“Congratulations, you were selected for a Cow Archery tag for the Elk Quota Hunt!”

Luck of the Draw

The Cow Archery tag is the easiest tag for non-residents to draw in Kentucky, but at 1 in 67 odds, it isn’t easy.  I could, given those odds, apply for 67 years and only draw one tag.  The Bull Archery tag in 1 in 558, and the Bull Rifle tag is an astounding 1 in 702.  These odds are from the 2012 draw, which included about 60,000 applications!  You can begin to see why I have historically referred to entering the draw a “donation”.  But my luck has proven that it is worth trying!

I’ll be honest, when I found out that I drew the KY tag, there was a brief moment where I considered not pursuing it.  I was excited about the opportunity, but I doubted if I had enough time, money, and energy to plan, research, and then execute another out-of-state elk hunt this year.  Those doubts lasted for about a nanosecond, and then reality smacked me in the face and reminded me that this is a unique opportunity.  An opportunity that may not come again for another 66 years!  I can’t give up my Colorado elk hunt this year – I won’t let that dream die! – so, two elk hunts in 2013 it is!

Challenge Accepted

This Kentucky elk hunt will be a completely different hunt that my backcountry adventure in Colorado.  I won’t have the luxury of hunting vast expanses of wilderness in Kentucky, in fact simply finding huntable elk on public land may be the biggest challenge to this hunt.  The cow archery season begins after hunters have been out chasing bulls, which means the elk will be pressured and seeking sanctuary areas that are safe from hunting – private land!  Many KY elk hunters hire guides or pay to access private lands, but neither option is in my budget, nor do I have any desire to buy my way into an opportunity.

The overall success rate of the Cow Archery tag is 40%, but given that I am going completely DIY on public land, I expect my realistic odds of success to be much lower.  But hey, I was lucky enough to have drawn the tag, so maybe my good fortune will continue!

Next Steps

Kentucky has redrawn their elk hunting units for 2013 – there are now 2 “at large” areas, and 3 “limited entry areas” (LEA).  Everyone that has drawn a tag can rank their preferences for these hunting units, and then the KDFWR will assign units according to availability and preference.  Once I find out what unit I’ll be hunting, I’ll have to work hard to identify where I can legally hunt in the unit.

Another important decision that I have to make is when to hunt.  I can hunt on my Cow Archery tag from October 19 – December 13, and then again from December 28 – January 20.  Do I want to go early, which is right after the elk and have been pressured from the bull season, or do I want to go late and hope that I can find a hot food source on public land?  Decisions, decisions…

Have you ever applied for, or hunted elk in Kentucky?

1) The Step-up

The step-up is an extremely simple exercise, but this functional movement will prepare your legs for the mountains like no other.  In fact, you will be performing this “exercise” endlessly as you scale the mountains in search of elk.

I perform my step-ups at home by utilizing the picnic bench on my deck, but one could also use items such as a stable chair, cooler, bucket, or yes, even steps.  Get creative, find a stable platform, and get to work.  It may not seem like much, but the step-up will get those legs burning, especially when you add weight on your shoulders.

The step-up will work muscle groups in your legs, including the glutes, thighs, calves.  The step-up will also strengthen your balance and stability by working the minor “stabilizer” muscles in the legs, as well as improving the strength of joints, tendons, and ligaments.

2) The Lunge

The lunge works many of the same muscles as the step-up, and once again improves stability and balance, but it also stretches and strengthens the hip flexors.  A lunge performed with a shorter gait will focus more on the quadriceps, whereas a lunge with a longer gait will target more of the glutes.

Both the lunge and the step-up target each leg individually, however their range and cycle of motion differs.  You will likely notice that it is more difficult to performed a weighted lunge, when compared to a step-up with the same weight.

3) The Squat

The squat has to be one of the best, if not the best, body weight exercises that one can perform.  Like the step-up and the lunge, the squat works the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps.  But unlike the step-up and lunge, which work each leg individually, the squat works all of these muscles in both legs as one unit.  Be sure that you develop proper squat form, focusing on the position of your knees and the angle of your back.

Add Some Weight

Each of these exercises can be effectively performed using nothing other than your own body weight, but as you get stronger you may want to begin increasing the challenge by adding weight.  Of course you can use traditional weights, such as dumbbells or a barbell, but I like to use weight that is cheaper and easier to access.

