backpacking
 

goin on a elk trip this comin fall and dont know a thing about backpacking. any pointers on backpacks, tents or the expierence? any kind of advice would be GREATLY appreciated.

The length of your trip, number of people, and the purpose of the pack will make a big difference in what gear is practical. I like a big external frame pack (5,000 or larger) for hauling heavy loads (like a spike camp or elk quarters) but I would not use that pack for actual hunting. I always have a day pack (app. 2,000) to use for hunting if I am staying in a fixed spike camp. If you are going to continue moving and not hunt from a fixed spike camp, the internal frame models are far more practical.
Tents are a really tough thing to figure out. It depends on the number of people, length of stay, weight, weather, etc. Never buy a cheap tent. Some backpacking shops rent tents.
Other than the tent, the heaviest pices of camping equipment that you will probably carry will be your sleeping bag. Go lightweight, but try to use one that is rated for lower temps than you expect.
What kind of trip are you making?

You might try www.eastmans.com
David Long and Cameron Hanes both have books & videos on back country bow hunting.

Back pack hunting is very hard core and not for the faint of heart. I recommend using an outfitter to pack out your game, you will need to set this up before you make this trip.

Good Luck Hunting!

Is this something that you are going to want to do quite a bit or more like a one time thing? The only reason I ask is because it can get very expensive very quick.
If you can give me a bit more info on how you will be hunting, how long you will be out, and if you will be packing for yourself or others I would be more than happy to give you some tips and make some recommendations.

+1, +2, +3!!!

Get there books and read them. All the info you need is in those books to get your started and on your way. Like others have said backpack hunting is very expensive (quality gear), but can be cheap and uncomfortable if you get cheap gear.

goin for a week hunting in CO. but am in the process of planning some weekend trips in Duluth, MN. already i have noticed the prices are high, but i have friends willing to lend me a packing tent. i live for being outdoors, and am lookin for a challenge/ hobby. and any advice on packing, survival, gear is more than welcome.

if you are going to be backpacking on a elk hunt. pack lite but what u need for sure.. start to get in shape now
and be prepared to pack some wight
it aint no Sunday school picnic when you packin elk out
and like wolf killer said, ''it is not for the faint of Heart''

Go in light come out heavy, is the best advice I can give u.

A good start would be...get you an eberlestock blue widow pack and some Kenetrek mountain extreme boots. You will need this to start getting into shape.

I know I look funny (dont really care) but I wear this stuff in the gym starting in march to get into shape. I live on that stair climbing machine!( the one with the rolling stairs) It has served me well. As i get more in shape I increase the weight in pack till I get to my capacity weight that I will use on my hunt. I also work legs twice a week, free squats, deadlifts, leg curls/extensions,calves. I keep things at a high rep scheme like 20-30 reps for more of an endurance type of lifting.

Its cool to borrow stuff if you can, but you will need to get those boots broken in and you will need your muscles and back to be in shape for carrying that pack over the miles you will walk.

The rest is as others have said...from there get lightest equipment you can afford, borrow or whatever...lol

Kinda flat here in Texas, so a mans gotta to do what a man has to do!!!

Good luck

Make sure you get a good pack that fits you. I just got an Eberlestock J107, they make a GREAT pack. They close up for a day pack, but expand out to a hauler if you get lucky.

Just listing out the gear for a trip is pages to get into. Get quality stuff and cry at your credit card bill and not when you are back in the wilderness with crap and your life depends on said crap. Stay light. No cotton.

When you think you are in good enough shape, you're halfway there.

Well since you will be wanting to do it quite a bit it will be wise to invest in quality products...so....i will cover the big three as these will be your most used items, and also the items that are easiest to save weight on.

1. Backpack
Crooked Horn, Badlands, Kifaru, and Eberlestock all make quality packs with a good warranty. Try all of them (with weight) and pick the one that fits you best....Kifaru packs are custom made for you so they will fit, and yes you pay a bit more for it.
For a week long trip you will probably want a pack somewhere in the 4,000cu inch range or larger.

2. Tents
There are a myriad of options here, but I prefer light and free standing, or a tarp and bivy sack. A tent I will recommend is the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2. Hard to beat a quality 2 person tent that weighs in at 2lbs 10oz. There are a ton of good tarps and bivy sacks out there....Cabelas actually makes a pretty good bivy sack too.

3. Sleeping Bag
Lots of good sleeping bags out there, made by a lot of different companies. Take a look at Marmot, North Face, Big Agnes, Western Mountaineering, and Golite.
You will need to decide whether to go with down or synthetic fill. Down is a bit lighter, but loses its insulating abilities when wet. Synthetic is a bit heavier but retains its insulating abilities.

This time of the year there are plenty of sales going on so if you shop hard you should be able to save quite a bit.

I appreciate your concern over gear as it is a necessary componant of a back country back pack hunt. I have done several of these hunts and we have been successful in getting game as well. I think, however, you must give special consideration to the retreiving of an animal in the back country, and its removal. The physical demands are great, and a well thought out plan is neccessary.
I encourage everyone who is considering this kind of hunt to really appreciate what it takes to get an animal out without spoilage. This, I believe, should be your first consideration. I encourage to really think about this process and develop a plan. Always remember, your priority isn't to get the meat out, it is to get it cooled first. Once cooled and successfully stored, you then have days to get it out. We have taken three days in early season getting an elk out, without any spoilage.

Wow.....been away a while. But I couldn't resist responding.

Where are you from???MN? There are lot's of blanks to fill in.....Do you have a place to hunt? If so what kind of altitude are you looking at.

Have you been in the back country b-4?

Backpacks,Tent's and Sleeping bag's are important! But that's the easy part.

