List important equipment for hunting camp

[HiBC]

Something else about sleeping bags.
You mentioned a cot.Good.I love having a cot.Helps keep you dry,too.
Bags must have compressable insulation,like down or poly fill.
That means the bag under you will be compressed to about zero thickness,and very little insulation.Most cots are zero for insulation.
One good solution is a Therma-rest self inflating sleeping pad on top of the cot.I do that.Therma-rests are great insulation.With the cot,you don't need a thick one.one inch is good.Lacking a thermarest,closed cell foam or even a folded wool blanket will be non compressable insulation.

If you are using a down bag,you must be very conscious of keeping it dry.Polyfill is more forgiving.Think about this.Your body gives off steam in the night.The down will be full of warm,moist air when you wake up.If you just get up and go ,the cold will condense that moisture.It may freeze.The tight weave of the bag cover does not circulate much air.Your bag will gradually lose effectiveness.(been using down in Colorado since I bought the Class 5 -20 bag in mid 1970's.Its still good)
So what to do about the condensation?You packed in with your bag in a stuff sack.First thing,while your bag is still warm,stuff it in the stuff sack.The moist air is squeezed out!!Then unstuff and fluff it.Dry air is drawn in.During your hunt,if you are in camp and the sun is shining,take your bag outside,open it up,and sun it for 1/2 hour or so.

[Gunplummer]

Wyosmith has a good idea with the 20' of light rope. I have been carrying some in the deer hunting pack for years and it really comes in handy.

[FITASC]

That means the bag under you will be compressed to about zero thickness,and very little insulation.Most cots are zero for insulation.
One good solution is a Therma-rest self inflating sleeping pad on top of the cot

I have found that using old moving company furniture quilted blankets to be great - they keep you warm with their weight and insulation, and draped over coolers, they help keep things cold a few days longer than not using them. Besides, they are free to cheap from most places when they get a little too worn.

[kraigwy]

Times have changed.

I use to hunt moose in Alaska I would carry a rifle, a Case Pocket Knife. A pack board. Light rope, a GI Poncho w/liner. A canteen cup and another tin cup for coffee. Instant coffee, and tea, I used sugar in my tea so would mix it a head of time. Instant oatmeal. And a rifle of course. I smoked so I always had a lighter and matches. Also had a compass, but that was about it.
The whole set up, less rifle, weighed between 15-20 lbs.

I normally used a small boat. Would stay out for days at a time.

It doesn't take much to build a lean to shelter. You can keep quite warm between the fire and the lean too. Canteen cup would heat water for the coffee/tea and oat meal. Alaska was covered with spruce trees. Spruce trees are "magic trees" Best tree in the world, for fires, spruce tea, and even first aid and antibiotics. Its about first aid kit one needs.

For the last few years my kids and grandkids started nagging me about writing down some of my stories and adventures. I did, but I stopped letting them read it. They laugh and say I was an idiot. They can read it after I'm gone.

[Longshot4]

To stay warm yet comfortable when working or should I say walking up hill for hours... leave the cotton at home. Your back packing shops such as REI will have capalian long sleeve under shirt that packs well and comes in different weights and wicks water well.

A down vest will keep you warm. Although wool vest will keep you warm dry even when wet and allow your body to breath. And a loose fitting wool shirt is a must in my hunts.

For that rifle a Harris bipod is very helpful especially when that hawk is blowing.

Don't forget the obvious A cigar lighter and Magnesium fire stick. Also some dry cotton ball waxed... kindling in a vip-lock.

If you have it in your budget (Filson) double tin cloth bibs will stop the wind, wet snow and are very very tuff. Also they will last for a good 30> years.

A long hooded parks would be a must to break the wind...

[lefteye]

If you have it in your budget (Filson) double tin cloth bibs will stop the wind, wet snow and are very very tuff. Also they will last for a good 30> years.

Good advice. I've got a pair of Filson double tin cloth pants. They are the best (until useful stainless steel pants are produced.)

[Longshot4]

Oh You might want a tow strap or heavy rope if you get stuck.

Also don't forget a small chain saw to clear trails and cut up that Elk for the box.

[Mr. Hill]

Thanks everyone! Excellent suggestions, you really helped me out! I've arrived in Denver at my buddy's apartment, we're heading west into the mountains tomorrow at 5:00 am. Good luck to everyone hunting elk this weekend in Colorado!

[shootniron]

If you pack all of the stuff listed in this thread...you will also need at least one Sherpa.

