Elk Hunters Checklist–Hunting Essentials
How many times have you arrived at camp and realized you have forgotten some of your hunting gear? The following elk hunters checklist should help you to remember the majority of the things that are important to bring. While this list is pretty comprehensive, it does not mean you will need to run out and buy everything below in order to have a successful elk hunt. These are just suggested items that you can accumulate over the years.
Elk Hunters Checklist for your Day Pack
- License
- Hunter safety card
- Bullets
- Waterproof matches
- Toilet paper or scent free wipes
- Knives
- 20′ of rope or strong nylon twine (useful for tying a leg or two to a tree during field dressing)
- Roll of fluorescent orange tape or ribbon (use this for marking a trail back to your elk after you have one down)
- Compass
- ElkTracker Maps of the area
- Water or purifier
- Food
- Knife sharpener
- Any medication you may need on a daily basis
- Headlamp and batteries
- Emergency blanket/cover
- GPS unit
- Rangefinder
- Two-way radio
- Game bags
- Hand warmers
- Field dressing gloves
- Game calls
- First aid kit
- Check your batteries before leaving camp
Elk Hunters Checklist–Basic Cooking Supplies
- Coffee pot
- Coffee
- Ketchup/Mustard/Mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper
- Spices
- Butter
- Cooking oil
- Milk
- Bread
- Forks, knives, spoons
- Plates
- Bowls
- Spatula
- Tongs
- Can opener
- Bottle/wine opener
- Aluminum foil
- Paper towels
- Dish towels
- Napkins
- Dutch oven and tripod
- Cast iron skillet
- Large bowl or pan (hand washing and dirty dishes)
- Pots/pans
- Griddle
- Ziploc bags
- Propane stove
Elk Hunters Checklist–Camp
These are the suggested items for setting up a large wall tent or sheep tent…
- Tent and frame
- Tent spikes
- Wood stove
- Propane or lantern fuel
- First aid kit
- Duct tape
- Table
- Folding chairs
- Lanterns and spare mantles
- Small roll of light gauge wire (for hanging lanterns)
- Cot
- Sleeping bag
- Alarm clock
- Sleeping pads
- Pillow
- Waterproof tarps
- Rope (to hang game, tie down tarps, clothesline to dry clothes)
- Chainsaw
- Axe
- Hammer
- Shovel
- Game hoist
- Water proof matches
- Towels
- Wash cloths
- Dish soap
- Trash bags
- Coolers
- Water containers
- Toilet paper
Auto/ATV
- ATV covers or tarps
- Extra gas
- Tire chains (Truck and ATV)
- Tools
- Tow chain or rope
- Jack
- Extra auto/ATV fluids
- Jumper cables
- Jack
- Bungee cords (for tying gear to your ATV)
Personal Care
- Toothbrush/paste
- Soap
- Ear plugs (especially if your buddies snore)
- Mole skin
- Prescription and over the counter medications
- Floss
- Lip balm
Hunting Gear
Due to my lack of experience with archery hunting, this list only applies to the rifle and muzzle loading seasons. If someone would like to submit a list for archery on the Contact page, I would be more than happy to include it here.
- Rifle/Muzzleloader
- Extra bullets
- Gun case
- Gun cleaning kit
- Scope covers
- Gun oil and wipes
- Game bags
- Large backpack (for hauling out game or hiking into a spike camp)
- Spotting scope
- Binoculars
- Game saw
- Extra batteries
- Flashlight
- Cell phone/camera and charger
Clothing
- Heavy coat
- Light coat
- Solid fluorescent orange coat/vest/head cover
- Gloves
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Face shield
- Sweatshirts
- Shirts
- Pants
- Socks
- Boots (Heavy insulated and light weight hiking)
- Underwear
- Belt
- Shoes
- Goretex rain gear
- Shoe laces
Extras
- Small tent if you plan to have a spike camp
- Fishing pole, tackle box, and license
- Cards
- Poker chips
- A quiet generator