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 Of Items To Bring On Your Outfitted Hunt

Also Please Note: 

- If not using our taxidermist or butcher, you will need to buy or bring a cooler and dry ice after the kill to transport the meat and hide to your final destination

- Hunting guides rely upon gratuity for part of their income.  It is a common practice to tip your guide to show your appreciation.  For people that are unfamiliar with tipping of guides, most hunters usually give $100 to $500, depending upon the species hunted and services provided.

- It is nice to relax around the campfire with a “cold one” after a day’s hunt.  Due to the law and liability, we cannot provide your alcoholic beverages.  If you drink, please bring your alcohol with you.  Your alcohol can only be consumed after legal hunting hours when the sun is down. 

Equipment Recommendations and Brand Names

By Pat Feldt

Each season I am asked which brand or type of a certain item I recommend.  As with anything, it is important to buy the highest quality equipment that you can afford.  This eliminates having to purchase that item again or more often than you would like.  I also strongly recommend buying items of minimal weight.  This cuts back on fatigue while in the field, allowing you to go that extra mile.  It is not essential to your hunt that you have these particular brands, but here are a few things I have tried in the field and recommend:

• Binoculars - Recommended sizes are 10X42, 12X50 or 15X56 for open country hunts and 8X for forest hunts (archery elk and turkey).  Swarovski and Leica are top of the line and bring in much light and detail.  If you cannot afford these superior European glasses ($1200-$3000), the higher end models of Burris Signature, Nikon Monarch or Leupold Golden Ring ($400-$1000) are fair binoculars.  Remember, a good pair of binoculars is essential to finding game in the large canyons of Arizona and New Mexico.

• Riflescope - Variable power settings are a must.  Recommended brand is Leupold.  A 3-9X might be good for javelina, cow elk or coyote hunts when shooting distance are typically closer than 250 yards, but it is too small for big canyon hunting of any other species.  Leupold Model Vari-X III in 6.5-20X or 4.5-14X will suit your needs for any species.  50mm objectives seem to bring in the most light during the critical early morning or late afternoon hours, but when you are on a sheep, coues or bear hunt, go with 40mm to save weight in this rougher terrain. 

• Bipod - Don't skimp and buy an "off the wall" brand thinking they are all the same.  I have used most bipods on the market and most have severe wobble.  Any "play" is magnified down range.  Buy a Harris in the 9-13" model, solid mount with leg notches.  This model extends when the button is pushed and can be clicked to different increments.  It is not the model that retracts when the button is pushed.  The recommended model is the 1A2-LM 9-13".  It is low enough to use a rear rest.  It can be purchased at MidwayUSA.com

• Sleeping Bag - A good night's sleep is essential to a great hunt.  Sleeping bags come in all shapes and sizes ( I prefer a rectangle as opposed to the mummy), but what is important is the thermal rating and compactness (packing in your luggage for the plane).  Our cold month hunts in November through April may be spent in wall tents.  Outside nighttime temperatures may get as low as 10 degrees, with inside tent temperatures around 50 with the heater on.  If the heater goes out in the middle of the night (and it more than likely will), you need to be prepared.   I recommend a 0 to 20 degree rating for those cold weather hunts.  During mild weather hunts in August through October, I recommend a 40 degree rating.  Slumberjack, Eureka, REI, and Cabelas have a line of compact sleeping bags at various degree ratings that fit nicely into your luggage.

• Beanie - A beanie is great for keeping your head warm while sleeping during cold weather hunts.  It eliminates the need to bury your head under your sleeping bag and it actually keeps your whole body warmer while sleeping.

• Daypack - Many hunters have come with packs too small.  If you tag an animal, you might need to take the guide's gear in your pack (and they have a lot of stuff) as he packs out the game.  If it is a large animal such as bear or elk, you will need to help pack the game out.  You do not need a giant backpack, but a good daypack with a waste strap for putting the weight above the hips and not all on the shoulders is best.  You should have a pack with a capacity around 2000 - 3000cu-in.  The "Cabelas Bow/Rifle Pack" is good since you can secure your weapon on the pack.  This eliminates fatigue from carrying a weapon on your shoulder all day in the rough, canyon terrain.  I use a Badlands 2200 and it is an awesome, lightweight pack with special pockets for a tripod, spotting scope, etc.  Badlands also has the Super Daypack and a 2800 model that have worked well for my clients.  A gun can also be secured to these models.  There is no real need for packframes since the guide will have one, unless you are doing a special backpack hunt.

