Hike-In Hunting Tips

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outtabreath

Guest
Just hoped some folks migh chime in here. Wondering how many people have done hike-in hunts ( no horses or four-wheelers) and if they have any good advice on gear to take, kinds of food, and any campcraft tricks they want to share. I'm planning on hiking in day before openers this year and camping. Good idea? Bad idea?
 
outtabreath,
How about some parameters about your plan?
how far in? how long you staying in? placing a camp? moving camp everyday with camp on your back? true wilderness? or just a roadless area? archery or rifle? hunting meat or trophy?
Getting away from traffic areas is almost always better. Go as light as possible and still be safe and fairly comfortable.
 
YEA, GREAT IDEA --IF; YOU HAVE A GAME PLAN, YOUR TUFF MINDED, IN SHAPE, CAN STAY FOCUSED, HAVE LIGHT EQUIPMENT,YOUR GLASS IS HALF FULL, TELL SOMEONE YOUR LOCATION, CAN HANDLE RAIN OR SNOW,HAVE A WAY TO HAUL MEAT,HORNS & STUFF, TAKE A CELL PHONE, IT SHOULD BE A GOOD HUNT. I HAVE DONE THIS TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT, AND LOVED IT. BUT EVERY TIME I BACK PACKED IT WAS A TROPHY HUNT, NO DINKS. THINK AHEAD, BE SAFE. YD.
 
Get dehydrated food, but try it before you go. Some on the market is just crap or is too much work to make after a long day. A portion for 2 is usually fit for one. Making an early scouting trip and pack in a cache of food will help if you can swing it.
 
Okay, everyone says, "Take your cell phone with you." You no what? I have never been able to use my cell phone anywere in the mountains or canyons. Frankly it seams that I loose reception about 3 miles out of town. I've been on tops of peaks and there is just no reception. To me they are nothing more than a brick. Leave it at your truck cuz you won't be able to use it unless you drive into town.
Go light, then look at your stuff and get rid of about 30% of it. You will almost always over pack. If you have been out a time or two and see stuff in your pack that you haven't used, get rid of it, it's just weight!
Stay hydrated, be in good shape, and enjoy the outdoors!
 
I've done this type of hunt several times in Colorado Wilderness. Usually keep my pack to less than 50 lbs. Most trips are in the six to seven mile range. Take an aluminum frame pack as they make the best meat packing units. Unless you are planning on paying several hundred dollars for an outfitter to come in and haul it out for you. Those "Lipton" noodle mixes work well and come in a variety. I take a small "Coleman" white gas stove and a couple of plastic containers of gas that fit into the side pouches of my pack. One quart aluminum pot with lid that I cook and eat out of. Cereal and power bars for breakfast and bite size candy bars and trail mix for day use. Water bottle and hand filter for water purification. Small pup tent, -20 sleeping bag and self inflating pad. Light "Scentlock" clothes and rain gear.
Nothing like the experience of getting away from motors.

ELKCHSR
 
BLACKTIMBER, ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT TRIPS IN REGION G WYOM.,AND COLORADO 900 PLUS MILES AWAY I HAVE CALLED HOME. YOU JUST NEED TO FIND THE RIGHT SPOT TO CALL FROM. A LOCAL CALL SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM. VERISON HAS THE MOST COMMUNICATION EQUIP. LOCATED IN THE 10 WESTERN HUNTING STATES, THATS WHY I AM WITH THEM. GOOD LUCK, YD.
 
I've been able to get cell reception in some very remote places. Other places you'd think you'd get reception you don't.
 
Good tips. I do take a cell phone, but its pretty worthless up there. however it only weighs a couple of ounces, so what the heck. Penny of prevention...and all that. I know the terrain pretty well. I have been hiking in the last three weekends. I have my pack pretty pared down. Its comfortable. I don't take anything that needs to be cooked. No gas, no stove. A few hardboiled eggs and some smoked oysters. All the rest is trail mix and pbj's. Actually, I could take some aluminum foil and some fishing line and stay for weeks. ok, maybe a couple of extra days. I figure my parameters are within about two to three miles from the road, but those miles involve a 1600' elevation drop. that means your hauling elk up. Everytime I hike back out (up) I am reminded of how hard it will be to get an elk out and then I start to wonder about the whole plan. Will be with three other guys, so if we just get one that morning, maybe it won't be to bad. Also, I hadn't thought of moving camp, but that's an idea worth considering. It is a roadless area ( Cruces Basin) and maybe we'll park a vehicle on both sides and move thru from one side to the other, spending two nights. I will probably have $300 in my back pocket, just in case we get into them in a tough place and need some horses, but would love to haul one out on foot. I'm in good shape and working on it between now and then. Lots of hiking this year so far and all in the mountains. I'll be hunting the first rifle hunt. Oct. 8th. thanks for the tips and keep it rolling.
 
