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1st elk hunt, clothing??

hillrunner

hillrunner

PMA Member
4 of us are going on an elk hunt in nw Montana the last week of October. It is the 1st time for all of us and I have a question about clothing .
We all spent a fair bit of money on boots, Danners or equal quality. My question is about the rest of our clothing.
Is there any reason we can't just use the stuff we deer hunt in? I've been told to buy all wool for the trip. I work outside year round and have hunted late season for over 20 years. I feel like I have a pretty good handle on what I need to stay warm. Are there things I'm not aware of that make the wool a must have? I'm not sure I want to shell out a small fortune for a full set of wool when I already have tons of hunting clothing. thanks
 
To me a lot of it depends on your situation on where you stay and how far you pack in. If you are living in a lodge or camper or something similar you can use what you have for home. If you are packing into the backcountry and are way out in the boonies, get some hightech cloting like Sitka, Kui or similar. They weight less and dry out quickly. A few less pounds on your back is worth its weight in gold and you don't want to get wet where you cant get dried out in a hurry or that can kill you.
 
Gunrunr pretty much nailed it. Also take into account that you will need it warm enough to keep you warm, but also not to heavy and burly as I imagine you will be doing a fair share of hiking and walking. If you are packing in and get your clothes wet from perspiration, your hunt could be a long one.
 
Only wool I would be looking at is merino base layers. Not knowing the details of your hunt I would surmise that your going to want layers you can build up and and peel off easily as needed. If your current gear does not meet that requirement you will either start out cold or end up sweating and cold.
 
Temps varied greatly for us while in ID. It would be hot, then a cloud would block out the sun and I swear it would drop 20-30 degrees that fast.

Mornings were really cold, while afternoons were quite a bit warmer. I'd definitely buy some quality wool for such a trip. Late October will most likely be cold in Montana.

Also, a GPS is a must have, so much easier to find camp if you are stuck out in the dark for some reason 2-3 miles from camp.
 
Check out the ellknut forum.....it has everything you need to know about elk hunting and lots of good information. Ellknut or Indian summer would be good people for you to ask questions to if you still have any after reading old posts.
 
A merino wool base layer with quality clothing like Boyd mentioned is a great idea. I won't say you NEED wool, but I don't disagree with quality wool outerwear, either. The wool will wick moisture away from your body and still keep you warm even when its wet, which the other stuff isn't great at doing. Late October in Montana is generally going to be cold and snow is a strong possibility.
 
I picked up some First Lite gear for my first backcountry elk hunt last year. We were packing in a ways and were camping. I would say boots and that first lite merino wool were some of the better investments for my trip. Never got stinky, dried out in a hurry, and seemed like you were always the right temperature. Won't say you need it, but.... it's very nice. First Lite's customer service department is top notch as well.
 
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