Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: WapitiTalk1 on April 18, 2014, 02:11:35 PM

Title: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: WapitiTalk1 on April 18, 2014, 02:11:35 PM: Do you folks have a fire at your camp (base or backcountry) to dry clothes, gaze into, or tell stories around when you're bowhunting or packing a smokepole (earlier season elk hunting). Or, do you have a cold camp because you feel smoke on your clothes/person stands against you in battle with the sensitive nose of the wary elk?
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: vandeman17 on April 18, 2014, 02:14:36 PM: We have fires but I change out of my hunting clothes and into my camp clothes. I also rotate through a few pairs of clothes and leave my next day's pair hanging in the trees during the day while we are out hunting.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: 6haase6 on April 18, 2014, 02:16:13 PM: During the archery we went cold.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: superdown on April 18, 2014, 02:16:21 PM: For me and the family a camp fire is a huge part of the experience and ambiance. It just isn't the same without one we do a large portion of our cooking and visiting around the fire.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: 6x6in6 on April 18, 2014, 02:16:44 PM: Fire, and never in any part of my hunting attire.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: snowpack on April 18, 2014, 02:19:56 PM: Fire if the rain stops long enough. Smoke gets washed out the next day in rain anyways.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: BULLBLASTER on April 18, 2014, 02:47:14 PM: If you are camping and not showering you stink... period. Especially if you sweat at all. You have to hunt the wind. It won't matter if you smell like campfire or not. So say have a fire to stay warm and dry out.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: Mfowl on April 18, 2014, 02:54:14 PM: Fires are great around camp. I always like to have one when it is permitted. Sometimes we have a fire in our duck blind while we are hunting all day, that is awesome!
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: washelkhunter on April 18, 2014, 03:15:46 PM: :cmp1:
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: scottcrb on April 18, 2014, 03:36:21 PM: Quote from: BULLBLASTER on April 18, 2014, 02:47:14 PM
If you are camping and not showering you stink... period. Especially if you sweat at all. You have to hunt the wind. It won't matter if you smell like campfire or not. So say have a fire to stay warm and dry out.

Fires are great around camp. I always like to have one when it is permitted. Sometimes we have a fire in our duck blind while we are hunting all day, that is awesome!

gotta have a fire when permitted . been thinking about getting one of those propane camp fires for burn ban seasons.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: Ccortez on April 18, 2014, 04:06:16 PM: Quote from: scottcrb on April 18, 2014, 03:36:21 PM
Quote from: BULLBLASTER on April 18, 2014, 02:47:14 PM
If you are camping and not showering you stink... period. Especially if you sweat at all. You have to hunt the wind. It won't matter if you smell like campfire or not. So say have a fire to stay warm and dry out.

Fires are great around camp. I always like to have one when it is permitted. Sometimes we have a fire in our duck blind while we are hunting all day, that is awesome!

gotta have a fire when permitted . been thinking about getting one of those propane camp fires for burn ban seasons.

I have one and it's great during early season. I can't stand being at camp after hunting all day and not being able to hang out next to a fire
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: 3nails on April 18, 2014, 04:07:36 PM: Quote from: BULLBLASTER on April 18, 2014, 02:47:14 PM
If you are camping and not showering you stink... period. Especially if you sweat at all. You have to hunt the wind. It won't matter if you smell like campfire or not. So say have a fire to stay warm and dry out.

I was going to say the exact thing. After two days everything I own smells like bacon grease, smoke, sweat, coffee, etc.... No matter how well you de-scent you still need to play the wind. Build a big fire and enjoy! :tup:
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: MtnMuley on April 18, 2014, 04:13:35 PM: Fire all the way. Doesn't matter what I stink like even after 7 days. If I don't have the thermals in my favor, I don't pursue that elk. :twocents:
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: buglebrush on April 21, 2014, 09:56:51 PM: We like to carry camp on our back. one guys sets up a tarp while the other one gets the mountain house ready. Then it is eat, sort gear, and sleep. No time or energy left for a fire. Elk season is all too short I can camp during the other fifty weeks of the year :sry:
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: huntnnw on April 21, 2014, 10:00:30 PM: if anything animals smell fire all the time! I have hunted areas with actively burning slash piles.. i purposely wore my clothes around the fire
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: JLS on April 21, 2014, 10:03:11 PM: Last year during the last week of September I was building a fire every day at noon. It was snowing and/or raining almost every day, and the warmth was very welcome.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: motg9_6 on April 22, 2014, 07:08:51 AM: :fire.: :fire.: :fire.: :cue:
Have had lots of elk walk right by my fire in the night tracks told me in the morning. I thunk they like the fire as much as i do.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: ghosthunter on April 22, 2014, 07:48:51 AM: There is so many campfires going during hunting season and so much slash burning I do not think a animal atleast not elk give a hoot. I was hunting in 2 ft of snow one time black powder. Got cold and set down at lunch built a fire between my legs. lots of smoke.
Bull 3 or 4 point walked right up in front of me feeding. No bull tag.

