2013 sheep gear

[fast_pass88]

Trying any new sheep/mtn hunting gear this season? post it up here! with scouting season upon us and the opener about 70 days away, i can't be the only one whos counting down

assuming my kuiu order shows up on time, ill post a review of their new 2013 pack and frame in a few weeks...should beat the heck outa my 60L mec pack
also am looking at MSR trekking poles, as my leki's bent packing last years NT out. anyone have experience with these?

[bdub]

Got a new silitarp this year. Super light and about the size of a popcan. A handy item considering the weather so far this year. New to me Kuiu pack I really like as well. It is very light as well, lots of tie down straps. Will see how it holds up but seems like a very good pack so far. Black diamond poles, never used poles until the last couple years but now wouldn't be with out them. New Thor wind stopper-30 bag last year. Was toasty warm during the last week in October living in the backpack tent.

[depopulator]

Got a new Kimber 84M Montana in 7mm-08. 6lbs 2ozs scoped. Pushing 120 TTSX into subMOA at 3070fps. Should be a nice to carry up the steep.

[mad mountain mike]

Ordered a new Kifaru Bikini frame and DT bag on April 3rd ship date is today, hope it ships. Pack should weigh in around 6 pounds.

[Jameson340]

New KUIU Icon 7000 pack.
Custom .260 Rem
Wiggy's Waders for crossing creeks/rivers, check them out wiggys.com
that's all the new gear for me this year.

[pottymouth]

New Swarovski range...

[bdub]

Havalon knife last year as well. Weighs next to nothing. Just have to be very careful handling it. Basically a surgical blade with a handle.

[mad mountain mike]

I picked up one of these knives as well, so far all I have done with it is skin one bear. It sure did perform well even popping joints and skinning the head. It'll be the only knife in my pack this fall ( with extra blades and a small leatherman ).

[Roughneck Country]

Finally got myself a good spotting scope a Swaro STM65 HD. On sale in the US so was pretty pumped about that best part was I found a gitzo tripod and head on ebay that was practically brand new for about a third the price of a new one so wife let me get that as well after a little convincing. Also got a KUIU backpack and frame to try out around black friday when the web site had everything on sale, not sure why but I can't seem to quite buying backpacks no matter how good the one I already have is!

Just looking for a titanium skelotonized knife, any one with suggestions on a knife like this?

When I first started sheep hunting didn't take weight too much into concideration but now I am trying to save ounces everywhere I can. Pretty sure sheep hunting fulfills my addiction to trying out new gear and gadgets.

[Hound Dog]

New Swarovski el bino's, 10x42 swarovision. Got a good deal out of the states and worth every penny!

[jack88]

Kifaru Timberline pack
Lowa Tibets
Zeiss Diascope
Kuiu guide jacket

Now saving up for a tank of gas for the truck....

[drake]

The hills are gonna be fiilled with $$$$$ this year!.....good luck everyone

[BackPackHunter]

trying out Kifaru maga tarp
Sitka Kelven line, n Gaitors
Custom 300

This year Ive been trying out a idea I had last yr.
At night when I undressed, and get into my sleeping bag and awoke ; it was hard to bring myself to pull myself out of my warm bag, to put on cold gear. Tried putting my clothes in the bag with me , was better but I can still be lighter and faster....
I know a older hunter I talk with about sheep hunting... I always tell him he has to much gear, and to think lighter, he counters with "Who is more comfortable."
No question, he is. But Im there with a goal, and thats not a comfortable camping trip.
Being lighter = being faster.... Not having to set up a big camp, gives me more time to glass, makes me able to pick up fast and move to a new range, if need be.
Why should my sleeping system weight so much? and take up too much room? So this is what Im doing

Im using the new tarp tent, and sleeping in my clothes,
I curl up to my bag and put my glassing foam under my butt
when my alarm gos off im dressed and ready to go...

Tent , ground sheet, sleeping bag, stuff sack, sleeping pad, and para tarp,
all together is about 7.5 lbs, my partner system is about 9 lbs
plus the room it takes up in my pack.

we will be sharing this tarp at less then 1.5 lbs, sleeping on are packs

this saves us a ton of room plus 15 lbs

My pack will be around 40-45 lbs with gun n water, (cams n solar panel ) everything
and my pack is 9 lbs


last year i was 50 lbs plus gun plus water

the best thing i ever bought for hunting sheep was a food scale that weighs to the gram, it was $40 and when I brought it home and weight a couple things and 5 lbs was gone like nothing

[mad mountain mike]

Wow that's hard core! Do you bring a stove and dehi meals or do you eat roots and berries? Good on ya BPH, I don't think to many guys would be able to keep up with you.

[bdub]

Hey Backpackhunter. I'm a bit confused on your gear setup in the post. Are you not packing a sleeping bag, pad etc. and using the tarp for a tent and just sleeping in your clothes. If you are I am just wondering how you deal with crappy mountain weather, snow, rain, wind and cold temps. Thanks.

[manosteel]

Got a lot of new gear to try ths year .

My Kifaru bikin frame with DT1 bag finally came in last week - already have 50 miles on it! Just an incredible pack - can't say enough good things about it.

Onware bivysack (6.7oz)

Mountain smith LT tarp tent (35.2oz) with guy lines and stakes

Lots of new clothing - basically replace all my Underarmour stuff
Fav right now is the Krptek Katos primaloft jacket

Sawyer 3-way inline filter

Vortex summit tripod

Zebra light headlamp

Prims micro- latern - a 4.1oz luxury item

10 lbs lighter this year.

