Backcountry packing lists are as unique as the hunters that make them, and even among mountain hunters, the details can look quite different. Across forums and social media, you\u2019ll find there are bean counters who will have every ounce listed and accounted for in nauseating detail. There are also those who seemingly throw a bunch of gear in their pack and hit the mountains.<\/p>\n
The right packing list for you will depend on what, when, where, and how you\u2019re hunting\u2014but also on your personality. When I played football in high school, I had nightmares about forgetting a key piece of gear (and still do sometimes). Rather than a tangible list, I had a system. On road trips I\u2019d carry my gear in an old army duffle bag. I\u2019d put gear in the bag starting with my shoes and work my way up\u2014Socks, pants, pads, etc. When I finished, I\u2019d dump it all back onto the locker room floor and do it again. I take a similar but less crude approach to hunting gear.<\/p>\n
Every Piece of Backcountry Gear Has a Job<\/h2>\n
A backcountry packing list isn\u2019t as much about the specific brands and gear items, it\u2019s more about what you need them to accomplish. You need gear that will allow you to camp and hunt efficiently and effectively. Everything from your sleeping bag to how you cook your breakfast and treat water matters.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve never worked off a hard checklist when it comes to gear, but I\u2019ll usually make a crude list as I\u2019m gathering what I need for a hunt\u2014usually lower profile items like a spoon or toilet paper that I might forget. My thought process is task-oriented, and I\u2019ll think through the parts of an upcoming hunt and note the things I will need. I\u2019ll consider every piece of clothing for the weather I might encounter, all the gear I need to camp, communications, gear repair, hunting, and hopefully processing and packing out an animal. The key is that every piece of gear has a job, and only select repair or emergency gear isn\u2019t expected to be used. Anything else isn\u2019t worth bringing.<\/p>\n Sheep, goat, and other high-country backpack hunters are obsessed with ultralight gear. It\u2019s logical. If less weight is consumed by gear, we can pack more food for a longer stay or move faster and more easily with a lighter pack. But ounce counting is often over-emphasized, and there is a balance to be had between comfort, effectiveness, and minimalism.<\/p>\n My uncles knew an old-time sheep hunter who would hunt with a 25-pound pack. He wore all wool clothes (no rain gear) and brought just a sheet of Visqueen to roll up in at night. He\u2019d bring a jar of peanut butter and a small bag of dried apricots for food.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you have to shit more than twice in a 10-day hunt, you brought too much food,\u201d he told my unlces.<\/p>\n My uncle Tracy talked about accompanying him on one hunt as a young and in-shape sheep guide. He said he could never keep up with old Bill. He\u2019d hike for all he was worth, only to find where Bill had stopped and left a couple of cigarette butts on the ground.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not as tough as Bill, and you probably aren\u2019t either. Despite some of the romanticism around the old tough sheep hunters, we are equipped to hunt more effectively than ever. With much lower sheep numbers than in the 1950s and 1960s, we need it too. There are often ways to cut weight, but at a certain point you need what you need to get the job done effectively.<\/p>\n This may be the first detailed packing list I\u2019ve written down in 19 years of sheep hunting, and through trial and error, I\u2019ve pretty much nailed down what I need, don\u2019t need, and what I bring for a little added comfort. If you cover your bases with the major itmes, the rest are just details. Here\u2019s what I packed for my 14-day 2022 sheep hunt.<\/p>\n H3 Clothing<\/p>\n Read Next: My 3 Favorite New Pieces of Mountain Hunting Gear<\/p>\n If you\u2019re on an extended trip, food will add a significant amount of weight to your pack. It\u2019s common to have a pound-and-a-half of food per day you\u2019ll be out. When possible, you want the maximum calories-per-ounce, but after several days you\u2019ll feel your body consuming the food as quickly as you can get it down. The food you bring will vary greatly depending on individual tastes, but here\u2019s what a typical day\u2019s worth of food looks like for me.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nWeight Is Only Part of a Backcountry Packing List<\/h2>\n
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My Backcountry Packing List<\/h2>\n
Camp Gear<\/h3>\n
Hunting Gear<\/h3>\n
First Aid<\/h3>\n
Gear Repair, Emergency, and Miscellaneous<\/h3>\n
Food<\/h3>\n