We have a couple wood stoves going and a campfire. Elk go by all the time.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: wadu1 on April 22, 2014, 07:59:51 AM: I've had deer and elk walk right up to a camp fire on more than one occasion. We used to take lawn chairs out to a favorite spot and build a fire and wait for the critters. No issues with wood smoke smell.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on April 22, 2014, 08:04:49 AM: Most critters are use to the smell. My grandfather said smoke is the best scent blocker there is. With forest fires an all you'd think they are use to it. Hunting the wind is always important.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: grundy53 on April 22, 2014, 08:36:41 AM: Quote from: huntnnw on April 21, 2014, 10:00:30 PM
if anything animals smell fire all the time! I have hunted areas with actively burning slash piles.. i purposely wore my clothes around the fire
:yeah: If anything smoke is a good cover scent.

sent from my typewriter
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: WSU on April 22, 2014, 09:07:26 AM: My grandfather used to hunt elk by sitting in a timber strip between two giant clear cuts for the whole season. He would sit next to the fire he built for a week or more. He got a bull more years than not.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: Tbob on April 22, 2014, 11:34:44 AM: I like the fire when permitted.. I'm usually hunting/camping solo and the fire is kind of comforting at night for some reason.. There are nights though when it's Mt House and straight to bed.. Long days of hiking a over the woods in september.. More times than not though I'll have a little fire to sit by for my evening whiskey.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: D-Rock425 on April 22, 2014, 01:38:54 PM: Very seldom we can have fires in sept during archery season so its nice coming back to a fire in the late season once in a while.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: akirkland on April 23, 2014, 01:14:59 PM: There has been a truck designated to haul nothing but firewood over the years. We ain't leaving with a single piece. Burn it.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: pd on April 23, 2014, 03:54:06 PM: Quote from: akirkland on April 23, 2014, 01:14:59 PM
There has been a truck designated to haul nothing but firewood over the years. We ain't leaving with a single piece. Burn it.

:tup:
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: kisfish on April 23, 2014, 04:38:20 PM: Before I moved to Washington we would have a fire every night at elk camp in Colorado. Take off the orange coat and hat, crack open a cold one and enjoy the company.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: coachcw on April 23, 2014, 07:58:57 PM: hunt hard before dark till after dark eat sleep repeat, typically and early season pattern . late season or scouting season what the heck let her flicker if the weather permits.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: buckfvr on April 23, 2014, 08:07:32 PM: Up and attem @ 330am, back to camp after 9pm........no time for fire and such. Mid day meal and a nap and thats it.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: bowguy on April 23, 2014, 08:39:07 PM: Fire defiantly during the late season that's a must great memories made. Early season even if we were able to have a fire usually to beat. Hunting 15hrs of daylight for a week straight all you wanna do is eat and sleep back a at camp. Reguardless early or late hunting colthes off as soon as back to came for scent control.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: JPhelps on April 23, 2014, 08:54:26 PM: I usually have a cold camp because I'm too wore out to build one.

I'm of the belief that scent elimination is black magic and that hunting the wind right is the most important...besides natural wood smoke is a natural smell.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: Jingles on April 23, 2014, 09:18:15 PM: That is the good part of hunting in the wilderness Fire restrictions don't apply so a camp fire is a given when cold and or wet
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: jackmaster on April 23, 2014, 09:29:27 PM: I wont hunt without a fire, I use it to dry my clothes, cook and just flat out relax by, ain't no better food than food cooked over a camp fire... the best part is camp fire smoke is the best cover scent known to man and that comes from the fact of huntn blacktails for a very long time and I know how effective campfire smoke is :tup:
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: highmuley on April 26, 2014, 09:32:30 AM: I read an article some time ago written by an "expert" NE elk hunter that suggested "stoke that fire". His claim was that the animals were very used to the smell of burning wood (wild fires, scheduled burns, etc.). And that it is a matter of preference (or superstition....) whether or not to have a fire. I personally have a fire back at camp. If I am not going back to camp, I still have a fire....it gets cold sometimes in October on the East-side.... I do like to isolate my clothes from human smells though, when possible. There are sometimes that I really don't care. I haven't noticed a huge difference in success. I have been busted by my smell a few times though...at least I can assume....I've never asked my quarry....
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: Shawn Ryan on May 09, 2014, 07:51:58 PM: Early season, no fire, too tired and no time to make a fire. I don't think smoke spooks elk. I've read that smoke carbon adsorbs other odors. Don't know if that's true.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: sakoshooter on May 10, 2014, 11:55:06 AM: I like a camp fire. It can make a camp complete. Usually have my wood stove in the wall tent also but this last year the burn bans even prohibited the use of the stove in the early season.
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: kentrek on May 11, 2014, 07:23:24 AM: For those who hunt in from a base camp and are worried about "polluting" the area with smoke...look into building a rocket stove....they burn hot enough to burn up the smoke but are very efficient on wood...I built one for a fishing camp an its pretty awesome..building one for elk camp this year as well
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: Bean Counter on May 11, 2014, 10:01:18 PM: After a few days of hiking I don't think i can apply enough scent killer to cover all my B.O. A few minutes near the campfire and its good to go.

Last weekend I scouted for elk with my buddy who had the hunt last year. Nice campfire after a long, exhausting day. Shortly before bed we were accosted by a county sheriff deputy who kicked around our camp yelling about "Stage 1 Fire Restrictions" and threatening to ticket one or both of us. I handed him a piece of propaganda from the USFS that stated that campfires inside of metal rings at established campgrounds were permitted under the current restrictions. He made some calls inside his rig and later apologized and was on his way. :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: wiremonkey on May 12, 2014, 06:18:29 AM: Fire for sure :tup:
Title: Re: Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"
Post by: fishngamereaper on May 12, 2014, 07:32:39 AM: Fire at camp and if cold enough fire mid day in the woods during lunch at a nice high lookout point, warm my butt while glassing for elk :chuckle:...Friends that guide in Montana actually start fires everyday during lunch, they have killed alot of elk that wander into the area curious about whats going on.