Backpacking can be very rewarding if you go about it right, or very defeating if you go about it wrong. With some thought and planning, you’ll have a great experience. Below is my standard gear checklist for backcountry bowhunts.

A dome tent like this will keep two or three elk hunters happy in the backcountry.

General Thoughts: Overall, think light. If one ounce of toothpaste will do, don’t carry a six-ounce tube. In place of a fork and spoon, carry a plastic spork. Rather than steel pots, use titanium. Try to keep your total load in the 50-60 pound range.

I put a lot of value on a good tent and sleeping bag. You can tolerate a lot of misery during a long hunting day if you know you have a secure shelter and a warm sleeping bag waiting for you in camp. I often set up a lightweight tarp next to the tent for storing extra gear, especially with two or three guys because their gear will fill the tent.

Leave ALL cotton clothing at home. It’s relatively heavy, and in damp, cool weather it takes forever to dry. Wet wool will keep you warm, but it’s heavy and dries slowly. For backpacking, I far prefer all-synthetic materials — fleece for cool weather, light polyester for hot weather — because they’re relatively lightweight and dry quickly. For trips up to 10 days or so, I just carry one change of socks, underwear, and T-shirts. If one set gets too rank, I just rinse it out and put on the other set.

Regarding food, plan a simple diet. I personally won’t use foods that require cooking. For me, “cooking” means boiling water. That’s why I especially like Mountain House freeze-dried dinners. You just boil water, pour into the foil pouch, and eat out of the pouch.

Get a good stove. Butane stoves are easy and quick, but butane does not perform well in cold weather. For hard-core backpacking, I generally prefer a stove that burns white gas or other liquid fuels.

Meat care and packing may be your biggest concerns. If you’re hunting elk for instance, the average mature bull will bone out to roughly 300 pounds, so you can figure three trips of 100 pounds, six trips of 50 pounds, or some similar combination. If you have a couple of buddies willing to help pack meat, it’s doable. But assess your abilities honestly. If you’re not capable of that, talk to local packers — before the hunt! — to line up pack stock.

To get in shape, running is a good place to start. To backpack at elevation, you should be able to run four or five miles, five days a week at home. If that hurts, you’re not ready to backpack for elk. Also, lift weights with emphasis on legs two or three times a week. Best of all, put on a 50-pound pack and climb hills regularly. If you live in the flatlands, find a tall building or stadium, and climb the stairs. Put in just as much time going down as up. Descending is far harder on the legs than going up.

HUNTING GEAR
Backpack (3,000-5,000 cu. in., depending on length of stay)
Waterproof pack cover
Bow
10 hunting arrows
Extra broadheads
Release aid or tab
Armguard
Rangefinder
String wax
Extra bowstring
Allen wrenches/bow repair gear
Binoculars
Camo facepaint
Scents
Calls (grunt tube, mouth diaphragms)
Bow sling
Maps/Compass/GPS
Flashlight/headlamp
Emergency fire starters
Lighter
First-aid kit
Knife/sharpening steel
50 feet of nylon cord
Signal whistle
Plastic flagging
Folding saw (antlers, camp projects)

CAMPING GEAR
Tent (two-man for one or two guys, three-man dome for three guys)
Tarp for shelter, gear storage outside of tent
Therm-a-Rest (or similar
superlight) mattress
Sleeping bag (lightweight for early archery season)
Small pillow (I normally used rolled up vest instead)
Toiletry kit
Toothbrush and paste
Comb
Headlamp for camp use
Band-Aids
Soap
Lighter
Toilet paper
Towel and washcloth

KITCHEN
Stove (MSR, Brunton, Coleman, or similar backpack model)
Extra fuel
Matches/lighter
Cook pots (small and large)
Spork (or spoon and fork)
Cup (doubles as cereal bowl, coffee cup)
Plastic plate (when alone,
I just eat out of cook pot)
Dish cloth/soap
Alarm clock (I just use Timex Ironman watch)
Plastic bags
Flashlight
Water filter

GENERAL
Hunting license/tags
Game bags (six lightweight
muslin bags for boned-out elk)
Thermometer
Camera/extra batteries
Flashlight/extra batteries
Water bottle/bladder for
hunting pack
Reading material
Fishing gear (optional)
Notebook and pen
Needle/thread
Unscented baby wipes in
Ziploc bag

CLOTHES
Hiking boots
Lightweight shoes
Lightweight socks
Heavyweight socks
T-shirts (two)
Underwear (two)
Longjohns (one set, lightweight)
Lightweight shirt
Lightweight pants
Fleece shirt or jacket
Fleece pants
Lightweight gloves
Wool gloves
Lightweight hat
Warm hat
Down or fleece vest
Wool scarf or neck gaiter
Raingear
Hankies
Sweatband (keeps sweat off my glasses on hard hikes)

FIRST-AID KIT
Aspirin
Band-Aids
Gauze pads
Neosporin
Diarrhea medicine
Moleskin
Medications

FOOD
Breakfast: Granola w/powdered milk in plastic bags (just add water), instant oatmeal, coffee, hot chocolate
Lunch: Hard rolls or tortillas with cheese, dried beef, pb&j, granola bars, candy bars, gorp, jerky
Dinners: Freeze-dried dinners, Top Ramen noodle dinners; instant potatoes or rice; instant pudding, instant milk