sheep pack weight ?????

[BCbillies]

Yup. Here we go... Must have packed and un packed 15 times already! Practiced putting the tent up in a windy rain storm yesterday... Water proofing the boots again today... Have to buy more peanut M&Ms. Always seem to buy those too early... Been making coffee with the jetboil just cause... Slept in my sleeping bag last night. Think I'm losing it....?

I'm concerned you're going to peak too early!

[Fred1]

Haha! Maybe. July 30 seems so far away!!

[SR80]

Im packing a 9lb rifle myself, it shoots so damn good that I don't want to change a thing about it.

[BCbillies]

Im packing a 9lb rifle myself, it shoots so damn good that I don't want to change a thing about it.

x2. Same rifle, same powder and same bullets for the last 15 years. I'm 9 lbs with four in the clip and then 10 lbs with bipod.

[NorBC]

Wish these were my problems right now!

[BCbillies]

Wish these were my problems right now!

This is my temporary escape! You really don't want to know my problems . . .

[Backwoods]

Thank you for the kind words.... Here is the list again.

Aside from your pack here is a list of the items I currently pack along…
I have updated this list with some newer gear, replacements, etc...

The photos no longer reflect this updated list but I'll include them anyways...


Clothing
- 6 Pair Thorlo Level III hiking socks. (expensive but worth every penny)
- 1 mid-weight polartec fleece pullover.
- 1 lightweight Merino Wool Icebreaker (wear t-shirt underneath).
- 1 pair North Face Paramount Convertible Pants (2 pairs including the ones I wear)
- 1 pair light-weight thermal underwear. (use these for sleeping in or on colder days)
- 2 pair "Willy Wickers" boxer shorts. (including the one I wear)
- 1 light weight North Face wick away t-shirt.
- 1 pair lightweight rainpants. (rockwater designs)
- 1 lightweight rain jacket. (Helly Hansen)
- 1 pair uninsulated leather gloves.

Sleeping/Shelter
- 1 Lightweight backpacking sleeping bag. (good to about -5c - I will upgrade this bag soon)
- 1 Silcoat packcover (essential for keeping your pack bone dry)
- Prolite 4 Thermarest. (I own 3 thermarests. This one is nice & light and compacts very small)
- 1 Sil-Tarp II 8′x10′. (These lightweight tarps are awesome for a fast light weight shelter)
- 1 Integral Designs MK-3 Expedition Tent (4 season tent)
- 2 HUSKY heavy duty garbage bags (use for groundsheet under tent)

Equipment/Optics/Misc.
- 1 roll of asswipe.
- 2 packs of 15 baby wipes.
- 1 small can of penetan (diaper rash cream)
- 2 Hiking Poles (Chinook)
- SPOT emergeny satellite locator
- Petzl Myo Xp Headlamp. (very bright - runs on 3 AA batteries.)
- Handmade Hunting Knife (could shave weight here with a smaller buck or puma knife.)
- 1 scalpal handle with 3 extra blades (forget size sorry)
- 1 pair Swarovski 8×30 Binoculars.
- 1 Zeiss 85mm Spotting Scope.
- 1 Manfrotto 718 SHB Tripod (okay but there is better)
- First Aid Kit (Tylenol,Ibuprofen,Antiseptic,Bandaids,Bandages,Ga uze,blister kit)
- 1 Tube firepaste (this stuff is the best firestarter I have used yet - Perfect for backpacking)
- 2 or 3 bic lighters stashed in different places on my person or pack.
- 6 AA batteries. (I could probably get away with only 3 but just in case…)
- 1 TrailBlazer Buck Saw (This handy unit breaks down into a light aluminum tube. Makes getting wood for your fire much easier. - We use this lots)
- 12 Federal 130 Grn .270 Rounds (3 in my magazine and 9 on the butt of my rifle)
- 100′ Poly Rope. (Maybe a little overkill but I like to make a good camp)
- Tikka Lite S/S .270 W/Bushnell Elite 3200 Scope. (Great Gun - Accurate & Light!)
- 1 Sony Handycam Video Camera (20x Optical Zoom W/Zeiss Lenses)
- 1 Sony DSC-W50 6.0 MP Digital Camera (Great Small Compact Camera)
- 1 Garmix 60Csx GPS pre-programmed with maps of area.
- 1 printed and laminated copy of Google Map image for area.

