There are several pieces of hunting gear, various gadgets and equipment that most elk and big game hunters will eventually wish they had. These are some basic things that we “need” (or at least we think we do). Binoculars, knives (I can never have too many), range finders, camouflage clothing, scent control clothing, spotting scopes… The list goes on and on. We will list and briefly review hunting gear that we have found very useful below and add more as we think of it.
In some cases we will link to one of our other pages where we have written thorough reviews of specific pieces of hunting gear.
We will try to provide links to reputable on-line retailers that carry quality, but reasonably priced hunting gear that we can recommend for most big game hunters.
Rifle Sling
There is one rifle sling that we recommend. It is the Safari Sling. I don't know why most people still sling their rifle over their shoulders where it takes so much movement to bring it up for a shot. These Safari Slings allow a hunter to carry a rifle at-the-ready very comfortably. They make great additions to your elk hunting gear list. You may not appreciate these until you use them for the first time. They are the best kept secret in our opinion and an integral part of our elk hunting gear!
I use a String Sling for my bow to allow for instant access to shooting positions without arm fatigue.
The over-the-shoulder String Sling hangs your bow at your side, with the grip level with your bow hand. With a slight wrist movement the bow is ready for action. No need to make all the problematic movements at each end of the bow to remove ordinary bow slings.
The String Sling also quickly transforms from holding your bow at arm's length, to a very secure back sling that will keep your bow out of the way when you're not hunting. I ride a mountain bike in and out and use a String Sling in the secured function while I'm peddling.
The bow balances over my backpack secured by the String Sling. When I reach my hunting area it just takes a few seconds to reconnect the sling ends to the string hook for ready-position carry. I consider it an absolutely essential part of my bow hunting gear.
If you buy one, tell them you read about it on ElkHuntingTips.Net.
Binoculars
Good binoculars are an absolute must for most of us. Here are some bare basics: You have two sets of two decisions to make. Forget “cheap”, they’re never worth buying.
#1. Moderately priced, but reasonably good quality optics. We recommend Nikon binoculars at a very reasonable price and very decent quality. Burris and Leupold are other also good choices. RedHead is a popular brand, as well. Bushnell has some good optics, if you avoid the low end.
#2. High priced, excellent quality. You will get very high quality lenses and construction with Carl Zeiss and Swarovski, if you can afford them.
The next set of two questions involves factors available for both price ranges.
#1. Compact (reduced field of vision, but lighter) Or:
#2. Full size (full field of vision, but more bulky). Many hunters prefer the compact models to save weight and bulkiness.
The next decision is power. 7, 8, or 10 power are the most useful for big game hunting. 7 power (7X) is most useful for scouring brush and trees up closer, but does OK at distances of several hundred yards. 8X is versatile and a little better for distance scanning while looking for elk or deer on a far away ridge. 10X makes “spot and stalk” hunting from one mountain side to another more feasible, but eye fatigue can result if using them at closer ranges. There are zoom binoculars that are reasonably price.
I won't get into a discussion of roof versus porro prism construction here.
Introducing the Airlite Chestpod
There is one relatively new invention that makes using hand-held optics (binoculars, spotting scopes, still and video cameras) much easier. It's called the Airlite Chestpod. This makes holding your camera or optics up for long periods easy, without arm strain. It even makes it possible to steadily hold a 20X spotting scope without a tripod or other rest.
The Chestpod stabilizes the optics with a light aluminum pole that anchors to the chest. The two-piece chest pole has a shock chord, so it can be folded up. It weighs only five ounces, but is very stable and sturdy. The height and angle are quietly and easily adjusted with little movement.
When recording hunts on video, the Chestpod is a good alternative to a tripod. Most of us can't take a video camera man with us with a tripod slung over his shoulder. When we video hunts, we're usually both hunting and carrying hunting gear. The caller works the video camera. The lightweight Chestpod fills the need.
I don't watch birds, except on the other side of a shotgun bead, but this tool would be great for bird-watchers. Big game hunters will find them useful for glassing across canyons, studying distant herds or judging horns and antlers for lengthy periods. Wild game photographers will find that this tool makes waiting for just the right moments easy without a bulky tripod.