[HiBC]

OK,the OP did say up front he was sleeping on a cot. :-)

I stand by the Merino woolsox and the map and compass. The ensolite butt pad,too.This pic taken just under 9000 ft in the Flattops Wilderness.We backpacked in.Camp was on dry ground when we went to bed.That fell overnight.Lots of lightning with it.Wild storm!!
It was a heavy pack.What we had came in handy

381896_272350289494071_1433122142_n[1].jpg

[shortstop14]

It's a good idea to pack 2 compasses. That way you can check one against the other. Easy to magnitize one if kept in a pack or pocket with metals near it. Really important to have great (not good) footwear. Also pack 2 35mm film canisters...1 with alcohol soaked cotton balls, 1 with wax coated stick matches

[themalicious0ne]

Johnwilliams,

I would highly recommend moleskin or an alternative second skin. Anything of the like to cover your blisters. It is a backpackers necessity. Most people don't properly break in their hiking boots. Even if they are properly broke in, hot spots happen. Especially for someone carrying 30+ lbs of equipment that their body is not used to carrying. Not to mention uneven terrain. If you develope a bad blister, your hunt will be miserable without something to help. When backpacking or hiking, your feet is the most important part of the journey next to hydration.

Always keep moleskin in a zip lock bad and as I stated before, an ursack would not be a bad idea. Keep anything smelly in a safe place and far from you. In one of my trips, the group right next to mine with their fire less than 10ft from me, a black bear walked an and grabbed the guys pack and took off. I have heard bears in the night try to get in a bear box and ursack before. Critters love smelly stuff. Deoderant, toothpaste, food, dishes, etc.

I'm pretty sure if you are bringing in food and camping for the night, moleskin won't be the denominator that gets your pack stolen. Have all your scented items in one place, not with you in the tent and in something a critter can't break in or take. Ursacks or electric fences are a little pricey but better than ruining your hunt losing your resources on a multi-day trip.

[johnwilliamson062]

Your right. My absolute misunderstanding. I had to look up what I was talking about.
I took a leather chamois, of which everyone was joking was a dead mole, leading me to believe it was actually mole skin. Apparently it was more likely goat skin. I never looked into that before. Your comment just brought it back that memory back to me and i didn't think about the other mole skin.

Break your boots in well before you go. Start by wearing them at home while watching TV or similar laced as tight as you can for about 40 hours. Then hike about 50 miles in them starting 2-3 miles at a time and working your way up to ten+. If you get blisters go back to wearing them as tightly as you can while stationary.

You are better off in tennis shoes than boots that don't fit or aren't broken in.

If I get blisters in the back country its ducktape for me. The only place I have ever gotten blisters with any shoes from hiking walking is my heel, and duct tape slides well in the heel of my shoe.

I use wiggy's bags. I once climbed into the 20* bag wet at 40*, temp dropped to about 25*, I woke up in the morning warm and dry with a thin ice shell on the outside of my bag. This was done in order to dry out my clothes as having a block of icy clothes next to my bag in the morning would be no good. My body heat pushed the water away from me as designed.
I also soaked the 40* bag once and dried it out sleeping in it overnight when the temp was a little over 50*.
Wool and down should also dry similarly as long as there is body heat in the bag.
The coldest i have slept in my 20* bag was 20* and I was comfortable except my exposed face, although I was scrunched up in my bag by morning so my face would not be exposed.

All that is on a thermarest z-lite foam pad over a blue construction tarp with no tent. Zipped together I'd probably be ok at -10*(the combined rating is 0*). They cost me about $150 a piece, but I saved $120 on my last business trip camping instead of staying in a hotel.

[HiBC]

Congratulations on your bull!!Well done.
Now,it would be fun to debrief this posting.
After the hunt,what do YOU know about gear?

[Mr. Hill]

Here's my equipment observations:

Rope - you cannot have enough rope for lashing quarters, dragging them, or hanging them.

Your own large coffee cup and or thermos - beats the heck out of a plastic cup any day.

A small, foldable camp shovel- for any digging, especially a proper cat hole.

Ammo - you'd be surprised how may people show up with only a few rounds or none at all because they forgot...double check!

A real canteen or other water container, including the camel type holders with a tube - plastic bottles are weak and can break in your pocket/pack, a disaster in cold/freezing weather. You need to hump a lot of water!

Good flashlights, get the high intensity type, they blow away the regular mag lights. A small one and a more powerful large one.

A headlamp that'll securely attach to a brimmed hat - essential when you gut and haul. And extra batteries for the darn thing when you discover it's has somehow turned itself on in your pack!

Large tarps with grommets for dragging out quarters or making an emergency shelter.

A small flask for whatever spirit you prefer- nice to share if things get tough or you want to celebrate with friends when you get one.

A knife sharpener- elk hide will dull your knife blade fast, and I mean really fast!

