Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Minimum Gear for Intentional Overnight Bivy...

Normally hunt out of a cabin in SW Colorado. A couple of the spots I am considering for Colorado 2nd Rifle this year are between 10K and 12K, with up to a couple hours (for me) to hike in. Considering packing in the afternoon before, getting settled before dark, and doing an overnight bivy approx a half mile or so from my final destination.

It has been +30 years since I have spent the night out, intentionally or otherwise. Trying to figure out necessary items vs "nice to have items". I am thinking:
> Backpack (J107)
> Rifle
> 3 liter water bladder
> Food/snacks
> Already have USGI Goretex bivy bag (no insulation)
> Plastic emergency tent
> Normal first aid and fire starting stuff I always carry.
> Change of dry socks, gloves, hat that I normally carry.

Not sure about:
> Sleeping pad ?
> Other really significant items ?

Not planning to bivy if snow or rain in the forecast. But need to be prepared. I figure if I set out to spend the night, and plan it properly, I should be able to find a spot under a spruce/pine/fir tree to bed down with out requiring a great deal of amenities to get me thru the night.

What am I missing ? What else do I need to consider ?

You need a sleeping bag. I'd look for one rated 10-15 degrees colder than you think it can get, 'cause if you don't, it will. Depending on availability of water, I might carry less but bring a filter. Water is heavy to carry.

If you will break a sweat hiking in, I'd suggest bringing a change of underwear and maybe good synthetic long johns to sleep in, otherwise your body moisture from the day will make you cold at night. Baby wipes.

You can probably get by without a sleeping pad if you're in an area with a lot of duff. If you're on rocky/stony ground, take a pad.

Question: have you slept in that bivy sack? For some people, they hold back a lot of otherwise escaping body moisture causing them to get pretty damp and get cold. GoreTex really doesn't work that well for me for shedding moisture, it might as well be neoprene.

Tom

I detest plastic "emerg." tents of any type and would suggest carrying a silnylon tarp, at least 7x9 ish, this could be an Integral Designs Silwing, my usual choice, an ID Siltarp II or one of several fine US-made tarps in that size range...for one person.

For a pad, I tend to go with simple EVA foam pads, less to go wrong and Gossamer Gear has several I like and use. Prolite and some other dealers offer these and I tend to cut mine to suit me and thus eliminate a tiny bit of extra weight.

I also want to carry a light, synthetic poncho liner or sleeping bag, the new Hillpeople Gear Mountain Serape is what I am going to buy and I have an Exped Primaloft Wallcreeper plus I sometimes have packed my ID Andromeda Overbag in this use.

I like a candle lantern, using a plumber's candle and I have a headlamp and small Petzl LED handheld light.....these REALLY help at night and are worth the weight to carry, IMHO.

These, with the other gear you mention, will enable you to "camp" in comfort and safety and keep you cheerful and efficient during your daily hunting. I have found that a "bad" night or two while hunting can really ruin your trip.

Glass
Game bag and garbage bag
Knife
Light
Some Chute cord
TP
Range finder? Maps/GPS/Compass depending on distance and off trail.
Beanie hat
Rain gear top/bottom

Pad... yes but everyone is different in terms what they can sleep on comfortably, so there's as simple as blue foam or as nice as the fattest widest insulated air mats.

If this is going to become a regular thing there are a number of one man shelters that would eliminate the need for a separate bivy and tent set up. The right sleeping bag with one man shelter and you can drop the bivy. Garbage sacks can serve for a bag cover, dry sack, meat sack etc.

i always have to have a way to make something hot to drink. coffee, cocoa or tea.

I pack the jet boil on all missions now.

those look nice. i'm going to have to get one.

I'd take a lightweight sleeping bag and my Kifaru Paratarp. I agree with the others about a good sil-nylon shelter. My paratarp weighs 11oz and the plastic emergency tents I carry in my vehicles weigh 16oz so you can get a good quiet shelter for the same or less weight than the plastic tents. Plastic tents are awful loud and hard to sleep in in any wind. Past that I'd take my little .7L Snow Peak mug and Esbit TI stove so I could have a hot mountain house meal and tea before bed, helps to keep warm.

