases, the added comfort keeps me where I need to be longer. (And not make excuses to move prematurely)
 

fwee6

FNG
Joined
Feb 2, 2024
Messages
16
What is your favorite peice of early season archery elk gear. Planning a trip to Colorado this September for an elk hunt. Getting a list togeather of everything I need and just wondering what everyone's favorite gear is weather it be clothes,boots, tent, trekking stick and the list goes on I'm looking for recommendations on everything.

Planning on getting the exo k4 5000. But everything else is up in the air so far
Lip chap.
 

BCSojourner

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 24, 2018
Messages
201
Location
Kremmling, CO
What is your favorite peice of early season archery elk gear. Planning a trip to Colorado this September for an elk hunt. Getting a list togeather of everything I need and just wondering what everyone's favorite gear is weather it be clothes,boots, tent, trekking stick and the list goes on I'm looking for recommendations on everything.

Planning on getting the exo k4 5000. But everything else is up in the air so far
All things merino, including Darn Tough socks. and a good beanie. Really good quality boots are a must as well as nothing is worse than having to deal with constantly wet feet. Looks like you are starting with a great pack and have the right attitude going in. The elk will be where you find them but be sure to enjoy the journey and don't consider your hunt a failure if you don't shoot an elk. Realistically you probably have about a 10-15% chance of kill success in an OTC unit but still have a really high chance of hunt success if you maintain your focus on your surroundings, and the opportunities and experiences available to you in the back country as a public land owner.
 
Joined
Nov 27, 2013
Messages
1,809
A tent set up in the shade, a nice cot, and a giant sleeping bag that as soon as you lay down around noon, you're drooling in minutes. Everything else is take it or leave it. Your WT gear will work.
 

HoytHntr4

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2019
Messages
415
Location
Minnesota
Sitka core lightweight hoody is my favorite piece of clothing I own. A new favorite I found last year was replacing my bladder with a hardside hydration bottle & hose
 

Divide93

FNG
Joined
Jan 2, 2024
Messages
47
I wished I'd had a GoPro all those years . Some of the encounters I had with elk, moose, and deer were unfreaking believable!
 

Dennis

WKR
Joined
May 18, 2014
Messages
367
Location
Colorado
I don't really have a favorite piece of gear for an archery elk hunt other than my arrow. I think most important is a quality shelter including tent, sleeping bag and pad for safety and comfort. A good quiet puffy jacket is nice in the evenings and early mornings. An InReach Mini is worth the weight and allows group communications and tracking. My one favorite creature comfort item is my "Sea to Summit" air pillow.
 

mtwarden

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Staff member
Joined
Oct 18, 2016
Messages
9,645
Location
Montana
I really enjoy our early rifle season, haven't been overly successful, but hunting in September is just plain nice.

Lighter sleeping bag, lighter shelter, lighter clothing, lighter boots- all adds up to a more enjoyable hunt and the ability to cover more ground.

I don't bivy hunt much anymore, but if I do- it's going to be in September (with a favorable forecast)- just nice to be able to pick damn near anywhere for your camp site. One year I picked a very small flat spot that overlooked a really nice basin—a basin that contained the only water for a couple of miles. I was right on the edge of a steep drop-off, I found a blowdown lodgepole that I drug to the other side of me to prevent me from rolling off the edge :ROFLMAO:

I was able to wake before daylight, eat my breakfast, drink coffee and glass from my bivy- nirvana :D
 
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