2018 High Buck PACK SHAKEDOWN

[7mmfan]

I've broken down a couple elk and half a dozen deer with nothing more than a havalon and 2-3 extra blades.  Heart, tenderloins, boned out meat, cape/hide in some cases.  Literally my backpacking kill kit is one game bag, a havalon and a 60L dry sack.  For laying out meat, you can lay it on grass, tree limbs, smooth clean rocks, the animal hide itself etc. 

Coffee I go with Via because I'm usually just guzzling it anyway and want the warmth and caffeine.  That and a squirt bottle of Mio is all I need for food.

For clothes put on everything you'd wear during the coldest glassing session - and only take that plus whatever rain gear 

Savage

No kidding. That Mio must be super high in calories! I'd at least bring a snickers or two for when I get hangry.

[Jonathan_S]

Hahahaha  yeah I eat raw rockchucks.

I meant “besides food”

[yakimanoob]

yeah I eat raw rockchucks.

It must be late.  I laughed loudly when I read that. 

[yakimanoob]

@Branden You've intrigued me with the "leave everything in the cookware section at home" bit. 

You don't carry a means of boiling water or cooking?  I guess that would save weight... 

[Shawn Ryan]

Lots of good advice here.  Food:  dehydrated weighs less per calorie than the other food. You don't need nutrition, you need calories.  For that short of a trip, an alcohol stove would save you 1-2 lbs or so. For that trip, no extra clothes:  Don't let your clothes get wet, you have rain gear. Agree with no Leatherman, no trowel, no power cord, no charger, no sunglasses, no water filter (tablets or spring), change your game bags, but there is a cost to that.  Gutless all day long. Add one large, extra-thick garbage bag, if you think you need to keep meat cool in a creek.  There is a functional difference between anti-diarrheal and pepto tabs, take both. And I'd be willing to leave the extra batteries out for a 2 night trip and change your batteries to lithium, if not already. If you are worried about an extra light grab a microlight that runs off a CR2032 battery.

[banishd]

I have hiked out off trail in the dark with a microlight before. I wouldnt recommend it at all. You also do not want to try and process an animal with that. Just keep an extra headlight in your kill kit.

[WA1232]

I don't see a rangefinder on your list. I think they are super handy in the high country.

[yakimanoob]

I don't see a rangefinder on your list. I think they are super handy in the high country.

I told you I would forget something!

I carry a Sig Kilo 1250

[Branden]

@Branden You've intrigued me with the "leave everything in the cookware section at home" bit. 

You don't carry a means of boiling water or cooking?  I guess that would save weight...

Nope. I eat cold food. I know some guys think that freeze dried food weighs less per ounce then other stuff but from my past research it does not. I remember it being around 110 calories an ounce. I just checked the Mt house beef stew and it is 116 calories per ounce from what I could tell online. When I go shopping for backpacking food if its not a minimum of 125 cals per ounce I don't buy it. So lets say freeze dried and the food I bring all averages 125 cals per ounce. You are still saving weight, volume, etc not taking a stove, fuel, spoon, cup for coffee, etc. But I would say my average is 140 cals per ounce. So now I am getting more cals to burn for the same weight as the guy bringing freeze dried.

I could be wrong about the calories freeze dried food contains. Its been awhile since I have used it, and the beef stew was the first thing I saw when I googled it.

Anyway you could look into it yourself.

Regards, Branden

[Jonathan_S]

@Branden You've intrigued me with the "leave everything in the cookware section at home" bit. 

You don't carry a means of boiling water or cooking?  I guess that would save weight...

Nope. I eat cold food. I know some guys think that freeze dried food weighs less per ounce then other stuff but from my past research it does not. I remember it being around 110 calories an ounce. I just checked the Mt house beef stew and it is 116 calories per ounce from what I could tell online. When I go shopping for backpacking food if its not a minimum of 125 cals per ounce I don't buy it. So lets say freeze dried and the food I bring all averages 125 cals per ounce. You are still saving weight, volume, etc not taking a stove, fuel, spoon, cup for coffee, etc. But I would say my average is 140 cals per ounce. So now I am getting more cals to burn for the same weight as the guy bringing freeze dried.