Different for everybody. Best thing is just to do it a few times right now and then you'll begin to get a feel for what "spare" means to you.

I appreciate the input. I already have most everything except a tarp, a light weight sleeping bag, and a small stove. I am sure that the tarp and the bag have been discussed previously on the 'fire. Rather than rehash here, if someone could post a link to the previous discussions, I will peruse the archives.

Sleeping pads are not all about softer comfort on the ground...they also provide important insulation under you. Your bag will compress under your weight and give you almost no insulation there. Found that out sleeping on a cot without a pad at 25-30degrees. Bout froze my behind off and was miserable. Enjoy it! Joe

Minimum gear?

Personally, I recommend blonde, brunette or redhead.

Fixed it for you.

No, one redhead alone will likely be more than adequate.

I concur, two at once is dangerous.

Some good info given, though we cordially differ on details, as usual.

I've done a number of such bivvy nights, intentional and un. Some in snow near timberline in late Oct. in Idaho; above timberline in Canada, etc.

I zeroed in on your word "minimal." The ideal would seem to be to carry as little as possible while hunting the day, yet sleep safely with enough comfort to continue hunting without exhaustion the next day.

From my experience, take the smallest cut down closed cell foam pad that fits you hip to shoulder. It can be 3/8" thin that time of year. Insulation from cold ground is way more important than a sleeping bag. Take a bivvy bag or tarp, not both. For one night I'd take four tear open hand warmers rather than a sleeping bag. I have a micro bag that stuffs smaller than a football and would not take it for what you describe.

Disclaimer: I sleep well in relatively high discomfort (what would be discomfort to others). Take enough to allow YOU to actually sleep and rest some, not merely survive. Our mileage does vary.

Edited to add: let the actual weather on the day(s) you go dictate the final selection as to whether to carry a sleeping bag, etc. Wind, blizzard, rain, high pressure clear weather, etc.

I'm surprised no one mentioned tear open chemical hand warmers, the 7 hr. kind. I like to use four per night, tucked into my clothing. With a good bivy sack, used properly to adequately vent, a thin, 5/16ths ensolite pad and some extra clothing, which you might need anyway, one can spend a reasonably comfortable night.
I'd make sure I had a poncho, which can be used as a tarp style lean to, as well as protection from rain, and enough food. A one liter Ti pot, with a small fuel canister and a small, pocket rocket style burner, and you have your hot breakfast.
The only problems I've ever had were being unable to sleep until sunup due to the cold, which, as a hunter, you probably won't want to do anyway. That and trying to use old chemical handwarmers that had passed their expiration date.
Not something I like doing more than a night or so here and there, but it can be done alot better than many believe. You need to carefully select and prepare a site, and you should probably test your gear before you do it for real. E

Hi, E. We were posting at the same time.

With redheads, even one alone can be dangerous. Thankfully, they don't often run in packs.

True statement. I have been married to a red head for the past 33 years. Could not survive two.



Bingo. The goal is to be in position to successfully take a game animal. Need sufficient kit to be rested enough to make a good stalk, a clean shot, and get it off the mountain. The less I take up, the less I have to pack down.

Two years ago, on my first trip to Colorado, I spent the first two days (11 to 12 hours each day) nestled in the duff under a pine tree at 9500ft, 25*F with about 8" of snow on the ground. I was comfortable to the point that I started to "nap" a couple times.

I figure if I start mid afternoon, I should be able get a bivy shelter set up, glass until dark, eat a candle lit dinner, sleep in a couple extra hours, and still be "in the neighborhood" before daylight with minimal movement/noise/disturbance.

There is also the fact that spending time out alone tends to change the mindset, the focus, thought patterns. I don't understand the psychology of it. But I like it. And I would bet that several others will sit at their keyboards and nod in agreement as they read this.