Prepare for next season with proper equipment

It’s never too early to prepare for next year’s hunting excursion. Of course you have to plan for which species, what state you want to hunt, how long you will be there, which motel to stay at or where to camp if you prefer that. Let’s assume you have all that figured out and it’s time to gear up. The simple truth is you never really know how well your gear will perform until it is put to the test.

I went on my first true elk hunting trip in Idaho last fall. We spent seven days hunting, walking a total of 53 miles. Over those days I evaluated my equipment that got me that far. There are several pieces of gear that I will upgrade if I go back and several I recommend.

First, the most important piece of equipment is your firearm. A person can do everything right on a hunt, but fail at harvesting an animal without a proper gun. I own a 7mm Savage rifle, plenty to bring down large game. This is plenty big enough for elk, as are other calibers. I would not feel as confident unless I had a caliber more powerful than a .243, which I use for deer. Another important piece of equipment is your optics. It is essential to have a good pair of binoculars in a terrain filled with sagebrush. Because it is dry and the animals blend in perfectly.

Another important thing to consider purchasing is a rangefinder. They can be extremely valuable tool to use before you are ready to squeeze the trigger. When I found my bull I was able to range him at 400 yards, without that I would have been guessing.

Almost equally important is the type of clothing. Unfortunately, it was a warm week for hunting. I still packed insulated boots, uninsulated boots, and muck boots. My biggest mistake was my uninsulated boots. I wore a pair that I already owned, that had no support. My feet hurt every night after hunting, a good pair of boots is essential to a hunt, especially in rocky terrain. I only wore western camo that is lighter, so it blended in well with the dry landscape.

I packed heavy coats, heavy socks, and coveralls just in case. Day hunts like this require a well-structured backpack. That means one that holds your food, ammunition, game bags, and many more miscellaneous items. It is best to find one that has zippers that easily move and don’t become stuck. When we spotted my elk I had to help my dad get his rangefinder out from a side pocket in his pack. It seemed like I spent forever opening the zipper because I only had one hand and the pocket was flimsy.

In reality this is just a start to the equipment needed on a hunting trip. You have to take food to prepare each morning, equipment to pack your meat out, coolers to keep the meat cool, and many more items that will give you an advantage. It is well worth it in the end to do it right and spend a bit more money to help yourself out. Once you have the gear it can be used for next year’s hunting trip.