Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Tent hunting experience...Yay or Nay?

I have several good sleeping bags, and life remains fine when our wood stove extinguishes in the middle of the night. I sleep better in cool environments anyway and will usually go to an unheated tent for the night. The 12 x 14 is toasty 5 minutes after I rise and light things up in the morning. Fire up a lantern, put on the coffee, light the stove, and then open the front door to cool things off as we begin cooking.

Yep. Have a camper now.

Trailer for deer camp, wall tent for elk camp. Trailers can't get to our elk camp area, or I would take it elk hunting also. I did find a 40 inch wide, six inch thick foam mattress. It makes tent sleeping rather comfortable! At 72 the ground is miserable to sleep on! Wood stove is the only way to go. Camped at 17 below for a week, in 2017! No other heat source would have kept us warm. It wasn't a great hunt, but it was better than being home.

When you think you have your whole camping kit collected.... which should be way ahead of time....

put it all together and drive a short way to some campground place and set what you brought...do 2 or 3 days just to see if you forgot something.... or if changes are needed

Sort of a practice run. Might be worth a lot during hunting season.

If you tent camp from a vehicle a lot you can really cut down on forgotten stuff. I bought a huge fishing tackle bag, the biggest Cabelas had. I bought everything for a kitchen and it went in the bag. After 1 trip, I had to make a couple minor changes but since then the bag hasn't miss a beat. It's all there, including a couple dish pans that fold flat. I also added a pen and note pad to write down anything that needs replenishing like salt or spray oil.
It's always packed and ready to go.

nesting pans, cutting board, knives, dinnerware, spatulas, bowls, spices, folding dish pans, soap, towels. matches, French press, coffee, etc

I went the wall tent route. I camped for 10 days in November in the Adirondack Mountains. With the wood stove, cot, pad, and big Cabelas 0 degree Outfitter rectangle bag, I was super comfortable. All the comforts of home in the middle of the wilderness. The big downfall is the weight and bulk of the tent. The whole thing must weigh in the neighborhood of 300 pounds. This is a 12x14 tent with 5’ walls. I went the route of using 1” electrical conduit for the frame, also the 8’ front porch, and rain flys in both. The wood stove is an addition 100 pounds. It’s a real workout setting everything up by yourself. It’s doable, and gets easier every time, but it’s not easy.
I really like the looks of the Kodiak tents, and am second guessing the route I went. They appear much lighter and less bulky. But I have a lot invested in my set up, and the comfort is really second to none.

I have two tents for hunting, the first is is a Springbar, 100% USA made canvas tent, I hunt solo a lot of times so it's only 10x10, easy to set up, outstanding quality, it's canvas so you don't get the sweating you do with nylon tens, it's quite warm. The second is a 5 man squad tent, it's a five sided insulated tent with stove jack, this tent does not have a floor, I usually use straw to cover the floor, when I hunt with my son-in-law there is a lumber yard nearby and we get a load of sawdust for the floor. it's a very warm tent, it's 13 ft in diameter and is easily set up by one man with only a center pole, it's a military tent so no frills, no windows, one door, but it's insulated and very easy to keep warm and actually quite light for it's size. Kodiak makes a good knock off of the Springbar but I prefer my gear to say made in USA, not by some freedom hating commie bastard. We spend a full day setting up, cutting wood, hauling water, if done right it's a great experience and in my opinion, the best way to hunt. As for light, I prefer the old Coleman gas lanterns, they are much better than any propane lantern, they'll burn all night on a tank of fuel and can be used with white gas or regular gasoline and will last for years, my lanterns range in age for 1952-1974, for cooking I use the Coleman sportsman 502, small and reliable. If I had to have only one tent for hunting it would be the 5 man squad tent, the only down side is not having a floor, but then there is no floor to rip but it requires clearing the ground before setting up.
These can be found on military surplus sights for $6-900 make sure you get an insulated one, you won't be sorry, I have been doing this for over 30 years and have it down to a science as far as set up and minimal gear to have a great experience. And find a good container for your tent and remember canvas tents have 3 enemies, mildew, ants, and mice NEVER NEVER EVER store it damp. The squad tent is really nice if it gets wet, as soon as I get home I just hook a rope in the center of the roof where the pole comes out, hang it in my garage and it dries in no time. Any questions feel free to ask

Alabama? I think winter down there I would just sleep in a hammock... Lol I missed that when I read your post I would go with a Kodiak or a Springbar before a Cabela's. The Springbar are second to none, but pricey, as I said before, I love my squad tent, warmest of any tent out there by far, no need to use the stove jack, a little buddy heater will run you right out of there because it's insulated. I think the actual name is the M-1950 5 man artic tent.

So I was googling around looking at wall tents this morning, and noticed the Cabela's Alaknak 10'x10' is on sale for $599.

After watching some videos and reading reviews on the Alaknak, all in all, for Alabama tent hunting, I'd think this tent is a good choice and a good price.

