how many guys backpack hunt?

[340mag]

by that I mean hunt while living from the backpack for a few days at a time? for example, my normal ELK hunting involves parking the trucks and backpacking into a good area, that allows me to be carefully cold, (no fires, no trace) camping miles from the roads on opening day and I seldom return to the trucks except for a brief resupply about every three days untill we get an ELK, this allows us as two and three man teams to scout a great deal more area and locate the ELK herds simply because we camp where ever we find ourselves when darkness falls.
the camp is super low impact,(no fires, no cooking) even in snow and rain a large plastic lean-to type shelter placed deep in the conifers for less chance of being spoted by other hunters or elk, and sleeping bags are the comon camp
now most years we have a second or third team that does stay and camp at the trucks also, and its not uncomon for some members of the ELK camp to swap teams several times durring the hunting trip, to rest up or enhance thier chances by changing areas hunted several times
BTW you can always tell the NEW guys their pack weights twice as much

 

[MNHNTR]

I like to backpack hunt on different occasions and at other times, truck camp. As my Dad is getting older (I hunt with Dad and two Bros) we tend to truck camp, then hike in for the day. Sometimes we cold camp overnight to be in a good area at sunrise. I agree with you, you can always tell the new backpackers/hunters..... One time I spent 5 minutes emptying a friends daypack, it must have weighed 40 lbs!!!!

 

[wildkingdomrvpark]

I've done a few solo backpack hunts. One trip I didn't see another human for six days. I try to stay out for a full week. Food is a minimum and I prefer mountian house brand dehydrated meals. No change of clothes, small tent, light sleeping bag, ten rounds of ammo a knife and optics. Not much else.

 

[PoorAim]

I have backpacked quite a bit for deer (and fishing too). Its my favorite way
to go.

I have only elk hunted once, and was just doing all day hikes instead.


A question for you minimalist Elk hunting backpackers, when and where
do you hunt?

The reason I ask is the time I did hunt Elk was in Novemeber and at about
12,000ft. with a fair amount of snow. On many days it never got above 20degrees at that elevation, and at night it was MUCH colder. Despite getting softened a bit here in CA I'm from the Northeast and can deal with the cold fairly well, but camping in sub-zero temps with what can be carried in a 30lb pack is kinda extreme to me. Just curious if other backpack elk hunters are hunting earlier in the seaon and/or at lower elevations?

-PA

 

[DAWG]

I have backpack hunted archery deer in August, where getting water is the highlight of the day. Two years ago, I backpack hunted a late season elk hunt in December in WY. There, you had to use the stove to melt snow for water, and keep a couple of water bottles inside your coat, as it would freeze pretty quick in the pack. I had to cut my bull into packable pieces right after the kill, before he froze. Brrrr. Still fun, and I am putting in for that tag again.

 

[340mag]

I normally hunt 2nd or third season in colorado lately, temps vary widely as does snow fall, I carry a sleeping bag rated at minus -25 degrees and a 12' x16' plastic sheet to use as a lean-too/tent, I carry mostly snack foods like, apples, hard boiled eggs, granolla and trail mix because I don,t cook or use fires, I carry a couple knives,gallon ziplock bags and lighters and a space blankets, (2) 2 liter soda bottles for water,a water purification pump,two compass, a mini-block&tackle , 20 cartridges and several other small items, pack inclueding gear is under 30lbs
snow is your friend, I would far rather camp at zero-25 degrees in snow then 33-40 degrees in mud and trickling water, Ive slept out many nites in snow without the slightest problem. well below zero several times, with the correct gear its easy, if not comfortable but mud is misserable stuff to deal with.

 

[sosss]

Ya I've tried doing it that way but it really stinks!

 

[threeforks]

We used to back pack all of our elk hunting years ago. Dad used to pull us kids out of school to go up and carry elk out with our back packs. It wasn't a real fun day out of school. When my sister and I were old enough to hunt that made four elk in the family that were carried out every year. After us kids left home Dad got a couple of horses. I have allways gone back hunting with him, and now have my owne horses, and Mule. I had a gut full of carring all of that stuff on my back when I was younger. I would still do it if it was my only option to elk hunt. My mule lives to elk hunt, he gets excited like a puppy dog when I hook the horse trailer up to the truck. He knows whats going on. I let my best friend carry my back pack, he loves it. Thats him behind me.

 

[340mag]

while I enjoy SLEEPING out in the SNOW , and have zero problem keeping warm and dry as long as theres no damn MUD! while living out of a backpack I also would easily slip the first guy with a mule a quick $150 to walk the meat out of most of the canyons I hunt and never regret a single $1
once you slap those ELK with a 250 grain bullet thru those arteries above the heart its all WORK for the NEXT day, the only part of ELK hunting I dont like!!! well the packing out and the outragious licence fees I payed, also!