Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Pack Weight ?

What total pack weight do you try to shoot for on a backpack hunt ? Let's say 6 days ..

When it's above freezing, my pack weighs 8.5-9 pounds including clothing worn/shoes. That doesn't include food/water/gun.

8.5 to 9!!!! No way. Maybe a day pack.

Figure 35 if you have sleeping bag, tent, bivvy, sleeping pad, stove, pot, pougie bait, 10 mountain house meals, water filter, GPS, ammo, butchering equipment, game bags, flash lights, snivel gear, weapon, couple gatoraides for the hike in, etc.

I'm usually in the mid-40's including food but no rifle or water.

It's been a long time since I've backpack hunted on a regular basis (30-35 years), but seem to recall pack weights of 60-70 lbs for a week's hunt in warmer weather which is pretty heavy by today's standards. Two years ago, I packed in for two days and nights and my pack was just over 50 lbs. Most of my gear is pretty old and not lightweight, and I'm in the process of replacing most of it for that reason.

I asked ED T a similar question recently and his response was for a 2 - 3 day solo trip, his pack weighs around 25 lbs. I had a similar conversation 10-12 years ago with a backpacker I ran into hiking the Continental Divide trail from Canada to Mexico. He would need to resupply every two weeks and said his pack was 30 lbs starting out full and 15 lbs after two weeks prior to resupply.

Based on that, I'd think 30, maybe 35 lbs would be a good weight to shoot for (with top of the line "ultralight" gear)...

I do a lot of summer backpacking. I just got back from a twenty-eight mile trek in the Lost Creek Wilderness, taking my time and it lasted four days and three nights. My backpack weighed twenty five pounds when I started, including three nights of food, a quart of water, a 3-season 2 1/2# tent, and a butane canister stove. When I was half a mile from finishing, I dumped out the last water and my food was gone so the pack weighed about twenty pounds. I can do that in the summer because temps are not very cold.

When backpack hunting during Colorado's 3rd season, I try hard and usually succeed in keeping my backpack below thirty pounds. That includes binoculars, range finder, field dressing gear & bags, cold weather clothing, white gas stove and fuel, GPS, extra ammo, a 4# 3-season tent that has endured a foot of snow and some pretty high winds, and food for four nights. Add a ten pound rifle and my outfit weighs about forty pounds.

KC

Conrad:

What's "snivel gear"?

Some people don't understand the difference between a daypack and a backpack. Obviously you do. When I'm day hiking/hunting out of a base camp, my daypack weighs about 12 pounds. That includes 2 quarts (four pounds) of water and it doesn't count a 10# rifle.

If you're backpack hunting during the early seasons, then you don't need the cold weather clothing. Consequently you can keep your pack and rifle weight near 35 pounds.

Thirty-five pounds is a good weight, not counting rifle, for the 3rd or 4th season, if you're carrying food for ten nights and cold weather clothing. I plan to return to base camp every four or five days so I only carry four nights food.

KC

This would be for the first rifle season..I think I will shoot for 35-40 pounds.

From urban dictionary.

snivel gear
Clothing and/or accessories generally associated with cold weather wear. Usually a derrogatory term given when wear of such clothing is unwarranted.
"It's only 50 degrees out here, why the hell do you have your snivel gear on?"

I was poking fun at myself b/c I do love my beanie and scarf. :-)

I'd say if you could get under 40lbs for first rifle you'd be doing very well. I shave weight out of my pack every year, but I'm still not there yet.

I'm usually at ~50-55lbs lbs including rifle, binocs etc. I use a pack frame and bags to carry stuff in to base camp and for carrying out meat. Once in, I dump the frame and just use a small day pack. This makes my initial gear wight a little more than using one larger internal frame pack for everything, but the method works for me and I like the flexibly of the frame pack especially when successful and carrying out meat.

Thank's everyone for the advice !

I just weighed my pack for a week long backpack hunt as I will leave from the truck. We will be at 12K feet so clothing is a bit heavier. My pack weighs 56 pounds. This includes 3 liters of water only.

6 days in warmer weather 47-50 pounds. Average
6 days in colder weather 55-57 pounds. Average

Thats everything, optics,rifle,water,food, everything etc etc etc. minus the clothes I wear. 3 liters of water weights approximately 6 pounds. Not sure how much the fifth of whiskey weighed.

The weight of your pack is inversely proportional to the weight of your wallet.

I am usually in the 35 lb range for 5 days. I can be as low as about 16 not including food / water / clothing / kill kit. That includes tent / pack / sleep / rifle / optics etc. I think getting below low 30 all in requires considerable effort in most cases.

That and a few years of hauling stuff up the mountain and figuring out what you can leave at home.

I run in the 40b range including gun, spotter/tripod water, food and bear spray for weekends up to 4-5 days.

Of that weight:
Rifle: 7lbs
Ammo: 8oz
Spotter: 2.25lbs
Tripod: 3.25Lbs
Rangefinder: .4lbs

My pack is the next place I could lose weight - currently 7lbs, but it carries big loads like a dream.

In late October sheep season we do a 9 day trip, temps routinely around -10C. Pack weight gets in the 55-60lb range then, including shooting gear. But a guy has to be able to live, not just survive on long cold trips. It helps you keep motivated!

PS: Just noticed this is my first post... Long time lurker here - you have a great forum!

First post and I'm jealous already. Welcome!

True. I've been at 27 for a weekend in Nov, but that was really cutting it close (too close IMO) .