Big game old school?

[Wolfhound]

Forgive my rambling. I've been rifle hunting here in CO for the past 10 years. I started out calling coyotes and because of that I picked up a lot of camo. Naturally I started using that for big game. The longer I hunt the more gear I seem to acquire. I went from a camelbak and fanny pack with a15lb .300WM in the early years up to a backpack with water bladder and too much stuff in it.

This year I picked up a Kimber 84M in .308 and I really feel like leaving the camo at home, throwing on some dungarees, flannel and a wool coat (with mandatory blaze orange gear of course). Fill a possible bag with lunch, water, ammo, first aid kit and just start hunting.

Am I losing my mind? Has hitting 40+ made me yearn for simpler times?

When did camo become popular? people harvested critters all the time before it was created.

sigh...see Saturday night rambling.

any thoughts on this are most welcome.

Regards,
Wolfhound

[trout_champ]

In hear ya. I’m only 28 years old, but I can see the way you’re thinking.

I’ve always hunted with my dad and I always wore plain jane clothes from the Goodwill (mom wouldn’t let us wear good clothes outside). Now that I buy my own stuff I have more camo and enough crap to make a SEAL jealous.

My dad has always wore a pair of jeans or BDU pants and a flannel with the mandatory orange vest. He somehow always gets larger animals than me or my brother and talks tons of crap because we spent a months pay on gear and his stuff is from the swap meet.

I have gone the way of minimalist in fly fishing and plan on doing the same this year for hunting, right after I but/trade for a new rifle.

Randy

[Wolfhound]

Good to know. I carry so much stuff with. My hunting buddy has nicknamed me "boyscout" because I always have everything and frankly I'm tired of carrying it all. All those "what if's" that you read about...been 10+ years of hunting. Been miles off course and added 12 miles to the day when we've gotten on the other side of the mountain and switched mountains...I've run out of water and had to make due.

Somehow all the gear didn't help me but boy did it add to my blisters...sigh.

Wolfhound

[Bowtie]

I think the problem is companies only make good cold weather hunting clothes and boots in a camo pattern. I think its becuase out east, camo is more imoprtant. I would rather buy coveralls and jackets in brown.

[mcantar18c]

My hunting gear for just about any game is pretty limited. Rifle of choice (depending on game), 1 full reload for rifle, sidearm (.44mag) for bears, a couple knives. Pack has map/compass, flint/magnesium, water purification tablets, Camelbak bladder, BOK, warm long sleeve UnderArmour shirt, a few Powerbars, and a very powerful CO2 handgun with a can of pellets and a spare CO2 cartridge. Weighs maybe 20lbs tops, most of that is water and the weight of the pack itself.
I wear my normal hiking boots, black BDUs from the surplus store, and a dark green coat or black hoodie depending on weather.
No camo or anything fancy, no unnecessary weight, and everything I need to survive long enough to make it back to civilization.

[yellowbrick2000]

What's up with the CO2 gun?? small game??