Gear help for a NEWBIE

[Blp440]

Hello everyone, I'm new to Montana and western hunting and am trying to make informed decisions with regards to which gear to accumulate and in which order of priority. I'm a bowhunter looking to chase elk for the first time and although I have hunted since I was a kid, I find myself seriously lacking in hunting clothing, optics, footwear, and misc gear. I'm not sure which area of the state I will be hunting yet but It will surely be a general tag area.
I have:
Vortex 8x42 binos and a rangefinder for optics
1 yr old Danner jackal boots(poor traction uphill)
Russel turkey season suit in mossy oak obsession
Scentok base layer med weight.
Mid weight scentlok soft shell jacket.
Badlands sacrifice pack.

Which gear should I address first. Optics, clothing or footwear? Brands or models? Also curious about good camo patterns to look at with the clothing, I've been a real tree and mossy oak guy back home but they seem too dark out here. I don't have much in the budget but I think the wife might let me use $500 or to get set up with some basics. I'm just trying to get a gameplan for this and target specific gear that will last at a gradual pace so I don't buy something I regret and waste money. Thanks so much for reading and helping I really appreciate it.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

Boots first,
Optics second,
depending on what season you will be hunting will depend on the clothing you will need. Late season obviously A good layering system. Most can be used for warm weather too so you can kind of kill two birds with one stone.

Buy the best gear you can afford. As far as boots buy what fits you the best and what you can afford. Go to a store and try them on. What fits my perfect may not fit you.

 

[CoHiCntry]

I would prioritize like this... boots, optics, pack, and clothing a distant fourth. A lot will depend on the terrain & type of hunting your doing. I wouldn't be to concerned with finding the right camo clothing. A lot of guys including myself have drifted towards solid colors anyway.

 

[Micah S]

Rain gear. It can save your life. Its hard to say what you should get that all depends on where you hunt. Wilderness hunts require completely different gear then hunting from the truck.

 

[Blp440]

Thanks, I'll start with the footwear then. I have heard and read good things on the forum about kennetreks but boy they are expensive. Do I need to go that high in price? If I buy them how long would a boot like that last in rough conditions? I'm thinking I'll eventually be a pack it in, hunt, pack out hunter but being my first year and not knowing where I'm headed I will see.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

Thanks, I'll start with the footwear then. I have heard and read good things on the forum about kennetreks but boy they are expensive. Do I need to go that high in price? If I buy them how long would a boot like that last in rough conditions? I'm thinking I'll eventually be a pack it in, hunt, pack out hunter but being my first year and not knowing where I'm headed I will see.

Most high end boots have a life time warranty. If the wear out you can send them to the mfg and they will repair them for you.

 

[Blp440]

Micah, do you have a recommendation for good rain gear to look at?

 

[Blp440]

Most high end boots have a life time warranty. If the wear out you can send them to the mfg and they will repair them for you.

That is encouraging keep it cold. I'll start reading up thank you.

 

[WapitiBob]

Depending on terrain and your feet you can kill animals with tennis shoes. If bowhunting in normal country, dirt and sticks, a soft boot like a Renegade or Salomon Quest will be fine. Even a $100 set of Merril Moabs will work. I now use a stiff sole Hanwag but they weren't my first boots. The soft boots will conform to your foot preventing blisters. A stiff boot like a Hanwag Alaskan, Cevedale, or the big Kennetreks won't conform so fit is paramount. My suggestion, go soft till you know where and how you'll hunt.

I wouldn't get too geeked out on clothing either. Yes the new technical stuff is nicer to have and works better than cotton but what you have will work. Add a little of the new stuff each year, getting it on sale. Core4 on Cammofire is hard to beat for merino wool pieces. They bought all of Eastons stock when Easton shuttered the line. The 190 1/4 zip tops and the 2590 blend in a 1/4 zip top work well and they're $39. Merino pants are not something I would use. Costco has/had Union Bay Chino Travel Pants for $20 a while back. Similar to but different than the light pants from Sitka or kuiu. Mine will get more use then my Sitka Ascents in 2016.

It's all a learning process, what works for how and where you hunt is not the same for me or anybody else.

 

[Blp440]

Thanks wapitibob, thats probly wise for my situation. This year it might end up being the Littlebelts for bow season and rifle season if unsuccessful. It doesn't seem as aggressive there as other ranges just from 30,000ft.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Unless I am in really rocky terrain or hunting in nasty weather, I have been hunting in Merrell mid high hikers for years and they still are my go to boot for most hunts. They are light and have good traction. I need to mention that I have good feet and ankles and rarely get blisters so I can get away with boots others might struggle with. As Wapiti Bob says you can even get away with tennis shoes on early season bow hunts (I did that for years in Oregon). I own Lowas, Kennetreks, Meindels, Solomons, and my Merrells get by far the most time.