Get some light weight gear(pocket-rocket stove, single pot for water, purifier for water, sleeping bag (REI Kilo+ 2lb zero degree bag), half sleeping pad, lightweight tent, some type of food, matches, lighter and a good pack) and try it all out before you go, even if its in a public campground (or your back yard). You don't want to find out that something isn't just right when you're a couple of miles in (much less a lot further in).
I went on my first backpacking trip with a good friend that goes all the time so I could learn what was dead weight and what was worth its weight in gold.
Be prepared for multiple trips out when you are successful. Try to hike into the area in advance to make sure that its even doable. Maps have a funny way of not looking as verticle as they really are...
Caching stuff in advance is a good thing. Just hide it well and try to make it bear proof.
Let someone know exactly where you are.
This type of hunting is hard but it offers the most rewarding experiences I've ever had.

ds
 
Also wondering about campfires. Will having a small campfire blow elk out of the area? It gets cold up there at night and it would be nice to warm up the hands and feet, but not so sure its a great idea. I've heard that the smell of smoke doesn't really bother them, but not sure about that one.
 
"Everytime I hike back out (up) I am reminded of how hard it will be to get an elk out and then I start to wonder about the whole plan."

That's exactly why it's a great plan. If it's obviously hard work you just dropped 98% of the pressure. If you are in good general elk country the other 98% are sending elk into the steep and thick. Be fit. Don't duplicate anything. You'll smell, get used to it and don't over pack clothes for the benefit of a "fresh set". Only bone to come out should be on the elk's head.
 
Thanks for the affirmation Colville. That is exactly why I'm focused on this area. I probably won't see a soul. I have seen elk everytime I have made the effort to hike it. Weekend before last I had seven bulls standing about 40 yards away. Now thats a nice sight. Hope they like that spot year-round. I went to sleep about 1/2 mile from there and woke up to the sight of elk from my sleeping bag. Got some cow/calf video from last weekend and heading up on Friday again to check the next drainage. I'm hiking them one by one to see what they have to offer. I'm gonna try to get up there every weekend I can.
I liked the idea of dropping a cache. That makes good sense.
 
camp fire smoke is no problem,
go light.
stay dry.
eat high energy/ sugar foods.
string and a hook.
take extra socks,
the best boots you can get,
break them in good befor you go.
your feet are your way out.
just remember its going to take multiple trips in to retrive you elk.
 
Building a fire during archery season ain't a good idea for the backpack hunter. If you are camping amongst them, and that's the idea isn't it?, you won't want to advertise that you are there. You will probably want to be sleeping anyway once it gets dark.

BeanMan
 
what truck are u driving..

im going to unit 52 , once in a while...fishin at los pinos river, laguita lake...checkin out some animals...

vinihunt :)
 
Hey Vini-
You in a white truck? Were you up by Lagunitas on Saturday? I drive a gold toyota 4-runner with a custom roof rack. I was coming back out around 1:00
 
2-3 miles and 1600 miles UP to the truck? You (and hopefully your buddy(s)) better be a tough SOB if you're going to pack elk. Not saying it can't be done, but eat your wheaties (literally - keep lots of high carb/protein food in your truck and eat lots between meat trips), and be ready to lose some serious weight.

If you were local, though, I'd be bugging the hell out of you to join you! If you make it hard, you'll lose ALL of the duffers. I cannot imagine how much untapped hunting there is in Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, NM, Idaho, and Utah for someone willing to do what you're talking about. This from a Washington guy who has seen precisely zero people from other hunting parties in the last three seasons. I don't know for sure, but I bet general season mule deer hunter density in WA is pretty damn high compared to elsewhere in the rockies.

