GEAR LIST
HUNTER’S GEAR - CHECKLIST
(For Backpack Hunts)
Listed below are the items that we suggest for your Once In A Lifetime backpack sheep hunt in Utah. A backpack hunt requires the lightest, most efficient gear that you can pack. We strongly suggest that your pack weight is no more than 60 lbs. Before we depart for a backpack hunt into the isolated, rugged terrain we will be hunting please expect your guide to go through your pack and items with you to eliminate any unneccessary gear and weight.
If you are hunting other big game animals with us you will still need a backpack for much of the country you will be in. Depending on the unit and species a smaller cubic inch backpack may meet your needs. We will discuss in detail with you the type of hunting to expect. With some of our hunts we are able to return to a nice base camp or cabin at night.
Some of the gear on this list will vary with the time of year that you are hunting and which unit. There are many great companies producing top notch hunting/hiking clothing/gear on the market today. These are only gear suggestions and may be replaced with other quality brands. We look forward to visiting with you to answer any questions that you may have.
HIGH DESERT WILD SHEEP GUIDES
Randy Johnson, Brett Caldwell
Clothing
Smart Wool Socks (3 pair for a 7 day hunt) - Bridgedale Trekkers or Kenetrek
Polypropelene Liners (3 pair) - Bridgedale
Underwear Boxer Briefs (1 for every 3 days) - Sitka, Under Armour
Thermal Underwear Top/Bottoms – Sitka, Under Armour, Russel
Pants – KUIU Attack or Guide Pants, KUIU Tiberon Clothing, Sitka Asent Pants, Russel APX, First Lite Merino Wool
6 Pocket Hiking Shorts for earlier hunts in hot weather - Cabelas, Columbia Omni Dry, Kuhl's
Shirt - Synthetic T-Shirt- KUIU, Russel, Sitka, Under Armour
Shirt - Long Sleeve - KUIU Merino Wool Zip T, Sitka Core or Traverse Zip T, Russel Explorer
Gloves – KUIU Glove System, fleece, or knit shooting gloves. Later hunts will require wool or a weather/waterproof glove.
Hat (1 light ball cap) HIGH DESERT
Head Cap/Beanie - KUIU or Sitka
Raingear – KUIU, Marmot, Browning, Sitka, Russel Raintamer 2
Jacket - Lightweight KUIU Super Down, Sitka Kelvin Jacket and Vest or Russel APXg2 Scent Stop Fleece
Insulated vest for later coldweather hunts (Oct-Dec) – Down or synthetic fill – Sitka, Browning, Russel,
Cotton Handkerchiefs - (3) two red and one white (can use the white to flag rams sometimes)
Comfortable travel clothes or fresh hunt clothes to change into if we are at a nice base camp
Camp Footwear - Tevas, Crocs, Tennis shoes
Boots (1 or 2 pair) – CRISPI Spider GTX, Hunter GTX and Wild Evo GTX. The Kenetrek Desert Guides, Hardscrabble Hikers or Mt. Safari's high quality hikers w/new laces and waterproofed leather. Zamberlan Guide 960 GTX and Ibex are great. Some boots require a vegetable based wax to prevents rands from coming unglued.
Moleskin, Blister pads, athletic tape, duct tape
Sleeping bag - Mummy style down bag to reduce weight. Northface, Marmot, Big Agnes. Late season hunts will require 900 fill.
Waterproof stuff/compression sack - Granite Gear or Sea to Summit
Sleeping Pad - Thermarest Neo Air
Waterboots - only necessary if hunting the river
Hunting Equipment
Large pack 5500 to 7200 cubic inch capacity (backpack hunts) – Internal Frame - KUIU Icon 7000 or 7200 or new 6500, (very light), Kifaru Timberline, or Mystery Ranch Kodiac or NICE System
Backpack Rainfly - make sure it fits your pack sufficiently
Binoculars – in sheep country we only use our 15 x 56 Swarovski's, Leica's, Vortex, Zeiss
Binocular Harness - KUIU or Alaska Guide Creations
Lens cloth and small brush with a little hand blower to remove sand from lens.
1 small pocket knife - very sharp
Havels’ Piranha Knife w/replacement blades
Rifle Hunters
Gun & Scope - Lightweight mountain rifle at least in a .25 caliper
Rifle Sling & Scope cover - neoprene boot or Butler Creek flip-up
1-2 boxes of shells - premium factory or reloads with an 8 to 10 round nylon shell holder.
