Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Trail Wisdom

Hoping that some of you vets would share some of the wisdom you have gained on your many trips. How has your philosophy of planning, packing, etc changed and evolved? Are there certain things you do to prepare, etc? Any nuances that you feel may be missed in books, etc about the actual hunt or anything that leads up to or proceedes it?

A positive attitude is your greatest asset, and one you can't buy.

With a positive attitude the chitty weather and heavy pack only seem that way, but you know better (grin).

The pain you will feel is the reason you are there. It let's you know you are alive and makes the success of a hunt seem more well earned. What knd of satisfaction is there in shooting a deer off your back porch? None, it makes sausage but not fond memories.

I view the trip as an excuse to peak out my physical training cycle and really hammer out my cardio. On the trip, I work, work, work and smile because the Gatorade will taste even better.

Go when you can. Life and murphy has a way of screwing up the long planned trip but just as often you can get out there on short notice opportunities. Small trips are highly enjoyable and sharpen yur skills. Be prepared to go at short notice. Use prepacked boxes or bins and checklists to mske sure you've got the essentials. Pare down the load relentlessly to the true essentials. Be prepared to go with whatever weapon is allowed. You'll hunt more if you are decent with a muzzleloader and bow. It's not about the equipment, it's about being out and hunting.

I found more common sense in these few posts than than I usually find in a few weeks of posts.

That's because two of us are from Oklahoma ;-)

Just like Will Rogers.

While I'm a rookie at this stuff (backpack hunting), this is exactly my view!

junglecarbine:

I went on my first backpack trip in 1958. Or was it 1959? Memory is the first thing to go. I don't know if I've gotten any wiser, maybe I've just gotten lazy. There are a few things that I do now that I didn't use to to do.

First I have cut the weight of my pack in half. I started by getting a smaller lighter pack and filling it with ultralight gear. And now I just take less stuff.

I prepackage my food. Put one day of food in a Zip Lok storage bag. I have several ready to go now and I just have to put the right number of bags in the pack. That's how I avoid taking too much food.

Also, I limit my trips to 3 or 4 nights. I can stay out longer than that by planning my hunts so that I return to base camp every four or five days. So I can take less food and fuel.

I also use lists. That prevents me from forgetting essential things and it also prevents me from taking stuff that I won't use.

I determine what's essential by my own experience. "Essential" has a different definition for each person and you can only determine what's essential for you by getting out and doing it a bunch of times. I have found that I have to be comfortable in the day and I have to sleep well to be sharp as a hunter. My definition of essential is defined as follows:
1. Self-contained survival while maintaining minimum comfort to remain sharp.
2. Making a clean quick kill.
3. Field dressing the elk.
4. Hauling the elk out.

KC

conrad & TXRam:

I use to feel the same. I would carry fifty pounds and more in my pack and I thought that there was some level of accomplishment in doing that. Not any more. At my age, I better be in good shape to start the hunt. During the hunt is no time for me to be training.

I agree that there's a lot more satisfaction in going after the animals in their back yard winning the battle of wits. That's why I continue to backpack hunt.

KC

While I certainly don't have as many years of experience as some (and sure do appreciate what they have to offer), I have had the privilege of rambling through some of the bigger country in the West. I sure agree with Brad about attitude, it can make or break a trip.
For me, my goal with gear and techniques is always to make my own hunting skill and physical fitness the only limiting factors for success; this is the same for my other trips too, substituting "climbing skill" or simply "enjoyment of the surroundings" for hunting skill. Of course making your fitness threshold as high as possible will allow you to focus on nothing but the necessary skills to accomplish your specific task (hunt, climb, ski, etc.).

As far as my take on the preparation process, etc.;
I am in a life stage where my wife and kid(s) (#2 on the way) require that I be very deliberate about each extended trip. This has been good in that I am learning to plan carefully and maximize my opportunity to succeed on a given hunt. I have developed priorities regarding what animals I am really interested in chasing. For instance, I'd rather put my time in chasing big mulies in the high country and come away empty than spend much time at all hunting elk. Many people might be the opposite, and my interests will probably shift at some point. It just comes down to prioritizing what types of hunts fulfill your goals.
In terms of packing and gear, solid logic goes a long way. Instead of banking on a certain piece of gear to keep me comfortable (i.e. a hard shell keeping me dry), I've learned to use a system that will function and keep me comfortable in a broad range of conditions; wet, dry, or somewhere in between (which is where an active hunter spends most of their waking time thanks to perspiration).
Sometimes you just have to suffer, and that's when that good attitude comes in. I've certainly been guilty of tapering dedication when faced with less than thrilling circumstances.
I sure look forward to many more years of learning to be a successful backpack hunter.

