You just spent a some serious coin on a elk hunt, your hunt is just a few short months away, now what? You make sure you have everything you need to make your hunt successful and as comfortable as possible. This is why I have teamed up with Streiff’s Sporting Goods, to ensure you have everything you possibly need and at a great price as well. This Colorado Elk Hunt Gear Listis designed specifically for a November Elk Hunt in the Craig, Colorado area.
Be sure and notice the discounts offered specifically to my customers, plus you get free shipping as well! If you have any questions feel free to give me a call. Greg Ray 918 407 2586 or email greg@outdoor-connection.com
Here is a link to one of our Colorado Elk Hunts that we caught on film a couple of seasons ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dSwNLO9GYY
Preferred Product List for Whispering Pine Elk Hunt
November, 2010
Leather Hiking Boots
Kenetrek’s Mountain Extreme boot is a great choice for this hunt. They are full leather, waterproof boots. Their 400 grams of insulation will provide enough warmth on the cool mornings but not be too warm for a mid-day stalk. Through our experience, the Mountain Extreme’s advanced lug design has been a hunt saver when navigating wet, slippery, uneven terrain. This boot will provide the support you need for the varied conditions you will encounter on this hunt.
Now, an item that can make a world of difference when wearing leather boots is a good gaiter system. We use and recommend the Kenetrek gaiters. Even though their boots have a rock guard and are built with high quality components, a pair of gaiters will save on wear and tear on both your boots and your clothing!
Kenetrek Boots:
http://www.kenetrek.com/prodinfo.asp?number=KE-420-400
Retail: $375.00 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $320.00
Gaiters:
http://www.kenetrek.com/products.asp?dept=13
Retail: $49.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $44.99
Socks
As important as your boots are, your socks are equally important. The right socks will help regulate foot temperature and keep your feet warm even when damp. We strongly recommend a layering system similar to what we recommend for your clothing. A good next to skin sock that wicks moisture is critical to this system working properly. For this layer we use and recommend the Danner Pronghorn liner sock. It is antimicrobial throughout its construction so it will minimize odor development. Your next layer should be a heavier merino wool sock that will keep you warm even when wet and will not begin to smell after days of heavy use. A good choice for this layer is the Danner Merino Wool Pronghorn. Always remember – it never hurts to have an extra pair or two in case you get wet!
Danner Website:
http://www.danner.com/category/accessories/socks.do
Danner Pronghorn Liner:
Retail: $8.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive price: $7.99
Danner Pronghorn(2 pack):
Retail: $16.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive price: $14.99
Clothing
The next product grouping that we’d like to discuss is clothing. Layering is the key to allowing a quality clothing “system” work. Each layer plays its own part. Average temperatures for your hunting area over the last 3 years range from high teens/low 20’s at night to 45 during the day in mid-November. This means that you’ll need to be prepared to handle 20 to 30 degree temperature swings over the course of a day in the field. Properly layered clothing is the only way you’ll stay comfortable in this environment.
Next to Skin Layer
The first part of the system is the clothing that you will wear next to your skin. We have had tremendous success with 100% merino wool long underwear. It is the ultimate material for moisture wicking, insulation, and scent elimination. There are a lot of synthetic products on the market, most of which we have tested and been disappointed with. They are great for a day or two but just don’t remain scent free like wool. Our recommendation is a product made by Minus 33. We do not recommend the expedition weight for your hunt. The conditions are more suitable for the standard weight(230g) garments. They make the tops in crew neck http://minus33.com/minus33ls.htm, turtle neck http://minus33.com/minus33tneck.htm, or in ¼ zip http://minus33.com/minus33ziptops.htm.
Retail: $39.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $32.99.
Bottoms are cut one way. Again, the standard weight(230g) is what we recommend for your hunt.
http://www.minus33.com/minus33bottoms.htm
Retail: $29.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $26.99
Insulation Layer/Outer Layer
Browning’s Hell’s Canyon top and bottoms are our choice for this type of hunt. They are quiet, durable, wick moisture, and will keep you dry if you do encounter light precipitation. This layer will be worn a majority of the time you are in the field, weather it is as an outer layer or an insulation layer.
