Opinion on lodging. What do you prefer?

oldmossback · Aug 20, 2020

What is your prefer method of lodging for Colorado big game rifle hunting and why?
1. Wall tent or tent
2. RV or Camp trailer
3. Hotel

Post pics of your set up

Thanks

elks96 · Aug 20, 2020

HAHA. So right now I am sleeping in the bed of my truck on an air mattress. No camper topper just stars. If it decides to rain I will sleep in the cab or a little back packing tent. I roll the bed up daily and load coolers and food to go for the day hunting until dark then parking where ever I end up at dark. When it is just me and one kid we have been doing this a lot. Simple mobile and allow us to avoid the snakes on the ground.

We did use an AirBNB for Turkey Season 1 weekend. And have a AIr BNB reserved for thanksgiving deer hunting in MT.

1. Sleeping in bed of truck when warm or for a 2 night weekend hunt
2. Wall tent when cold and a few more days
3. Air BNB when we are traveling a long ways from home

FrontRange · Aug 20, 2020

30 years of wall tent/wood stove/cots and another wall tent for cooking/hanging out. It was great, very comfortable, maybe to comfortable. Last year we switched hunting units and a buddy put us up in a cabin with electricity & plumbing. It was the bomb!!

DW · Aug 20, 2020

Wall tent, woodstove, horses and mules, non dehydrated food.

Muley · Aug 21, 2020

My bed at home.

HIcountryman · Aug 21, 2020

i prefer tent to stay close to the action. i like to be cold and somewhat miserable so the wife doesn't think i m on vacation and want to tag along!

txhunter58 · Aug 21, 2020

I like to fall out of bed, get dressed, eat and walk out the door and be hunting immediately. On private land that could mean a cabin, on national forest it could be an RV or a tent.

1989Cohunter · Aug 22, 2020

Im soft and like my camper.

hunt30 · Aug 22, 2020

Hotels, restaurants, hot showers, football games on tv at night.

jims · Aug 22, 2020

My vote is a pickup topper to get out of the wind, rain, and other elements. If backpacking my vote obviously goes for a tent. A hotel is nice after a few days of roughing it in the winter months.

Founder · Aug 22, 2020

Tent for me. It’s usually my Kodak 14x10, but last year it was a backpacker tent.
Not sure which I prefer, I guess it would depend. That backpack hunt last year was fun.

fallguy · Aug 22, 2020

Truck topper. No setting up or tearing down - find a level spot and you're good. I heat a hot evening meal on a propane single burner and go to bed. I'm in the woods all day so I don't need to lounge around and make it a camping trip. I used to sleep on the truck bed, on pads, but upgraded to a cot a few years ago and that a big improvement. It is tight but works for me.

Magicman · Aug 22, 2020

This Outfitter Apex 8 has been our favorite hunting lodging since 2004. We generally unload it which frees the truck.

Also we pull a 12' covered trailer with the 4wheeler, coolers, and other supplies.

This gives us a frig/freezer, microwave, cooktop, etc.

feddoc · Aug 23, 2020

This is my favorite.

Buttttt, my wife likes this:

https://imgur.com/bBm6NaN

Magicman · Aug 23, 2020

In Reply #13 I showed the camper on the truck. Here is a picture showing the camper removed.

HIcountryman · Aug 23, 2020

Nice to camp in a tiny tent at 11k ft in early season

Muley · Aug 23, 2020

Yes, if you're young but i'm an old fart. I can sleep at home and be at the 11,000ft hunting area in 20 min.

HIcountryman · Aug 23, 2020

not this spot! wilderness area

Muley · Aug 23, 2020

Not every wilderness area is hard to get too. I was talking about my spots. No idea where yours are.

I'm just saying that camping is fine but not always necessary.

brutus54 · Aug 23, 2020

Nice and cozy..?

oldmossback · Aug 24, 2020

fallguy said:
Truck topper. No setting up or tearing down - find a level spot and you're good. I heat a hot evening meal on a propane single burner and go to bed. I'm in the woods all day so I don't need to lounge around and make it a camping trip. I used to sleep on the truck bed, on pads, but upgraded to a cot a few years ago and that a big improvement. It is tight but works for me.

View attachment 11867

Nice, what do you use for heat?

oldmossback · Aug 24, 2020

sure

Muley said:
Yes, if you're young but i'm an old fart. I can sleep at home and be at the 11,000ft hunting area in 20 min.

sure, rub it in, rub it in

fallguy · Aug 25, 2020

oldmossback said:
Nice, what do you use for heat?

I pack a Little Buddy heater but have never used it. The coldest morning I've woke up to was 19 degrees. I'm typically hunting Sept - Late October. November hunts would be tougher out of the truck.

I sleep with light gloves on and a fleece hat pulled down over my ears. My nose is the only thing that gets cold. On the Little Buddy heater, I am reluctant to use it. Some guys open their topper windows a bit and run it for a while in the am to take the chill off.

SanJuan · Aug 27, 2020

I've spent many a night in my backpacking tent or in the back of my truck. The wife talked me into a little bumper pull this summer. after ~12 days of scouting I still haven't used it but suspect it will be handy on the later hunts.

accubond · Aug 27, 2020

Wall tents, one for sleeping and one for cooking and hanging out.

The_Coloradoboy · Aug 27, 2020

Wall tent is my preferred method.. spent a lot of nights though in the bed of the truck, with a canvas cutter when I’m soloing it.

elktaker · Aug 28, 2020

Early season short hunts, I use a bivy sac/sleeping bag on a decent pad at the vehicle or in the backcountry. Very mobile and light.

Longer hunts I have an ultralight tipi and ultra light wood stove (though it looks like CO will still be in Stage II fire restrictions in early September for my unit so no wood stove)

Late season hunts usually with groups, it’s wall tents with wood stoves.