Otis Compact cleaning kit
Electrical tape to cover barrel – prevents debris, sand from getting in barrel
Hard weapon case to be left at basecamp or truck.
Solo Hunter Rifle Cover from Caribou Gear
MISCELLANEOUS
Black Diamond Ultra Mountain Carbon Trekking Poles or Leki Makalu's
Digital Camera: 10-12 megapixel w/extra battery, memory card & waterproof case/bag
Flashlight/headlamp LED - Surefire Minimus, Petzl, Tikka or Princeton w/extra lithium batteries
1 Liter Nalgene bottle or Camelbak "polar" bottle
1 96 oz size Platypus or Nalgene wide mouth Wat.er Bladder (very important for sheep)
1 96 oz collapsible water container
2 butane lighters and a box of waterproof matches
Bug repellent - small bottle for early hunts - Deet is best.
Sunglasses w/head strap
Butt Pad - I like the small kneeling pads that you can get at Home Depot for weeding or the small cushion made by the Outdoorsmans.. I've also cut out small pads from my old foam sleeping pads. There are some small blow up pads on the market that are light and work well. These are invaluable for hours of glassing or sitting around a spike camp.
Titanium cup, fork/spoon
Small ditty bags - I prefer the colored ones to organize various gear in.
Compression sack or Sea to Summit Lightweight Drysack for sleeping bag
Nylon mess bag to hang food in from tree. Keeps mice and other varments out at night.
Ziploc Bags - 2 or 3, 1 gallon size
Garbage Sacks (4)
Caribou Gear Carnivore or Carnivore II Game Bags (Use for meat and cape)
Hunting license
Wallet, Credit Card, Emergency Contact List
PERSONAL HYGIENE
Tooth Brush, Small Tooth Paste & Dental Floss
Small (1-2 oz.) biodegradable liquid soap
Toilet Paper in a Ziploc bag, individual wet wipes
Lip balm w/SPF 20 minimum
Small wash cloths - in desert country wet wipes are more efficient since water is at a premium.
Small deodorant
Prescription medication, personal items, antibiotics, etc.)
Glasses, Reading Glasses or contacts (if required)
Ibuprofen, Advil, aspirin or Celebrex (anti-inflammatory)
Band-Aids, medical tape, antibiotic cream, sutures, blister syringe/needle
Athletes Foot/Jock Itch Cream
Nail Clippers
OPTIONAL
Spotting Scope-Variable (at least 30 power) – each guide will have one
Tripod - very compact
Small Video Camera w/extra batteries - Canon Vixia is great.
GPS – Garmin Legend, 60GX, Oregon
Range Finder - highly recommended - Leica, Nikon
Gaiters: Outdoor Research Crocs, Mtn Hardware, Kenetrek, (only for late season hunts
Sunblock – SPF 30 – Important in desert country and for fair skin
Safety Blanket - light wt. Foil type.
Cell phone or satellite phone – handheld, Iridium or Globalstar w/extra battery and charger in some locations
Water Filter or Water Purification Tablets or Liquid
Small notepad and pencil/pen
Specialty foods/snacks/jerky/gum or other food you enjoy.
TIPS FOR PACKING YOUR BACKPACK
Distributing the Weight:
Heaviest items should be placed close to your back, centered close between your shoulder blades and lower back. This will place the weight over your hips.
Stuff your sleeping bag into the lowest compartment in a compression bag. With wet weather I will also enclose my bag in a plastic garbage bag. Some clothing can also go in this compartment.
Organize food items in a nylon bag in middle of pack.
If packing a container full of water in the desert make sure it does not leak and is in the middle half of pack against your back.
Other needed items can be organized in color coded ditty bags.
Additional clothing, small stove, fuel canister, cooking gear can go in upper half.
Food items, toilet paper, maps, camera, etc, goes in the top lid.
Side compartments can carry a spotting scope, tripod and your rifle unless there is a built in rifle scabbard.
Always carry a raincover for your pack.
Your tent and sleeping pad are usually lashed on the bottom of the pack.
Tighten all compression straps tightly to reduce the bulkiness of your pack.
Always carry some repair items in your pack. An extra belt buckle, duct tape, repair kit for your sleeping pad, sewing needle, etc.
The last item is perhaps the most important - know your pack and how to fit it to your body. This is critical to your comfort.