My favorite way to increase the difficulty of these exercises is to load up my elk hunting pack, the Tenzing CF-13, with sand bags.  Not only does using sand bags in your elk hunting pack simulate the real life “weight” of hunting the mountains, but it also allows you easily change the total mass weight that you use for your exercises.

Completing the exercises with controlled movements is important, so don’t add more weight than you can effectively and safely control.

In January I was able to attend the archery and bowhunting mecca that is the ATA Show. After the show I had numerous people ask me what new products I was most excited about – there were several, of course, but at the top of my list was the new outerwear from First Lite.  [ATA Show 2013 Video: New Outerwear From First Lite]

In March I was able to begin testing an advanced, late-stage prototype of First Lite’s new outerwear pant, the “North Branch”.  For the past couple of months I have been able to test these pants, while hiking and hunting through some unseasonably cool temperatures, and they have performed great.

The North Branch is a softshell pant with a micro-fleece liner.  In addition to being warm, the North Branch pants will keep you dry from the outside, as well as the inside, thanks to a new active particle technology from Cocona.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

What is Cocona?

The Cocona website states that their technology improves…

• Evaporative Cooling – Cocona® Fabrics spread moisture over a vast surface area created by the active particles accelerating evaporation, reducing dry times and keeping users dry and comfortable in both hot and cold environments.
• Odor Management – Odors are adsorbed into the active particles and then released with normal laundering thereby refreshing the garment.
• UV Protection – Active particles adsorb UV and shields wearer from harmful sun rays
• Natural Technology – Cocona® technology uses activated carbon derived from recycled coconut shells and naturally occurring minerals.

Dry Inside, Dry Outside

Claims are great, and a lot of things make sense on paper, but we all know that theoretical benefits aren’t always experienced in the field.  Well, in this situation I am happy to report that the claims of Cocona technology can be felt and experienced.  I wore the North Branch pants in conditions that were much warmer than they are intended for, and I could definitely tell that the Cocona fabric was releasing my body moisture out through the pant.  I wasn’t stuffy or sweaty at all.

The North Branch pants also kept me dry from the outside, thanks to their DWR finish, sealed zippers, and integrated gaiters.  I wore these pants through several rain-soaked hunts, and crossed many wet, thigh-high fields, and they never let a bit of moisture in.

So Far, So Good

I’m looking forward to testing the North Branch pants in the conditions that they were truly built for – late fall and winter hunting – but so far I have been extremely impressed with their build quality, features, and performance in chilly, damp conditions.

For more information on the North Branch, as well as the rest of First Lite’s apparel lineup for 2013, check out the 2013 First Lite catalog.

Run And Gun Turkey Tactics – Bowhunting.com

Temperature Ratings

The temperature rating of a sleeping bag, a “20 degree” model for example, didn’t used to mean much, really.  Most sleeping bag manufacturers were more than optimistic with their ratings.  If you picked a 20 degree sleeping bag off the shelf it may keep you alive at that temperature, but it certainly wasn’t going to keep you comfortable.

These days, many of the best sleeping bag manufacturers have begun rating their sleeping bags according to “EN 135227” testing.  These sleeping bags are typically referred to as being “EN Rated”.  The EN testing system uses a controlled environment and a mannequin equipped with multiple heat sensors to test the sleeping bags in a controlled and standardized environment.  The EN Rating yields three ratings: the EN Comfort Limit, the EN Lower Limit, and the Extreme Rating.

The Comfort Limit is based on a standard woman having a comfortable night’s sleep.  The Lower Limit is based on the lowest temperature at which a common man will have a comfortable night’s sleep.  The Extreme Rating is the survival rating for a standard woman.  For example, the Sierra Designs Zissou 23 has an EN Lower Limit (men) rating of 23, whereas the EN Comfort Limit (women) is 34.

Obviously everyone has a different comfort levels and tolerances to sleeping temperatures, so the EN ratings aren’t perfect, but they are a very welcome addition to standardize ratings across manufacturers.  (I have personally found EN ratings to be quite accurate.)

Other factors that can affect the perceived warmth of your sleeping bag include the shelter that it is used with, the sleeping pad that you use to insulate you from the ground, the clothing that you wear, your metabolism, and even your level of hydration.

Down Quality

If you choose to go with a natural down sleeping bag (How do you decide?), then you must familiarize yourself with the different classifications of down that are used in the market.  When shopping for a sleeping bag you will often see a down “fill” rating, such as 800-fill, 700-fill, 600-fill, etc.