I could be wrong about the calories freeze dried food contains. Its been awhile since I have used it, and the beef stew was the first thing I saw when I googled it.

Anyway you could look into it yourself.

Regards, Branden

In general you may be right.  However, there are some pretty dense freeze dried meals compared to the beef stew I think.

I know personally, that my double cheddar, bacon, sausage and jalapeno spicy mac really packs in the calories/ounce 

[7mmfan]

@Branden You've intrigued me with the "leave everything in the cookware section at home" bit. 

You don't carry a means of boiling water or cooking?  I guess that would save weight...

Nope. I eat cold food. I know some guys think that freeze dried food weighs less per ounce then other stuff but from my past research it does not. I remember it being around 110 calories an ounce. I just checked the Mt house beef stew and it is 116 calories per ounce from what I could tell online. When I go shopping for backpacking food if its not a minimum of 125 cals per ounce I don't buy it. So lets say freeze dried and the food I bring all averages 125 cals per ounce. You are still saving weight, volume, etc not taking a stove, fuel, spoon, cup for coffee, etc. But I would say my average is 140 cals per ounce. So now I am getting more cals to burn for the same weight as the guy bringing freeze dried.

I could be wrong about the calories freeze dried food contains. Its been awhile since I have used it, and the beef stew was the first thing I saw when I googled it.

Anyway you could look into it yourself.

Regards, Branden

In general you may be right.  However, there are some pretty dense freeze dried meals compared to the beef stew I think.

I know personally, that my double cheddar, bacon, sausage and jalapeno spicy mac really packs in the calories/ounce 

But you have pack twice the mountain money and pepto to compensate for that meal!

[Hunter mike]

The hardest thing about a solo hunt is staying out there when the going gets tough.  Having a hot coffee to get up to in the AM and a hot Mtn House help big time in that department - also you will sleep much warmer when you have that hot high-calorie meal at the end of the day.

I've found the hammock to be not the way to go for logistics, weight, and heavy weather.  And I love sleeping in my hammock.  Also, didn't see a tarp, but assume you're using one...

I don't usually use down - personal preference.  Part of the no extra clothes system should include layers that keep you warm even when wet. 

Allen synthetic game bags are cheap and get the job done - not quite Tag bags, but way better than the Alaskas.

[Hunter mike]

I bring a couple of the 2l Platypus bottles in case I end up camping away from water (frequently end up on a dry ridge).

I wouldn't consider Space Rain sufficient - prefer more of a shell outer layer (would definitely trade the weight of extra clothes for an upgrade here).  The mountain will hand it to you sometimes...

I also don't have a high end spotter - I use a cheap Alpine brand fixed power for backpacking and have found it to be a happy medium.  Planning to upgrade to a Leupold brand fixed power soon.  Seems to be the difference between spotting a deer (binos usually) and putting points on it across a canyon. 

Still no high buck success for me, but I feel like I've become pretty good at thriving on backcountry hunts these past several years.  I tend to use the same clothing systems and applicable gear when hunting from my truck - it just works.

[blackveltbowhunter]

  How many backcountry hunts have you done Noob? I tend to agree with the majority there are some things here or there I would dump, but a word of encouragement your list looks pretty darn good overall.

I would lose the leatherman and upgrade the kill kit to better bags as the "must do". Personally I would also pare down the clothing list and probably the food depending on the variables.

For a couple nights you can get by without alot, but on the flip side you can also be more comfortable and still at a decent pack weight. Finding the balance is individual. Dont overthink it. If your finding you are consistently coming back with items that you didnt use, or could have got by with out. Leave it and see if you really miss it.

I cold camp from time to time but its much more rare than I used to. I enjoy hot coffee and warm breakfast In the mountains. Chugging ice cold via and hard protien bar is not worth it to me unless the situation dictates it. So I budget the weight for the stove and fuel and dont think twice.   
 

