Cool mountain mornings and hot rutting action is right around the corner. Archery elk seasons are finally open across the West. While some of us will be packing deep into the backcountry in search of bugling bulls, many of us will find ourselves in well-roaded units. The packing list from the backcountry to the frontcountry can vary greatly. In part one of this series we examined the shelter options for frontcountry camps. Below we will go through a comprehensive frontcountry packing list. If you want to take a detailed look at a backcountry gear list, you can check out Brady Miller's recent article here.

Your packing list will vary based on what type of camp you like to maintain. The list below reflects my approach to frontcountry camping. This isn't a "what brand" type of gear list, rather this is a "what is needed" gear list for frontcountry elk hunting. My camp consists of a Jumping Jack trailer. This allows me to take a fairly minimalist approach so that I can remain mobile if need be. I typically do my hunts alone or with one other person (so my list reflects the needs of one person).

The first step in successful packing is always making a list. The lists found below are my packing list for any frontcountry camping hunt. As I get things packed, I keep track of my progress via these lists.

Truck Organization

Your vehicle will serve as your launch pad for your trip. Keeping the wheels rolling should be your first priority when you began assessing your truck packing. Organizing the interior is also key during the packing period. Nothing is worse than knowing you packed something and not being able to find it! Below is a general packing list I use to ensure I have the things I need in my truck for the hunt. I organize things the same way for every hunt.

What to Pack in the Center Console

Truck Box/storage

Other Things to Keep in the Truck

Gear Organization

Hunting gear for early season isn’t overly comprehensive. Warm temperatures and mild weather in comparison to other hunts make these easy to pack for. The rigors of early season hunts demand comfortable reliable footwear and clothing that will help you thermoregulate in warm weather. High quality packable rain gear is another essential item. Organization going into the hunt is key. I divide my packing into three categories for gear: my hunting pack, a large waterproof duffel, and small travel bag.

Hunting Pack

Clothing to Pack

Packing clothing for the hunt is all about locating items in such a way that you will be able to easily find them once you get there. For this reason, I go with a highly compartmentalized packing approach for my hunting clothing. Here is the general outline for packing your hunting clothing.

Continued Below.

Large Duffle Containing:

Small Travel Bag Containing:

Camping Accessories

The frontcountry camp can come in many shapes and sizes. Your choice of frontcountry camp will dictate your packing list of camp accessories. I take a minimalist approach when it comes to camp accessories as it is always my hope that I won’t be spending much time in camp and that if I need to move camp, I won’t have much to pack. Below is my list of camping supplies.

In One Large Plastic Container I Place the Following:

These Supplies Go in the Bed of the Truck for Transport:

Packing Food for Elk Camp

Packing food is another process that will be highly dependent on your camp choice and personal preference. Your hunt diet will depend on the cooking supplies and the food storage systems.

The most important thing is sticking to a diet that is consistent with what you normally eat. Varying your diet greatly for the hunt runs the risk of causing upset stomach, poor in field performance, and other issues that you really don’t want to deal with on the hunt. More information on hunt diets and nutrition can be found here.

When preparing for the hunt, I focus on pre-packaging my breakfasts and lunch so that I can focus on hunting while eating on the go. Dinners on the other hand are a large meal to help unwind from a long day of hunting. Below is my basic meal plan and how I like to go about prepping for the hunt.

Breakfast

Making breakfast “packs” before the hunt can help streamline your morning prep. I put these items in individual plastic baggies before the hunt to ensure that I can quickly make breakfast every day.

Calories: 700 +/-

Lunch/snacks

For lunch, I try to incorporate a little more variety.

Calories: 760 +/-

Dinner

Dinner meals will vary according to how much time you spend in camp and what cooking supplies and storage systems you have available. I like to make dinner a big sit down meal if possible. Always a nice way to unwind from the rigors of the hunt with a nice meal. I hold off on grocery shopping for dinners until I get to the last major town before the hunting area as many dinner items are perishable.

I also always pack five to seven days of dehydrated meals for dinner options should making it all the back to base camp for dinner become difficult. Also, packing some dehydrated food options can also be very valuable as at any time your hunt could turn from a frontcountry camping ordeal to a more backpack-based affair.

Supplements

Supplementing your diet with products designed to optimize performance can help keep you feeling good during the hunt. While I cannot speak to specific benefits of nutritional aids, I can say they have a small place in my packing. There are two products I like to utilized on the hunt.

Wilderness Athlete Hydrate and Recover: As the name suggests, this product is aid in re-hydration. A 60 serving jug or a box of single serve pouches serve to not only aid in hydration, but also provides a much needed break from the monotony of drinking plain water.

Wilderness Athlete Green Infusion: This product offers six servings worth of fruits and vegetables per scoop. On hunts where greens and fruits may be hard to keep fresh due to refrigeration limitations, this product can help keep your diet balanced.

There are a lot of supplement options out there. Carefully research and try any product you select pre-hunt.

Conclusion

Packing for your frontcountry camp elk hunt can be a daunting task. Careful planning and starting early can help make this process less stressful. Hopefully the lists above help some of you with this process. Please share your packing tips below!