Wapiti Talk | Elk Hunting Forum | Elk Hunting Tips
 

What Else

Moderators: Swede, Tigger, Lefty, Indian Summer, WapitiTalk1

What Else

Postby Swede » 01 29, 2018 •  [Post 1]

Ok. I have every thing I will NEED for a five day backpack hunt in the Oregon wilderness. This includes food, shelter, sleeping, cooking and hunting equipment. There is a fairly good tree stand waiting out there somewhere for me. So, what else should I bring? What if anything do you think is worth the effort to haul it in and out?
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: What Else

Postby wawhitey » 01 29, 2018 •  [Post 2]

One must have for me is caffeine gum. Chew up a couple pieces as soon as my alarm goes off so i dont rerack. I like neuro gum. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071RZ2S ... =neuro+gum
Real eyes realize real lies
User avatar
wawhitey
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 3572
Joined: 02 21, 2013
Location: Stevens co, WA

Re: What Else

Postby Tigger » 01 29, 2018 •  [Post 3]

Sitka gear!
User avatar
Tigger
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 2420
Joined: 01 12, 2015
Location: Minnesota

Re: What Else

Postby stringunner » 01 29, 2018 •  [Post 4]

A video camera so you can film it, post it on YouTube and become the next elk hunting sensation! Then write a book about it, start an online blog, get sponsored, and make millions. Then resort to hunting only private land to make more money showing how easy it is to slay huge bulls yearly. 8-)

A basic survival kit I would add to “needed” items. This would also include a map and gps. The list is endless but for needs I would include a survival kit. Don’t forget a tooth brush, those dentures need brushed every couple days, but cut in half to save weight of course. :)
stringunner
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 627
Joined: 06 18, 2012

Re: What Else

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 01 29, 2018 •  [Post 5]

wawhitey wrote:One must have for me is caffeine gum. Chew up a couple pieces as soon as my alarm goes off so i dont rerack. I like neuro gum. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071RZ2S ... =neuro+gum


Oh HE double toothpicks no.... I've seen Swede in action without any kind of stimulant and he's a damn gazelle! Give him some nicotine gum and he'll over shoot the trees during climbing/trimming and rocket into outer space. We don't want to be responsible for that! :D
User avatar
WapitiTalk1
 
Posts: 8732
Joined: 06 10, 2012
Location: WA State
First Name: RJ

Re: What Else

Postby Navesgane » 01 29, 2018 •  [Post 6]

I'm looking to join a friend of mine in Oregon this year on a rifle hunt near or close to Bend. I've just begun the research as he has never hunted anything before so I'm relying on him to hopefully get some local intel but I think some good raingear will be a must, although probably not as much of a priority if we were hunting more coastal.
Instagram @jeff.reilly1
User avatar
Navesgane
Rank: Satellite Bull
 
Posts: 309
Joined: 08 05, 2013
Location: Telluride CO
First Name: Jeff

Re: What Else

Postby Swede » 01 29, 2018 •  [Post 7]

Jeff: If you stay east of the Cascade mountains, you will probably not need rain gear in the rifle deer season. The later elk seasons could be good too, but are even more chancy. I think a lot of hunters that stay on the east side don't have rain gear. Still you are dealing with Oregon Fall weather, and I am no weatherman. :D
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: What Else

Postby Indian Summer » 01 30, 2018 •  [Post 8]

A referee whistle in case of an emergency such as dangling from your fall harness. Nothing says help better!

A little Jim Beam because life is good. :D
User avatar
Indian Summer
Wapiti Hunting Consultant
 
Posts: 5247
Joined: 06 14, 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
First Name: Joe
Last Name: Ferraro

Re: What Else

Postby Tigger » 01 30, 2018 •  [Post 9]

chapstick, a seat cushion, wind powder and an ironing board.
User avatar
Tigger
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 2420
Joined: 01 12, 2015
Location: Minnesota

Re: What Else

Postby stringunner » 01 30, 2018 •  [Post 10]

Jeff - I live very near Bend. Born and raised in Central Oregon. I bought rain gear 4 years ago and it still has the tags on. I think it a decent idea but if other gear is needed for the hunt, rain gear would be low on the list for east of the cascades. Oct. and November can be wet, but not like that of the coast. I would prefer warm and layers and that which repels water of more importance. Good water proof boots for potential snow would be high on the priority list. Basically, I wouldn’t spend a ton on high end rain gear, unless you plan to use it for future hunts where rain is a guarantee. Just my opinion.
stringunner
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 627
Joined: 06 18, 2012

Re: What Else

Postby olympushunt » 01 30, 2018 •  [Post 11]

Navesgane wrote: I think some good raingear will be a must, although probably not as much of a priority if we were hunting more coastal.


You can get absolutely drenched hunting on the coast any month of the year and even when it isn't raining a drop. Unless you only hunt afternoons. If you are going coastal I would get decent rain gear (doesn't have to be top end stuff) and for sure good boots and GATORS. Good gators will help keep your feet stay dry as much or more than the boots. Socks act like a wick and if you are walking through vegetation gators will help A LOT. Nothing is more fun than walking around with soaked feet.
olympushunt
Rank: Rag Horn
 
Posts: 210
Joined: 10 10, 2016
Location: S. Oregon

Re: What Else

Postby TennMatt » 01 30, 2018 •  [Post 12]

I take a couple of paperback books.

Matt
TennMatt
Rank: New User
 
Posts: 36
Joined: 08 29, 2016
Location: Denver, Colorado

Re: What Else

Postby Swede » 01 30, 2018 •  [Post 13]

olympushunt wrote:You can get absolutely drenched hunting on the coast any month of the year and even when it isn't raining a drop. Unless you only hunt afternoons.


