RE: Outfitting a rifle and yourself for a western (WY) hunt?
 

- shooting sticks...junk
-monopod... junk
-bipod...maybe
or nothing...YESSSS ( use your backpack :) ) (I have nothing)
- scope; 3-9x40 good enough?... YES but maybe 4-12 or 4.5-14 a bit better.Iuse a 3-9 BDC. (I have a Bushnell Banner)
- range finder and/or other optics? ...YESbut be aware the deer outrange a lot of rangefinders compact binos are good as they are LIGHT
(I have a compact pair of freebie binocs)
- backpack style sling, standard sling, or pack mount? ... either or any is ok
(I have std. sling)

You'll do fine, dont buyand carry too much as it makes for a long day. Do your research on the place and have a great time.

RE: Outfitting a rifle and yourself for a western (WY) hunt?
 

Also, what sort of blades would you carry? This is what I currently carry:

- Leatherman Surge (for misc. tasks)
- Gerber Freeman S30V Drop point fixed blade (for field dressing)

I've heard of others carrying a kukri (or other survival type knife) for emergencies, but they are large (12", like a machete) and heavy. I'm not sure if the 19 oz. penalty would be helpful or just more weight to carry.

RE: Outfitting a rifle and yourself for a western (WY) hunt?
 

First - you'll need a good pair of binos. I've had outfitters using high end binos comment on the clarity and light gathering quality of my relatively inexpensive pair of Celestron 10X42s I picke up at skyoptics.com. If you have an outfitter, the guide should have a range finder and spotting scope. Your choice of caliber is great - the 270 will easily take a mulie at 300 yds plus. As for rifle support. I like the Versa-pod by Cabelas. It attaches and detatches easily so you don't need to have it on your rifle all the time. You can put it in your pack or belt holster. I recommend the longer one for shooting sitting/kneeling. I figure if you can get low enough to shoot prone, your pack will make a good solid rest.
If you can afford it (not knowing your financila situation) I would also recommend removing the Banner scope and getting some better glass. Something like a Burris Fullfield II with ballistic plex or a Leupold. A 3-9x by 40 is plenty of scope. Practice at 300 yds if you have the range.
By the way, I know the Burris BPlex works with the 270 shooting 130 gr bullets. I took a mulie and a ranged 437 yds. But I practiced out to 500 with my rifle all summer. Now I wouldn't shoot a deer at 500 yds and the 400+ shot was pushing my limitations. But I had a solid rest, no wind and a broadside shot. I just bracketed his chest between the 400 & 500 yds reticles and squeezed off the shot. The bullet entered mid heights behind the shoulder and exited out high on his left side - he rolled 50 yds down the mtn and laid stone dead.

RE: Outfitting a rifle and yourself for a western (WY) hunt?
 

I don't know if your camping or hotel, we camp in the mountains and the trails get real snotty when it rains..maybe take some tire chains. Good Luck.

RE: Outfitting a rifle and yourself for a western (WY) hunt?
 

On the topic of boots, you really don't need to buy an insulated boot for the time of year you will be hunting. An uninsulated boot will keep your feet from over-heating if it ends up being warm outside, and if it is cold a good pair of wool socks will give you all the insulation you need. Especially if you're doing spot-and-stalk hunting. I even wear my uninsulated boots on late season cow elk hunts in November. A boot with 400g of insulation will work fine too, so long as you wear a thin pair of quality moisture-wicking socks if it is hot out. Also, if you are going to be walking in a rocky area, wear whichever pair of boots has the stiffest soles and most support. Boots with soft soles will kill your feet after a day of walking in the rocks.

As for the extra survival knife, it is not necessary. You should be able to survive with a pocket knife as your only blade if you get in a pinch.

I doubt you'll need a set of chains that time of year, but if you have them and like the extra comfort of mind they'll give you if you are on sloppy roads, then by all means throw them in the back of your truck. If you don't already own a pair, the money is probably better spent on all of the gas that it will take you to get out here.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is a game saw (could be because I haven't read all of the posts). If you prefer to split the pelvis when you're field dressing, a compact game saw will save you a lot of work and eliminate the possibilty of slipping and cutting yourself. You may find that splitting a mulie's pelvis with a knife is harder than doing it to a whitetail. My personal favorite is the Rocky Mountain Pac-Saw.

RE: Outfitting a rifle and yourself for a western (WY) hunt?
 

The boots can make or break a hunt, never skimp on a good pair of boots customed to your hunting style and weather,have well broken in too. The saw is a great suggestion also,depending if you will be just gutting the animal and dragging out or if you will be quartering/boning/cutting off the horns at the kill site?? All I carry is a small pocket knife, a wyoming saw, andstone to touch up my blade in the field.

RE: Outfitting a rifle and yourself for a western (WY) hunt?
 

