Early season Elk Gear

Doing an early season archery in SW WY. This will be my first early season archery elk hunt. We'll be spot and stalk and on horse back. Any suggestions on clothes, boots, etc...

Be prepared for anything from 90 degrees to snow. Dress in layers and make sure you have some waterproof gear. Also, make sure that your outfitter is using stirrups that work with your hunting boots. If not, you might want to invest in a set of stirrups to take with you.

Layers and rain gear.

A nice day pack to haul your emergency gear and extra clothes. Keep it small and quiet for a spot and stalk.
Also make sure your clothes are quiet too, elk hear that scratchy noise clothes can make when they rub on brush and sticks.
Break those boots in early.
Yes you can expect anything from 90's to snow in Sept.
Extra boots and wool socks for your wet feet.
Merino base layers are life savers.

First lite has a sale on thier base and mid layers you can get a 170g shirt and 260 weight chama hoody for $120. You can pick up the Prana Zion pants for $65. Add a puffy jacket and a rain jacket and your golden.

Only peice of clothing that I splurge on is kuiu zip off base layer bottems.


Boot wise it’s subjective but easy break-in, not breaking the bank type boots : Salomon 4D 3 GTX, crispi valdres gtx, lowa Camino and Danner Gila.

On a stiffer more bomb proof long term life type boot-Hanwag Alaskan/Yukon, Crispi Nevada, kennetek hardscrabble, lowa tircam/cevedeale/Tibet, schnees beartooths etc.

Socks -kuiu, firstlite, smart wool, darntough, farm to feet... list is long. Kuiu is my favorite but farm to feet is my most splurge comfortable, and my everyday is smartwool phd

Id would figure out what your budget is going to be and then start prioritizing gear. Elk hunting, heck, western hunting in general is a slippery slope and the gear list and expenses can pile up incredibly quick. Keep your eyes peeled on camofire.com and backcountry.com. There tend to be good deals to grab.

1. I'll second the recommendation for merino base layers. I like Kuiu 145 and I just got a 210 hooded this year that might be my fav piece yet. The alternate would be the camofire merino when they post it up (you have to check every day).

2. Boots-- again I'll second the Salomon 4D GTX-- nothing breaks in quicker. If you want a taller stiffer boot I found the Meindls made for Cabelas worked really well for me AND again they are on sale or extra points often.

3. Puffy- this depends on how hot or cold blooded you are. If cold isn't a big issue I would grab the North Face Thermoball jacket. Packs down tight, and provides adequate insulation for price. I wear a Kuiu Superdown because, well if it is cold enough for a puffy I want to be warm all day.

4. Outerwear- lots of guys love the Cabelas microtex. Prana zion is popular but they don't fit me all that great. Take a look at the firehose pants by Duluth trading company, they are pretty bombproof. Whatever you do for pants make sure you can get your baselayer under them and that you aren't pinching/binding/rubbing.

5. JETBOIL- This is a must on pretty much every hunt I do. Nothing better when you are sitting around glassing-- or dealing with a lull in the action than to fire up a hot cup of coffee or soup. Starbucks VIA packets or some ramen and I'm a happy guy again.

Thanks for the input guys. Some good info here. We can actually drive right to camp and then we pack out daily from there so I'll take plenty of stuff just in case.

Keep those outer layers quiet material. Elk will hear those stiff pants.
Are you in a tent or cabin or lodge? If a tent have a blanket for over your bag,sounds like possibly outfitted and if so they will have a pad for your cot.
Camp slippers or mocs also, break time from the boots.
Ask who you're hunting with if they've had any wolf sightings, might have a chance a one over there, predator zone shoot on sight.

You have lots of options with a drive to camp. You could get away with cotton if you had to. My first couple elk hunts were in N.M. draw hunts where I could camp beside my truck. I had quality base layers but cotton tops and bottoms outer. I would not take cotton if you got the money to spend on the better stuff I'm just saying....with that type of hunt even if you got wet during the day you can have dry clothes waiting on you back in camp. What did our grandfather's and great grandads hunt in?

When you go solo back country hunts where your chit comes in with you thats when the gear gets more important.

I would not skimp on boots/shoes or socks. I also would get hiking boots...the light weight ones not the heavy dagwood Paul bunion style.