Elk hunting season starts in early September, so your elk hunting gear and clothing and must be versatile and durable to protect you from the elements and allow for a successful hunt. In Colorado and nearby states during the months of September, October, and November, you might deal with snow, rain, and sun—all in one day.
The key to a comfortable and bountiful hunt is a quality hunting pack and a foolproof clothing layering system.
Here are some tips on selecting the best elk hunting pack and clothing. Before you step out into the wilderness, be sure to check off this backcountry elk hunt gear list.
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Choose an Elk Hunting Pack
A great elk hunting pack is one that’s light and compact but can also expand to carry your camp several miles into the backcountry. It should also have space to pack elk meat along with the rest of your gear.
Here are some things to look for when choosing an elk hunting pack:
- Durability: The straps, buckles, and fabric on a hunting pack should be highly durable and able to withstand moisture and the strain of heavy loads.
- Comfortable design and fit: A pack should be comfortable on your back, especially when carrying heavy loads. The shoulder and hip straps should be adjustable.
- Lightweight: Along with being lightweight and compact, hunting packs should be as quiet as possible so you don’t alert your prey.
- Attachments: Packs that have easy access pockets on the lid or hip belts are helpful when you need to get something out with one hand while holding a bow or other object. A dry bag insert is also helpful when carrying meat to keep your clothing and gear clean and dry.
- Adequate space: On your way to hunt, you’ll be carrying all your gear, and on the way back, you’ll be carrying everything plus elk meat, so your pack should be spacious and expandable to accommodate this.
Featured Gear: FORLOH Method Pack System, Method Bino Harness, Method Rangefinder Holster
Best Elk Hunting Pack for Backcountry Hunts
FORLOH’s Method Pack System is an excellent choice for a backcountry hunting pack. It’s fully adjustable and can be configured in multiple ways for maximum comfort. The military-grade fabric is waterproof and ultra-durable while remaining lightweight.
It also features easy-access pouches and snaps, a lightweight dry bag, and RECCO® search and rescue technology. With this pack, you can complete a safe, successful, multi-day hunt.
There are also day packs and expedition packs, and the hunting pack size you choose depends on the length of your hunt.
Plan Your Elk Hunting Clothes
The best attire for elk hunting is a proper layering system. Weather can change quickly, and the best hunting layering system will keep you comfortable and dry no matter what.
Elk hunting clothes should:
- Be lightweight, packable, and easy to layer
- Have effective camouflage
- Be comfortable and quiet
- Control odor
- Wick moisture
FORLOH offers a full range of technical hunting clothes for your best shot at a plentiful elk hunting season.
Best Elk Hunting Base Layer
Your base layer needs to be:
- Comfortable on your skin
- Odor-resistant
- Quiet
- Insulating
- Moisture-wicking
FORLOH’s Deep Space Base Layer Top checks all these boxes and is the first step toward a successful hunt.
This 4-way stretch shirt features:
- Trizar™ technology to regulate body temperature and keep you two degrees warmer
- Polygiene® Stay Fresh + Odor Crunch to eliminate odors
- Enhanced drying and moisture-diffusing technology
Best Elk Hunting Pants
When you’re trekking through the backcountry, you need pants that can handle any weather and any terrain.
The AllClima Stretch Woven Pants protect you from the elements with mid-weight fabric and integrated knee pads while also offering comfort and mobility. The seamless pocket construction and water-resistant fabric provide a superior weather barrier so you can keep adventuring all day.
Best Elk Hunting Vest
The ThermoNeutral Down Vest is the ultimate insulating mid-layer. With exclusive Perf-Weld™ technology, it keeps your skin dry from water on the outside and dry from sweat on the inside. Each organic duck down feather is treated with Activ-Dri™ to reduce water or sweat absorption by over 60%.
The design of the vest regulates your core body temperature to keep you warm without the additional heat on your arms from a jacket, so you never have to take it off from morning to evening. But when you do take it off, it packs down small for easy transport.
Featured Gear: Men's ThermoNeutral Down Vest
Best Elk Hunting Jacket & Rain Gear
When it comes to elk hunting outerwear, it needs to do a lot. Your rain jacket should be highly effective, but also quiet, lightweight, windproof, and breathable.
FORLOH’s AllClima 3L Rain Jacket provides leading waterproof and windproof ratings, plus Airadigm™ Pulse Plasma technology for impressive noise reduction. The breathable membrane keeps you dry and prevents excess odor from sweat. For ultimate safety, this jacket also features RECCO search and rescue technology.
If you know you’ll be hunting in the rain, pairing the AllClima 3L Rain Pants with this jacket will give you the ultimate protection in elk hunting rain gear. Key benefits of these pants include:
- Windproof and waterproof, yet quiet fabric
- Reinforced hip panels for pack-carrying durability
- Full zippers from waist to ankle—you can quickly remove or put on the pants without taking off your boots
- Packable for multi-day hunting trips
Featured Gear: FORLOH Method Pack System, Method Bino Harness, Method Rangefinder Holster
Elk Hunt Packing List
In addition to an excellent layering system and a durable pack, there are some essentials you should always take with you when you go elk hunting.
Those essentials include:
- Your hunting license and safety card—be sure to check your state’s regulations on whether hunters must wear orange
- Optics
- Binoculars
- Bino Harness: Protect your binoculars with a durable, water-resistant pouch
- Rangefinder
- Rangefinder Holster: This pouch attaches to your Bino Harness and features a one-handed flip-top design for easy access
- Bow hunting gear for archery elk hunts
- Knives and sharpener
- Dry bag
- Elk calls
- Two-way radio
- Compass and GPS unit
- Batteries
- Camping and cooking gear
- Personal items
- First aid kit
- Socks, hats, belts, and gloves
As the elk hunting season begins to ramp up, be sure to add these essentials to your gear list for October.
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