Get Yourself Prepared before You Head Out Elk Hunting

Every hunter should go through a ritual, a routine if you like, way before they head out in the car to go shooting for elks. There is nothing more important in elk hunting than being prepared and more often than not having the right gear packed is the key to a successful hunter. In today’s article we wanted to highlight some of the most important aspects of your Elk Hunting gear, as it acts not only as a base for you in catching prize winning elk but it can also mean a matter of life and death in some scenarios.

What are you Wearing?

When you are hunting for prolonged periods of time the weather is going to test you, and whether that weather is rain or shine we are always up against dramatic and very often quick changes to the climate. Having the right clothes is a fundamental part of being a good hunter, and it’s not just the weather that going to take a toll on you it’s also the environment around you, such as having good footwear for uneven and rocky ground, or when you have to venture through wet and muddy terrain.

Therefore, make sure you get some rugged and durable boots, a base top, mid top, a waterproof pair of cargo pants, and don’t forget your watch!

Make sure under any circumstances that you have a bright orange baseball cap and vest as these hunter orange colours will keep you safe and make you stand out for other hunters to see.

Technology Shouldn’t be Forgotten About

The next thing on our list is technology, and here you will find yourself embraced in some handy gadgets and important accessories. Firstly, you want to back a decent camera so you can take home some great pictures that can serve as memories of your trip out. Don’t just stop there though, remember to take a couple of spare SD cards in case you run out of space and also throw in some spare batteries.

A headlamp with batteries and backup batteries should also be part of your tech gear along with a GPS device that also has spare batteries.

Following this “backup batteries” method can often help you or a fellow hunter when they need it the most so be sure that you put these in as they tend not to take up a lot of room.

Your Tools for the Kill

The third bit of gear you are going to need is your kill kit, and this is usually the kit you are going to grab hold of once you have taken aim and brought down your target. Such things as a tough and durable knife is fundamental here, along with parachute cord, your tags and license (so you can take the elk away with you legally), flagging tape, game bags and of course a pair of gloves.

Again this gear won’t take up much room and your complete bag shouldn’t be too much over 2-3lbs by now.

Being Safe and Secure!

The next items we are going to throw into our bag for the hunt are things we wil need either in an emergency or just general essentials that will help us on our mission of catching an Elk.

Your safety equipment should comprise of fire lighting equipment, so for this pack some fire tinder a lighter, matchbook and lint so you can quickly get a fire started to keep warm or to cook from. Then you want to look at packing a map of the local area so you get a good scope of where everything is in relation to you (this can be a real massive help on hunting trips). Finally think about taking a pen and notebook, a compass and whistle, and some 3mm accessory cord.

Don’t forget to also put a carabiner into your rucksack before you head off.

Food and Drink

Finally we come to the cooking and drinking section of the article and this is where you really need to remember some essentials if you don’t want to go hungry or thirsty. The cooking equipment is going to take up most of the weight in your bag and will be much heavier than a sleeping bag, tent and sleeping pad.

Be prepared to add nearly 4lbs to your rucksack at this stage, but start with adding a stove, some cooking utensils, a water filter (and a backup filter), bladder for flavoured drinks and finally don’t forget to take some trash bags or food handbags so any mess can be cleared up or any leftover food can be put into a bag and taken with you to eat later on.

Following these few steps in packing the right gear will help you immensely when elk hunting, so do take note.