• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Minimalist set ups.

The thing about minimalist setups is being flexible from hunt to hunt. One hunt, I may have 4 steps, range finder, forester knife, perch and bow. The next hunt, I may need another step, or a larger pack to take in another layer of clothes. The one thing I typically dont have included is a significant light source, I only need something to keep me from stumbling around, even then I rarely use it the whole walk in. I have another kit that contains all I need to get the deer out should I luck out and fill a tag. It always stays in the truck, along with the cart. When I go to hunt, i only take what i need to be able take the shot. No extra. The only time everything leaves the truck at the same time is when I'm canoeing in. If I walk in, and get it done, I'll be walking back out to drop gear and get the kill kit. It is more walking yes, but back out is never going hurt you.
 
I use the eberlestock mini me pack with the bow bucket.

Firs everything and has a 3L water bladder. I walk hands free into spots

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk
 
Here’s my current minimalist set up I’m going to try this coming season. Stick is 18” for reference. Comes in right at 12lbs dry(w/o water) and keeps my saddle slick with bow in hand. Usually wear my mystery ranch bino harness with vortex binos and range finder on my chest for quick easy access.
Looking into a slightly bigger pack but don’t plan on going much larger. Want something that has a better set up for longer, shorter walk in hunts that can accommodate my helium sticks and ridge runner.
3e30ffe55da2d6e64d3f072a6ecbe697.jpg



Sent from parts unknown
 
milunchbox said:
35 lbs I can go hunt elk for almost a week...... thats nuts....
Click to expand...
No platform, tethers, lineman belts, climbing sticks, etc to hunt elk. All that metal and extra rope adds up. I myself dont carry a pack for whitetails. Just wear my saddle, linemans belt attached on one side and tether on the other, one dump pouch for my 9 squirrel steps for climbing and the 4 i use for a platform.

I have never weighed it all but im betting im well under 10 lbs for everything i need to hunt. If i go all day i add my Badlands Reactor pack to bring some water and lunch but thats rare. I havent yet found a saddle comfortable enough to sit 12 hours in!
 
I keep trimming in pack size and then I can only carry so much. Down to a small sling pack now and a sewn bag for my steps and ROS.
 
Very minimal kit I carry to hunt is

H2 saddle with 2 doublestep fleece pouches
30ft Oplux
Madrock safeguard
3ft of accessory cord (which I can tie into either a distel hitch or autoblock configuration)
2 carabiners
2 S biners and a daisy chain for gear storage
2 squirrel steps carried in a small pouch which doubles for a bottle holder at height
Fixed blade full tang pocket knife
headlamp
small pouch with 30ft paracord


Either a 20in climbing stick with amsteel aider or if I'm going to a preset just an ascender with footloop and carabiner

Never weighed it all, it fits right in the pouches and the saddle worn in if I'm going in super light.

The aider on my stick gets slung over my shoulder. If I need to, I use the daisy chain as a lineman belt to get around a limb. I use the safeguard with the accessory cord both taut when at height, then remove the accessory cord before rappel.
 
I got myself. Saddle, hoist, platform and climbing sticks oh and my bow. I keep is really simple. I hunt public land and to get away from everyone I end up having to walk a mile or two in. If I had a small canoe I could boat down the river and come in the back way and save the walk but unfortunately I can’t buy a canoe with my good looks lol
 
I dont know how far yall going with those ultra light systems but I usually hunt miles away from my truck because our zones are so pressured out so im taking a bit more with me in the backcountry. i wish i was hunting close to my truck where i could get away with those bare bones get ups.

I usually just wear my saddle in with nothing clipped on and carry everything else in my old mystery ranch pintler frame pack for the journey. I have 40ft oplux + 6mm trc prusik + safeguard + 2 tethrd biners + 40ft paracord pull rope and a 8ft oplux linesman/back up tether + 6mm trc prusik + tender + 1 tethrd biner all in a drawstring dump pouch clipped to my pack that i move to my saddle when i get to my spot @Redbeard style. I onestick with my predator platform + double step aider, platform is stashed in my loadshelf on my frame pack (easy access to it from side of pack when at spot). My knee pads are clipped to the side of my pack along with my saw, 12in machete, and knife. On other side of pack lies my rattling rack + calls + scents which are clipped and cinched down. For day hunts i usually carry in my pack a 3l bladder + food + map + headlight + inReach satellite communicator (no cell reception where i go) + compass + waterproof jacket + small ozone generator + small first aid kit (lighter + tourniquet + bloodstop powder, small role of ductape [great for blisters], and mirror) + book + bag of salt wrapped up in meatbags (to dry out meat before packing out). For over night hunts i usually also take a sawyer walter filter for refilling water at a spring near my camp + solar charger (for my satalite communicator, gps, and headlight) and I also pack a small light nylon tarp + my gortex bivy sack with light sleeping bag liner + small pillow my grandma made + surfshorts + wool socks + flannel shirt + beanie gets rolled up and slipped into a waterproof dry bag that gets strapped to the bottom of my pack. binos and rangefinder i wear in. gps is clipped on my pack belt. bow or .3030 gets strapped to my bag. i also hike with leki carbon sticks that telescope and get strapped to the side of my pack when in the tree.

For day hunts im looking at 15lbs or so including the pack with out food or water.

For multiple overnight hunts im looking at 20-25lbs or so without food or water. i usually dont pack much clothes as i dry my scentlok hunting clothes by the fire and throw it in my drybag with the ozone generator in the morning before the next hunt. I make a shelter with my tarp and leki poles and a killer sleeping zone under my tarp with ferns and lay my goretex bivy ontop.

I feel that is bare minimum of what i need where i hunt... I will usually hunt multiple days and shoot more then one animal so that leaves me the ability to pack out as much meat as possible in one trip.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top