Backpack hunts

1hornhunter · Oct 4, 2010

Any of you guys that backpack for sheep, goats, deer, elk, shoot any grouse or catch fish for food to supplement the normal every day noodles and rice packets (backpack meals)? Am looking to possibly do this in the future and am curious as to what others do. Not looking to rely on small game or fish but only to supplement the food. Thks in advance.

bowhuntnnut · Oct 4, 2010

One of my hunting partners takes a fly rod with us when we pack into the wilderness. He can catch dinner on a pretty regular basis. Really helps with the moral.

www.bucknbull.com

llamapacker · Oct 4, 2010

Pack the fly rod or .22 for the enjoyment, but don't think of them as supplementing your diet. They are clearly not a good pay-off in the weight department. You have to pack too much other non-essential stuff to make use of the fish or fowl you harvest. You are better off just packing in some much tastier "treats" or supplemental food. If you are doing serious backpacking (sheep, goats, etc.) you should be counting onces and not adding unecessary pounds. That isn't to say I wouldn't enjoy catching a few fish or shooting a few birds, but it just isn't worth the effort on a serious back-country hunt.

Bill

littlebighorn · Oct 5, 2010

I recently got back from a 10 day sheep/caribou hunt and I have to agree that not only are you packing extra weight--pole/whatever--but you are also taking valuable hunting time away from what you are really after to fish, etc. Once we put an animal on the ground, we had plenty of extra meat for a great meal! (nothing better than sheep tender-loin). We saw plenty of Ptarmigan, but we didn't even stop to take pictures, much less shooting one and scaring everything in the valley, for a meal.
So unless you are planning down time from hunting, I would stay with some good Mountain House meals (which ain't bad)!

Zeke · Oct 5, 2010

+1 littlebighorn

When I've been backpacking it's for a HIGH adventur hunt. The last thing I want to do is spook the game with a .22 report. And spend time fishing? During a hunt? NO WAY!

I've done about 6 or 7 hunts such as this and my answer would be "leave the toys at home"!

Good luck, Zeke

tbryson7 · Oct 5, 2010

I agree with the others. The extra weight and time wasted isn't worth it. I have however been fortune enough to smack a few "Fool Hens" with a rock on the way back to camp and added that to some Top Ramen noodles, it was like eating manna from heaven.