What's in your mountain hunting pack?

Ubermeier

Ubermeier

CGN Regular
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Location
Yukon Territory
Savvy mountain hunters. Let me know what you are packing on your hunts. We are talking multi-day, double-digit-distance, camp-on-your-back in the mountains hunting. Let's see what makes your cut. Feel free to get specific. Let me know what your pack weighs too.

I have been tuning my pack over the last few years. This is the gear I took into the mountains on a couple multi-day trips this year (54 lbs for 5 day load out including water, not including rifle):

85L internal frame pack, pack rain fly
Mountain/trekking tent
Down bag, sleeping pad, inflatable pillow (in dry bag)
Food (high cal snacks, freeze dried meals, coffee)
3.5 litres of water, capacity for 11.5, water purification, electrolyte/energy tabs
Mutitool w/ bit set, skinning/boning knife, saw, sharpener
Mylar space blankets, contractor garbage bag, game bags, 550 cordage
Isobutane-propane stove, cookware/utensil, lighters, fuel
First aid kit (include tourniquet), toiletries, bug spray
Inreach mini, phone, headlamp, spare batteries/power bank, cables
Rain gear, gaiters, toque, gloves, neck gaiter
Light weight compact down jacket, full synthetic thermal layer, wool socks (in dry bag)
Optics: binos and rangefinder in harness, spotting scope and tripod (dry bag for optics if crossing rivers)
Rifle w/ scope, loaded spare mags

My gear isn't all lightweight Gucci. Value means more than hype to me. But there is no doubt the lighter your pack the better your mountain performance. Looking to upgrade my tent, pack and sleeping pad for next year. Also going to add crocs for river crossing/camp shoes. My bro had a pair, I wish I did.

Let me know what you think I am missing, or what I should cut!
 
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Sounds like you are on track with your gear list. I use a Mystery Ranch Marshall at 70 lbs going in for two weeks. My brother has switched to Stone Glacier and is in the mountains now. I will find out in a week how it worked out. As far as ultralight goes, I would say saving a couple pounds on the pack itself is not worth sacrificing comfort or durability as a rule. I would add puffy pants to your list of essentials. Firstlite is what I have. Outdoor Research makes them now as well for less. I have the OR Shadow Insulated hoodie and love it. Pants should be similar. I would add mosquito net shirt as an absolute essential as well. Cheap as dirt, weighs almost nothing and is a wonderful forcefield against mosquito and noseeums.
 
A light tarp or shelter that you can put up as a makeshift shelter if stuck out away from your spike camp, or even as shelter to use from your glassing spot.
Protects you from rain, snow and/or sun when glassing. You can use your hiking poles to set most up. (Didn't see these on your list; add them if you don't)
Thermocells work great for bug protection, and can be clipped to your belt, pack or inside your tent for a bit before going to bed for the evening. You'll sleep better!
 
Mostly the same stuff you've listed. Bonus about MB is there isn't much in the way of mountains :) So while light weight is important for endurance, it's not religion.

I've used external and internal frame packs. I like external with a small bag I can bring for the day, just in case there's a meat haul. I've been looking at both the Cabela's versapack system as well as the Eberlestock Mainframe with batwing pouches and a Vapor main pack.

Tent depends on how far I am going off the beaten path. If I can camp close to the Explorer (or in it), I'll do that (benefit of being 5'9"). Otherwise, a small pack tent (double wall) is what I use. Not a fancy one though, just a cheap piece of junk from CT or something. They can take more of a beating then I'd like to sleep through generally, but again if I'm hiking back to my vehicle then it just limits the amount of ground I cover.

I generally use a wide inflatable sleeping pad with a synthetic bag and a wool or fleece bag liner. I just won't compromise with a 24" pad, has to be 30". Inflatable pillow (well, it's part inflatable, part cushion).

