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| ElkHunting.com | |
Elk Hunting Equipment
A high-quality tent can be several hundred dollars but it will be worth its weight in gold in the backcountry. When choosing a tent, purchase a four season tent with a good rain fly that can keep rain and snow out of the tent. A wet sleeping bag can turn a dream hunt into a miserable experience.
When choosing a sleeping bag, make sure that it is rated to 20 degrees or lower. Shivering all night isn't fun. Make sure that your sleeping bag is lightweight. Every ounce counts when packing in several miles. A five-pound sleeping bag doesn't sound like much, but five pounds is too much when hiking into a base camp. Spend the extra money on a 3 or 4 pound sleeping bag. It will be well worth the extra money.
Cooking is a chore no matter what you do. I have a collapsible woodstove that goes in my tent to keep me warm at night and doubles as a cook stove. If you don't have a woodstove, you will need a lightweight propane stove. The lighter they are, the more money they are but the bulky ones are a pain to pack. A lightweight cook stove can boil water in a few minutes.
A high-quality tent can be several hundred dollars but it will be worth its weight in gold in the backcountry. When choosing a tent, purchase a four season tent with a good rain fly that can keep rain and snow out of the tent. A wet sleeping bag can turn a dream hunt into a miserable experience.
When choosing a sleeping bag, make sure that it is rated to 20 degrees or lower. Shivering all night isn't fun. Make sure that your sleeping bag is lightweight. Every ounce counts when packing in several miles. A five-pound sleeping bag doesn't sound like much, but five pounds is too much when hiking into a base camp. Spend the extra money on a 3 or 4 pound sleeping bag. It will be well worth the extra money.
Cooking is a chore no matter what you do. I have a collapsible woodstove that goes in my tent to keep me warm at night and doubles as a cook stove. If you don't have a woodstove, you will need a lightweight propane stove. The lighter they are, the more money they are but the bulky ones are a pain to pack. A lightweight cook stove can boil water in a few minutes.
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Your water will need to be purified. To do this, purchase a water purifier that can be dipped into a stream and pump water through a series of filters in the purifier or purchase iodine tables that can be dropped into a bottle of water to purify it. Drinking water without purifying it can lead to health issues that will leave you running for the bushes instead of hunting. Having high quality food that is lightweight and high in protein is also a must. Hunting is hard work and skimping on food can leave you physically drained at the end of the day. Pack in lightweight snacks like jerky, protein bars and trail mix that can keep you going all day. At the end of each day, plan on having a hot meal. I prefer ramen noodles; they are lightweight an inexpensive. Oatmeal or freeze-dried food are other options. Other must-have gear includes game bags, a GPS for marking hunting areas and a compass in case you get lost and the GPS doesn't work. A first aid kit is nice to have around in case you get into trouble. A satellite phone is also nice. Phones can be rented relatively inexpensively and can save your life if you get hurt badly in the wilderness. Elk hunting is a lot of fun but can be a lot of work. Remember that elk hunting has a low percentage success rate. In most states, it is 20% or less. If you want to increase your chances for success, work hard, hike off the beaten path, practice your calling techniques and do lots of research on the area you plan on hunting. If all goes well, you may bring home a bull. If not, hunting in the western backcountry is a lot of fun even if you come home empty-handed. |
 Having a water purifier in your pack while hunting makes finding fresh drinking water easy. Without a purifier a hunter that isn’t drinking enough water may quickly become dehydrated. |