[Holg3107]

Findin' and Killin':
- Savage Lightweight Hunter, 7mm-08 with Nikon Prostaff 5 2.5-10x44mm scope and Quake Claw sling
- 4 rounds in the mag + 4 extra rounds of Hornady Precision Hunter ELDX factory ammo
- Leupold BX-4 10x42mm binos, with soft case and tripod adapter
- Vortex Summit SS-P Tripod
- Thermarest Z-Lite Seat
- Bushnell SpaceMaster 15-45x50mm spotting scope
- Dead Down wind checker

Misc tools and Kill kit:
- Leatherman
- Gerber Vitals knife, with extra scalpel blades
- electrical tape (currently about 1/5 of a "full" roll)
- tags and license
- 4pk 48" Alaska Game bags (there are better options out there for this as has been noted)
- 2 pair nitrile gloves

Toilettries:
- toilet paper (Use your wipes two lines down here)
- Duece of Spades trowel Use a stick
- moist wipes
- contact solution and case
- glasses and case
- toothbrush and toothpaste
- floss For only a few days? bail on the floss

Light and electronics: (Everything here besides the Garmin and headlamp is technically unnecessary but your list is almost exactly what I take so no changes here...)
- Black Diamond Storm headlamp, plus 1 set of extra AAA batteries
- iPhone 7 in UAG case
- Anker PowerCore 13000 portable charger 
- 2' iphone charger cable
- Garmin InReach SE+
- in-ear headphones and adapter

Shelter and sleep system:
- Hennessy Expedition Ultralight hammock I really tried to like a hammock system... they are just too damned cold
- Mtn Hardwear 20° down sleeping bag
- Exped Synmat HL, large
- Sea2Summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow (you keep your dirty mitts off my pillow)
- **3x9' Tyvek (in case I need to use the hammock like a tent in very cold weather; may double as a ground sheet for processing meat)
- two MSR groundhog stakes

First Aid/Emergency:
- 1 roll 2" Coban
- 1 roll 1" athletic tape
- moleskin
- surgical pad
- 2 non-stick gauze pads
- various band-aids
- antiseptic ointment
- alcohol wipes
- ibuprofen
- antihistamine
- anti-diarrheal
- pepto tabs
- space blanket
- lighter and firestarter
- ~50' reflective cord

Apparel (everything is synthetic): As has been mentioned. Pack what you would wear on the coldest point you can envision glassing. nothing more... Also Merino wool is your friend. Your synthetic stuff is going to stink after a day or two.
- Sunglasses at this point you have sunglasses, eyeglasses, and contacts... pick [2] at most if not 1. I go with prescription glasses only
- OR boonie hat
- Prana Stretch Zion pants
- OR pants (backup in case my zions get soaked) NO NO NO NO NO… Aside from rain pants wear your cloths. no need for extras aside from socks.
- 2 pair Darn Tough hiking socks
- 2 pair undies This is why Exoficio exists. 1 pair that's on you. no need for more.
- longsleeve t-shirt
- short sleeve t-shirt Roll up the sleeves on your longsleeve
- Marmot Variant jacket
- **Mtn Hardwear Phantom puffy jacket
- OR Foray Rain Jacket
- **Cabelas spacerain pants
- **Patagonia Capilene 2 long undies
- Scarpa Zodiak Plus boots
- OR Flextex II gaiters A lot of guy like them. Im just not the biggest fan but they can help. Total individual decision here.
- **OR overdrive convertible gloves
- **OR Guide gloves
- **Mtn Hardwear beanie
- Scarf Get a buff.

Water: I use a steri pen and nothing more. Up to you if you want to invest money here.
- MSR Hyperflow water filter
- 2.5L Osprey Hydraulics hydration pack (filled to the minimum point I think I need at any given fill-up spot)
- 1L Platypus collapsible water bottle (used almost exclusively in camp)

Cookware/Kitchen:
- JetBoil Sol Titanium stove
- small JetBoil fuel can
- Sea2Summit Titanium cup I cary a Nalgene so that acts as any hot . cold beverage container. Up to you here.
- MSR Mugmate coffee filter Via was invented for a reason
- Sea2Summit long spoon

*Food:
- Mtn House dinners, portioned into foodsaver zipper bags
- oatmeal for breakfast
- lara bars
- trail mix
- deer summer sausage for good luck
- sometimes dark chocolate

Heres my pack for a 7 day solo hunt if it helps. I still have room for improvement especially in the shelter area and overpacked cloths but overall it ended up not being too bad.