Nothing really special to add on the equipment. You can simplify your life maybe by not cooking. Or, go in-between and just bring a canteen cup. Use a campfire at night to cook Lipton Noodles or something similar. Hot food is great. What's really nice is to brown some hamburger, spread on a cookie sheet, dry in the oven at fairly low temperature, and bring some hamburger helper. I don't give a rat's ass about packing in food - I'm going to eat it, and whatever I pack out is going to weigh far more than having good food. It's the gear weight that kills you. No need to freeze dry - bring dense, lightly packaged, efficient food. Tuna in foil bags, jerky, last year's deer sausage, heavy bagels, cream cheese, ry krisp, good nutty gorp, peanut butter, dried fruit, etc. all jump to mind. Don't short-change yourself on food, but only bring what you will eat. No need to suffer.

Buy a good lightweight tarp (check out Campmor) and sleep under that - if you're smart about setup location (thick timber), you'll be in fat city, for way less than what a tent weighs.

Distance is not the killer on backpack hunts, within reason. Elevation drop will rip up your feet and beat on your knees. Last year's deer came out 9 miles and 5000+ vertical feet. I'll be thinking hard about doing that again...and I had help! 9 miles and 2000 feet would be pretty reasonable.

I'm trying to think of a mathematical formula of what would be a reasonable backpack deer hunt, weighing distance against elevation. Let's consider only the distance to your camp.

First thought: keep the product of trips back x horizontal walked distance x elevation x elevation under 100k. Let's try it, assuming two trips:

Short and high: 3 miles off the road, 4000' up to camp: 2x3x4x4 = 96k - seemingly reasonable (but strenuous) hunt.

Medium: 5 miles, 3000' up: 2x5x3x3 = 90k - seems okay

Long: 8 miles, 2500' up to camp: 2x8x2.5x2.5 = 100k - don't hunt too far from camp!

Adjust formula as needed for number of trips.

Any other thoughts?
 
Vek-
Nice analytical approach. I'm local and am acclimated to the elevation. I'm in good shape and it is still strenuous, but I like that part. I think we'll have a bigger camp set up on the East side of the area where one vehicle is and pack down and out. That way its down hill (most of the way) and a short 3/4mile climb to the trailhead parking lot. That should be a bit easier than going up thru timber on the meat hauls. I like the idea of having lots to eat at the truck in between trips. Will do that for sure. Feeling good about things after all the comments. I don't even pack a tent, just a tarp. Already got struck by lightning this year so I've gotten that one out of the way. haha. I'm hopeful that we'll be in "fat city". Atleast I will be, I'm the one doing all the hiking/scouting. My buddies are gonna hate me. Probably end up hauling them out. I told one of them ( the heaviest of 'em ) that I would quarter him up first if I had to haul his a** out. haha
 
after packing a couple elk out on backpacks I agree with Colville on the idea of not packing any more bone than you have to, however I do know that evidence of sex is mandated by the state law, so keep that in mind when you butcher that big bull. I think that from what you say you are on track for what you intend to do. good luck and be safe
Scott
 
best way to pack de-boned meat

So, if you debone everything, would you put it all in to haul it out? It seems like processors always want you to age it a couple of days and if its deboned thats seems difficult to do. It seems like you would have to get it in ziplocs and in coolers fairly quickly. I really want people's opinions on this facet of the hunt. Taking care of the meat is key. Last year my wife sewed up some oversized pillow cases and they worked pretty well for getting everything out of the field and back to camp. Probably try that again.
 
RE: best way to pack de-boned meat

the last 2 elk we got out on our backs: we boned off the backstraps, then the neck, then anything left under the shoulders on the rib-cage. we left the bone in the front shuolders, we took the rear qtrs off at the pelvis sockets leaving the leg bone in. one was a colorado bull so we had to leave the "evidence of sex" on one of the rear qtrs. we did NOT have to go "up" much with him though. the meat bag plan sounds good to me. your hunt seems like about the same time as we were there so it should be cool for cooling meat. don't know if that helps, but thats what we did.
Scott
 
yeah I have a couple thoughts. First I think every guy that struggles for a consistent and in shape hunting partner for backpack hunting is looking for you. Ridgerunner operates the same way as you.

I think for most guys 75 to 80k on your formula (which is very interesting) is a solid pull. In particular considering boned out weight for the trip home. I guess you'd need to add a 5% factor if return is with meat and much more if it's meat and uphill for the return trip. I think it also matters where you get the steep in your travel. 9 miles and 5k feet is tough, but it'd be much worse if you gaind 4k feet in the first 4 miles then 1 over 5 the rest of the way. Sometimes you have the same total gain but have to give up and gain back elevation several times. Trail and off trail would have big impacts as well. Still, I like the formula.