Lots of good water sources up north so I usually use a Katadyn and a Nalgene. I also have a big Reliance jug that I will fill with the filter and drop a tablet in for good measure. Give it a shake and let it sit an hour or so, but usually I only do this when it's above freezing or my 15l jug will be an ice block by the end of the day.

Leatherman Sidekick, Gerber Sumo, and Havalon Piranta.

Definitely contractor bags, always a couple of those on hand. Small spool of 550.

Food supplies and cooking likewise depend on locations and distances. Wood can be an option. Boiling water can be a hassle though if you can't get the fuel to burn hot enough. Otherwise, MSR + Mountain House.

Inreach Mini is a must have. Headlamp and flashlight with same battery types (usually means AAA) and spare batteries.

Clothes depends on the weather. Usually a Merino base layer and socks though, with spare socks in a dry bag. Almost always a puffer jacket, again weather dependent. Cold weather, I always bring chemical hand warmers as well. Nothing like a sudden temp dip and being able to stick 8 hours of heat into a chest pocket. Even a lightly insulated jacket becomes comfortable with chem-warmers and merino base layer. Add a toque and both liner gloves and mitts, if you're still cold you aren't hunting hard enough. Boots are either Merrell, Timberland, or Kamik depending on temps (thank goodness for EE-width bootmakers).

As far as actual hunting gear, electrical tape for the muzzle, simple rifleman sling, scope cover. A half dozen cartridges or so. Lots of practice. For whatever reason I usually end up with a Model 70 .30-06 in the field (featherweight contour), VX3HD in Talley rings despite having like 18 rifles to choose from and all kinds of scopes/mounts. It neither my lightest, most accurate, most "weatherproof", or most powerful rifle but it's still the go-to.

Sport optics is also situational, and I generally get by just fine with 10x50 binos and a tripod mount and my rangefinder. One day I might be able to afford a decent bino/rangefinder combo.

Literally my favorite piece of gear though is the Allen shooting stick. Maybe I just mistreat or misuse mine badly, but I've used it as a trekking pole, a fire poker, a dead animal poking stick, a shooting monopod, and with the Vortex tripod adapter I use it to stabilize my binos as well. I've been considering if it would work as a pair to support a trekking pole tent as well.
 
Good thread. Im excited to see the replies. Ill add to it when i get out of the woods tomorrow. Me and my 5 year old son are camping/fishing now. We arnt really in the mountians on the island here. We are at 1000' but me and my 11 yesr old daughter did a 11 day fly in/out up north that has us camping at 2600' and hiking to above 5000' for hunting. I got a 8"Billy at 5400'

I had to carry all the gear on that trip so we had a base camp to keep a lot of gear at. My bag weighted about 65 pounds plus my rifle when he hiked above the trees.my daughters bad weighted less then 20. So light weight is is good and not having to carry someone elses gear is good to haha.
 
babine_lake said:
Sounds like you are on track with your gear list. I use a Mystery Ranch Marshall at 70 lbs going in for two weeks. My brother has switched to Stone Glacier and is in the mountains now. I will find out in a week how it worked out. As far as ultralight goes, I would say saving a couple pounds on the pack itself is not worth sacrificing comfort or durability as a rule. I would add puffy pants to your list of essentials. Firstlite is what I have. Outdoor Research makes them now as well for less. I have the OR Shadow Insulated hoodie and love it. Pants should be similar. I would add mosquito net shirt as an absolute essential as well. Cheap as dirt, weighs almost nothing and is a wonderful forcefield against mosquito and noseeums.
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BL, thanks for your input.

Down pants are on the list eventually. I havent been overly impressed with the kuiu super down, my bro has it, it seems a little too thin. I have a patagonia jacket which is about perfect for compact/weight and warmth. Will check out the OR pants.

What are you running for mid layers? I am contemplating a Peloton 240 hoodie.

Mosquito net isn't so much of an issue in my mountain areas, and we had our worst bug year in recent memory this year. I am sure it would help in some places though!
 
