My wife and I use the Enlightened Equipment Accomplice quilt. It is their 2 person quilt and we got the 950 fill 10 deg quilt. It was expensive but when we were on our 1st rifle season Elk hunt this year (we live in Colorado) we were camping at over 10,000 ft, it snowed and got down to 15 deg and we were super comfy in that quilt. It is the best money I have spent....except maybe for my Kifaru Reckoning pack. I must also give props to Seek Outside for their Redcliff tipi. It is an amazing tent. Add in the Kifaru cylinder stove and we were more than prepared for the cold weather. Enlightened Equipment, Kifaru and Seek Outside makes top notch products and would recommend them to anyone serious about their gear.
I ended up picking up a Sony HDR-CX240 off eBay the other day for $80. Trying it out this weekend. Good recommendation. I already had the Garmin 62S per your recommendation. Great videos. Thanks.
For a tarp, just get a SilNylon tarp from Warbonnet Outdoors. You'll spend waaaaaay more learning to make your own. If you want to upgrade for weight and don't mind spending around $300 get a cuben fiber tarp from either Zpacks or Hammock Gear. On my last CO DIY elk trip I used the Cuben Fiber tarp with doors from Hammock Gear and it performed FLAWLESSLY. I highly recommend.
+Let It Fly If I do it won't be for a while. It is on my list, but somewhat far down the list at the moment. I'd you're looking for something in the meantime, there's a thread on Rokslide in the DIY/gear modification forum that has quite a few pictures and measurements from a few different guys.
+OpIndependence Thanks for the suggestion. I tried out Black Ovis sacks this year and they worked alright. I think they have quite a few similarities to the ones you mentioned.
Thanks for the video! As for game bags, look at TAG bomb bags or Caribou gear game bags. I have seen both work well first hand. They are pricy but re-useable. As you can see, we have some of the same gear - I've got an unloading 2015 archery gear video. Nice upgrade for the tent. For Gaiters, I'd look at Kuiu (awesome!!) or the Kenetrek (Great, but not as good as Kuiu). For sleeping pads, be sure to check out big agnes q-core (3"+ thick) r value of 4.5-5. Like I said, thanks for the video! Good job!
Thanks, I saw your unpacking video as well, good stuff. I've gotten a couple recommendations for those TAG meat bags now, so I'll definitely need to check those out. I've been thinking of picking up one of the Exped Winterlite MW pads. Similar specs to the Q Core SL mummy, but REI has them for $145 right now versus the $170 for BA.
+DIY Sportsman I will tell you that the TAG bags had a bad batch this last go around so they may not be back in stock yet. There are some posts about it on rokslide (also a good resource)! My BOMB bags were fine, though. Where'd you guys hunt this past year? Any intent on coming back to CO again? Looked like you had some chances...
Thanks for the heads up. My name on rokslide is bowhunter15. We were in the White River Ntl forest this year. We'll be back in Colorado at some point for sure. I'm looking at WY and CO as my two elk states (mule deer too), but likely not every year due to the NR costs and vacation time it takes away from deer, bear, turkey, and duck hunting back home.
+DIY Sportsman i've made my own game bags for moose hunting in Vermont by using 100% cotton bed sheets that i bought at a yardsale for 2 dollars ea.... we doubled them up and sewed them w/ a triple stiching to hold the meat they worked great,
I liked the day pack attatched to the metal frame idea. I bought a 15 dollar 1970s era aluminum frame to pack out meat. A cheap rain jacket and gloves keeps any blood off my camo gear too. One question: are you still sold on the havalon knife? thinking about one or the outdoor edge.
For bow repair, would you consider taking a bowmaster press? One would suffice for the whole camp if someone were to roll off a string or cable, or even knock out a peep.
Great job. Your videos are very helpful. Would you chose the same unit to hunt next time? How many miles in was your base camp and how far from that did you hunt?