Heck, I'm tempted to give one a try at that price.


https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabelas-ultimate-alaknak-10x10-outfitter-tent


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I've tent hunted for quite a few years. First and foremost, I'd recommend a good wall tent. We have a 14 x 16 Davis Tent. Top notch tent and company. I also have a Kodiak Cabin for quick weekend trips. Both have served me well in some pretty bad weather. I used a wood stove (old pot belly) in the wall tent and a Big Buddy in the Kodiak. For the wall tent, there are grommets that you drive 12" timber spikes into the ground to secure it. We put an old tarp down then an outdoor type carpet on top for the floor. Great way to hunt, probably my favorite.

I'm sure you work hard for your money, my advice is to not spend it on this tent, spend it on a Kodiak or a Springbar and you won't regret it, I garauntee it's nothing near the quality of the two brands I mentioned I have camped in tents for 50 years, I have never stayed in a camper or a campground, always in the woods. First, canvas tents are the best, proper care and you can get 30 years out of one, second is ease of setup, the Springbar and the Kodiak Flex-bow are extremely easy and fast to set up, the Cabela's looks much more time consuming, third is quality, I didn't read the reviews but I read the specs and it's clear it's no match.
a big big point for me, and why I chose Springbar we're the stake loops ( a common fail point on tents) are made of stainless steel, but even more unique is the stake loops are hooked to a rope that is sewn into the edge of the tent, so when there is pressure on the loops it's on the rope and not directly pulling on the tent material, as opposed to stake loops that are just seen to the tent material, Kodiak has since incorporated this into their tents, you will play absolute hell trying to rip that design. Kodiak did not have that feature which is the reason I went with Springbar. Both tents set up the same way and they are unique in that way also. The Kodiak Flex-bow doesn't offer a stove jack which wouldn't be a problem camping in Alabama, the Kodiak cabin tent does come stove ready, the slight difference in price in exchange for the quality makes it a no-brainer in my opinion. Before you decide I would compare the features and material against the Cabela's tent. Also the Cabela's tent I believe has a rain fly...pain in the ***, the cava's tent will keep you warm and dry for sure. Good luck in whatever choice you make, I just want to give you my thoughts.

when i was young always yay , now that i am almost 69 its nay unless i have a dry tent with plastic on floor , heat , a cot and no snow then its yay

Most big game seasons I'll tent for 3-4 nights a time or two with my wife or a friend in a 10X10 Cabelas "spike" tent with one central pole. It sets fast, has a floor, and handles rain, snow and wind, which invariably arrives sometime during the outings. A big winter bison hide on the floor makes it luxurious! I never heat it, but there is enough room for folding chairs to cook in it for quick meals or a pot of coffee water. "Hot Hand" chemical packs make boots and gloves fantastically warmer. However, the last time I elk hunted from it at elevation, I did get a touch of frostbite after sleeping one night in fingerless gloves... fingers peeled for days. It is nice to get out of the roads for a couple days, really dials me into the game much better than can be gotten from a loud vehicle, and; usually gets me afield an hour or two earlier than anybody arriving afield via wheels.

Means to an end. If where I want to hunt is too far to reasonably hike in and out every day, hike in camp and sleep in a tent.

Not rocket science. Get a good tent, pad, and bag.

I've been using a 12x12 Alaknak since 2009 but I bought it for $550 and I don't know if I would be willing to pay what they are charging today. With a good stove it's a really nice tent and has held up to snow and wind but we did have some condensation problems on the days it snowed.

Where applicable! If it’s a hunt that requires it……certainly. If not….I’ll take my warm, dry camper, enjoy a hot shower every few days and watch the “idiot box” whenever I want!


Though, tent camping will often leave you with lifelong memories! Such as the North Louisiana, December deer hunt with my uncle. High winds driving the rain through the “treated” canvas tent and hearing 2 tornados pass nearby during the night!
Ah, the memories! Though, even while we didn’t get a deer ….I did have a good outing with my (now passed) uncle!

My wife fondly remembers one of her early hunts during her previous marriage…..when the tent collapsed beneath a heavy, wet Wyoming snowfall! Ah, the memories! 🤪 memtb

I have the 12x20 Alaknak and other than the condensation even with a wood stove I was happy with it. Has withstood high wind and rain and been dry . I have a 10x12 canvas wall tent and use it more than the bigger tent since it's usually only two of us in camp.

I’d be more worried about humidity than anything else.

I’ve been into the canvas wall tent/miner tent/baker tent scene for 30 years. Hunted & fished about everything using them as a basecamp or family camp. They are ideal under most circumstances but have obvious drawbacks like general bulk, mildew & possible fire/ash damage when stoves are in the mix.

Never used a Cabelas Alaknak - maybe they are awesome - maybe not but tents for hunting are pretty much a staple in my world.

I used to have 16x20 Davis wall tent only problem it was usually just my brother and I hunting and hard to keep warm with a wide stove. Sold it and bought an 8x10 awesome set up for 2 hunters. Bought another one if a couple more people decide to go. I would trust that set up on December & January hunts

I have spent a few nights in tents and hunting. Spend the money and buy a good one. I have experienced waking up soaking wet and the tent down on top of me in a thunderstorm in a cheap tent. One time my rifle was underwater and the water had made it to the top of my air mattress. in another cheap tent.
Neither was fun and ruined my trips. Listen to recommendations that agree on quality and go with that.