If you will be focusing on archery season, I would make sure you have a 50+ (60-70 preferably) pound bow and accessories you can shoot very well. I missed a lot of game in my 20s shooting crummy archery equipment. My archery equipment would be my first area of concern as an archery hunter. As a rifle hunter you can get away with a lot more with a descent shooting rifle.

Next as the guys mentioned, a good rain coat would be high on my list. I use a rain coat DAILY in a layering scheme, because it cuts wind so well and I don't need to carry a separate rain coat. I love my Kuiu Chugach.

I hunted in jeans for years (including twice in the Yukon in early season) so you can get away with that in a lot of conditions. When you decide to graduate, Kuiu Attack pants have become one of my favorite pieces of gear. I rarely wear rain pants with them (they repel water fairly well) and the stretch which is huge when covering ground and doing things like climbing over deadfalls. I am on my fifth season with them.

 

[JimP]

When I first started to bow hunt back in the 60's my camo consisted of a dull pair of Levi's and a checkered flannel shirt and both did quite well. The big thing with bow hunting is that you want to avoid quick movements if the animal is near you. I have sat 10' away from elk in a blaze orange sweatshirt with then not having the slightest idea that I was there. The new hunting clothing is fun to look at but when you see the price of it it quickly turns your head away from it, at least that is the way that I feel. Now days when I take to the hills with my stick thrower in hand I just wear a pair of Levi's and a flannel shirt in a camo pattern with a camo T shirt underneath. Both didn't cost me more than $20.00 on sale at Walmart.

But for rain gear, don't skimp or you will end up wet. I wear a packable set of Cabela's Dry Plus and have never gotten wet once it is on. For colder weather I have the 4 way Dry Plus system jacket and bibs and have been in a down poor that would of soaked me to the skin if I hadn't had it on.

 

[boiler]

Ebay has a bunch of core4 torrent rain gear and you can get it cheap. I got some and it seems like pretty good stuff. Might check it out, and maybe you can cross somthing off your list without breaking the bank.

 

[Tim McCoy]

You have been given plenty of sage advice, and sounds like your wife is a gem. Assuming you have a good bow here. Definitely pack some decent rain gear, for the very purpose UH & Jim shared, does double duty, and if not far from the rig, you may be able to get by with just tops. If you are careful, can probably get by for a year or two with frog togs, HellyHansen Impertec is bullet proof, affordable, but does not breathe much if at all. Bet you can find some excellent options at Cabela's, they often have sales and in store specials.

If you decide to skimp on rain gear and only buy a top, probably a base layer of merino wool and at least one wool shirt/sweater, would give you some warmth if wet/damp, again if hiking close to your rig. If you go in overnight, good quality breathable rain gear is a must to me.

A pack that can hold 80-100lbs is important. Early archery seasons can make quick meat recovery critical. There are several threads here that speak to meat recovery, I'd suggest you read em. Get a good cow call, and learn a decent bugle. Read up, learn when and how to use to them. With a bugle, less is often more, but can be used as a good locator.

Maybe attend a few seminars, there are several big outdoor stores in Billings, they may offer some. Make sure you are Grizzly aware, depending on where you hunt. Carry basic survival gear, a fire starter, space blanket, etc. and have fun!

 

[boiler]

Ebay has a bunch of core4 torrent rain gear and you can get it cheap. I got some and it seems like pretty good stuff. Might check it out, and maybe you can cross somthing off your list without breaking the bank.

Looks like all the next non-camo is gone, they have had a bunch for months, but as some as I posted, I thought I would check, and I couldn't find any! Sorry

 

[Blp440]

Thank you guys! Yes my wife is a Gem. After all, she went along with the move out west from Ohio and let me chase a dream to elk hunt. I shoot a recent model Hoyt at 65 lbs and practice out to 100yds as to make ethical hunting shots seem easier. I feel confident in my arrows as well although I may switch broad heads for more penetration. I've been reading Mike Easmans book on elk hunting and that has proved to be worth it's weight in gold so far. Again thanks for the tips, I'll re-read them and check all this stuff out. I need to be careful though, the gear nut in me is going nuts and this elk fascination is turning into an obsession for me. Not all bad though haha!

 

[Micah S]

A lot depends on you budget if your poor buy the rubber / plastic type it keeps you dry. If you have a good budget look at First Lite or KUIU. I've used a lot of cheap breathable rain gear and most of it is crap.