Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting How do you stay fresh? Week long hunt.

Looking for tips on staying fresh during a week long DIY backpack hunt. Will be hiking out from a base camp each morning, leaving camp in the dark and returning at dark. Any tips on staying fresh during a week long trip? Current thoughts:

- Short naps on the mountain
- A rest day mid-week or if the weather is poor
- More sitting and glassing, less constant hiking.
- Staying hydrated and eating enough cals.

Looking forward to the feedback.

Those all sound like good ideas. Being in shape is going to be the main thing, that will set the pace.

Another thing we do is take babywipes. I buy the plastic box of 80 or so and take the lid off and let them dry out, then pour in a bottle of 91% isopropyl alcohol . I split them up in ziplok freezer bags depending on how long the trip is, about four a day. I also take a similar ziplock of unscented babywipes and some paper towels torn into quarter squares.

First thing when I wake up I wipe entire body with the iso ones, usually takes three. If it's a hard day I'll use one before bed along with a couple regulars. The regulars and paper is my mt. money kit mostly.

Isopropyl kills bacteria, bacteria is what causes smells. Still try to get in the creek or whatever when possible with a little soap, same with the clothes. Hanging up clothing and bedding where it gets sun and wind when you can.

If it's an open-country hunt, you're going backwards if there is not more glassing than hiking during the day.

If there is plenty of water, I take a shower. Do this by warming your biggest pot of water to a comfortable temp. Pour it on, soap up, rinse off. Takes about 90 seconds. This will work if it's surprisingly cool, cuz you don't stand around wet.

Those are all good. Heck, take a long nap on the mountain if you need it, enough sleep is probably the most important thing along with eating right and being in "mountain shape." Along those lines I'm willing to carry a little more weight to make sure I sleep well and eat well.. Like a Z-rest to pair with a good, comfortable inflatable, I get better sleep at night and a z-rest is good for sitting on to glass or a mid-afternoon nap up on the mtn too. And make sure you have something good to use for a pillow, that can be almost as important as your pad for a good night's sleep.

As far as eating well, I like to bring extra protein in the form of salami, jerky, and hard cheese to go with the inevitable carbohydrate-loaded Mtn House. Also nuts, nut butters, protein bars, and a little bottle of olive oil to add calories and fat to the meals. Plus some powdered energy and electrolyte drinks.

And I don't have any hard evidence but I believe workouts that get your body accustomed to getting rid of lactic acid efficiently help prevent sore muscles. HIIT training one way, along with resistance training for lower body and core, as long as you push to failure.

Good luck.

Where's the Monkey Butt thread?...............


Casey

The Best Hygiene for a week long Hunt is No Hygiene!!!!! You are Hunting Animals Why not Smell Like one?

IP

If you read the OP, he's not asking anout hygiene.

Hunt hard till you punch your tag, or till you drop... which ever comes first... sleep can wait until after the season ends. Oh, beer helps too.

Foxx

Baby wipes and lots of sitting still watching. Move slow, not fast, if you're sweating you're probably working too hard at it. Your best hunting will happen when you move less and they move more, exception being you intentionally flushing game for a running shot.

LOL, if I'm not sweating at least part of the time, I'm not trying hard enough.

It's the backpacking forum after all.

I think a few things can help keep your mental game "fresh".

My personal recipe during the long days or a long week - are a combo of several things:

I look at pictures of past hunts, as well as pics of my wife and kids (on my phone), reflecting on the journey and remembering that success was a result of the effort - most of the pictures jog a good memory and elicit a few laughs too

I listen to music that matches my mood ; energetic could be alternative/ r&b/ even metal; -- chillax could be jazz/ cuban/ spanish guitar; -- when i need a laugh or for fun country; fireside - whatever makes sense for the setting
For the music, as well as using OnX maps I bring extra charger/battery sticks for my phone.

I bring a current book (mostly business related, or specifically on motivation and leadership) - reading during lulls in the action or when I need a break from glassing.

I take a midday nap. But beware that this can and will one day cost you an opportunity. That lesson will stick with you for every nap afterwards too.

I also tend to glass many more miles than I hike everyday. I hike on average 10+ miles a day. But a lot of that hiking is done in the dark. I sit and glass most of the daylight hours, and plan my stalks.
____________________

In addition to all of that I always, always, always bring elk jerky with me. Something truly primitive yet inspiring about eating last year's harvest while on a quest for more.

I agree with the other gents suggestions of keeping your clothes and self clean, resting well, eating proficiently, using supplements (Mtn Ops, or Wilderness Training) and training hard before the season. HIIT high intensity interval training is a great way to do this.