• Water Transport - Having enough water in your pack is very important in this arid environment, especially after the kill.  Once you kill, you just doubled or even tripled your water requirement in order to help pack out the extra weight.  There are no streams to drink from if you are out of water.  On our August through October hunts, two liters should be taken into the field at all times even if you don't think you need it.  Over three-hundred people die in the Arizona desert per year due to severe dehydration.  Before each hike, you need to refill so that you have two liters in your pack.  Camelback or Dromedary Bladders work well, but make sure you rinse out the bad, plastic taste from newly purchased bladders.  A couple military 1-Liter bottles will also work.  We see many hunters dump out their water because it becomes too heavy.  This is a big mistake.  On several occasions I have rescued hunters and even guides in the early stages of heat stroke or severe dehydration.  In all cases it could have been prevented by staying hydrated and packing enough water.  The humidity in Arizona or Southern New Mexico rarely exceeds 10% and can dry you out in minutes!  If you are worried about the added weight of water, shave off a few pounds elsewhere. 

• Hiking Boots - Most AZ terrain is very rocky.  Get a lightweight boot with good ankle support and traction.  My choice are the Danner Pronghorns.  They are a sturdy boot that requires little breaking in.  Danner GTX is a tougher, but slightly heavier boot.  They both come in models with insulation for cold hunts and no insulation for warm hunts.  For warmer weather hunting such as bear and early deer, try boots that are uninsulated.  Cabelas, Rocky and Danner are quality boots.  

• Archery Boot Silencers - For Bow and Arrow, Muzzleloader and Handgun Hunts.  These strap over your boots when making the last 100 yards of your archery stalk.  It beats taking your shoes off to get that extra few yards needed on the loud, dry, gravel desert floor.  Try Sneaky Petes by PSE or Carlton's Felt Stalkers.  Stay away from "Baer's Feet" stalkers, as they tend to slip-off as you are walking.  

• Camouflage Clothing - Camo pattern depends upon which type of hunt you will be on, either a desert hunt or a forest hunt.  Desert hunts such as sheep, bear, deer, javelina, predators, and antelope require lighter camo patterns like Natural Gear, Outfitter Camo, Mossy Oak Brush or King's Desert Shadow.  Most colors in the desert during hunting season are light gray/brown.  Stay away from the really light "prairie" patterns though.  You'll stand out like a sore thumb.  Forest hunts such as Elk and Turkey require darker camo patterns like Mossy Oak New Break-Up or Real Tree Extra Gray.

• Portable Field Seat Cushion - This may not sound too important, but when you are glassing and sitting on a cold, jagged boulder for hours, it is invaluable.  The comfort a foam pad brings will help you be more patient.  Brand does not matter, but make sure it is not too big or it will be cumbersome to carry in or on your pack.  I usually trim mine to fit in the pack.  One-inch thickness is plenty.  Don't bring a field chair unless you don't mind carrying the added weight.

• Flushable Wipes - For personal hygiene.  The flushable wipes often replace toilet paper and will decompose easier than cotton baby wipes.  They are highly recommended for camping to "freshen-up" when you can't take a shower and to eliminate sore bottoms (monkey butt).  

• Rifle Caliber Selection - Basically, choose a caliber that you can handle and shoot accurately without flinching.  If that means getting a muzzlebrake installed, than that is what you need to do.  We all know hunters that use big magnums, but miss everything they shoot at because they flinch and are afraid of the gun.  Again, a muzzlebrake will do wonders!  For hunters that like to use different calibers for different species, here is a range of calibers to use for each species:  Javelina - .223, .22-250, .243, up to .300 Magnum;  Coues and Mule Deer, Sheep, Antelope - .257 Magnum up to .300 Magnum;  Bull Elk and Bear- 7mm Magnum up to .338 Magnum.   If I were use one cartridge for all rifle hunting, it would be the .300 Remington Ultra Magnum, with a KDF Muzzlebrake of course.  This cartridge can be loaded and used for all North American big game species from a 45 pound javelina to a 2500 pound bull bison.  It is also superior for long range shooting in high winds across canyons.  Another important point that I must mention is that you should have a weapon that is as lightweight as possible.  Rifles with heavy varmint or target barrels might be nice from a bench or while prairie dog shooting, but the mountains of the Southwest are no place for them.