The “fill power” of down is a way to speak of the down fiber’s loft, or “fluffiness”, which equates to the effectiveness of the down’s insulation.  The higher the fill power, the better the down will be at trapping air and thus insulating you from the elements.  The higher quality down will also be lighter and more compressible than the lower quality down.

So, all other things being equal, a 20-degree sleeping bag with 800-fill down will be lighter and pack down smaller than a 20-degree sleeping bag with 600-fill down.  The tradeoff, of course, is that the 800-fill sleeping bag will have a much higher price tag.  This is one of the primary reasons that you will notice seemingly comparable sleeping bags may have price differences of several hundred dollars.

For example, let’s look at two sleeping bags that have nearly identical temperature ratings, but have dramatically different mass weights and prices – the 800-fill power Sierra Designs Cal 13 weighs 1lb 12oz, whereas the 700-power Zissou 12 from Sierra Designs weighs 2lb 7oz.  It is also worthwhile to note that higher quality down isn’t the only way that manufacturers trim weight from their ultralight bags.  Many of the lightest models feature shorter zippers, thinner shell materials, and simpler baffle designs.  It all goes back to what I said previously… “lightweight, affordable, and durable is the ultimate trifecta, but unfortunately you usually can’t have all three at once.”

A Recommendation

In Part I I mentioned that I chose a Sierra Designs Zissou 12, which is a 700-fill power, DriDown sleeping bag.  I think that it is an excellent choice, with a great balance of price, weight, and performance.  I have fielded questions from several readers for recommendations on a slightly cheaper option, and in that case I would look at the Kelty Ignite 20 (EN-rated at 16 degrees), which also features DriDown technology, and won the Outside Magazine 2013 Gear of the Year award.

I hope these posts will help you make an educated purchase in the future.  As always, please let me know if you have any questions!

Knowing the difference that a good sleeping bag can make, I carefully evaluated my sleeping bag choice for my elk trip.  If there is one scenario where I don’t want to risk my comfort and safety to a sub-par sleeping bag, it is for a week spent hunting and sleeping at over 10,000’ in the Rocky Mountains.

Let’s begin our analysis of sleeping bags by comparing the two classifications of insulation that dominate the market.

Synthetic Insulation

• + Preserves performance when wet
• + Comparatively care-free
• + Cheaper
• - Heavier
• - Less compressible
• - Shorter life 

There are numerous types of synthetic insulation on the market today.  Branded and patented types include Primaloft, Polarguard, Thinsulate, and a host of others.  Even among a single line there are grades in quality.  For example, Primaloft offers a spectrum of insulation that very in price and performance.  This fact alone can make it difficult for the casual shopper to evaluate the quality of synthetic sleeping bags.

Synthetic is a great choice for users that want good performance at a good price, and don’t want to worry about any sort of special care or maintenance for their bag.  Synthetic insulation will still perform when wet, will dry faster, and synthetic sleeping bags are often able to be washed and dried at home.

The downside to synthetic sleeping bags is that they aren’t as warm, light, or packable as natural down sleeping bags.  Synthetic insulation is also prone to break down over time, so the life of a synthetic bag is typically shorter than the life of a down sleeping bag that has been properly cared for.

Natural Down

• + Great heat-to-weight ratio
• + Compresses and returns to loft
• + Longer life (with proper care)
• - Requires more intentional care and handling
• - Loses performance when wet
• - More expensive 

Natural down sleeping bags are filled with natural Goose or Duck down fibers.  These natural down fibers offer a heat-to-weight ratio that simply cannot be matched by any other material.  Ounce-for-ounce, a down sleeping bag will be warmer than anything else on the market.

In addition to being incredibly light, these natural down fibers are also very compressible, which makes packing a down sleeping bag much easier.  Additionally, a down sleeping bag will last for many years if it is cared for properly.  Down sleeping bags have a higher price tag, but moving past the initial cost, they are often an incredibly wise investment for the outdoorsman.

The “down” side to down sleeping bags is that they require a little more intentional care and attention.  Unlike their synthetic counterparts, down sleeping bags must be cleaned with special processes.  Additionally, natural down fibers lose their insulating properties when wet, and also take a while to dry, which means that traditional down sleeping bags must be kept dry to perform as intended.  However, new advances in molecular polymer technology have made some great breakthroughs that allow natural down fibers to be treated with a water resistant barrier.  This treatment adds no additional weight to the down, yet it allows the down to stay dry longer and dry quicker than untreated down.