Large, contractor grade plastic bags (40 gallon or larger), and large zip lock bags - you'll want the strong contractor grade bags to protect quarters or big cuts of meat, and the tough, big zip locks plastic bags for your back straps and tenderloins. The regular size smaller plastic bags at the grocery store are too weak, too small, and tear too easily in the field.

Pain reliever pills (Advil, etc.) and tums or other antacids- for sore muscles, headaches, and acid stomach you might have to deal with due to hard work, altitude, or a bit of bottle fever from celebrating your elk (ahem ahem, lol).

Some kind of urine receptacle that you can use in your tent at night - so that when you have to go, you don't have to unzip that tent and wake up your tent mates going in or out of the tent. And it sucks to leave a tent and go outside when it's 10 degrees with a blowing wind!

A butane heater with a large (at least 5 gallon?) propane tank - you'll burn through those small tanks way too fast, so bring lots of them. And a good lantern with extra mantles (sp?).

A good sleepin pad that will insulate your cot.

A sidearm revolver in .357 magnum caliber- for wearing in camp or in the field after you've tagged out (you can't carry a rifle in the field after you've tagged out) - for security purposes. There ain't no law deep in the mountains, and no 911 available, so you need to be able to protect yourself from potential bad 2-legged creeps. At least it would have made me feel more secure.

That's all I can think of right now.

[22-rimfire]

Plan on taking enough survival items with you hunting just in case you have to spend a cold night away from camp. You never know. That link was a good one.

I also liked the "evening shoes" suggestion. If I were hunting in the mountains for elk with a likelihood of snow, I'd probably being wearing LL Bean hunting boots (leather top, rubber bottom).

[FITASC]

You left out well-broken on boots and moleskin, clothing for all weather, especially rain gear. One thing I always brought along was the US Air Force survival guide - lots of good ideas. IIRC, someone previously mentioned 35mm film cans with cotton balls - use Vaseline, not alcohol which will evaporate - will allow you to start a fire even in the rain.

[Mr. Hill]

What I really forget was a good first aid kid, including antibiotic cream. The day after I shot my elk, I managed to catch a nasty tree branch right across the scalp. Lot of blood. The antibiotic cream helped prevent an infection after I got it clotted up, and I was able to stay in camp and help gut and drag a fat cow that another guy subsequently got way up in the forest; we were getting snowed on while we gutted her at 10:00 pm.

Ug, the endless jokes I got from the other guys in camp about bashing myself in the head with a tree.....

[HiBC]

I like the Petzl headlamp,LED,I think tht call the "Tactical " model(yeah,I know)
What I likeabout it,its lightweight,and has a red filter that will flip to cover the light.That makes it far more friendly to the eyes of your friends.

Whiz receptacle,cutting down on trips outside keeps snow ,mud from being tracked in.Laundry soap jugs ,you can break that spout insert out,leaving a wide opening.
Tent shoes? those Acorn sox with leather soles are pretty good.Slick on snow,though!!.
Realrope or tubular webbing for dragging,the 20 ft,but a 50 ft (or 2) of 550 parachute cord will get used.
Short term,I can see plastic to keep meat clean,but cheesecloth game bags breath.I recommend them.The meat under the outer facia is essentially sterile.Not so the outer surface.Best to let the outer surface dry to a glaze.Bacteria need moisture.The wet surface of meat on meat or meat on plastic can spoil.

First aid? My essential is a little 1 or 2 oz bottle of Betadyne surgical scrub provadine.Mix with water till it looks like strong tea.Clean wounds with it.

Then Neosporin. I carry a couple of GI Carlisle battle dressings in a pocket of my day pack. And some of those waterproof cloth bandaids..
Chapstick or equivalent.And some kind of hand crème .Burts bees,or a little round tin of Eucerine,or bag balm...just something for if they start to crack.
Aspirin,Pepto tabs....And some chili pequin flakes and a few dry prunes. :-)

[Warrendee]

cant believe no one mentioned this..Toilet Paper,

[xandi]

That's what leafs are for... just not poison oak

[Zorro]

I learned by forgetting my "Good Knife" once.

A small knife in every pocket is WAY better than one big one.

Also Camp Scissors! Culinary Scissors are substantially better than a knife for some tasks.

[giaquir]

Pie,coffee and cigarettes..an old timer once told me and of
course a 30/30

[Mr. Hill]

And glow in the dark Chem sticks - we used them tied to trees to mark the trail near a downed elk. Very useful!

[themalicious0ne]

Mr. Williams,

Quite alright. I had assumed you must have been talking about something else. Most likely, litterally being an animal skin.

I didn't mean to call you out, just didn't want someone going on a journey not bringing something they may really want.