Brady Miller's 2022 late-season mule deer gear list

Photo credit: Brady Miller
Another fall is here, and as always, that means another one of my gear lists. This article is all about my upcoming late-season backcountry-style mule deer hunts. There are just a few small tweaks here and there that I made for 2022, but nothing major has changed.
I want to start off by saying that the gear I use is just what works well for me. I will never say you "need to use the gear I use to be successful." I get a lot of comments each year about my list that people enjoy them. And my entire goal for sharing my gear lists for each hunt is to help people. I've made a lot of mistakes backpacking in the mountains early on in my life, and so I don't want people to experience those. My struggles in the past, are a way to help people going forward. And so these gear lists are a way to show what has worked for me. Because if I don't trust something, I will not use it. Yes, you don't need a super heavy weapon, you don't need a ton of weight in optics, but for me, it's just something that works well. This gear list is based around a full backpack-style hunt, so this is everything I'm carrying in my pack. And my late season, I hope to experience snow and lots of cold temperatures. Which is why there is a need for some extra gear.
If you're a visual person, you can watch my gear list video and the reasons I use each piece of gear below:
Why a gear list?
The reason I personally do gear lists for every hunt is simple... I want to know that I don't leave anything behind and to see if there is anything I need to add or even subtract from my gear. As most know, when I'm getting ready for a hunt, I create a personalized gear list well in advance. I why always tell people to take all their gear and place it on the floor and look through it several times to ensure you have everything and to see what you could live without. I always keep my gear lists in both a Google Sheet that I can access from my phone and I also have a custom Excel spreadsheet I built several years ago that I linked in some previous articles for people to download and work off of that I also create for every hunt.
NOTE: If you want to access my downloadable Excel file, you can jump over to the Insider only gear list article linked below:
Download his gear list file in this article
My gear list breakdown for a backpack style late season mule deer hunt
Clothes Packed In Backpack (Extra layers) | ||
---|---|---|
Item | Model | Weight (oz) |
Rain Jacket | SITKA Dew Point Jacket - Pyrite - (LT) | 12.10 |
Rain Pant | SITKA Dew Point Pant - Pyrite - (LT) | 11.10 |
Mid Layer | SITKA Heavyweight Hoody - Subalpine - (XL) | 15.40 |
Softshell Jacket | SITKA Ambiant Hoody - Pyrite - (XLT) | 13.80 |
Insulation Top | SITKA Kelvin Lite Down Jacket - Subalpine - (XL) | 18.60 |
Insulation Bottom | SITKA Kelvin Lite Pant - Open Country - (L) | 20.30 |
Beanie | Fjallraven Byron Hat | 3.00 |
Gloves | SITKA Stormfront GTX Gloves - Subalpine - XL | 6.50 |
Mittens | SITKA Blizzard GTX Mittens (Just The Liner) - Open Country (XL) | 4.20 |
Clothes Worn (Items I always wear each day) | ||
Item | Model | Weight (oz) |
Top (Wicking) | SITKA Core Lightweight Hoody - Subalpine - (XLT) | 7.70 |
Bottoms (Outer) | SITKA Timberline Pant - Lead (34T) | 28.10 |
Belt | SITKA Stealth Belt | 2.50 |
Gloves | SITKA Gunner WS Glove | 4.40 |
Hat (Hiking) | GOHUNT Alpha | 3.20 |
Underwear | SAXX Quest Long Boxer - (M) | 3.10 |
