Pics of your backcountry camp

[Okanagan]

Yep, have done it both ways:  hunting out of a backpack camp and carrying overnight gear with me and spending the night close to where I ended the day without long hikes back to camp. 

I like to do the latter, but hate to carry stuff all day so I use the minimal survival gear that I always carry.  I use it regularly in discretionary stay outs that are non-emergency.  If I was on game at dark I am right close to there at dawn with no hiking back and forth and less disturbance. 

My gear is mainly all the warm clothes that I wear or carry.  Put them all on, including some kind of breathable shell.  Add to that a minimal ground sheet, a thin micro closed cell foam insulating pad from hip to shoulder, minimal tarp and some tear open hand warmers placed strategically one layer out from skin.  I have spent nights with only that stuff in snow at 8,000 feet in Idaho and BC elk and goat country, etc.  Gloves/mitts and neck gaiter are a given, knee high gaiters, etc.  If you have it, wear it at night!  Sleep on your pack.  Loosen belt and boots but keep them on. 

Try it for one night close to home before the big time waaay out there!  You can bail and go home that way if this is not for you.  Comfort level is different for different people.  I sleep well in places most people find uncomfortable and if you are too uncomfortable, you will spend a night that changes from tolerable to miserable.  If you don't sleep well you won't hunt well, and it is fine to decide you need to carry more to stay comfortable. 

No sleeping bag for this approach, for me.  I don't like the bulk nor carrying something I only use at night.  All the other stuff is used when I stop to glass or have game down.  I have slid part way inside a large meat sack I had along, and part way into a pack.  Do this one to three nights then go to your main camp or vehicle, eat well and get a better night's sleep before the next such round. 

[yakimanoob]

Yep, have done it both ways:  hunting out of a backpack camp and carrying overnight gear with me and spending the night close to where I ended the day without long hikes back to camp. 

I like to do the latter, but hate to carry stuff all day so I use the minimal survival gear that I always carry.  I use it regularly in discretionary stay outs that are non-emergency.  If I was on game at dark I am right close to there at dawn with no hiking back and forth and less disturbance. 

My gear is mainly all the warm clothes that I wear or carry.  Put them all on, including some kind of breathable shell.  Add to that a minimal ground sheet, a thin micro closed cell foam insulating pad from hip to shoulder, minimal tarp and some tear open hand warmers placed strategically one layer out from skin.  I have spent nights with only that stuff in snow at 8,000 feet in Idaho and BC elk and goat country, etc.  Gloves/mitts and neck gaiter are a given, knee high gaiters, etc.  If you have it, wear it at night!  Sleep on your pack.  Loosen belt and boots but keep them on. 

Try it for one night close to home before the big time waaay out there!  You can bail and go home that way if this is not for you.  Comfort level is different for different people.  I sleep well in places most people find uncomfortable and if you are too uncomfortable, you will spend a night that changes from tolerable to miserable.  If you don't sleep well you won't hunt well, and it is fine to decide you need to carry more to stay comfortable. 

No sleeping bag for this approach, for me.  I don't like the bulk nor carrying something I only use at night.  All the other stuff is used when I stop to glass or have game down.  I have slid part way inside a large meat sack I had along, and part way into a pack.  Do this one to three nights then go to your main camp or vehicle, eat well and get a better night's sleep before the next such round.

I would consider this an experts-only approach.  It can work if you know your gear and your own limits well, but just a reminder for those who may not think of it:

Make SURE your layers are sufficiently dry before you go to sleep. Try this with wet clothes, and you may not wake up...

[buglebrush]

Yep, have done it both ways:  hunting out of a backpack camp and carrying overnight gear with me and spending the night close to where I ended the day without long hikes back to camp. 

I like to do the latter, but hate to carry stuff all day so I use the minimal survival gear that I always carry.  I use it regularly in discretionary stay outs that are non-emergency.  If I was on game at dark I am right close to there at dawn with no hiking back and forth and less disturbance. 

My gear is mainly all the warm clothes that I wear or carry.  Put them all on, including some kind of breathable shell.  Add to that a minimal ground sheet, a thin micro closed cell foam insulating pad from hip to shoulder, minimal tarp and some tear open hand warmers placed strategically one layer out from skin.  I have spent nights with only that stuff in snow at 8,000 feet in Idaho and BC elk and goat country, etc.  Gloves/mitts and neck gaiter are a given, knee high gaiters, etc.  If you have it, wear it at night!  Sleep on your pack.  Loosen belt and boots but keep them on. 

Try it for one night close to home before the big time waaay out there!  You can bail and go home that way if this is not for you.  Comfort level is different for different people.  I sleep well in places most people find uncomfortable and if you are too uncomfortable, you will spend a night that changes from tolerable to miserable.  If you don't sleep well you won't hunt well, and it is fine to decide you need to carry more to stay comfortable. 

No sleeping bag for this approach, for me.  I don't like the bulk nor carrying something I only use at night.  All the other stuff is used when I stop to glass or have game down.  I have slid part way inside a large meat sack I had along, and part way into a pack.  Do this one to three nights then go to your main camp or vehicle, eat well and get a better night's sleep before the next such round.

I've spent plenty of nights this way, but my pad, shelter, and bag put together are less than 4 pounds, so I never intentionally go without them nowadays.  Plus if I'm carrying the shelter my buddy carries the jetboil.  Ultralight gear sure makes a big difference! 

[jwfaber1]

Thanks for the tips, folks!
I'll probably try hunting with my camp on my back for the most part, like some of you suggested. I only worry about getting an animal so far out that the pack-out will be absolute hell..but I can make sure to stay within a reasonable radius of the vehicle. That and if I'm right near the elk when I decide to call it a night that they will have been spooked by my scent and be gone come morning. How close to elk do you feel comfortable camping?
(sorry, no pics of my setup yet)

[MHWASH]

Idaho spring bear

[92xj]

Man, i feel like I've hiked in and camped/hunted that exact same spot.
Sure don't have to worry any water pooling by your tent.

[pd]

Idaho spring bear

Now that is a boiling river.

Hard to scope & spot the bears in the heavy timber, eh?

[MHWASH]

Day two camp, next to the road.

[ian_padron]

Uh oh someone has a bigger Kifaru arsenal than me. This shall not be tolerated! 😂😂😂

Kifaru Sawtooth and Tut

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[huntnnw]

Do most of you set up a camp and leave it throughout your trip while hiking out from it each day to hunt? Or do you prefer to take your camp with you each day? I'll be doing my first back country elk hunt and I've been weighing out the pros and cons of each strategy.

Carry it with you.  I'm so done with all the hiking in and out for hours with headlamps.  Keeps me fresher and in the elk.

depends on the hunt and some terrain. this year on my elk hunt I will not set up a spike camp..ill hunt and where ever I end up is where Ill stay that night.. its just to steep to have to go back to camp if I really don't need to.

[Letmwork]

Trip from a couple weeks ago

[fillthefreezer]

Look closely, there's a tent



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[TRD1911]

Awesome photo. It took me a minute to spot the tent.

[BD1]

 

[ian_padron]

Roughin' it

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