BlackRam said:
A light tarp or shelter that you can put up as a makeshift shelter if stuck out away from your spike camp, or even as shelter to use from your glassing spot.
Protects you from rain, snow and/or sun when glassing. You can use your hiking poles to set most up. (Didn't see these on your list; add them if you don't)
Thermocells work great for bug protection, and can be clipped to your belt, pack or inside your tent for a bit before going to bed for the evening. You'll sleep better!
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Great points BR.

I used the mylar space blankets for a temporary shelters a few times this year, a sill nylon tarp is on the wishlist, as the space blankets are too fragile.

I do have trekking poles, I run the Leki Micro Vario TA's. Yes, they are aluminium, but not interested in carbon due to the abuse they take on rocks and how much weight I put on them.
 
MB,

Great points.

On the wide sleeping pad, that's one of the reasons I am upgrading. Hate rolling off and feeling the cold from the ground three times a night. Sleep is important for recovery out there.

Chemical hand warmers would have been nice to have a few times!

I have been running scrapa kenesis pro gtx boots since 2020. Pretty happy with them, though the toe box is a bit too narrow. Stout for side hilling. I hve almost wore out the soles on the edges I side hill with though.

Scope cover and electrical tape on the gun a must! I bring two loaded mags plus what's in my .300. 10 rounds total.

Interesting to hear about the Allen shooting stick. I use my SURI T-25 SK spotting scope tripod as my gun rest.
 
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OS,

Yes, have thought of this. I always carry 3' of brass snare wire, which works as both needle and thread for repairs in a pinch. I have stitched together a main zipper on a pack that let go in the field with this in the past.

I agree a sewing kit would be better for all repair situations, I will be adding that and tenacious tape as well.
 
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I don't really do mid layers in the mountains. I wear a light merino long sleeve top (kuiu) all the time. I throw on my lightweight down jacket if it gets cold. Rain shell as a wind breaker. I only carry those three layers. Depending on how late season it is I will bring a warmer down (or synthetic puffy) jacket. For pants I have OR Ferrosi pants which are fast drying if they get wet. I have thin merino long underwear, Firstlite puffy pants and rain pants. I have some Sitka mountain and timberline pants but find the timberline them too warm if its hot so they don't get mountain use. Haven't given the mountain pants a real try yet. I have found over the years I take less layers and save room in my pack by not taking stuff I don't need.

I have a Peleton 200 hoodie and mostly use it around town as it doesn't breathe well. Merino is a much better option if your moving around. Worth the extra money.

If it was too cold to be out in the stuff I listed above it probably means stone's sheep season is over and I would be in my flat land gear hunting moose in the swamp.
 
Lots of good info, a couple other things I pack I haven’t seen mentioned is a sitting pad and a sponge. The sponge saves alot of tent drying time in the mornings.

Only other thing I take religiously are my dogs. Great side arms, pack their own food in, love to pack garbage or meat out.
 
babine_lake said:
I don't really do mid layers in the mountains. I wear a light merino long sleeve top (kuiu) all the time. I throw on my lightweight down jacket if it gets cold. Rain shell as a wind breaker. I only carry those three layers. Depending on how late season it is I will bring a warmer down (or synthetic puffy) jacket. For pants I have OR Ferrosi pants which are fast drying if they get wet. I have thin merino long underwear, Firstlite puffy pants and rain pants. I have some Sitka mountain and timberline pants but find the timberline them too warm if its hot so they don't get mountain use. Haven't given the mountain pants a real try yet. I have found over the years I take less layers and save room in my pack by not taking stuff I don't need.

I have a Peleton 200 hoodie and mostly use it around town as it doesn't breathe well. Merino is a much better option if your moving around. Worth the extra money.

If it was too cold to be out in the stuff I listed above it probably means stone's sheep season is over and I would be in my flat land gear hunting moose in the swamp.
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Thanks for your take on the peleton.