Don't know if this qualifies as "wisdom" but I've gotten so I'm no longer in a hurry to get from point "a" to "b," or check out each and every spot that looked so good on the map, or multiple high lakes instead of the one I'm catching fish and having a good time at.

Slow down, don't be in a rush. That goes double if/when you get an animal down. As long as spoilage is not a problem, take your time and enjoy every trip out with meat on your back, that's what you came for!!!

Take a load out to the truck (and the marine cooler with ice you have waiting) and don't be in a rush to get back in right away. Pull out the folding chair, have a beer, watch the sunset, and crash at the trailhead, with the tent/bag/pad you have stashed there. Wake up in the morning, fry a big skillet of potatoes, onions, and eggs, and head back in. Be where you are, not where you think you should be.

Thanks for that!! I'm in a similar stage of life and need to follow your advice on both the hunting and the gear.

You got this pegged. After I got mIne last year (day 1) and off the mountain on day 4, I stayed at our camp and poked at the fire, smoked a cigar and drank coffee all day. It was great.

smokepole:

If that's not wisdom, I don't know what is.

KC

1. Don't try to separate fighting dogs
2. It's better to be with a buddy that challenges you than one you babysit
3. Beware of fast moving water
4. Look out for snakes
5. Never hike in with one of your kids, further than you can carry them back out.
6. Never hunt with a Blaser rifle unless you are prepared to talk to every single person you meet, from the airport on out, about that rifle. I'm the kind of guys that needs a t-shirt that says "Don't talk to me"; and a Blaser just ruins my day for that reason.
7. Someone that carries your load just a little will be a friend for life; conclusion.....carry someone's load sometime (but still don't talk to me, Ha!)
8. I'm with Brad on attitude.....pain is just weakness coming out of you, push through the first side splints and a whole world opens up (and I had to be past 40 to find this out)
9. Don't get you Down bag wet, and lastly
10. Never argue with an Alaskan about rain gear!
Don

That's right on. I usually hike until the kid doesn't want to any more. Then throw her in my back pack and head back to the truck.

Lots of good stuff here just remember no matter how hard you think it is you could always be back at work.

We are getting some wisdom out of this thread.

KC

I'll be 62 by hunting season. Age gets us all in the end. You need to realize your limitations and take steps to deal with them.

My solution to lengthening my hunting years:
We'll be doing some short trips this summer to see what works best, the llamas or the goats. The llamas can carry quite a bit more weight, but the goats are much easier to handle and transport when hunting.

Goodday fellow hunters,

Very much enjoy this site and particular this forum. Having spent the better of 20 plus years in the Marines, I am on and off on the years I get to hunt. A few years back I started collecting a little list of things I have seen people post or maybe read in an article or book (having no orginal thought at times), I am sure you can make this list bigger, thanks for reading.

1. High Vantage Points
2. See them before they see you
3. Take notes (good or bad)
4. Scout from afar
5. EAT, EAT, EAT
6. Respect the animal
7. Be patient, be aggresive
8. Respect nature
9. "WATCH THE WIND"
10. Respect your fellow hunter
11. Stay in the shadows
12. "You will fail, can you bounce back".
13. Push, Push, Push
14. "It's never to late, it only takes one shot/one arrow to turn worst hunt into the best".
15. Focus on desired results
16. Do not skyline yourself, EVER!!!
17. Believe in yourself, and your ability
18. No Guts, No Story
19. "If it were easy, everyone would do it".
20. Do it because you can

I very much enjoy hunting the highcountry of the Sierra's and Rocky's.

Thanks for reading

hike2fish

I don't know Smokepole, your advice just makes it sound like you're getting old. Maybe you should find a 20-something mountain biker / runner / bowhunter to start hanging out with

The one piece of advice I'd add that hasn't been mentioned is not to get carried away with complicated gear or gadgets. Simpler is almost always better. My one personal exception to that rule is a Kifaru stove. The fiddling around is worth it.