Backcountry hunting for a week in the Rockies's is not the same as backcountry camping over the wk'nd.

Do it right and you'll be hooked..........Do it wrong????

So fill Us in...Here to help.............Not discourage!

Bill

You are looking for a mountain of information, and when it comes to equipment, biases are very strong. Weight, functionality, quality all really come into play, but it all goes out the window without the experienced knowledge to use it.
Dont think what you want to bring, think what you need to bring.
Weight. What is easily carried an hour can be a nightmare after two. Then figure out how you are getting the animal out.
What can be shared? A tent can be split up between several people. Yup, you will be crowded, but the wt. and space in the pack could be the diff for an appropriate first aid kit, or spare socks.
Dont duplicate. Bring quality you can depend on. Bargain priced goods are for walmart and state parks.
You depend on your footwear. What is good for hunting in cold weather is highly unlikely to be close to appropriate for support and traction backpacking. Food. People balk at paying 10.00 for a dehydrated meal, but then spend the same daily for McDonalds.
Dont trust the water. Anywhere. Bring and use a good water filter/ purifier.
Dont depend on wood fires. They arent allowd many places, and are totally undependable and very poor for cooking. What if you are trapped in a tent for 2 days in a deluge? Invest in a quality backpacking stove, know how to use it, strip it, and repair it. And NEVER use it in your tent.
If you think you want to bring it because it is neat, leave it.
Practice on simple overnight trips, and practice with all your gear alot at home before leaving. Know cold how to use a map and compass, how to start fires with wet wood, (hypothermia is the biggest outdoor killer). Dont worry about a gps until you know how to use a compass oriented to a map. Get books out of the library on backpacking. Visit REI or Eastern Mountain Sports and tell them you are getting into the hobby.
Remember everything should fit inside your back pack, not strapped to the outside. Things loosen up and swing, and throw you off balance. rifles present a problem. You want to keep your hands free at all times. You are not hunting when your pack is on. Your hands must be free for balance and in case you slip and fall.
The book " Mountaineering" is a fantastic reference for all things specifically about mountain climbing, but it is probably the best reference last I knew about backpacking.

Newbie: Experiment in spring/summer
 

Without killing yourself. Don't try it out on a hunting trip.

well glob, i am from central MN and have never backpacked before, as stated before i plan on doing some 3-4 day trips in northern MN (duluth) to gain experience of the basics and work out kinks. the trip right is now is we are goin to idaho and it would be my brother and me out there, working on gettin two others out there. the other guys have been out there multiple times but i am not counting on them as i want to be as able as possible.

Read Daveboones reply again. He has some very valid points.

Be mindful of the time of year you will be hunting and the altitude involved. I live in Colorado and have seen snow in August at 10,000+ ft it typicly warms up off & on. I don't know about Idaho Someone else can speak on their conditions.
Dont' skimp on your sleeping bag! Alway's go for the colder rating if it say's 0* ....... Then it is probably comfy between 20 -25*...... I usually encounter between 18* and 30* at nite. So I have a -15* marmot bag.
A sleeping pad is also a MUST....I use a Thermorest....It is thin and lite but without it the cold get's you from the ground up + your shoulder's and back will thank you!You can find some "deals" ....Sierra trading post etc.

You can find good bargains on top quality gear if you look around.

I'll check back and you can pm me as well
More to cover......But gotta run!

GLOB

If you have never back packed before, or elk hunted, I would work on one or the other in one year, not BOTH. If you are from MN, and going to ID for an elk hunt, you will be in for a big surprise when you see the mountains. What you would think shouldn't be too hard, will turn into a nightmare if you have never done it before. I would concentrate on hunting from a road camp, and hunting from that camp every day. A 700 lb elk 2, 3, or 10 miles from the truck is not your typical whitetail. Last year I shot a 600 lb cow about 1 mile from the truck. I carried out the 60lbs of loose meat in my pack, and am glad I was able to get the truck to her to get the rest out. She came out in 4 quarters, plus the loose meat. I figure if I am packing an elk quarter, at 1 mile per hour at best. If you are 5 miles from the trail head, and shoot an elk, that is 5 hours to get to the trailhead, with one quarter, and two hours to get back. At best you could get two quarters in one day. Double that, plus your camp, and the loose meat, and never doing it before, and you could be in real trouble real quick.

I have been hunting the mountains for about 12 years now. This winter I spent my first night out in a survival situation. Even with all the preparation and practicing I have done over the years, including trying out different gear, etc, it was still very mind numbing. The simplest tasks when out like that can become monumental if you don't have the experience, training, and equipment to do it right. I survived, and realized that it all has paid off.

Not trying to discourage you, but I don't think you realize exactly what you will be getting yourself into trying a backpack elk hunt when you have done neither before. Start with a truck camp first, and if push comes to shove, you can drive to town for a motel for the night if you need to. Hard to do that when you are back in, and realize you forgot something important.

Later,

Marcial

+1, Solid post Charlie.

Being a flat lander your first day in the mountains will be breathtaking, and I am NOT talking the beauty of the Rockies. I mean the total lack of oxygen in the air. The first day or so the easiest of normal task can be hard. The truck camp is not a bad idea. You can still hunt Elk without the perils of being 8 miles back. There can be plenty of Elk within a mile or 2 of a truck camp. Plus you can do an overnight er or more if all is well. At 53 the thought of sleeping on the ground for a week or more is not very appealing to me. I have been doing this for 3 years, I haven't got a Bull yet but the opportunity has been there and I have seen some very big bulls. Also I have helped pack out a Bull. I thought I was tough until I did that. A boned rear quarter and all the backstraps and tenderloins on a pack frame is a lot of weight when in the steep and deep. If you go once you will go the rest of your life. Good Luck