I currently use the same system as you, no mid layers. But I've been huddled in a tent on a Yukon mountain for 24 hrs straight while the wind, rain and sleet tried to blow me off. Wearing every item of clothing I had and in my down bag was the only way to keep warm. That was on the second week of August too, so I'm thinking an additional layer could be worth it.

I have both merino and synthetic base layers, I usually wear a merino upper and synthetic lower. I find the synthetics dry faster. 100% merino all the way for socks though.
 
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Decker9 said:
Lots of good info, a couple other things I pack I haven’t seen mentioned is a sitting pad and a sponge. The sponge saves alot of tent drying time in the mornings.

Only other thing I take religiously are my dogs. Great side arms, pack their own food in, love to pack garbage or meat out.
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Great eye. I need a sitting pad for glassing. I have a Big Agnes Skyline UL chair, but its always the first item I cut when trying to save weight. The pad would be the ideal solution.

I did bring a pack towel on my last trip for just the reason you mentioned for the sponge, it was well worth it. Forgot it on my post.

Awesome, sounds like you have a couple good dogs. My dog is getting too old. Shes a 12 yr old mastiff. Last time I took her up a mountain was August 2021, and it was all she could do to make it to the top. She has a lot of heart too, stood up to a black bear for me once. Best dog I ever had, gonna be sad to see her go.
 
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One more thought on staying warm... Calories. I was cold every night the first hunt I did for sheep. After getting a ram early and eating two dinners, tenderloins and a Snickers I was warm all night. I think a big part of staying warm is your food and hydration. I think a calorie is actually a unit of measurement for heating. Something to keep in mind. If your food is lacking you will be cold.
 
babine_lake said:
One more thought on staying warm... Calories. I was cold every night the first hunt I did for sheep. After getting a ram early and eating two dinners, tenderloins and a Snickers I was warm all night. I think a big part of staying warm is your food and hydration. I think a calorie is actually a unit of measurement for heating. Something to keep in mind. If your food is lacking, you will be cold.
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I find people hydrate a lot less when cold, as well. And burn through calories like crazy to maintain body heat as well as haul a pack and rifle across terrain. Snacking and drinking a lot are critical to performance/endurance, not only will you get cold but might also cramp up and risk delayed-onset muscle soreness and/or rhabdomyolysis (I have a metabolic disorder which makes me more susceptible to both). And if that sets in while deep in the backcountry, you'll be reaching for the InReach pretty quickly.
 
babine_lake said:
One more thought on staying warm... Calories. I was cold every night the first hunt I did for sheep. After getting a ram early and eating two dinners, tenderloins and a Snickers I was warm all night. I think a big part of staying warm is your food and hydration. I think a calorie is actually a unit of measurement for heating. Something to keep in mind. If your food is lacking you will be cold.
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This is likely true for me. I am not a big eater and have to force myself to eat some of the freeze dried foods. Dialing in my nutrition, and figuring out a way to increase my appetite would probablly go a long way.
 
mikeyb said:
I find people hydrate a lot less when cold, as well. And burn through calories like crazy to maintain body heat as well as haul a pack and rifle across terrain. Snacking and drinking a lot are critical to performance/endurance, not only will you get cold but might also cramp up and risk delayed-onset muscle soreness and/or rhabdomyolysis (I have a metabolic disorder which makes me more susceptible to both). And if that sets in while deep in the backcountry, you'll be reaching for the InReach pretty quickly.
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I agree. It is hard to remember how important hydration is when cold.

I find frequently snacking on cheese, jerky or drycured pepperettes is a must for me. I pack bars and trail mix too, but cheese and meat are what I crave. I run a platypus, sip on the go and use electrolyte tablets too.

I try to keep hydrated, anyway. This year was good, lots of water in the mountains, but 2021 was pretty parched. If I am drinking a 4 litres or less a day I find I cramp up when I lay down for the night.
 
Quarters. :)

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