Browning Website: http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/clothing/detail.asp?value=A006&cat_id=303&type_id=813&content=hell’s-canyon-parka-outdoor-hunting-and-shooting-clothing
Jacket Retail: $119.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $99.99
Pant Retail: $119.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $99.99
We also believe in the insulating properties of a vest. A good vest will provide warmth to the core part of our body while allowing for more mobility in the arms when you need it most.
Our recommendation is: The Sitka Kelvin Vest
http://www.sitkagear.com/products/forest/jackets-vests/all-vests/
Retail: $149.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $134.
Waterproof, Wind Blocking Layer
This is undoubtedly the key to allowing your clothing system to work when the weather gets bad. This outer layer should be built to withstand the elements while allowing the next to skin and insulation layer to work. This does not have to be a heavy layer. When you are layered properly this should actually be lightweight clothing that will keep the rain(or snow) and wind off of you. You will need a garment that is 100% waterproof, including taped seams and waterproof zippers. There is nothing worse than having to spend a day in the field wet. We have had the best experiences with the Sitka Downpour top and bottom set. These garments are not only lightweight and durable but will keep you dry under any condition and block the wind extremely well.
http://www.sitkagear.com/products/forest/jackets-vests/waterproof-jackets/downpour-jacket/
Jacket Retail: $249.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $224.99
Pant Retail: $199.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $179.99
Extreme Cold Weather Layer
Sitka’s new Kelvin Jacket is our choice for those times when you’ll need just a little extra warmth. This Jacket is filled with lightweight, ultra warm, primaloft insulation. This allows this jacket to be easily packed and carried with you so it’s ready when you need it. It is important to note that this jacket is designed to be worn under your protection layer as an insulating layer only.
http://www.sitkagear.com/products/forest/jackets-vests/insulated-jackets/kelvin-jacket/
Jacket Retail: $199.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $179.99
This is how we would plan on layering for your hunt:
- Next to Skin Layer
- Insulation Layer(s) with vest
- Protection Layer
- 100% waterproof, wind blocking layer
i. If the weather is favorable we would start with the waterproof/wind blocking layer in our packs and ready to go should the conditions worsen.
Gloves and Hats
A basic camo ball cap will work well for most of your time in the field. When it gets cold a stocking hat is handy to keep your head and ears warm. The other option is a ball cap that has ear flaps. If you don’t have either of these let us know and we’ll get one sent to you. When it is raining, snowing, or somewhere in between, it is best to rely on your rain jacket’s hood to keep dry.
We also recommend a balaclava type of head covering to protect from wind and weather. We use the Avery Yukon hood. This is a hood that is meant to be worn over a hat. This is extremely useful because you will not have to take anything off to put in on and it can be pulled down and worn around the neck if not needed on the head. Using it this way will no doubt maximize your “hunting” time!
Avery Website: http://averyoutdoors.com/apparel.html.
Retail: $17.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $16.19
Gloves can be a little tricky. Big and bulky will keep you warm but make it difficult to make the shot when you need to. Too thin and your fingers will freeze. Most hunters still wear one pair of gloves at a time. We have had a lot of luck layering our gloves like our clothing. On the cooler mornings and days it will be helpful to wear a thin glove inside a heavier insulating glove. We wear the Under Armour liner glove under either a heavy or light insulating glove. This liner glove does wonders to wick moisture away from your skin to keep your hands feeling dry and warm no matter what. This also allows us to quickly “shed” a heavier glove to handle a weapon with ease for the shot of a lifetime. A good heavyweight glove is the Manzella Grizzly Glove – this glove performs as well as any water/wind resistant glove we have seen. It is pretty warm, though, and would be too much if it is 45 or 50 degrees. A great lightly insulated glove is the Manzella Wind Pro glove – this glove will provide some protection from water but will not be 100% waterproof. We see you wearing this glove most of the time.
Under Armour Website: http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/mens/sports/hunting/accessories/gloves.
Retail on the Under Armour Camo Liner Glove: $21.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $19.99
Manzella Website:
Retail on the Grizzly Glove: $34.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $31.99
Manzella Website:
Retail on the Stalker Glove: $24.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $22.49
Optics, Pack, and Accessories
Optics
A high quality set of binoculars that we recommend are made by Leupold. The Golden Ring 10x42HD’s provide a crisp, clear picture in the lowest of light conditions. They are also built to stand up to everything you will ever throw at them and backed by Leupold’s Lifetime Warranty. You can view these at http://www.leupold.com/hunting-and-shooting/products/binoculars/.
