The Elk Thread

[ladrones]

I love the eye guards.




The bull to the left of the photo done and on the wall.

[a3dhunter]

For all of you elk Hunters out there, Kifaru just came out with a new pack in the 6500 cubic inch range based on their ultralight series but made out of 500d cordura that less than three pounds.

Let me clarify, pack and bag is 4.5 lbs. pack frame is 2 lbs 5 oz., bag is 2 lbs 3 oz.

I have a kifaru Timberline 1, pretty good pack that you can get used for about $500 right now.

[rhendrix]

I know this is strictly a thread on elk, but since there's not one for mule deer, I figured I'd ask my gear questions here...

I need to make a decision about what I'm gonna do for layers. I'm trying to find the nicest gear possible for the money, since I'm gonna be mule deer hunting in ID or SD, how important is it to buy camoflauge layers vs. earth toned color clothing? I don't want to cheap out and buy the backpacking layers and blow a stalk cause I've silloutted myself in the terrain.

Cabela's has a deal going on on their Kryptek stuff at the moment, and I love the highlander pattern, plus they've got the valhalla pants in a 36 only so no telling how long that'll last...I know I could just charge it to my Cabela's card, but I'd rather not.

[a3dhunter]

Rhendrix,
I don't think the camo matters that much. I am starting to switch over to earth tone colors myself.
You can always keep one light weight camo top that you can pull over your other stuff for a stalk if you want, but I don't think it is needed.

[elkbowhunter]

I know this is strictly a thread on elk, but since there's not one for mule deer, I figured I'd ask my gear questions here...

I need to make a decision about what I'm gonna do for layers. I'm trying to find the nicest gear possible for the money, since I'm gonna be mule deer hunting in ID or SD, how important is it to buy camoflauge layers vs. earth toned color clothing? I don't want to cheap out and buy the backpacking layers and blow a stalk cause I've silloutted myself in the terrain.

Cabela's has a deal going on on their Kryptek stuff at the moment, and I love the highlander pattern, plus they've got the valhalla pants in a 36 only so no telling how long that'll last...I know I could just charge it to my Cabela's card, but I'd rather not.

That's a good point
Maybe you could start a mule deer thread

[elkbowhunter]

I would be more than willing to give the game wardens the gps co-ordinates, but would tell them I would wait for them at the truck, they certainly couldn't force you to hike back in there to the kill site.
They can't ticket you on suspicion, as long as you cover your bases and are willing to give directions to the kill site or give gps co-ordinates then you will be fine.
I would however make sure my bow was strapped to my pack when hiking through the limited tag unit and that my wrist release was in my pack. I would want to make it obvious that I was not hunting, until I got to my OTC unit.

No way would I give my GPS coordinances to anyone
If asked i would tell them general location. This is not Nazi Germany

[rhendrix]

Rhendrix,
I don't think the camo matters that much. I am starting to switch over to earth tone colors myself.
You can always keep one light weight camo top that you can pull over your other stuff for a stalk if you want, but I don't think it is needed.

Sweet...now I just have to convince myself not to buy a pair of the valhalla pants in olive, trying those on at Cabela's in Buda was a bad idea.

That's a good point
Maybe you could start a mule deer thread

As soon as I finish reading David Long's book, Dwight Schu's book, and Mike Eastman's book I will, I don't have enough knowledge to really contribute anything at the moment.

[a3dhunter]

Sweet...now I just have to convince myself not to buy a pair of the valhalla pants in olive, trying those on at Cabela's in Buda was a bad idea.



As soon as I finish reading David Long's book, Dwight Schu's book, and Mike Eastman's book I will, I don't have enough knowledge to really contribute anything at the moment.

I've read eastman's and long's book but not dwight's. Good reads, but hard to cover everything in a book.
I'm still trying to get my first archery mule deer myself, several with a rifle but when I have a bow in hand they elude
me.

[supertrooperl14]

Man, is it Elk season yet? I sure miss those bugles!!!!!!

[Texans42]

Sweet...now I just have to convince myself not to buy a pair of the valhalla pants in olive, trying those on at Cabela's in Buda was a bad idea.