And if you're a believer (like I am) I send up prayers of thankfulness especially while enjoying God's magnificent creation. I find myself praying/ conversing with my heavenly Father a lot during a hunt.

For me hunting is my sanity reset button. It is also strengthens my spiritual walk too. In this crazy, frantic world I find myself needing hunting season to get me through it all.

Lastly...Very few animals (for me at least) have come easily. Most were earned through perseverance and persistence. When in doubt power through it all. Just over the next hill is a new opportunity.

My physician father's advice was to "keep both ends clean" i.e. your mouth and butt. I'm just discovering that hemorrhoidal flare up is NOT conducive to sitting still!
I like Wizzer's advice about staying mentally sharp ,too.

Wizzer - great thoughts! I too feel alot more connected to God and the natural world when I'm out in it. I've been known to carry a small Bible and have a study session on Sunday hunts. Plus, most days I nap in the midday hours. A 30-60 minute siesta refreshes a tired body.

These bathing wipes are much larger than baby wipes and easier to use. They're also more bulky and heavier so you'd need to decide which to use. 2 of them will give you a pretty good wash down. The package can be resealed but putting them in a ziplock works better.

I like to do some serious manscaping. TMI? Shaving my head along with the baby wipe thing keeps me fresh indefinitely.

As far as staying alert/sharp I ought to use some of these tips everyday. Haha I can stay awake in the woods for a week but am much more tired when I am in the daily grind. The woods energize me, not drain me. No matter how poor the weather is, how bored I am, or how long I’ve been out a bad day in the woods it is far better than a good day in the daily grind.

As far as hygiene goes, the creek is nice. But campfire smoke kills bacteria as well (that’s why you smoke meat to allow it to stay good longer). So drape clothes downwind from the fire, too far to burn them though. I for one prefer the scent of campfire smoke to BO.

It amazes me how many here didn't read or understand the OP's question.

I go to bed right after dinner, take a nap on hill late morning if needed (mid day to early afternoon is better for glassing shade switching if staying in same glassing area), take my vitamins and muscle recovery drinks at camp. I also try to eat a big breakfast and forget about Mountain House. Soooo many better tasting and nutritious backpack foods available. Also I carry coffee with me at all times for energy, as well as gels. This is a base camp situation as you describe....

Since you are into supplements, have your tried Creatine Monohydrate?

I'm really not into supplements, but the recovery powder is great stuff....that's about all I've ever used...

MRE `S for meals with the heater in it,baby wipes,and a folding 3 legged lite chair with a back rest to hunt with.case of water somehow ? if warm weather monkey butt powder too ?

Also, make sure to stay well hydrated. Many good water additives, but good old plain water will work.

My comment from an old thread on this topic.

Fill a plastic drinking water bottle with warm water, one with a squirt top is best and a quart is more than you need. Carry a microfiber wash cloth and mini towel. In deep cold, only uncover and wash one part of your body at a time and I like to have a 4 oz. squirt top flat bottle of liquid soap. Wet the cloth and soap it a bit, scrub and rise off or sponge off. The squirt bottle is excellent for washing hair. Wet hair, shampoo and then rinse with squirts. I feel a lot better in my sleeping bag. I do that every couple of days or so or after a big sweat, and use the wet wipes every day.

Slow and steady wins the race. Pace yourself. You can go longer and farther slow and steady than you will fast with lots of rest breaks. Mid day naps are also great.
The biggest thing though is being in shape before the hunt. The hunt is not the time to try to get in shape or lose weight.

Take along something you enjoy. I pack a snickers for every day. It does great things for my spirits while eating it. I used to avoid coffee, but now some instant crystals in my water bottle in the morning gets my head right. If I had a base camp, I'd have something to drink once I got in, usually a Dr Pepper, that would get my mind right before going to bed. Simple things really, but things that can provide a mental boost.

For me it's more mental than physical. If you don't embrace the miserable conditions, they can get you down.

I find washing my face/hair does wonders for both hygiene and waking/refreshing me. A little soap and cold mountain spring water and I always feel much better. Especially after a quick nap or when the weather is warm and I have been sweating.

Snickers mini's are always in my pack. I don't eat candy normally, so get a good boost after a bar or two.

Beer... nope, not while hunting, time to drink, time to hunt. Beer slows me down and weighs to much.

Precisely why the flask was invented.

I will add that driving all night to get to your hunting area makes you exhausted before the hunt even begins. I think you are better off finding a hotel around 10 or 11 pm and sleeping until 5 or 6 and then finishing your journey. So many people do this because they are excited to get there, but I feel it costs you in the long run.

Good point, sleep is huge.

Some great advice here. Thank you!