• Ammunition - Just like anything, don't buy the cheapest ammo.  Good loaded rifle ammo usually costs over $40.00 per box.  The more expensive Federal Premiums, Remington Premier or Winchester Supreme loaded ammunitions are very accurate and precise.  They can be found online at Cabelas or MidwayUSA.  I recommend the bullets with a polymer tip and boat tail design that are bonded to the jacket or try copper bullets.  Accubonds are my first choice, with Scirocco being second and Barnes XST being third.  These bullets have a high ballistic coefficient for long range and stay together when they hit.  Hornady Interbond is also a good bonded, polymer tipped bullet designed for long range performance.  Barnes Bullets have recently become very popular.  Try the Triple Shock X Bullet for nearly 100% weight retention and good pass through. Nosler Partitions will stay together, but are designed for close range and will dive like a cannon ball at longer ranges. So try to stay away from Partitions.  More than likely, you will not get any close shots anyway.  Important: sight in with the ammo you will be using on the hunt.  I see many hunters buy a cheap box of ammo to sight in their gun and use a totally different load on the hunt.  All ammo shoots differently and is magnified out at  long ranges.  

• Bullet Weight - You want to get the best trajectory and energy transfer for the cartridge you are shooting, which often means choosing the correct bullet weight.  Try not to match up the bullet weight with the game animal you will be hunting because flat trajectory is more important in this open country.  For instance, you wouldn't want to hunt open country elk using a .30-06 loaded with 200 grain bullets.  It seems logical to use as heavy a bullet as possible on a big animal, but it doesn't work that way with long range shooting.  The 200gr .30-06 bullet might have high energy coming out of the muzzle, but it will not have enough energy at long distance like a flatter shooting 150-165 grain .30-06 bullet would.  If you look at the charts of the offered bullet weights for a particular cartridge, the middle weight will more than likely give you the best trajectory and knockdown power at long range.  The key is performance at long range.  For instance:  a .243 should get the best long range performance with a 85-90gr bullet, a .270 should get the best long range performance with a 130-140gr, a 7mm Magnum should get the best long range performance with a 150gr, a .30-06 should get the best long range performance with a 150gr, a .300 Winchester Magnum or .300 Short Magnums should get the best performance with a 150-165gr, a .300 Remington Ultra Magnum should get the best long range performance with a 180gr, a .325 Magnum should get the best long range performance with a 200gr, and a .338 Magnum should get the best long range performance with a 225gr.  If you cannot find these weights, than go lighter.  You will be more successful if you use a lighter bullet that is placed well than using a heavy bullet that is placed at the animal's feet!

• Archery Broadhead Selection -  Two types of broadhead designs to choose from are the fixed blade and mechanical.  Mechanical broadheads are legal in AZ and NM.  These designs often have double the cutting diameter of a fixed blade.  They produce an awesome wound channel leading to a quick and humane kill, if the shot is placed well.  One cannot argue that these designs are superior in flight, much similar to a field point.  The only downside is if you hit bone.  I have seen mechanicals slice in-between the ribs of bull elk, but have yet to see one punch through each side if it hits bone.  I prefer fixed three blades for elk or bear and mechanicals on anything else.  If using fixed heads, any brand with a 1-inch cutting diameter that flies without planing should be used.  I prefer the Muzzy Brand, since they seem to fly true and rarely come apart when they hit bone.  The G5's seem to work well too.  If using mechanical heads, I like the tuff Rocket brand.  They fly like field points, which is needed on shots out at 60 yards and beyond.  I have also recently seen a few clients with success using the Rage opening broadheads.  They fly true and produce a big wound channel.

• A GPS should be brought for emergency purposes only.  Marking the camp or truck is okay, but please refrain from using the GPS while on your hunt for marking our "hot spots."  This will make your guide paranoid and you might find yourself in a mediocre area.

• Weight of Gear - Again, I strongly urge hunters to bring field items that are lightweight, without compromising quality of course.   Any extra ounce you can save will be felt (or not felt) at the end of the day.  Bringing heavy weapons with varmint barrels or wooden stocks, video cameras, big SLR cameras with telephoto lenses, a sidearm, multiple boxes of ammo, etc., in the field is a common mistake.  If there is anything in your pack that you don't really need (within reason), then leave it behind.  This cuts back on fatigue while in the field, allowing you to go that extra mile, thus, increasing your odds and having a more enjoyable hunt!  

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This website last updated: April 30, 2008

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