[BackPackHunter]

Originally Posted by bdub

Hey Backpackhunter. I'm a bit confused on your gear setup in the post. Are you not packing a sleeping bag, pad etc. and using the tarp for a tent and just sleeping in your clothes. If you are I am just wondering how you deal with crappy mountain weather, snow, rain, wind and cold temps. Thanks.

I always have enough clothes for 4 seasons
At night put on the base layer, and normal layer, sweater , kelven layer, then rain gear over top, I'm use to sitting glassing in very bad weather,
If I'm scouting and the weather is bad , just drop below tree line, find a big ever green tree n set up the tarp tent. If there's a sheep in front of u, just suck it up princess and wait to get ur shot, I've had worse times then waiting for the sun to come up in the rain,
I hate base camp, I like to stay mobile, base camp makes for twice the walking


Mad Mountain Mike..... If there berrys there fair game, the roots get stuck in my teeth, so there safe , I allow 1 pound of food a day

[fast_pass88]

Originally Posted by BackPackHunter

I always have enough clothes for 4 seasons
At night put on the base layer, and normal layer, sweater , kelven layer, then rain gear over top, I'm use to sitting glassing in very bad weather,
If I'm scouting and the weather is bad , just drop below tree line, find a big ever green tree n set up the tarp tent. If there's a sheep in front of u, just suck it up princess and wait to get ur shot, I've had worse times then waiting for the sun to come up in the rain,
I hate base camp, I like to stay mobile, base camp makes for twice the walking


Mad Mountain Mike..... If there berrys there fair game, the roots get stuck in my teeth, so there safe , I allow 1 pound of food a day

So that's a no to the sleeping bag? So if I understand right you just set up the tarp tent, put on all your clothes and your rain gear is basically your bivy sack? Do you take a footprint or just lay on the ground/your glassing foam pad?

[BackPackHunter]

No foot print, no bag
Set up is 10 min,
It's not the Holiday Inn but it works

[heretohunt]

Originally Posted by BackPackHunter

No foot print, no bag
Set up is 10 min,
It's not the Holiday Inn but it works

That is a cool way to do it but, do your clothes dry out? Do you have a couple of changes?
I have played that game too and it is ok for early season when the weather is good, but a better sleep - warm and dry gives me the energy to leave the bag a bit early and hike where I want to go in the dark. In a November 410 sheep hunt, in a pup tent the whole key to success was keeping water away from your skin and getting water in to you. I guess you can do anything for a few days, but a couple of weeks with out proper gear, that is hard core.

[BackPackHunter]

Staying dry is key!
Take the time to drop layers, or add the rain gear
After sept, it's back to normal
When glassing , that's when I dry or air out the gear

[depopulator]

BPH. Here is a photo from my 2011 solo hunt. I got caught on the mountain while packing out and was stuck in my tent and bivy bag for 17 hrs praying my tent would hold up to the gale force winds and cutting snow - it did, but it could of turned very bad. Staying dry is key, eh ?

[bdub]

You must be part coyote Backpackhunter. Have you ever got driven out of the hills due to weather conditions with that setup? I know I have often been in situations where I don't think I could remain in the hills living like that. In good weather no problem but in bad weather I don't know. I guess you could always get by if you had to by dropping down into the big timber.

[bdub]

If you could get down to the timber. I've been where you were at too, depopulator where you couldn't get down and had to tough it out.

[rhuntley12]

I'm amazed how many people camping don't put their change of cloths for the morning in the sleeping bag with them for the night.

[BackPackHunter]

I've haven't been snowed on yet with this, tried it in the rain,
The area I hunt I can alway drop into the timber, n find a big tree

If it was coming down like that depop, I wouldn't hold up, just walk out
But I'm sure my area is a little easier then yours.
I've never been stuck on a mtn, just take your time and keep going

[mad mountain mike]

I look forward to reading about your sheep hunting adventures this fall BPH, hope you post them.

[nathantd]

Kifaru mega tarp and small stove for solo trips (loved the Tipi in November last year)
Jandd Goliath pack
Enlightened Equipment Revelation down quilt
Borah gear bivy

[drake]

I bought a new sweat band (head & wrist), new jean jacket (black), new rubber boots, a sweet lee enfield (.303), I got a free fanny pack in a box of kohler lagers, I also stocked up on peanuts, ketchup packets and dehydrated hot dogs.....oh i bought a mini toothbrush too (light weight).

My cousin Terry's GF offered to pack me in. She is built like a T-Rex.....All she wants in exchange is a carton of Canadian Classics. She isnt that reliable though (dialysis).

Lastly, with the new pack dog rules, i went to the pound an picked up 7 really strong looking mutts....the plan is hook them to a wagon and mush those ********s deep into the "more" (willmore). Happy hunting everyone. Im taking the rest of the summer off to scout/set up base camp/spike camps.

[BackPackHunter]

Originally Posted by drake

I bought a new sweat band (head & wrist), new jean jacket (black), new rubber boots, a sweet lee enfield (.303), I got a free fanny pack in a box of kohler lagers, I also stocked up on peanuts, ketchup packets and dehydrated hot dogs.....oh i bought a mini toothbrush too (light weight).

My cousin Terry's GF offered to pack me in. She is built like a T-Rex.....All she wants in exchange is a carton of Canadian Classics. She isnt that reliable though (dialysis).

Lastly, with the new pack dog rules, i went to the pound an picked up 7 really strong looking mutts....the plan is hook them to a wagon and mush those ********s deep into the "more" (willmore). Happy hunting everyone. Im taking the rest of the summer off to scout/set up base camp/spike camps.

Your part of the problem with this forum

Why don't you go back to watching Terry pee