Watch | Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar | 3.00 |
Socks (Hiking) | Darn Tough Merino Hunter Boot Full Cushion 2012 - (XL) | 3.10 |
Leg Gaiter | PEAX Storm Castle Gaiters - (L/XL) | 11.00 |
Footwear | ||
Item | Model | Weight (oz) |
Boots | Hanwag Trapper Top (12.5) | 88.4 |
Insoles | SheepFeet Full-Length Custom Orthotic Insole (Heel Stabilizer & Double Cushioning) | |
Backpack | ||
Item | Model | Weight (oz) |
Backpack | Stone Glacier Sky Guide 7900 w/ XCurve frame | 96.0 |
Pack Rain Cover | Stone Glacier Pack Rain Cover | 3.50 |
Pack Pocket | Stone Glacier Accessory Pocket (R) | 2.10 |
Camera Holder | Cotton Carrier Strapshot | 3.80 |
Optics | ||
Item | Model | Weight (oz) |
Spotting Scope Eyepiece | Swarovski BTX Eyepiece | 49.60 |
Spotting Scope Objective | Swarovski 115 mm Objective w/cap | 78.20 |
Tripod Plate | Sirui TY-70A Quick Release Plate | 1.60 |
Digiscope Setup | Magview B1 Binocular System | -- |
Digiscope Setup | Magview Phone Plate W/Phone Case | 1.50 |
Binoculars | Vortex Razor UHD 12x50 | 36.10 |
Harness | Marsupial Gear Enclosed Bino Harness (L) | 15.10 |
Rangefinder | Sig Sauer Kilo8K ABS W/Lanyard | 8.50 |
Rangefinder Battery (Extra) | Energizer Lithium CR2 | -- |
Rangefinder Case | Marsupial Gear Rangefinder Pouch (S) | 2.50 |
Bino Adapter | Aziak Equipment Bino Clamp | 0.387 |
Tripod | Sirui ST-124 Carbon Fiber Tripod | 37.00 |
Pan Head | Sirui VA-5 Ultra-Compact Fluid Head (Stock Handle Removed) | 17.75 |
Pan Head Handle | Aziak Equipment Carbon Fiber Handle | 0.562 |
Digiscope Setup | iPhone 12 Pro Max | 8.30 |
Sleep System | ||
Item | Model | Weight (oz) |
Shelter | Seek Outside Cimarron Dyneema Shelter | 24.90 |
Shelter Pole | Seek Outside Lil Bugout Carbon Fiber Center Pole | 8.10 |
Guyline Cordage | Zpacks 2.0mm Z-Line Cord | -- |
Guyline Accessories | Zpacks Micro Linelocs | -- |
Shelter Compression Sack | Sea To Summit Ultra-Sil Compression Sack (XXS) | 1.30 |
Shelter Pole | Seek Outside Cimarron Carbon Fiber Center Pole | 10.30 |
Stove | Seek Outside U-Turn Medium Titanium Stove | 17.60 |
Stove Pipe | Seek Outside 7.5' Stove Pipe | 16.40 |
Shelter Stakes | Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ultralight Stakes (13 W/ Bag) | 6.20 |
Ground Sheet | Tyvek Sheet | 5.10 |
Sleeping Bag | Stone Glacier Chilkoot 15 Degree Sleeping Bag | 34.70 |
Compression Sack | Sea To Summit Ultra-Sil Compression Sack - Size: S | 2.20 |
Sleeping Pad | Therm-A-Rest NeoAir UberLite - Regular | 11.40 |
Gear | ||
Item | Model | Weight (oz) |
Tarp | Seek Outside DST - Dyneema | 11.50 |
Tarp Guyline Cordage | Zpacks 1.3mm Z-Line Cord | -- |
Trekking Poles | PEAX Sissy Stix Backcountry Elite | 16.05 |
Glassing Pad | StHealthy Hunter Glassing Pad (Gray) | 6.80 |
Wind Check (Rifle) | Kestrel 5700 Elite Meter With Applied Ballistics LiNK | 6.00 |
Ear Protection | Orange Wrap Around Head Ear Protection | 0.60 |
Ammo Holder | GOHUNT Ammo Wallet | 1.94 |
Wind Check | Smoke In A Bottle | 0.70 |
Solar Panel | Anker 21W 2-Port Foldable Solar Panel | 16.90 |
Battery Pack | GOHUNT Dark Energy Poseidon (Old Version) | 8.87 |
Saw | Silky Saw F180 | 5.60 |
Food Hanging Bag | Outdoor Research Dry Sack (15L) | 2.00 |
Food Hanging | Z Packs Z Line Slick Cord W/Carabiener | 2.00 |
Wolf Call | Primos Randy Anderson Lil Dog | 1.144 |
Optics Accessories Bag | ||
Item | Model | Weight (oz) |
Gear Bag | Stone Glacier Swing Out Pocket | 1.00 |
Dust Blower | Optics Dust Blower | 1.60 |
Lens Wipes | Zeiss Lens Wipes x 4 | 0.32 |