The Chestpod has become an integral part of my hunting gear.
Laser Range Finders
Laser rangefinders measure how far away a target is for accurate aiming. Same recommendations as above against buying “cheap”. Don’t bother with non-laser types. For mid-range quality we again recommend Nikon rangefinders. The same makers of the highest quality binoculars also make range finders for a much higher price. Power is not as much of an issue.
Maximum distance measured is the variable. For bow hunting, a rating of 400 yards or so is plenty, since most shots are taken under fifty yards. The 400 yard maximum range is hard to actually measure without a big wall or barren hillside to bounce back the signal.
An 800 yard rated range finder will have the same problem at 800 yards. Most people can't accurately shoot out to 400 yards anyway. An 800 yard maximum will consistently get you a good reading of 400 or more yards away.
I use a “440” Nikon for rifle and archery with no problem. There are bells and whistles that you can read about at the retailer sites, but those are the basics.
I am actually married to my two Cutco folding hunting knives. But then, we’ve been going together for a long time. (I met my first one through my human wife.)
There are too many styles and brands to make specific recommendations. Unless you know you want a skinning/gutting knife, a drop point or a clip point. A four inch long blade is a good length for most uses. Gut hooks are not absolutely necessary, but they do
make gutting easier (see the gutting page here)..
They are often added to the opposite side of the knife blade, or as an extra blade. Here's one that I would like to add to my selection (I need another knife like I need a hole in the head):
You can't have too many knives, in my opinion. Serrated edges need to be sent in for sharpening, but these edges work great on partially frozen meat and we like
to grind meat
in a near frozen state.
Anyone will like a folding type blade. Some people will tolerate the overall length of a non-folding blade and may even prefer it. Not I, however.
Flashlights
SureFire makes a great headlamp. This is most often an early morning or camp tool, but can become a survival instrument. Quality can become vital. You can’t go wrong with a Sure-Fire flashlight for general purposes.
For tracking a wounded animal after dark the Primos Bloodhunter Blood Trailing Flashlight serves a completely different need and might be very useful some night after a late afternoon kill.
Hunting Backpacks
At least a day pack is a vital piece of survival and functional hunting gear. The Badlands Superday pack is a very popular pack among hunters. We’ve bought a few cheap packs. They sit in the basement. An $80-100 price tag is the low end of something of quality for backpacks that make good additions to the elk hunting gear list. Badlands packs are more expensive, but worth it.
If you have a small waist like me (30"), there are only four Badlands packs that will tighten up enough for us: Hyper Hydro, Diablo, Reactor and the Ultra Day. These four packs have no side pockets on the belt, like my favorite Superday (won't fit me), but you can add a Badlands Everything Pocket to any of their packs. I just spoke to Badlands (10/14/2011) and they said they will be changing all their packs so they will also fit smaller waists "in about a year".
A fanny pack will lower the price, but being able to carry survival gear and all the gear needed
to field dress
an elk or deer, without going back to the truck, requires a back pack. Most good backpacks have hydration systems built in. If a fanny pack is used, a separate hydration pack would be a good addition.
Hydration Systems
CamelBak is a good brand. Most hunters do not fully appreciate how much better they would feel if they stayed hydrated.
You don't need to spend more than $80-120 on pack cameras as part of your hunting gear. They are small and take great pictures. You can get a point and shoot camera for around $100, give or take either way. Try to get one with a padded pouch. No more is needed, unless you want to blow photos up real big.
Hunting can be rough on cameras. I recently bought my second Kodak EasyShare to replace my previous one after busting the LCD. Maybe I bumped it with my rifle. I’m glad it wasn’t more expensive! With that in mind, a padded, belt-ready pouch for the camera is useful. If you can’t get to it easily, you probably won’t reach for it when you will wish you had later.
GPS Unit
Garmin Handheld GPS Units are the best choice in many people's opinions, including ours. You don’t have to have the expensive versions. I use an older, lower priced GPS and I'm very well served by it. A Garmin and decent topographical mapping software make two great complementary pieces of hunting gear.