My Choice Is…

The incredible warmth, light weight, compressibility, and long life of natural down are extremely appealing to me.  I have typically been willing to deal with a bit more intentional care and maintenance to keep the performance of down.  Now that advances in down coatings have made their way to the market, the best choice for my needs has become undeniably clear – down, specifically treated down, is the way to go.

Moisture-resistant down is obviously great for variable weather conditions, but an added benefit that most overlook is the moisture that is generated inside the sleeping bag.  I can be a clammy sleeper at times, especially when I’m tucked into a high-performance down sleeping bag, but I can already tell that treated down helps fight this clammy feeling by keeping the moisture out of the down fibers and allowing it to pass through the sleeping bag’s shell.

The sleeping bag that I chose is the Sierra Designs Zissou, which features their DriDown technology.  When compared to untreated down, Sierra Designs reports that DriDown stays drier 10-times longer, retains 170% more loft when exposed to moisture and humidity, and dries 33% faster.

Whew, that’s quite a bit of information to process, and this is only Part 1!  Up next we’ll talk about temperature ratings, shell materials, weight, pricing, and other factors to consider when choosing a sleeping bag.

They think wrong.

From day one I have always said that I am just sharing what I am learning and experiencing; even sharing the stupid moments.  Case in point…

That Cutie Ain’t Cute

You know those tiny little oranges for kids, called “Cuties”?  Yeah, well I love ‘em.  They are tiny and delicious, and they even promise to be “so easy to peel”.

It is the last point that I have a problem with.

They are easy to peel, once you get under the rind.  I don’t have nails, and don’t like biting into the bitter skin, so I always take my knife and get those delectable little fruits started with a quick slice.

While turkey hunting with my buddy, and photographer extraordinaire, Phil, I grabbed a Cutie and my knife from my pack.  I quickly looked up to scan out towards my decoys as I went to slip my knife from its sheath and felt something funny.  It was one of those instantaneous moments where time temporarily stands still and your conscious processes a myriad of options regarding what just happened a split-second prior.  I considered the possibilities of what felt “odd”, but knew deep down that I had just slid my knife across my finger as it left the sheath.

To confirm what I already knew, yet feared to be true, I glanced down to see my ring finger on my left hand split wide open, which exposed what looked to be tendons beneath the tissue.

I instantly dropped everything and put a death grip on my finger to minimize the bleeding from the deep wound.  I turned to Phil and said, “I just cut my finger”.  I don’t remember his response, but it was cool and calm, and something along the lines of, “That sucks.”

Not feeling like I fully explained the situation, I emphasized, “No, I just cut the hell out of my finger.  It is bad.”  Instantly Phil began rummaging through his pack and told me, “I don’t think I have any band-aids.”  I responded…

“I don’t need a band-aid.  We have to go to the urgent care.”

And so we did.  We gathered our things and headed down the steep ridge toward the truck. Arriving at the bottom, Phil jokingly told me, “I wasn’t even following you down.  I was just following the blood trail.”  We then followed that up with a devious plan to tell everyone that I fainted from massive blood loss, and Phil carried me off the mountain like a prince might rescue a fair maiden.  If only we could have stuck with this glorious story.

We hopped in the truck and headed toward the urgent care.  I called my wife to let her know that I’m and idiot, but I’ll survive.  She wasn’t shocked, which kind of has me wondering.

Phil and I both discussed how horrible this would have been if it would have happened on the elk hunting trip and we were miles away from the truck and medical care.

Phil said that we may need to reconsider taking any knives on the trip, but I don’t think that’s fair.  I think we’ll be fine, as long as we don’t pack any oranges.

P.S. – Here’s a description from the Cutie website, which is obviously full of blatant lies… “Kids love Cuties because their naturally loose skin makes them a cinch to peel.  Which means they don’t have to ask Mom or Dad to help them – they can do it all by themselves.” Whatever.

Comfort.

A couple of nights ago I awoke to a violent storm that was happening outside my window. Lighting was crashing, thunder was erupting, and rain was being driven sideways by high winds.  This was all occurring around me, but not affecting me.  I was in the comfort of my home, insulated by my “bubble” of safety, protected from the storm that battered the outdoors.  My first thought as I awoke to this violent act of nature was about elk.  Was there a storm like this going on in the high country right now?  If not now, surely there have been many just like it.  And countless more are yet to come.