As others have commented, I agree that the Banner scope is lacking in performance. Would it do the job? Sure, but a good scope will last a lifetime. I have a Nikon ProStaff on a muzzleloader and side-by-side, the Nikon blows the Bushnell away. So I made a trip to Cabelas today and ended up coming home with a Leupold VX-I with the LR (long range) Duplex. The rifle is at a gunsmith right now having a new trigger installed w/ 3.5 lbs. of pull weight.

I looked at the Cabela Euro binocs and they were pretty sweet! I need to save a few more pennies and wait for another sale before I go for those.

RE: Outfitting a rifle and yourself for a western (WY) hunt?
 

...a Kukri??? You can't be serious. ROFLMAO !!!

RE: Outfitting a rifle and yourself for a western (WY) hunt?
 

I don't know that the brand of knife is so terribly important. It needs to be shape, how a good edge and bring compact ceramic or small wet stone to keep it that way. I carry a
Iisakki Järvenpää Finnish made knife with a 5 1/2" blade and 9 1/2" overall. Good quality steel, sharpens to a very nice edge. Very good for field dressing. I have a smaller one for skinning.
The sheath holds the knife secure. The simple belt loop keeps the knife butt from digging into your side.
http://www.ragweedforge.com/FinnishKnifeCatalog.html

RE: Outfitting a rifle and yourself for a western (WY) hunt?
 

I saw one very comprehensive list on this thread, but below is another. I just traveled to Colorado to hunt mule deer for my first time. I did a self guided hunt but bought a land owner tag. (didn't want to wait 7 years to draw). I worked with a local outfitter to gain an understanding of the terrian and what to expect. It was a great hunt.

I would definetly recommend getting a bi-pod or shooting sticks. My shot was 225 yards and I never woud have connected without the bi-pod. The grass was too tall for prone or kneeling, so standing was the only option.

Also, I'd recommend a decent range finder. I had a Bushnell scout I used for 6 years in the eastern woods. Never had shots more then 200 yards. In Colorado, my Bushnell Scout (400 on tree / 200 on deer) was just not enough. It couldn't read anything past 300 yards. After this trip, I bought a Leupold RXII with TBR. It great for up and down hill shooting.

The 270 will be great, I would practice for 300 yard shots in moderate wind.


CHECKLIST:
Following is a list of items we suggest you bring with you on your hunt. The gear you bring is dependent on the actual hunt itself and the time of year. A good rule is to have with you everything you think you might need to hunt for a full day alone, and in the case of an emergency you need to stay dry and safe for a night or two by yourself. You can survive for many days without food, but clean water and dry clothes are a must have on any wilderness hunt. Assume these items need to be with you even on a guided hunt.
BE PREPARED: (get in good physical shape, read the rules and regulations on hunting in Colorado, know the basics of backcountry survival and know some emergency first aid)
RIFLE AND AMMO OR ARCHERY EQUIPMENT
COLORADO HUNTING LICENSE AND NECESSARY HABITAT STAMPS
HUNTER SAFETY CARD
CAMERA/FILM
COAT/OUTER LAYER AND RAIN GEAR (light weight, packable Gore-Tex is good)
FLASHLIGHT AND HEADLAMP (with extra batteries)
HUNTING PANTS AND SHIRTS (at least 2 pants and 3-5 shirts, dress in layers, bring a belt too)
KNIFE, ROPE, GAME BAGS
BINOCULAR
EAR PLUGS (for snoring and shooting)
POLY-PRO LONG UNDERWEAR (tops and bottoms)
COMPASS
SOCKS (5-10 pair)
CAMP SHOES AND CLOTHES (comfortable and loose to relax in)
ROLAIDS OR TUMS(helps with altitude sickness)
HUNTING BOOTS (1 pair Gore-Tex)
GLOVES (one light weight pair and a heavy mitten)
HATS (ball cap style and wool cap, blaze orange)
COW ELK CALL
FLORESCENT ORANGE VEST & HAT -500 SQ.INCHES TOTAL. (hat must have orange on it, please read the DOW regulations before you hunt!)
GPS AND TOPO MAPS (recommended and helpful, bring extra batteries too)
EMERGENCY SURVIVAL KIT: (whistle, fire starter, small piece of foil, space blanket or survival bag, matches, Ibuprofen, mirror, rope, light weight plastic tarp)
PERSONAL HYGIENE GEAR INCLUDING A TOWEL
SLEEPING BAG (-20 degrees)
QUALITY DAY PACK (pack as light as possible each day!)
WATER BOTTLE/PURIFIER (we like the KATADYN EXSTREAM $39.99 from Cabela's)

HAVE FUN!: It is a privilege to be able to hunt in these wonderful mountains. Know the hunting regulations and respect the animals you hunt. Read the regulations on public land use (BLM and National Forest) and respect private property at all times. Help us keep clean, quiet camps and have a great time hunting in Colorado!