backpacking elk hunt checklist help

[Shane in WI]

Any one have their checklist handy for a backpack hunt? 5 of us will be elk hunting (rifle) next month NW of Denver, CO. I have gone in the general area the past 5 years, but we hunted from a base camp w/ campers. This time we are packing everything in and out on foot. Just looking for help on what to bring. I have yet to find a suitable external frame pack and looking for suggestions with that as well. I have a good colemann 0 degree sleeping bag, but wonder if that will be warm enough?
Thanks, Shane

[petey]

I use the Alaskan Pack 2, which is in Cabelas. The frame is nice and the great thing about it is you can remove the pack from the frame and then attach your small daypack with all your goodies to the pack frame and go hunting. It has plenty of adjustments to balance your load according to the lay of the land. The packs aren't that impressive, but the frame sure makes up for that when packing meat, which is one of the main reasons you'll need it.

I've hunted several archery hike-in's. Mostly hunting BLM land locked by private by way of a land easment. The mountains I hunt are 7 and 14 miles one way, so I pack only the esentials. Everything goes in the pack that I can get, the outside is my sleeping bag, tent, daypack, and anything else that takes up too much space.

Mostly I carry 1 pot, bowl, (mess kit of some sort) 2 propain tanks with a single burner stove, and lantern head. Plenty of parachute cord, cheese cloth bags for meat, Several packs of ramon noodles (or any just add water food that's light) and one set of extra clothes. I wear my hunting gear in. Of course I have the water purifying pump and tablets, so I pump, pop a tablet and boil, then use my water. Everything else are the esentials in the daypack like flashlights, first aid, firestarter, knives, rope, saw, etc.... you know the standard stuff.

I don't have a complete list and it's pretty early for me to think of every little thing, but that'll get you started. More often than not, you always carry more than you need! That I will say....

[Oregon Hunter]

I pack in every year. Don't get overzelous packing your equipment. Take only what you need. A good pack is important. I usually use my Fieldline Cascade External Frame pack. It's went down in price since I bought mine. But don't let the low price fool ya, it's a good pack. You can get it for $55 at BobWards.com. I prefer the new composit frames over the aluminum frame packs. The composits are much smaller making it much easier to maneuver. They're also plenty strong enough to pack your game out. I've packed out three elk and two mule deer with mine. If you're looking at spending more money on your pack I'd look at the Wilderness Packs wildernesspacks.com The Fieldline Dwight Schuh Pack is also a pretty good pack. www.fieldline.com If you're not worried about money I'd go with the Kelty Freighter Frame Pack about $240 You can look at some good packs at: www. I usually pack my camp in and then take my pack off of my frame and leave it at camp while wearing my frame pack while hunting.

["yote"]

For years I have used my military LC1 (large) pack with frame for my personal stuff like clothes sleeping gear etc... and 2 smallbutt-packs attached to it. One loaded with "Survival gear" and one loaded with field dressing gear (small rope pully-block, knives, small hatchett, gloves etc... When I get to camp, I drop the large pack and hook up the two small butt packs to the the frame and go hunting. If I kill some thing, I tie the horns/cape to the pack frame and hang the two butt packs off the bottom. (get the optional frame shelf as it makes it easier to tie a trophy head to the pack frame). It REALLY helps to have horses for hauling out the rest of the meat!!!!.