I live among these types of storms, but elk live in them.

My awareness of these stark differences – between my comfortable life and the life of an elk – will continue for the rest of the day.  I will wake up, take a hot shower, eat a convenient meal, drive to my environmentally shielded and controlled office, spend all day sitting and typing, return to the comfort and safety of my home for another meal, enjoy a little entertainment, and then sleep once again in a comfortable bed.

Rise, rinse, and repeat.

How is this life of comfort and convenience preparing me to enter into elk country?  To scale the mountains that they call home?  To sleep in the forests where they bed?  To hunt them on their terms, in a natural environment that doesn’t play favorites?  It isn’t.  At all.

So then, to truly hunt wild elk in wild places, and rely on more than luck, I’ll need to step out of my life of comfort.

Conquering.

The night after this storm I was sitting around a fire with a group of guys, talking about sports, work, family, and life in general.  We got on the subject of raising boys, and I explained how my son, at only 15-months-old, constantly tries to beat me up and turn everything into a sword.  Men, boys, and even 15-month-old babies want to conquer things.  That’s why we see men try to climb the corporate ladder, excel in sports, fix things in their home, or dominate in a million other ways.  Men want to build and conquer.

But the threat of our day is that this conquering drive in men is too often suppressed or misguided.  Instead of raising men to defend and conquer in authentic, tangible ways – boys are raised in an environment where they only conquer in video games.  They are victorious and dominant in the virtual world, but apathetic and lazy in the real one.

Instead of teaching boys to focus and increase their drive to dominate, we live in a society that wants to suppress it; so that everyone wins and no one feels like a loser.  Instead of letting, or even encouraging young men to confront challenges and to do hard things, our society is obsessed with convenience and comfort, and rewards those that find the easiest means to any end.

The Collision.

My comfortable life and my innate drive to conquer – they frequently collide with one another.  After all, what victory is there is doing things that are easy?  How can one conquer if he is not overcoming challenges and stepping out of his comfort zone?

I share these thoughts with you, not to stir up some macho, chest-thumping drivel, or to pretend to be a sociologist that is an expert in the modern state of man, but simply to present the facts of my life.  Your life, like mine, is probably excessively comfortable.  Yet you have a drive, as I do, to conquer – not just in the office, or on the field, but in the wild.

As a new elk hunter I am fully aware of how easy it is to get wrapped up in tips, tactics, and gear.  But as good as those things are, the best thing I can do to prepare for this hunt is to prepare myself – my mind, my body, and my will.

Steven Rinella mentioned to me that, “…people either have what it takes or they don’t. Either you can’t stand foul weather or you can. Either you can’t stand sleeping on rough ground or you can. Either you can’t stand backpacking food or you can. I suppose that you get tougher over time, with exposure, but I think people’s tolerances are pretty ingrained by the time they reach adulthood.”

I think he is right, but I also know that some people “have what it takes” but just don’t realize it because they haven’t stepped out of their life of comfort to find out what they are capable of conquering.  They haven’t faced the collision.

There are really only a few things I know for sure about this elk hunt…

• It will be hard.
• My mind, body, and will are greater assets than any hunting tactic or piece of gear will ever be.  (And therefore these “resources” must be stretched, challenged, and trained.)
• I may or may not leave the mountain with an antler- and meat-loaded pack, but I will leave having conquered myself, and at least temporarily bid farewell to my shielded, insulated life of comfort and ease.

This process of preparing for my elk hunt is a journey of stepping out of my life of comfort and challenging myself to something greater and more difficult.  It is running towards a collision, instead of running from it.

Hunt then, not for ease, or even for pleasure, but rather to find yourself.  To conquer.

Steve has been a huge help to me over the past couple of years, and has been especially generous in helping me with my elk trip.  I had a few questions for Steve, and he graciously agreed to let me share his insights with you in this interview…

When backpack hunting, how do you choose where to camp in relation to the core area that you think you will be encountering animals?

Where to camp is really a tough one, and I think really depends on where you are hunting, and how.  If you plan to set up a spike camp and hunt from that camp day-after-day, I would make sure you are set up out of the way, with a good water source nearby. Thermals will be blowing downwind in the morning and evening, so I would have my camp down in the bottom of the canyon.

