First backpack hunt... tips?

[taylorb]

Buddy and I area about to do our first backpacking hunt.  We've both been backpacking and hunting for years separately and generally put down the miles hunting but want to get further away from the sheeple...  I'm looking at a few options in Chewuch with some different elevation profiles and depending on the weather we can go higher or lower.  Wanted to see if anyone had any sage advice - planning on doing two nights for this first go around.

[7mag.]

Everybody over packs at first. Take a hard look at your pack list and cut some items out. Keep a positive attitude and have fun.

[brew]

only being out two nites would rather stay hydrated than overpack food.  take something that can be added to treated water for caloric intake--powdered gatorade or similar that has a lot of carbs.  get a straw that purifies water and you can spit that water into a container with the powdered drink.  we just got back from a  3 day muzzleloader elk hunt and basically ate some protien bars and drank powdered hi-carb drink mix.  yes when i got home i cooked/ate a peperoni pizza but for a couple nites you are not gonna starve to death.  good luck on the hunt

[ganghis]

Modern rifle?  Why Chewuch?  You can get away from the crowds that way if you head up towards the Pasayten, but otherwise there's enough ungated forest roads up there that it can be difficult to get away from folks.  You might try Perrygin; higher amount of closed roads and you can either bike or hike in (tho there'll be stock up there too).  One strategy is to get back in there and bivvy up on a ridge and let other people push game your way.  You say you're backpacking literate so I'll stop there... pack light, but don't skimp on optics.

Good luck!

[taylorb]

Thanks for the recommendations.  We've got a buddy staying down the road that we're going to stay with before/after but ill look over at Perygin as well as its not too far.

[RallyDawg]

Is there a map that identifies what gates the USFS closes 10/1?  I have looked on their website without any luck so is there any rule of thumb where to generally expect gates to be closed for the season?  I am assuming that most mainlines will remain open. 

[boneaddict]

I think there is a land use map with the gates on them.  I don't recall though.  Be prepared for wet and snow.   It's supposed to start hammering Thursday through Sunday.  I've been monitoring it as I was headed into a hole.  It looks solid.

[RallyDawg]

Thanks, I'll keep looking and see if I find something.  I'll be hunting in an area where I shouldn't be affected by an unforeseen gate closure but it would be nice to know if I have to change my plan due to weather up high.   

[Home Grown Big]

I have been doing some solo scouting trips/ gear shake trips for elk season. I skip the tent in favor for a bivy sac and light weight tarp. I do not bother with cooking anything. So no stove and all of that crap. I go high calorie walnuts, dried fruit, salami and a flask. Taking starbuck vias are helpful as they dissolve in cold water and keep up the kick.
I was pretty stripped down and still felt a bit overpacked, but when hypothermia is a potential issue I grin and bear it because it is a no brainer. That said, I found super light weight down pile throw blankets at costco 20$. They are light as *censored* and super warm! I was able to really cut back on the extra night cloths I would normally take and just bundle up in the blanket, and with that dropped prolly 5# maybe more.
I am just leaving more and more stuff in the car in case of a double pack out, but still trying to find the right balance.

What type of packs do folks use?

[boneaddict]

Follow up....... How'd the hunts turn out?

[robertsjd]

yea what bone said ?