Elk Season

Archery elk starts Saturday August 27th. A buddy of mine has a tag for unit 39. I will be going along to document the hunt. The excitement level is very high. Brett has been scouting all summer long and has seen large amounts of animals. Plenty of deer and elk with some monster bucks and bulls. I have spent the day preparing. Our plan is to backpack into the area and be able to stay mobile with the elk as we find them. When you backpack hunt they way you pack is a little different than when you just go backpacking. Many of the luxuries are left behind for weight management. Another thing the hunter must consider is that if an animal is harvested, meat will need to be carried out. The pack I selected to use is a 65 liter internal frame pack, the Gregory Baltoro. I chose it because it has a relatively low profile, which will not hinder my movements, and it carries its load extremely well. When stalking an animal and packing out meat, those functions can't be beaten. Our sleeping system is still being decided, weather dependent. Right now I am planning on using a bivy, to save weight and space, however if we have precipitation in the forecast a tent will be vital to having comfortable nights. A 30 degree ultralight down bag should be a great balance between weight, packability and warmth this time of the year. I also am electing for  thin foam pad versus an inflatable because for being on the go it is much more durable.

Photo: Cory Arola

Photo: Cory Arola

I have minimized everything else that I am going to carry, to the bare essentials for survival and hunting. Clothes are a moisture wicking base layer, 2x wool socks, durable pants, durable shirt, a fleece top, down vest, rain shell jacket and pants, wool cap, baseball cap, leather gloves and a neck gaiter. Waterproof, supportive leather boots are a must. I elected to leave behind the stove, fuel and cookware to save weight and space taking only Clif bars and a nut mixture. The rest of my gear consists of water filter, water bottle, headlamp, gps, compass,watch, tp, sunglasses, para cord, sunscreen, fixed and folding knives, multi-tool, saw, sharpener, blaze vest, bear protection (revolver a Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan .454), binoculars, tarp, trash bags and camera gear. I always have my small emergency kit: lighter, matches, iodine tablets, whistle, space blanket, and trioxane (fire-starter).

My next update will be a couple of days talking about some tactics for hunting archery season elk.