Are you doing that in the pasayten or gpw? I'll be going in the gpw this year, right at about 6 miles and 2200 elevation gain. that only posts a 58 on the formula. I also know that with full pack this is not "easy" and I know there'll be no one there but me. 9 miles irrespective of the gain is a haul. You have to have the lightest set up and it almost means you have to be on a 2 for 1 hunt. Hard for one guy to pack out rifle, pack, gear, optics AND completely boned mule deer in one trip no matter how light he goes in.
 
RE: best way to pack de-boned meat

What are your temps going to be like and how much time do you have? Do you need to rush it out of there or can you quarter it and hang it at your spike camp for a while? Bear problems? If you can go downhill and a couple miles, leaving bones in quarters isn't that big a deal especially if you have help. Personally I wouldn't worry a minute about aging it. If it's hot get it out right now, if not and you have some time take it. If a guy connects early are all 4 guys going to call it good and ferry it all out right then? If not you'd better have cool temps to hang in camp or have ice and coolers waiting at the truck.

For my deer hunt I'll have a 100+ quart ice chest with block ice ice covering the bottom. That ice will still be there when I get back to the truck after a couple days. I'll bleed off the water and put the meat to it right off. If by chance I need to make 2 trips out I can do a meat first trip and camp second.
 
What a great thread, I've loved the reading and all of the advice. Packed in last year with a buddy but every year had to pack meat several miles to anything decent enough to get a horse to. This year doing 2 hunts and one will be solo pack in. If I end up with a small bull, I'll take him in 4 trips and one last one for the head. The Middlefork abuse was a great tune up. My deal is once you get started, just don't stop. Work right through the night, until the job is completely done. Food and water while I hike. Does take the weight off and that next day sleep feels good.

Cheers,
Roadtrip

"Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life son" Dean Wormer, Animal House
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-14-05 AT 12:58PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jul-14-05 AT 12:45?PM (MST)

Colville,

I was in the gpw - foot access has one key complication, but if I ever want to go in there again, I don't want to blab the location, but PM me and I'll tell you about it.

As far as the formula goes, that hunt rated a 2 x 3.2k x 3.2k x 5miles = 102.4, but this idiot killed the deer 4 miles past and 2000' above camp!

I think my formula is very much subject to refinement - distance probably isn't well enough weighted. I'll try to come up with something that combines distance and elevation to camp, with distance and elevation to kill. I'll probably have to throw something in for if you shoot something over top the ridge, in the next valley, and have to bring it up to the top after the kill! Maybe I'll just wing it and go with my gut...

The first thing to wear out on me is always my feet, if I haven't been hiking much beforehand. I can walk with weight, uphill if necessary, for a long time, but my feet are pretty soft and will burn and blister if I haven't been hiking lots. A heavy downhill hike will make them burn pretty good. The last two years, after the big pack out, I've "iced" my feet and knees for 15 minutes in a cold stream after the hike. That sure helps the soreness later.

Meat care - for backpacking deer, take two large pillowcases. They're strong, and they breathe. Two keys for meat: cool and dry. Get creative - there are no hard and fast rules. Evenings should be pretty cool, wherever you are. If the sky is clear, an overnight in the open will really chill your meat. In the morning, place in pillowcase or game bag and hang/suspend in the shade. If you're really screwed and/or the forecast is for hot hot weather, maybe bring a couple of really heavy garbage bags. Place meat in these (DON'T ANYONE GET NERVOUS; KEEP READING), and dunk the bags in a cold stream for a half hour or so. Then, remove meat from plastic and put back in pillowcase or game bag in the shade. Repeat as necessary. Keep a big cooler with ice in your truck, with the drain open. Put your meat in the cooler. Keep ice on bottom of cooler, and prevent meltwater from touching meat. If your meat is at 32F, it doesn't need to be bone dry, but don't let it soak, by any means.

Make sense? Just don't let it ever get warm, and don't let it ever STAY wet. If it's pouring down rain, you will get the meat wet. Sorry.