As soon as I finish reading David Long's book, Dwight Schu's book, and Mike Eastman's book I will, I don't have enough knowledge to really contribute anything at the moment.

If your hunting in Sept. Its hard to beat your light weight merino tops from kuiu, firstlite, core4, Sitka..etc. they dry ultra quick from sweat and dont hold the stink. Combine that with a softshell jacket from Columbia, kuiu, Sitka, core4..etc and you have a great layering system.

For those ultra chilly mornings keep a high fill down or synthetic packable jacket in your pack. Columbia, kuiu..etc make them... higher the down.. the lighter it is per warmth. Most quality packable puffers will pack down to the size 6" ball

Kuiu now has a waterproof down and several companies have comparable packable synthetic

[drthornton]

Well I finally decided to get my knee fixed. I've had a torn ACL for some years but have been able to control with braces. After a couple pretty strenuous hunts this year I have torn my meniscus as well and now the pain is constant and it easily gets stuck out of place. This is the 2nd time I've had the surgery....last time was 22 years ago. Times sure have changed. It will be outpatient and a total of 4 hours from the time I walk in to the time I walk out. A far cry from 2 days in the hospital in 1990.

So at this point this was my only option to keep western hunting.

6 months and I will be better than new since I don't remember what it was like to have a stable knee.

Good news is I will be ready to go for my 2013 hunts!

Under the knife Friday 12/28

[a3dhunter]

Well I finally decided to get my knee fixed. I've had a torn ACL for some years but have been able to control with braces. After a couple pretty strenuous hunts this year I have torn my meniscus as well and now the pain is constant and it easily gets stuck out of place. This is the 2nd time I've had the surgery....last time was 22 years ago. Times sure have changed. It will be outpatient and a total of 4 hours from the time I walk in to the time I walk out. A far cry from 2 days in the hospital in 1990.

So at this point this was my only option to keep western hunting.

6 months and I will be better than new since I don't remember what it was like to have a stable knee.

Good news is I will be ready to go for my 2013 hunts!

Under the knife Friday 12/28

Sound like you choose a good time, giving yourself plenty of time to rehab before hunting season. Good luck.

[a3dhunter]

If your hunting in Sept. Its hard to beat your light weight merino tops from kuiu, firstlite, core4, Sitka..etc. they dry ultra quick from sweat and dont hold the stink. Combine that with a softshell jacket from Columbia, kuiu, Sitka, core4..etc and you have a great layering system.

For those ultra chilly mornings keep a high fill down or synthetic packable jacket in your pack. Columbia, kuiu..etc make them... higher the down.. the lighter it is per warmth. Most quality packable puffers will pack down to the size 6" ball

Kuiu now has a waterproof down and several companies have comparable packable synthetic

Very good point about the quick drying of the merino wool.


Last season while packed in about 6.5 miles I made it to a small lake mid afternoon, and I knew both of my tops needed to be washed so I stripped to the waist and washed them, then laid them out on some willow bushes. As I waited for them to dry some afternoon rain showers moved in. The first lite merino was dry within a couple hours, but the Sitka core top was not dry until the next morning.
That right there convinced me that the merino tops from First Lite are awesome.

[bboswell]

Subscribed so I can go back and read completely. I'm in the planning stages for next year.

[Kolpin10]

Well I finally decided to get my knee fixed. I've had a torn ACL for some years but have been able to control with braces. After a couple pretty strenuous hunts this year I have torn my meniscus as well and now the pain is constant and it easily gets stuck out of place. This is the 2nd time I've had the surgery....last time was 22 years ago. Times sure have changed. It will be outpatient and a total of 4 hours from the time I walk in to the time I walk out. A far cry from 2 days in the hospital in 1990.

So at this point this was my only option to keep western hunting.

6 months and I will be better than new since I don't remember what it was like to have a stable knee.

Good news is I will be ready to go for my 2013 hunts!

Under the knife Friday 12/28

Good luck with your surgury if nothing else you will get a couple of months to do more research while you heal.