No doubt about it. When I worked on the coast, it happened that way several times. I thought I would do well without rain gear as it had been days or even weeks since the last rain. I would go a couple hundred yards into the forest and be drenched from the dew. The problem was the day before things were fine. That dew is sneaky for sure.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: What Else

Postby Lefty » 01 31, 2018 •  [Post 14]

Unfortunately my wife is into electronics. And for some what ever they do on their smart phone is important.
She likes cell service ,
I think she still loves me :P but she does not go the places I like to go because she's a technology addict .
User avatar
Lefty
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 6926
Joined: 06 25, 2012
Location: Pocatello Idaho
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: H

Re: What Else

Postby >>>---WW----> » 01 31, 2018 •  [Post 15]

Just about everything others have mentioned should already be in your pack. The guy that mentioned something to read might be the exception, especially if you are going solo. The only other thing I could think of would be some sort of first aid and personal medications. But even that is something you should already have in your pack.

As for the (no rain gear guys), that's just looking for hypothermia. I hunt sometimes in hi-desert country and even there I have some sort of rain gear even if there is little chance of rain, I think a cheap $1.98 poncho from Wally World doesn't take up much space. But normally I have a rain jacked and pants. Besides being good for rain, they make an excellent wind breaker.
User avatar
>>>---WW---->
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2351
Joined: 05 27, 2012

Re: What Else

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 01 31, 2018 •  [Post 16]

OK, sounds like you're sparking a discussion on "other" items that perhaps aren't part of your/or the normal cat's backpacking checklist. You stated you have everything you need. OK, here are a couple of items to consider. IS already mentioned Jim Beam (I wouldn't go particularly with that flavor but I agree with his recommendation); a Primos Micron lantern is really nice to have back in the sticks (it weighs nothing, put outs lotsa light, puts out a considerable amount of heat...helps warm your pack ten up in the morning/at night, and you're already carrying in fuel for your Jet Boil...just carry in a bit more); some kind of wood cutter/chopper (Wyoming Saw or lightweight hatchet)...helps to chunk up firewood; lightweight/three legged camp chair if it hasn't been mentioned; ultra light weight plastic trowel (to help make a backcountry latrine) and trench around your pack tent; lightweight tarp (use some paracord to make an extended porch off yours and your buddies tents); condensed pack soap (comes in a little squeeze bottle).. cleanliness is next to, well.. you know; some kind of small multi tool with scissors as one of the accessories (comes in handy for many things); good water filtration system and an MSR dromedary bag to store water in once pumped (you can use this for your morning coffee and evening freeze dried chow); and as WW and others have mentioned, rain gear has multiple uses and should be taken in.
Attachments
41Di315FC9L.jpg
41Di315FC9L.jpg (20.17 KiB) Viewed 5545 times
User avatar
WapitiTalk1
 
Posts: 8732
Joined: 06 10, 2012
Location: WA State
First Name: RJ

Re: What Else

Postby six » 01 31, 2018 •  [Post 17]

Some sort of camp chair is nice. I have one that packs up small and weighs around a pound. It was great for around camp but it reclined to much to use for hunting. I resorted to this small camo folding chair and it works for both hunting and at camp. I try and set it up so I can lean against a tree fro back support.

th508K0IA1.jpg
th508K0IA1.jpg (10.3 KiB) Viewed 5542 times
Elk are where you find em...
User avatar
six
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 637
Joined: 06 13, 2012
Location: Michigan
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Cool

Re: What Else

Postby Swede » 01 31, 2018 •  [Post 18]

I don't worry about carrying extra rain gear when I am in the back country. I am only a couple of hours away from my truck. If the forecast calls for possible rain, I will have my quality rain clothes or will postpone the camp out. Probably the later as I don't like spike camp in the rain. As for an emergency, I have a couple of garbage sacks in my pack that will make a decent rain coat. They are enough to get me by until I reach civilization.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: What Else

Postby scubohuntr » 01 31, 2018 •  [Post 19]

TennMatt wrote:I take a couple of paperback books.

Matt

I saved up vacation time once and went out solo bowhunting along the Little Missouri in southwest North Dakota for five days. Got my tent set up the first evening, it was raining by midnight and kept up for the whole time I was out there. I mean build-an-ark raining. I had brought along half a dozen relatively large paperbacks (Tom Clancy before he completely sold out, Wilbur Smith, Ruark- that sort of thing) and got through all of them. I got to go out and slog through the mud one afternoon when the rain let up, otherwise I was stuck in the tent the whole trip. Rain gear didn't help, as the plan was to hunt the river bottoms, which were busy flooding.

Even though I never saw a deer, it's still on my top hunting trips list because I was so thoroughly unwound and relaxed by the time I headed back home. If I hadn't had the books along, and hadn't had a large enough tent to cook and sit up in, it would have been miserable. Solo bivy tents are great to carry, but I wouldn't want to be stuck in one for a week.
scubohuntr
Rank: Spike
 
Posts: 111
Joined: 04 26, 2017
Location: Montana

Re: What Else

Postby Lefty » 01 31, 2018 •  [Post 20]

scubohuntr wrote:Even though I never saw a deer, it's still on my top hunting trips list because I was so thoroughly unwound and relaxed by the time I headed back home. If I hadn't had the books along, and hadn't had a large enough tent to cook and sit up in, it would have been miserable. Solo bivy tents are great to carry, but I wouldn't want to be stuck in one for a week.


I spent some time a long time ago along the Little Missouri,.. No people sure made it relaxing!!!
We had permission on one piece of property, the rancher hated deer hundreds of white-tail on the irrigated field, hundreds of mulies on the dry farm. I bet there is a lease on that ground now days :shock:
User avatar
Lefty
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 6926
Joined: 06 25, 2012
Location: Pocatello Idaho
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: H