Back Country

[Elkstuffer]

Great info guys! Thanks!

[briancorneal]

Go with what you have/can afford this year.  Try purchasing the lighter items a few a month if possible.  If you want to go lighter on  a sleeping bag (where you can save the most weight) it's about $100 a pound as you go lighter.  If I were you, I'd check out Cameron Hane's book "Backcountry Bowhunting".  He's got all the tips and tricks to get rid of some weight.  Ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain.  I currently have a mystery ranch nice 6500 pack (heavier than most hunting packs), but it's the caddilac of packs.  The extra comfort is worth the extra pounds.  To go lighter, it'll cost you, so I'd also get an REI membership so you can get 10% back on what you pay.

[GreatWhiteHunter]

Cameron Hane's book "Backcountry Bowhunting".  He's got all the tips and tricks to get rid of some weight.   

Is there an echo in here? j/k For sure a must read if you ask me.

[Tim in Wa.]

You should take a look at Kifaru Para-tarp(11 oz.) or as Super -tarp 16 oz.) Trying to get out of a Bivy to pee when its raining(without getting your bag wet) is pretty tough
Tim

[MLhunter1]

I really wanted to do this too this year but probably not in my cards with the baby incoming around then.  A buddy does it regularly and packs a bunch of stuff in the week before.  Hangs water, food, and beer from trees the week before.  The beer for you two is really gonna weigh you guys down.  If your goin with who I think you are.

[JLS]

 I do not bring a filter if I am hunting the high country nor do i filter my water I would not recommend it but I just cant get myelf to haul my filter up or waste fuel boiling water.
[/quote]

I never used to filter mine either, until I got giardia.  I wouldn't wish that on anybody.  I now carry a Katydyn Pro.

[colockumelk]

I just bring "Potable Aqua"  basically iodine tablets.  Doesn't taste all that bad.  During SERE school in Alabama I was able to drink Alabama creek water with the Potable Aqua and you couldn't really taste the iodine.  In the high country I like to put a little bit of Gatorade mix or Emergen-C in with it to add taste to it.

WARNING!!!  When you mix in a drink mix only use half the recommended dosage.  Gatorade etc is now designed for taste and not so much for increasing your performance.  "Modern" Gatorade etc has far too much sugar in it but it does have electrolytes etc in it to help you out.  So.... to avoid the overdose of sugar I recommend and so does the people at SERE school (Survival Evasion Resistance Escape) to only use half the recommended amount of drink mix.

[JLS]

I've used the Potable Aqua too, and didn't mind the taste.  I just didn't like waiting a half hour to drink it (hence the reason I got impatient and drank untreated water for the last time).

HEED is a very good electrolyte additive if it's hot and you are sweating hard.

[briancorneal]

I like to bring as much powdered or freeze dried stuff as I can for food. e.g.

Powdered Tang: Boil a cup of water and you have a nice treat to keep yourself warm any time of day or night

Cous Cous (sp?): I usually bring about 1 cup for for nights and mix in three or four tablespoons into my Mtn. House for a few extra caleries. They are dry and light but have a high in carbs.

Vanilla Jello Instant Pudding: especially if I know there will be berries around that I can pick and throw in. Just dump some in a bowl and add cold water and you have an awesome breakfast or desert.

Out of all the backcountry tips, this one is genius!

[JLS]

The vanilla pudding tip is a dandy.  I'll have to try that one.  You could save the bowl by putting it in a freezer bag and kneading it until it's mixed.  That's how I do my oatmeal.  Pack it out or burn it when done.

[GreatWhiteHunter]

I like to bring as much powdered or freeze dried stuff as I can for food. e.g.

Powdered Tang: Boil a cup of water and you have a nice treat to keep yourself warm any time of day or night

Cous Cous (sp?): I usually bring about 1 cup for for nights and mix in three or four tablespoons into my Mtn. House for a few extra caleries. They are dry and light but have a high in carbs.

Vanilla Jello Instant Pudding: especially if I know there will be berries around that I can pick and throw in. Just dump some in a bowl and add cold water and you have an awesome breakfast or desert.

Out of all the backcountry tips, this one is genius!

 

[Elkstuffer]

Great tips guys! Keep'em coming. I leave Sept 8th for 5 days out for 1 and back in for 7 more.

[Snapshot]

A serving of granola cereal and a measured-to-taste amount of powdered milk in a ziplock bag; add the water (which you've filtered, or treated, from a source near your camp) and you have a cold cereal breakfast. A week's worth of these don't add up to much weight.

[Snapshot]

Food that is packaged so that it doesn't smell can be cached on the ground; Mountain House meals and canned goods for example. Food that does smell can be properly cached in a tree to keep it out of the reach of animals.