What to Bring

Whether you’re at a complete loss for what to bring or you just want a quick recap before heading out, make sure you have these essentials. Hunts on the ranch have several differences from a traditional hunt on public land. Hunter orange is not required, for example. Most of our hunters wear subtle camo fabrics. Read on for the rest of our recommendations.

Binoculars and Rangefinders

You will want binoculars that are lightweight; 10×40 or 12×50 work well for the country we hunt. We also recommend the Crooked Horn Bino-System or something similar as a carrying strap.  Or look for our favorite Badlands bino/rangefinder harness, called the BINO XR X Case (www.badlandsgear.com) It is so nice to have to protect your gear from snow and debris while having it strapped into a quiet easily accessible case.

Rangefinders can really increase your shooting accuracy. Being on the ranch’s varied terrain and shooting an animal more than twice the size of a whitetail can mean your shots will likely be shorter than normal. There’s no better way to fine-tune your judge of distance than with a rangefinder, especially when bow hunting. Also, be sure to bring your camera!

Boots

We recommend bringing two pairs of footwear: A lightweight pair to use around the lodge, and the second should be comparable to Gortex, leather, 200 gram, 8″ high boot, you’ll probably use this the most. Depending on the time of year that you hunt, you may want a 600-800 Thinsulate leather sided boot, this is for colder temperatures that you might encounter, more common during later hunts. Our weather is quite unpredictable though, and Mother Nature never seems to know when later is.

Climate, Altitude, & Hydration

The weather during hunting season can be anything from 70’s and sunny to 10 below zero. Check the forecast before you come to help give you an idea of what to expect. If you are coming from sea level, you will experience 15% less oxygen at our altitude of 7,000 ft. It generally takes a day and a half to acclimate. Staying hydrated is the best way to ward off nausea, fatigue and headaches. Carrying a water bottle is critical to keeping up on the hunt.

Clothing & Staying Warm

Layering your clothing helps, as it’s much colder in the early mornings than in the afternoon. Also bring some moisture-wicking layers and wet gear in case of rain/snow. The warmth and breathability of cotton is hard to beat, but there are several other synthetics on the market that work well too. It’s a good idea to bring two pair of gloves, a warm hat a heavy coat and warm socks (smart wools).

Calls

A simple cow call is the most important call to have. Cow calling after a bull is hit will also settle him down, and generally he won’t go far. The best cheap cow call is a diaphragm. Another great easy call is the Primos Hoochie Mama call. It’s easy to use and produces a great, consistent sound. Typically, your guide will use a bugle or calls on certain days to locate the elk, so you may not need to use at call at all.

Archery