Retail: $799.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $699.99
It is always a good idea to carry your binoculars on a bino system. If you don’t know what this is you can view it at http://www.streiffsstore.com/servlet/-strse-1450/CRO-BINO-SYSTEM-BLACK/Detail
The bino system will keep your binoculars at your chest and ready for whenever you may need them. They will also eliminate a lot of the weight you would feel while carrying binoculars with a standard neck strap. The bino system is an inexpensive way to make a huge difference on your hunt.
Retail: $24.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $22.49
Rangefinder
When the moment of truth arrives a rangefinder will eliminate any doubt as to how far an elk is from you. A couple of things to think about: 1. A laser rangefinder will work far better than one that needs a reflective surface to obtain a distance reading – especially at long distances. 2. A rangefinder with a scan feature will allow you to quickly scan an area or follow a moving animal. This is especially helpful when trying to give distance readings to a hunting partner.
Our number one recommendation for a rangefinder to take on this trip is the Leupold RX1000. You can view this rangefinder at http://www.leupold.com/hunting-and-shooting/products/rangefinders/rx-1000-compact-rangefinders/rx-1000-compact-digital-laser-rangefinder/.
Retail: $399.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $359.99
Pack
Eberlestock’s packs are at the top of their class in build, fit, and functionality. The Just One J34 pack is the new, improved version of the pack that Greg uses – the Original Just One. Starting at 2300 cubic inches, this pack will expand to 4600. The J34 weighs just 6.14 pounds so it is something you will carry with ease all day. It also has an improved internal aluminum frame system that will support plenty of weight should you ever need to pack anything heavy. Other important items are a rain fly and hydration bladder. You can view this pack at http://www.eberlestock.com/J34%20Just%20One.htm
Pack Retail: $249.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $224.99
Rain Fly Retail: $26.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $24.29
Hydration System Retail: $19.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price $17.99
Accessories
All too often, it is the little things that make the difference on a hunt like this. A good shooting gun will have you in the field with a ton of confidence. However, when it is windy, cold, and you are out of breath, a bipod will help to steady you as you prepare to make the shot of a lifetime. Our goal is to make sure that you are aware of all the accessories, tricks, and tips that we have learned though years of hunting around the world!
Shooting Sticks
The first accessory recommendation is something that we’ve identified as being important on our elk hunts – a set of shooting sticks. Our recommendation is the Vanguard B-62 bi-pod. This pod extends up to 62”, has a 360 degree rotating head, weighs less than 1.5lbs., and is built to stand up to everything you will put it through. In addition, it has removable rubber tips that expose a carbide tip so you can use it as a walking stick or to set up for a shot on slick ground. You can view this pod at http://www.vanguardworld.com/index.php/en/os/products/hunting-outdoor/detail-2-12-86-372.html
Retail: $49.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $44.99
Light
A good flashlight is a must on any hunt you are doing. Our recommended brand is Sure Fire. Their lights stand up to everything and are extremely bright. The light we would use for this hunt is the 6P black. It has an all aluminum frame with a bright, 80 lumen, LED lamp for long life. You can view this light at http://www.surefire.com/6P-Led. You will not find a brighter, more durable light for the money.
Retail: $79.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $71.99
Compass/First Aid
No matter what you are doing outdoors it is smart to carry a compass with you. We use the Brunton compasses http://www.brunton.com/product.php?id=92. Your price on this specific one is $17.99. It is not only great for navigation but also handy in case of an emergency with the mirror on it.
A simple First Aid Kit can go a long way should you encounter some problems while out in the field. We always carry waterproof kits so that we can leave it in our pack and know that it will be ready should we need it. Your price on the one we carry is $14.99 and includes everything you would need.
Scent Control
Cleanliness and scent control are important when spending many days out in the field, especially when deer hunting as their senses are very keen. Here are a few items that have been useful to us on our hunts.
It is a good idea to carry some unscented deodorant. Robinson Outdoors makes a great product that can be viewed at the link below.
http://www.robinsonoutdoors.com/shopping/Products/Anti-Perspirant-Underam-Deodorant__DEO2C.aspx
This will cost you $5.39.
