Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Do you use a tarp?

silnylon for me, it's small enough and light weight enough I carry in my day pack just in case.

Nevermind. I had elk on my mind. Buy another wolf tag or four.

Here is the setup with a tarp I like..

Another view

I've seen bear where you're going, too, although in Idaho, non residents can use their deer tag on a bear.

I'd have no problem using that mulie tag on a bear!


edit: I'm still working out the logistics of getting a cooler of mulie meat back to NC. The bear meat I could drop off at your place if you want!

A cooler full of ice should work fine for the drive to NC.

What part of the state are you hunting?

I'm flying. I could do fine with it in a cooler with dry ice and this is airline legal...but not cheap by a long shot. It's just a matter of getting it out of the woods, cooled and packed. I'd like to find a local meat processor that could cut, wrap, freeze and have it ready to go.

It may all be irrelevant as I'm hunting an area I've never been with no chance to pre-scout, so it's a low percentage hunt. But I need to be prepared in case I get lucky.

I'm probably hunting unit 48

Good luck. I find the last week of season to be the best out here. The deer are starting to migrate and are thinking about does.

Instead of a tarp consider lightweight windshirts with some water repellant. Patagonia Houdini is very popular with backpackinglight members and highly rated by anyone I've ever known. My XXL weighs in @ under 4oz. They are not water proof but will not wet out in anything less than a complete downpour and even then it takes some time (over 30 mins), so just be in the trees or moving back to camp. It doubles to help keep you warm on a cool day, or windy day. I can stay warm in my Houdini w/a 5oz Montbell down vest over a lightweight wool shirt down to just above freezing while backpacking (moving).

A tarp is not very multi-purpose if you already have a shelter, IMO. You can optionally add some windpants (GoLite has some on sale now) for an additional 6oz and have a pretty much waterproof suit for 10oz that can also be worn as needed depending on weather conditions.

I have some home made tarps and love having one along. Well worth the ~11oz.