Binocular Harness
A binocular harness keeps the binoculars from swinging around. That’s very bothersome! These are inexpensive, but a very useful piece of hunting gear.
One folding saw for the
field dressing job
in your pack and a full size bone saw for more convenient quartering make practical additions to your hunting gear when you are successful.
Gloves, Mittens and Glove liners
I don’t care how much Thinsulate is in the expensive gloves. I always need hand warmers inside the gloves. I like cheap rag wool gloves and mittens (green, not white or a light color). Add a lightweight liner for more warmth. I have worn all three many times when it was really cold. If a mitten is used, make sure it has a trigger finger built in.
ASAT or Predator Camouflage
ASAT and Predator are our favorite types. The designs are made more to fool animals than to impress the human eye. The ASAT pattern causes the animal to look past the hunter, rather than to think he is part of a tree or bush. With that said, I have killed many elk and deer while wearing cheap Wal-Mart camo clothing.
Gaiters keep the lower part of your pant legs from getting wet when walking in snow or soaked grass. Once you get your pants wet below the knees, the moisture sneaks into your waterproof boots by wicking right down into your socks. You can buy Gore Tex gaiters, but even the less expensive, water-resistant brands do a pretty good job of repelling moisture, even with a soft quiet texture that slips through brush quietly.
Hunting Boots
Consider the temperature boots will be worn in. We prefer from 800 to 1200 grams of Thinsulate for cold weather hunting, along with Gore-Tex for waterproofness. Gore-Tex, not some other water proof barrier. The other waterproof barriers we have tried just don’t last as long as Gore-Tex.
Snow "packs" (click photo to right) can certainly be warmer and dryer, but possibly not quite as supportive. A good leather boot without all the rubber provides more support, but might sacrifice a little warmth and comfort. Regardless of which you choose, quality boots over economy will be your best friend in elk country.
Game Ear Type Hearing Devices
Unless there is a hearing loss, we haven’t found these useful.
They mainly amplify close up sounds. The hunter can hear his own clothing swish and his breathing sounds louder. That’s not helpful. A distant elk bugle or turkey gobble is not amplified appreciably. These might be useful hunting gear for tree stand hunters, as they might amplify a deer approaching the deer stand.
Compass
This tool should be in any hunters pack or pocket, even if someone carries a GPS device. If a GPS battery dies, a compass and topo mapping software (prints maps) might become a lifesaving piece of hunting gear.
Mapping/Topographical Software
There are many good brands. We can recommend Lowrance.
Rifles
Obviously a vital part of your hunting gear. 30.06 is the most versatile of calibers and plenty powerful enough for elk. 300Win-Mag, 338 and 308 are also often mentioned for elk hunting. Regardless, your gun will perform most effectively against elk if you buy premium, and the more expensive, ammo. Don’t cut costs on ammo.
If you know what type of gun you want go to GunBroker.com for legal gun auctions, new and used. They have archery equipment as well.
Archery Equipment
Bows and arrows, like guns, are very personal choices and require thorough research before purchasing. Go to
www.HuntersFriend.com
and spend some time on their informational pages. This is a very thorough and reputable site that all bow hunters will benefit from, no matter what their skill and knowledge level is. I highly recommend
HuntersFriend.com.
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at a very reasonable price and very decent quality. 
and 
are other also good choices. RedHead is a popular brand, as well. 
has some good optics, if you avoid the low end.
and 
, if you can afford them. 
that are reasonably price.
. The same makers of the highest quality binoculars also 
. Power is not as much of an issue.
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. A four inch long blade is a good length for most uses. 
are not absolutely necessary, but they do
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and the 
to any of their packs. I just spoke to Badlands (10/14/2011) and they said they will be changing all their packs so they will also fit smaller waists "in about a year". 
is a good brand. Most hunters do not fully appreciate how much better they would feel if they stayed hydrated.
to replace my previous one after busting the LCD. Maybe I bumped it with my rifle. I’m glad it wasn’t more expensive! With that in mind, a padded, belt-ready pouch for the camera is useful. If you can’t get to it easily, you probably won’t reach for it when you will wish you had later.
for the
for more convenient quartering make practical additions to your hunting gear when you are successful.
.