Lens Pen | Vortex Optics Lens Cleaning Pen | 0.554 |
Charge Cord | iPhone Charge Cord | 0.65 |
Charge Cord | Micro USB Cord For Headlamp & Sat Messenger | 0.20 |
Kill Kit | ||
Item | Model | Weight (oz) |
Gear Bag | Stone Glacier Camp Pocket | 1.80 |
Knife | Goat Knives Ibex Mini | 1.01 |
Replaceable Blades | 60A Replaceable Blades x 5 | 0.50 |
Knife | Goat Knives Nitro TUR | 2.80 |
Hunting License | All Required Licenses | 0.28 |
Lighter | Large Bic Lighter W/Lukotape | 0.70 |
Lighter | Small Bic Lighter (Backup) | 0.40 |
Tape | Small Roll Of Electrical Tape | 0.80 |
Pills | Salt Pills, Advil | 1.50 |
Game Bags | ARGALI High Country Pack Ultralight Game Bag Set (5 Bags) | 9.50 |
Safety Gear | ||
Item | Model | Weight (oz) |
Satellite Messenger | Garmin inReach Mini W/Carabiner | 3.90 |
Headlamp | PEAX Backcountry Duo Headlamp | 4.20 |
Headlamp (Spare) | Petzl Reactik+ | 3.97 |
Tooth Brush & Paste | Z Packs Ultralight Travel Tooth Brush & Paste | 0.70 |
First Aid | Assorted First Aid Kit in aLOKSAK bag | 1.40 |
Fire Starter | Pyro Putty Winter Blend | 2.563 |
Fire Starter (Spare) | Esbit 1300-Degree Smokeless Solid 14g Fuel Tablets | -- |
Toilet Paper | Toilet Paper in ZipLoc Bag | 0.99 |
Weapon | ||
Item | Model | Weight (oz) |
Rifle | Browning X-Bolt Long Range 300 RUM W/McMillan A3-5 ADJ Stock | 229.20 |
Muzzle Brake | Snowy Mountain Rifles 30 Cal Snowflake Self Timing Titanium 3 Port Brake (5/8-24) | |
Riflescope | Vortex Razor HD Gen II 4.5-27 FFP | |
Riflescope Rings | Vortex Precision Matched Rings 34mm (Low: 0.92") | |
Picatinny Rail | Talley 20 MOA Picatinny Rail For Browning X-Bolt | |
Scope Level | Flatline Ops Patriot Plus Level (34mm) | |
Two round holder | Short Action Precision Two-Round Ammo Holder | |
Bipod | MDT Ckye-Pod Gen2 Single Pull Standard | |
Bipod Rail | Unknown Munitions The Hunters Rail - Short | |
Ammo | Personal Handloads = Barnes 208 LRX BT Bullet, ADG Brass, Federal Match 215 Primers, H1000 powder = 10 rounds | -- |
Rear Support | Rugged Ridge Outdoor Gear Rear Support System | 4.37 |
Rifle Cover | GOHUNT Gunslicker Rifle Protective Cover | 4.83 |
Cook Kit | ||
Item | Model | Weight (oz) |
Stove | Jetboil Stash Stove System | 6.60 |
Fuel | Jetboil Jetpower 100g Fuel Canister | 7.00 |
Spork | Sea to Summit Alpha Light Long Spork | 0.30 |
Water | ||
Item | Model | Weight (oz) |
Water | Platypus Big Zip EVO 3L Hydration Bladder (filled with 2 liters of water) | 78.00 |
Water Bottle | GOHUNT Nalgene (Empty) | 6.20 |
Water Purification | Platypus Quickdraw 1L Water Filter | 4.20 |
Water Purification | Steripen Ultralight UV Water Purifier | 2.52 |
Water Container | MSR DromLite 6L | 4.80 |
A few notable items that have always been in my gear list have been removed for this year. I decided to leave my Aquamira water purification drops at home, and I elected not to take a pillow this year. The pillow... it just seems to never stay put in my sleeping back since I'm already at the max height of the bag. So the pillow usually ends up not under my head at night, and thus, it is a wasted item.
In conclusion
As always, I'm an open book. If anyone has any questions about the gear I'm using on my upcoming late-season mule deer hunts, I'd be more than willing to dive in and explain a few things. If you have an upcoming mule deer hunt planned or are looking at one down the road in the future, have fun and enjoy the time on the mountain.
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