We were a little over a mile in and travelled half mile to over two miles from camp as the crow flies. I think we were in an area where there was more pressure further in due to a popular horse camping destination. I would go back for mule deer, possibly elk, but I'm also looking into WY and draw units for CO.
+John Smith One thing I like about the hammock idea is the ability to set up on slopes. Sometimes it has been tough to find spots flat enough to sleep on the ground without rolling. I have a hammock already, but still need to build a tarp.
+Crawford Sixtyfive They look pretty heavy duty. I ordered some materials to make a very similar tarp, 9'x9', but it's of a lighter fabric that's lower denier. Materials were around $50, but I still have to sew it together.
I just purchased the alps commanderz frame and bag but I can’t make sense of it. If you leave it at camp and have an animal down, do you have to head back to camp to get your frame then go back and pack the animal out? Just curious as to what your plan was. I fee that I would want the frame with me all the time. I’m new to all this so I’m trying to learn. Thanks
+Steve Sowinski Yes. So for example, with my mule deer this year, I quartered it right away and hung the game bags in the tree. I got lucky and the other guys in the group met up, and we carried the bags down to camp where I then attached them to the frame. If I were alone or it was an elk, I'd carry out one piece in the daypack down to camp then come back with the frame. It works well if you're camped in the vicinity of the hunting. Not as much if you're camped near the road since you'd basically be making a whole long, separate trip just for the frame.
My wife and I use the Enlightened Equipment Accomplice quilt. It is their 2 person quilt and we got the 950 fill 10 deg quilt. It was expensive but when we were on our 1st rifle season Elk hunt this year (we live in Colorado) we were camping at over 10,000 ft, it snowed and got down to 15 deg and we were super comfy in that quilt. It is the best money I have spent....except maybe for my Kifaru Reckoning pack. I must also give props to Seek Outside for their Redcliff tipi. It is an amazing tent. Add in the Kifaru cylinder stove and we were more than prepared for the cold weather. Enlightened Equipment, Kifaru and Seek Outside makes top notch products and would recommend them to anyone serious about their gear.
This is probably the most concise bag dump I've ever seen...and I've only watched 5mins so far.
I ended up picking up a Sony HDR-CX240 off eBay the other day for $80. Trying it out this weekend. Good recommendation. I already had the Garmin 62S per your recommendation. Great videos. Thanks.
Nice review, interesting how you improve each year with the gear you bring.
Real comprehensive review and very well done sir.
For a tarp, just get a SilNylon tarp from Warbonnet Outdoors. You'll spend waaaaaay more learning to make your own.
If you want to upgrade for weight and don't mind spending around $300 get a cuben fiber tarp from either Zpacks or Hammock Gear.
On my last CO DIY elk trip I used the Cuben Fiber tarp with doors from Hammock Gear and it performed FLAWLESSLY. I highly recommend.
DIY Sportsman Are you going to do a megatarp build? if so you should do a video on it.
+Let It Fly If I do it won't be for a while. It is on my list, but somewhat far down the list at the moment. I'd you're looking for something in the meantime, there's a thread on Rokslide in the DIY/gear modification forum that has quite a few pictures and measurements from a few different guys.
T.A.G meat bags are great. I use the B.O.M.B bags for boned out meat. You should check them out.
+OpIndependence Thanks for the suggestion. I tried out Black Ovis sacks this year and they worked alright. I think they have quite a few similarities to the ones you mentioned.
Thanks for the video! As for game bags, look at TAG bomb bags or Caribou gear game bags. I have seen both work well first hand. They are pricy but re-useable. As you can see, we have some of the same gear - I've got an unloading 2015 archery gear video. Nice upgrade for the tent. For Gaiters, I'd look at Kuiu (awesome!!) or the Kenetrek (Great, but not as good as Kuiu). For sleeping pads, be sure to check out big agnes q-core (3"+ thick) r value of 4.5-5.
Like I said, thanks for the video! Good job!