Last year was my first year really hunting with camp on my back all day long and this comes down to a risk/reward situation.  There were a couple nights where the only flat spot we could find was right in the middle of a couple herds of elk.  We had bulls bugling not 300 yards away as we set up the tent.  The risk here is that there is a good chance you could “bump” the elk in the middle of the night, but on the other hand you also might wake up and be in the elk immediately, which give you a good opportunity to move on them before they start heading to their bedding grounds.  If you to camp down in the bottom of the drainage you might not make it up the mountain in time to get to them.

What are some of the best, budget-friendly ways to reduce pack weight, without upgrading all of the high price gear items?

I’d say the biggest problem most people have is simply packing too much gear with them. Over the years my pack list has come down to a science, and I know exactly what I need to pack, and that’s all I bring.  My 3 day pack with all my gear, food, water, etc is down to 28lbs.  Granted I have some lightweight gear, but I see no reason why anyone’s pack needs to be more than 35lbs.  If it is heavier than that, you are packing way too much.

Speaking of budget…Saving money is great, but what items should someone absolutely consider investing in?  What items require buying quality vs. trying to “cheap out”?

I would say the two most important gear decisions for a backcountry hunter are his pack and his shoes/boots.  Clothing would also be my third on that list.  You can easily get by with a cheap tent, sleeping bag, pad, stove, etc., but taking care of your feet and having a comfortable pack will make all the difference in the world on your hunt.

What method do you use to treat your drinking/cooking water?

I have bounced around a lot with water treatment options, but always end up going back to a water filter.  I have tried Iodine, UV light, etc., but it seems on every hunt I have to get water out of less-than- clean sources, and having a filter is the best option in that situation.  If I hunted in an area that had tons of fresh springs I would probably use something different to save weight.

What strategies or techniques do you use to control your scent on a multi-day backcountry hunt?  

Honestly I don’t do much here.   I make sure to wash my clothes in scent-free detergent and spray down with scent killer at the truck, but the reality is that after 3+ days in the backcountry you are just going to smell.  One thing that has really helped is wearing First Lite Merino wool, which resists bacteria more than synthetic fabrics, so you don’t smell near as bad when hunting in merino.  You can also rinse off in the creek when you get a chance.  And if the country allows, smoke from a fire at night can help cover up odors as well.

Really it just comes down to hunting smart and knowing how the thermals and winds work.  I don’t care how little you smell, or how bad – if the wind is blowing towards your prey, you don’t stand a chance.

There are different calling strategies for different times of the season, but what is one calling technique that has proved valuable to your hunting?

I have had a lot of luck in the opening week of the season by using a lot of aggressive cow calling.  The bulls are just starting to leave their bachelor herds, and if you can find the right one, he will almost always check out what’s making all the noise.

Give me a general timeline of a typical day of elk hunting.  How are you hunting, and where are you focusing your efforts for morning, mid-day, and evening hunts?

A day actually starts by determining our plans the night beforehand.  Then, depending on where we set up camp, we get up about one hour before sunrise get to where we planned to be at first light.  Remember that the thermals will be going down in the morning, so you want to approach from below or at least side-hill.  Depending on the time of the month, we’ll either bugle or cow call and see if we get a response.  From there we really go where ever the day leads us.

In one of our favorite backpacking spots we usually try to keep to a plan because we know the country so well, and we also know what the elk tend to do.  If you are in new country you’ll have to figure out what you want to do.  If you are hunting a small area you won’t want to run all over the place and bust the elk out.

Usually around 10 in the morning the elk have all moved to their bedding ground and things will get quiet.  This is when we usually plan to do some still-hunting through thick timber with some light cow calling.  Mid-day can be a great time to hunt and catch a bull getting up to feed, or later in the month getting up to check in his cows.  Also, if you know of an active wallow I would just sit on it for 3 or so hours at mid-day and see if something comes in.  If nothing pans out there we’ll make a plan for where we want to be in the evening and go from there.

What one piece of advice would you give to all first-time elk hunters?

I think new elk hunters just need to get out there and learn from the experience.  Every elk hunting situation is different, and there isn’t necessarily always a right or wrong answer in regards of what to do.  If you are in completely new country you need to cover as much ground as possible while being smart about it.  Elk can move miles in a day just going from feeding to bedding grounds, so you need to figure out their habits and that way you can hunt them smart.