Food & Cooking.
- Jetboil Stove (w/2 Canisters fuel - Good for 10 days of boiling water for drinks and meals)
- 2 Liter Soft Plastic Water Container (In case you need to pack extra water)
- 1 1.5 liter Nalgene bottle (Strap to outside of my pack)
- 1 4.85lb bag of salt.
- Pristine water drops (water treatment)

Breakfast
- 4 MountainHouse Granola W/Blueberries (Great Filling Breakfast)
- 3 Packets of Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal (Great Light Breakfast)

Lunches/Snacks (I don’t eat much throughout the day)
- 1 Clif Protein Bar for each day. (These are great snacks)
- 2 small bags of Grimms beef jerky
- 1 Ritter Sport Almonds Chocolate Bar. (eat a few squares per serving.)
- 1 Ritter Sport Hazlenut Chocolate Bar. (eat a few squares per serving.)
- 2 Nut & Raisin Chocolate Bars. (eat a few squares per serving.)
- 1 small ziplock with instant coffee
- 1 small ziplock with some sugar
- 2 packages of Emergen-C drink mix for each day.

Dinners. (all mountainhouse)
- 1 Chicken Teriyaki W/Rice.
- 1 Turkey Tettrazinni.
- 1 Chicken Breast w/mashed potatoes.
- 1 Beef Stew (Really Good)
- 1 Chili Mac W/Beef.
- 1 Noodles W/Chicken.
- 4 Pasta Primavera (Really Good)

Total Pack Weight = approx. 58 lbs W/Rifle.

One of the biggest challenges when getting your pack ready is how to efficiently pack everything so it’s going to be easy to locate and repack should you need to. As you can see in the photo below there is a lot of gear here!



(All Of My Gear For 7 Days Sheep Hunting In The Mountains)

One of the best things I have found is to use those thin mesh draw string bags that so many camping/backpacking supply stores now carry. I can organize all of my gear into the mesh bags and it keeps everything together and packed as tightly as possible. The less volume your pack has the easier it is to navigate through heavy brush or tricky situations.

Here is a another photo of all the same gear but now I have reorganized my Clothes, Socks, and Food into the mesh bags. Look at the difference. It’s much more organized and makes it so much easier to handle when you are out in the field. The last thing you want to do is tear apart your bag and repack the mess while your out hunting or on your way to camp. When I am hiking I go non-stop until I reach where I am going.



When packing my pack I lay the food in the big mesh bag to your right on the bottom of my pack. I then put my clothes on top of them trying to keep the heavier items towards the center of the pack. I make sure everything is strapped down and the zippers are all closed, nothings hanging out anywhere.

Here are some photos of all of my gear packed up and ready to go. This backpack has some handy straps on the side that work excellent for carrying my rifle around. Usually I prefer to carry my rifle in my hands but sometimes when you are going up a steep climb or side hilling along a mountain creek it’s nice to have free hands. (My tent will be attached near the bottom via 2 large buckled straps)



(Here is all my gear fully packed up and ready to hit the hills)

Carl

Awesome post thanks Carl!!!

[bigwhiteys]

Awesome post thanks Carl!!!

Wow, that's a pretty old list... I've changed quite a few items since then. I will put up a new one with all my current kit.

[SR80]

Went with the KUIU Quix Down Jacket over my Western Mountaineering Flash XR

Those jackets are sure warm for what they weigh, hard to beat that.

[Eastbranch]

I'm outta here in 9 days for 7 solo in the NWT. Just under 64# with a full load of water, just over 55 without it. I dropped a fair bit of food from last year and bagged everything by day to keep myself more organized and make spiking out easier. Switched up to the Outdoorsmans pack this year for the added features over the Kuiu: Bigger pockets, external frame, meat shelf, rifle notch. Extra goodies to stay with the cooler at the lake: extra MH, fry pan, onions, garlic, oil, salt, whiskey.