Thanks, I saw your unpacking video as well, good stuff. I've gotten a couple recommendations for those TAG meat bags now, so I'll definitely need to check those out. I've been thinking of picking up one of the Exped Winterlite MW pads. Similar specs to the Q Core SL mummy, but REI has them for $145 right now versus the $170 for BA.
+DIY Sportsman I will tell you that the TAG bags had a bad batch this last go around so they may not be back in stock yet. There are some posts about it on rokslide (also a good resource)! My BOMB bags were fine, though. Where'd you guys hunt this past year? Any intent on coming back to CO again? Looked like you had some chances...
Thanks for the heads up. My name on rokslide is bowhunter15. We were in the White River Ntl forest this year. We'll be back in Colorado at some point for sure. I'm looking at WY and CO as my two elk states (mule deer too), but likely not every year due to the NR costs and vacation time it takes away from deer, bear, turkey, and duck hunting back home.
+DIY Sportsman i've made my own game bags for moose hunting in Vermont by using 100% cotton bed sheets that i bought at a yardsale for 2 dollars ea.... we doubled them up and sewed them w/ a triple stiching to hold the meat they worked great,
I liked the day pack attatched to the metal frame idea. I bought a 15 dollar 1970s era aluminum frame to pack out meat. A cheap rain jacket and gloves keeps any blood off my camo gear too. One question: are you still sold on the havalon knife? thinking about one or the outdoor edge.
+kevin thomas I still use the havalon but haven't tried the Outdoor Edge so I really can't compare.
For bow repair, would you consider taking a bowmaster press? One would suffice for the whole camp if someone were to roll off a string or cable, or even knock out a peep.
It's not a bad idea. At the very least something to keep in the truck
Bulpac frames
best investment
Awesome! Thanks!!!
Great job. Your videos are very helpful. Would you chose the same unit to hunt next time? How many miles in was your base camp and how far from that did you hunt?
We were a little over a mile in and travelled half mile to over two miles from camp as the crow flies. I think we were in an area where there was more pressure further in due to a popular horse camping destination. I would go back for mule deer, possibly elk, but I'm also looking into WY and draw units for CO.
sleeping in a hammock is the way to (you can cook under the tarp to)
+John Smith One thing I like about the hammock idea is the ability to set up on slopes. Sometimes it has been tough to find spots flat enough to sleep on the ground without rolling. I have a hammock already, but still need to build a tarp.
Try looking at DD tarps 3x3 for a tarp type shelter they are awesome and only about 70.00.
+Crawford Sixtyfive They look pretty heavy duty. I ordered some materials to make a very similar tarp, 9'x9', but it's of a lighter fabric that's lower denier. Materials were around $50, but I still have to sew it together.
+DIY Sportsman You definitely are a DIY. I'm sure you will post a video when you get it done.
Absolutely.
I just purchased the alps commanderz frame and bag but I can’t make sense of it. If you leave it at camp and have an animal down, do you have to head back to camp to get your frame then go back and pack the animal out? Just curious as to what your plan was. I fee that I would want the frame with me all the time. I’m new to all this so I’m trying to learn. Thanks
+Steve Sowinski Yes. So for example, with my mule deer this year, I quartered it right away and hung the game bags in the tree. I got lucky and the other guys in the group met up, and we carried the bags down to camp where I then attached them to the frame. If I were alone or it was an elk, I'd carry out one piece in the daypack down to camp then come back with the frame. It works well if you're camped in the vicinity of the hunting. Not as much if you're camped near the road since you'd basically be making a whole long, separate trip just for the frame.
DIY Sportsman thanks for the reply
I want to bow hunt and im turning 13. What is the minimum pounds pull I can have.
depends on your state
for my state Oklahoma you have to have a 40lb long bow or recurve or a 30lb compound
invest in some sitka or kuiu! more than worth it.
check out T.A.G synthetic game bags B.O.M.B bags
Have you ever killed an elk?
+Robert Anderson Not yet.