-Jerry

-Jerry
 
outtabreath,
Well now that you have me remembering the good times and thinkin about how great-a-shape I'm NOT in! I sure hope that you are planning on takin a photo or two and then letting us all know how this back pack elk hunt turns out! I'll be in western Colorado in Nov for the deer hunt, and I'm thinking that I better be prepared for at least some back packin to get a big buck out of some hole where ends up going down. This has been one of the better threads I have followed since jumpin in. Thanks
Scott
 
Scott-
Yup, this has been a good thread. Asking questions is what the site is good for. Also the horn porn. I learned a great deal last year. I went prepared and it paid off. I knew hunting elk would be alot different than deer hunting on private land. Public land is just plain harder than private land for all the obvious reasons. So, we'll see if I can put another one down this year and make it 2 for 2. I'm going up there all weekend and taking the new video camera, so hopefully I'll get something good on tape. If not I'll atleast burn off the last little bit of gut ( not much left).
And I'll definitely take camera for the hunt.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-25-05 AT 10:59PM (MST)[p]Sum good stuff here. I have found that for me a good sleeping pad is a must. If I don't sleep well then I get run down pretty quick and don't feel too much like hunting.

Sounds like a great hunt you are planning. Take lots off pics and share with us.

Meat care. Don't pack extra weight! Debone, debone, debone.
This helps you twice. Butchers charge by the pound. If you leave 200 pounds of bone on the mountain they can't charge you for it. If you leave it in you will be charged.

What I like to do is debone the front quarters all the way out. Then hang them from a limb. The hind quarters I seperate the ball socket, then I run my knife along the inside of the leg and around the bone leaving a couple inches attached the length of the bone. Then I hang from a tree with bag on it. This will help to cool the meat next to the bone wich is the greatest concern for "Sour." I prefer to kill at night so that it can chill good but if you kill in the morning move the meat to a shaded place and cover up.
Oh yeah, take the skin off too.

This next way of cooling meat I have not tried yet but it seems like it would work good.

After you have deboned the meat make a litter and bridge it across a stream. Put your bagged meat on the litter. Then put pine bows over the top of your meat drapping it down to the water on all sides. This will trap the cool air comming of the water and keep the meat cool as well.

I would think that this method would buy you a few days worth of packing meat out.

Meat will also last a lot longer than most people think if you can drop the temp fast initially.
 
Blacktimber,
Those are some good ideas. I like to get 'em at night also. The temps drop fast and that really helps the initial cooling process. Love the "over the creek" idea. I found one great camping spot, right next to a creek, that has obviously been a successful location in the past. Judging by all the skulls and arrows left behind, I'd say some folks did alright from there.

About the beer can comment (not you BT)...
beer cans only partially burn. Nothing I hate to see more than a remote camping site that has a fire ring full of half-burned crap. I think its alright to burn stuff, but when you are done with the site, you should go through the ashes and pull out un-burned stuff and pack the crap out. Just my .02. I will say that I do like to haul a beer, or maybe two, with me when I hike in to camp/scout. But I bring back the empty everytime.
 
I go bare foot all the time, and it really helps with toughening up the feet for when you do these hikes that tear up the dogs. Once read about sailors soaking hands in salt water to toughen the skin, but never tried that on the dogs. I second dunking in a cold creek for your feet, and even legs. Makes them snap back a lot quicker (used to go into the cold whirlpool between double practices in college football, and it was amazing how much more I could get out of the pistons in the afternoon practice).
Advil is an anti-inflammatory, I eat a few when doing hard ups and esp. downhills, to help the knees feel better.
I take wet-ones wipes to fight that "not-so-fesh" feeling in lieu of spare clothing. Sometimes I take spare underwear, but try to use ones on their last legs so you can peel 'em off and pitch into a fire. (But I would avoid cooking over said fire :eek:)
Also, when you are putting the pedal to the metal, and it's late and you are fading, a Vivarin caffeine tab can be a welcome friend.
HB
 
Do you really think sailors had to go out of their way to get saltwater on their hands? Thats like saying farmers came home and soaked their hands in dirt. I don't buy it. I really like the idea of burning up your underwear after you're done with 'em. That was pretty funny. I'm sure they look real good after 5 days of elk camp. I surely wouldn't cook over that fire, much less sit around it.
 
I'm just relaying what I read. The context was back in the day-sailing ships, rope and rigging...the sailors would soak their hands in salt water in preparation for putting out to sea. Personally, wasn't there, didn't do it. Just throwing it out there for consideration.
HB
 

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