Body Bath Towels are very useful when you don’t have time to clean up or have just finished cleaning an elk. http://www.robinsonoutdoors.com/shopping/Products/Body-Bath-Towels__BB4C.aspx These are $6.29.
Personally, we carry the Dead Down Wind Scent Prevent Kit http://www.deaddownwind.com/store/product/scentprevent-kit-1020.cfm. This kit makes it possible to cover everything scent related. This kit costs $40.49.
Knife
If you are planning on helping your guide prepare an animal should you have success you will need the proper cutlery. A gutting and skinning knife would be the most useful to you. Our recommendation is the Browning Micarta Big Game knife. You can view this knife at http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/knives/detail.asp?value=049G&cat_id=322&type_id=642.
Retail: $109.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $98.99
A knife sharpener is absolutely necessary as you are sure to dull your blades through the gutting and skinning process. We urge you to use one that has two grits, coarse and fine, so that you can fix a badly damaged edge. A DMT diamond stone works great for this and will pack lightly and easily. You can view this sharpener at http://www.dmtsharp.com/products/diafold.htm. Your price is $26.99.
Gutting gloves are a must have – they will keep you clean and dry through the whole process. Shoulder length gloves worn underneath and wrist length surgical glove work the best. A pack with both sets in it is $1.79. We would carry at least two sets with.
Trail Tape
Orange tracking tape is handy for several reasons. Most commonly it is used for following a blood trail. It can also be used to mark certain points for reference. For instance, if you shoot an animal and begin the process of looking for a trail in thick cover it is often helpful to look back at where you shot from. With some orange trail tape on a tree there will be no question as to where you started from. One 150 foot roll will cost you $2.24.
http://www.streiffsstore.com/servlet/-strse-7696/ALL-TAPE-REFLEC-FLAG/Detail
Lens Pen
Anytime you are hunting it is a great idea to carry a lens pen with you so that you can clean and clear your optics. Believe me, it is very frustrating when you’re in a situation where you are fully prepared to make the shot of a lifetime and not able to get the animal in your scope because it is dirty or foggy. A Leupold lens pen will cost you $8.99.
http://www.streiffsstore.com/servlet/-strse-7151/LEU-LENS-PEN-48807/Detail
Dry Bags
We exclusively use and sell SealLine bags. They make a variety of bags for many different situations. We encourage you to take a look at this page http://cascadedesigns.com/SealLine to see what may work for you individual situation.
To give you some starting points:
We use the 70L boundary pack when we need to pack large amounts of clothing or other items and keep them 100% dry. The comfortable backpack straps make this easy to carry around. This is more of a traveling type of pack.
We use the Storm Sacks for keeping little important items protected from the elements. Extra pair of socks, extra shirt, extra gloves, matches, and food are all items you would put in this style of sack. These sacks are better suited to keep the items that cannot get wet absolutely dry when in the field. They’re light enough and small enough that you will easily carry them in your Eberlestock packs.
Again, these would be the two most useful packs to you based on our experience. The larger boundary pack is ideal for traveling. The smaller Storm Sacks are perfect for all those little things that can’t get wet. A couple of these wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. If you see more that may fit your individual needs they are available as well.
Retail on the Boundary Pack: $84.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $69.99
Retail on the Storm Sacks: $9.99
Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $8.99
Gun Case
A good hard gun case is a must for anyone traveling. We recommend the Pelican 1750 Weapons case. We use Pelican cases for protecting a variety of goods; cameras, gps devices, spotting scopes, licenses. They are waterproof, crushproof, have pressure release valves, are airline approved, and come in a variety of sizes and colors.
Pelican Case: http://www.streiffsstore.com/servlet/-strse-10354/PELI-1750-WEAPONS-CASE/Detail
Retail: $329.99 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $169.99
It is our hope that you find the information we provided to be useful. Once you have had a chance to look this over and do some research of your own we would be happy to answer any questions that you may have. Please remember, there are many choices in the categories we have discussed. The aforementioned products are our recommendations based on the joint effort of Streiff Sporting Goods and our customers, Outdoor Connection agents and clients who have been to this destination, and our supporting manufacturers.
Again, thank you for the opportunity to help you prepare for this exciting hunt! Feel free to contact me at Streiff Sporting Goods for any of your product needs or questions. I can be reached at (800)817-2590 or at nickm@streiffs.com.
Nick Marvin