I am a planner by nature.  I organize, make lists, and check-off tasks.  Yes, I’m the nerd that uses spreadsheets for all kinds of things.  One of the lists that I have been working on for a while now is my master gear list for my elk hunting trip.  Some hunts are easy to pack for – grab you tag, your weapon, a knife, maybe some water, and you are good to go.  Not this trip.

Like most of you, my gear decisions are often based on some standard criteria.  First and foremost, I’m looking for gear that is functional.  I want something that just flat-out works.  Secondly, I’m looking for something affordable, balanced by the fact that I want it to be durable.  Finally, something that has become especially important for my elk hunting trip is an item’s weight.  Since I am carrying everything into the backcountry by the power of my two legs, every ounce truly does begin to matter, because ounces = pounds.  And when you are talking about a week-long trip, it is amazing how fast the number on the scale can rise.  Believe it or not, it doesn’t take much to have your pack weight fluctuate 5, or even 10+ pounds!

But finding lightweight gear for hunting isn’t always easy.  An item’s weight often has an inverse effect on other factors such as the item’s price and durability.

Ohh, that is light.  How much is it?

There has been an ultra-light movement in the backpacking segment of the outdoor market for some time now.  This movement, which has spilled over into the hunting market, has driven some amazing advances in gear that is incredibly light and functional – but of course like all good things, especially the new ones, there’s a cost involved.  Do you want an incredibly light tent, backpack, sleeping bag, or any other outdoor gear item?  There’s one on the market, I assure you that.  But can you afford it?  Probably not.

The problem isn’t just that a single gear item is expensive.  The real problem is that, for backpack hunting, you need a whole array of gear.  This problem becomes especially exponential for hunters that are new to backpack-style hunting and need to outfit themselves from scratch.

Ultra-light and Ultra-tough?

Yes, there is a lightweight everything these days, but hunters need to be careful to choose items that will withstand the rigors of backcountry hunting.  Lightweight backpacking gear is built for…wait for it…backpackers!  Your average backpacker isn’t journeying deep, off-trail into the wilderness.  They aren’t busting through brush, over ridges, and into the places that game hideout.  And as much as your stereotypical backpacker loves organic, free-range, grass-fed meat (if they eat meat at all), they aren’t hauling multiple 80-100lb loads of wild-game-goodness out of the backcountry in their packs.

Yes, lightweight is great, but hunters must ensure that they aren’t making functional sacrifices just to ensure that their gear tips the scale at an impressively low number.  What good is the latest and greatest lightweight gear item if it can’t last through many hunting seasons?  And speaking of it…

And how long is hunting season again?

So let’s say you do invest in everything it takes to set yourself up for a successful backpack-style, backcountry hunt… How long will you trip last?  A week?  Maybe.   And when will you get to go on such a trip again?  Next year?  Hopefully.

Of course, if you live in the West, maybe you get to take backcountry hunts several times a year.  But for someone like me, this trip isn’t something I can do multiple times a year.  In fact, it will be something that I am able to do once a year, if I’m lucky.  You can begin to see why all of this investment in backpacking gear can be especially troublesome for someone that is take a trip every few years, or even just once every year.

So the answer is?

At this point, some of you may be thinking that the problems I have raised are easy to solve.  The answer is simply – don’t buy the latest and greatest, or best gear available.  I agree with you, but the problem is that you can avoid the lightest, the best, the most functional, and the most durable gear, but still spend a TON of cash.

The best answer is, don’t go on a backpack-style hunt!  As I have mentioned previously, the easiest and cheapest way to hunt elk is to do a road-based basecamp, where you don’t have to carry all of your gear into the mountains, and you can get away with more affordable and accessible gear.  Another option to consider is paying for a “drop camp” type hunt, which is likely about the same cost as outfitting yourself from scratch for a backpack style hunt!

Going deep and living in the backcountry has become somewhat of a fad in hunting, but it definitely isn’t for everyone, and you should absolutely think more-than-twice before committing to such a trip.

Of course, if you are set on a backcountry, backpack-style hunt – as I am – then you can make it as affordable as possible by doing a lot of research and looking for exceptional sales or opportunities to by quality used gear.  This type of trip is possible, I just wanted to be very clear about the challenges and struggles that I have faced in planning this type of hunt.