backcountry_hunter
New member
- Aug 8, 2016
- 213
Hey man, I know I'm late to the party (been hunting too much until now ;D ) but have some advice for you, much of which I learned the hard way....
sounds like you have a great start on learning the hunting side of things. In terms of gear and the questions you asked:
tent and sleeping bag. hit up an REI type store or watch online. Cabelas has some decent lightweight tents coming out now too. $500 bag is a tough pill to swallow, so save some $$ and grab one for 2-300$ from REI. I personally have 3 different sleeping bags for different conditions. My most expensive is treated down with a -10 degree rating and it was $279 new. Watch for deals, their out there and you by no means need the coolest trendiest brands.I have some really expensive tents, but I've also spent plenty of time in $150 eureka's and stayed dry.... read reviews, look at weights and make a decision that best supports your needs. If you wanted just 1-do all tent that will last a long time pick up a sierra designs mountain guide tipi and have a stove jack fitted to it. $300 and there isn't a season you couldn't camp in that thing. It's a little heavier than some other tipis like seek-outside or kifaru but is much cheaper and built pretty stout.
Packs.... this could go on forever. But if you're on a super tight budget look at a kelty cache hauler (can be had for around $120 frame and bag). If you have a little money <300 horn hunter full curl system is nothing short of impressive for the cost. stepping up into the $500 range kuiu and MR make some great packs but price reflects that (sounds like so does EXO but I can't personally weigh in on how they are). Going higher yet Stone Glacier and Kifaru are top in their class but now you're looking at a small mortgage too. I will say I have packs at almost every price point, and the more $$ one's are more of a long term investment. If the price of a kuiu pack has you wary I'd be strongly considering HH's full curl though. Just my $.02
As stated if you're going to spend in any category make it boots first and rain gear 2nd. I also don't have the pricey 3000$ rangefinding swaro el's. Vortex has treated me pretty well over the last 7 years or so... If I had an extra 3K laying around I'd probably pick up some swaro's but since I don't a cheaper pair of vortex (I have the viper HD's) has done just fine.
Clothing is another topic that will generate a wide variety of opinions. Many elk have died to wranglers, flannel and carharts. What works for some may not work for others. I can tell you from my personal experience (almost all my hunts are extended backcountry, rarely do I truck camp and only once have done the hotel bit) I've gone full circle on sitka, kuiu and FL type clothing (have partial or complete "systems" from each) and I'm now trending back toward makers like patagonia, montbell and arcteryx. I also wear the heck out of wool when it's appropriate... If you don't "need" a catchy camo pattern with a hip name, some of the non-hunting outdoor apparel companies like those mentioned above and others are making equally as good, if not better clothing for the mountains without (in many cases) the steep price tag. Many of which can be found at online discount stores like sierra trading.
Like others on here, I cut my teeth hunting with a pocket full of shells, a sandwich and a buck knife. I also (long before I saw him, knew who he was or heard him say it) adopted Randy Newbergs mantra "hunt while you can... you'll run out of health before you run out of money". I started hunting elk and kept hunting elk even when I couldn't afford to. I have absolutely zero regrets and some amazing memories because of that. Now that I have a little more of an established career, as ironic as it sounds I almost miss those college/poverty times.... they were some of the more adventurous
. I have talked to hundreds of friends and family members in their 60's, 70's and 80's that have a lifetime of sept's and oct's, full of regrets because they were waiting until they could afford to go elk hunting. I fortunately realized early on in my teens I could either wait until I could afford it, or make it affordable... I made it affordable and haven't missed a fall chasing elk.
sounds like you have a great start on learning the hunting side of things. In terms of gear and the questions you asked:
tent and sleeping bag. hit up an REI type store or watch online. Cabelas has some decent lightweight tents coming out now too. $500 bag is a tough pill to swallow, so save some $$ and grab one for 2-300$ from REI. I personally have 3 different sleeping bags for different conditions. My most expensive is treated down with a -10 degree rating and it was $279 new. Watch for deals, their out there and you by no means need the coolest trendiest brands.I have some really expensive tents, but I've also spent plenty of time in $150 eureka's and stayed dry.... read reviews, look at weights and make a decision that best supports your needs. If you wanted just 1-do all tent that will last a long time pick up a sierra designs mountain guide tipi and have a stove jack fitted to it. $300 and there isn't a season you couldn't camp in that thing. It's a little heavier than some other tipis like seek-outside or kifaru but is much cheaper and built pretty stout.
Packs.... this could go on forever. But if you're on a super tight budget look at a kelty cache hauler (can be had for around $120 frame and bag). If you have a little money <300 horn hunter full curl system is nothing short of impressive for the cost. stepping up into the $500 range kuiu and MR make some great packs but price reflects that (sounds like so does EXO but I can't personally weigh in on how they are). Going higher yet Stone Glacier and Kifaru are top in their class but now you're looking at a small mortgage too. I will say I have packs at almost every price point, and the more $$ one's are more of a long term investment. If the price of a kuiu pack has you wary I'd be strongly considering HH's full curl though. Just my $.02
As stated if you're going to spend in any category make it boots first and rain gear 2nd. I also don't have the pricey 3000$ rangefinding swaro el's. Vortex has treated me pretty well over the last 7 years or so... If I had an extra 3K laying around I'd probably pick up some swaro's but since I don't a cheaper pair of vortex (I have the viper HD's) has done just fine.
Clothing is another topic that will generate a wide variety of opinions. Many elk have died to wranglers, flannel and carharts. What works for some may not work for others. I can tell you from my personal experience (almost all my hunts are extended backcountry, rarely do I truck camp and only once have done the hotel bit) I've gone full circle on sitka, kuiu and FL type clothing (have partial or complete "systems" from each) and I'm now trending back toward makers like patagonia, montbell and arcteryx. I also wear the heck out of wool when it's appropriate... If you don't "need" a catchy camo pattern with a hip name, some of the non-hunting outdoor apparel companies like those mentioned above and others are making equally as good, if not better clothing for the mountains without (in many cases) the steep price tag. Many of which can be found at online discount stores like sierra trading.
Like others on here, I cut my teeth hunting with a pocket full of shells, a sandwich and a buck knife. I also (long before I saw him, knew who he was or heard him say it) adopted Randy Newbergs mantra "hunt while you can... you'll run out of health before you run out of money". I started hunting elk and kept hunting elk even when I couldn't afford to. I have absolutely zero regrets and some amazing memories because of that. Now that I have a little more of an established career, as ironic as it sounds I almost miss those college/poverty times.... they were some of the more adventurous
. I have talked to hundreds of friends and family members in their 60's, 70's and 80's that have a lifetime of sept's and oct's, full of regrets because they were waiting until they could afford to go elk hunting. I fortunately realized early on in my teens I could either wait until I could afford it, or make it affordable... I made it affordable and haven't missed a fall chasing elk.
