Have You Ever Backpack Hunted?

[Daveinjax]

I haven't yet but I spent most of the last three nights doing research. I plan to hike into a wilderness area in the Florida panhandle and hunt deer in the January "cold" to learn about how it works. By then I will have filled mine and all my "dependents" freezers with a south Georgia deer limit ( 12 ) so I will not feel any pressure to shoot deer , just relax and learn. The goal being a solo elk hunt in a wilderness area in '13.

 

[WildRose]

Have You Ever Backpack Hunted?

Defined as carrying your camp with you for at least one night on a hunt.

In answer to the poll yes.

Myself and several friends are also in the process of gearing up for at least 2 major backpacking hunt adventures per year for the next ten years beginning next year.

 

[hunterbob]

My Father and I Hunted Deer and Bear in some wilderness areas in upper New York State, back in the 60's and early 70's. He and I would hike back in the mountains and spend 2 or 3 days; there were no roads or paths to follow and we set up a tent usually 5 miles in. We hupped it, had a lot of adverse weather conditions, but thats part of it; with some great hunts. That was a long time ago and I have probably told those stories over and over again to my Grand Kids. You know how us old farts are?

 

[drbill]

My first ever Elk Backpack hunt was in CO. I called around to game wardens etc and told them to give me the hardest place to get to but on public land. So a nice fellar said go here and you won't get lost and you will have fun and you will see elk but not big ones. So I listened and headed out. Got there and said this is right off a gravel road but STRAIGHT UP and a long ways. I took essentially a couple days to pack all my crap up that hill water etc. Slept in my little one man tent and woke up to having to push snow off my tent to even get out. Got up and sat and waited. I don't know this place so ill just sit and watch. What the heck are those lights. what? Now rigs were driving literally right up to where I was at. How? I remember the fellar that told me this is the best public hard place to go he just forgot to tell me the landowners had roads around this right up to the top. yeah. I hunted all day long where the trucks couldn't go. No elk. So I went to bed. But this time before I could even get up the trucks were there. So I jsut got up took a potty (I have children) and essentially stayed by the tent and watched. Watched. Watched. You know what, those trucks eventually left and as I watched them drive away I notice 2 "black" deals jsut below the road on a steep ridge. Bye bye trucks. Hello elk. Wait. Wait. Ok now gun. You know what? Do you know how fast trucks can turn around and come back and do you know how fast a boy can shoot to make sure his elk doesn't get away? Fast. Go claim and butcher and haul to the tent. Now what? Its going to take days to get all this down to truck and get out of here. Think. Think. Ill take a risk and go to the truck with the bulls head. Don't want to lose the trophy. Im not hungry yet. Drive to "guides" place that has access to road. I can see Im not welcome!!!!! and they want a 3000 dollar trespass fee or something. Ok Think. Think. Well sir I shot the elk you didn't see and Im sorry but now Im going to stay at my camp for 2,3,4 days hauling this thing out and stinking up "your" hunting area. Well wouldn't you know it for a small small fee I was taken up there and HAULED out, elk, gear and all. In the truck and 5 hours away in a nice warm hotel room and alot closer to home.

Ok so now brother I have deal for you. Lets go elk hunting in CO. I know this place!!!! He shot a cow and I shot a good 5. You know what? they weren't at all helpful this time. LOL.

 

[hunterbob]

drbill, sounds like you made a good hunt out of a lost cause. LOL
I got a story like that in the Adirondacks when it was pooring raining, for 3 days.
Didn't even see a squirrel that time. LOL
Thats just the way it is. I have never paid any fee for hunting, so far that is.
I may pay one to go pheasant hunting in the panhandle this year, though.
I haven't hunted those birds in 30 years and would sure like to do it one more time.I would also like to hunt in colorado one time for Mule deer.

 

[WildRose]

drbill, sounds like you made a good hunt out of a lost cause. LOL
I got a story like that in the Adirondacks when it was pooring raining, for 3 days.
Didn't even see a squirrel that time. LOL
Thats just the way it is. I have never paid any fee for hunting, so far that is.
I may pay one to go pheasant hunting in the panhandle this year, though.
I haven't hunted those birds in 30 years and would sure like to do it one more time.I would also like to hunt in colorado one time for Mule deer.

Bob we usually try and schedule our club's walking field trial to coincide with opening weekend of pheasant hunting. We then take everyone pheasant hunting on Monday after the riff raff have cleared out.

We'll probably do the same again this year and usually Bernie set's it up so that we're not paying for the privilege but a small donation to our birddog club wouldn't be turned down.

 

[25elk]

Yes, many times, both on foot and by horseback. I grew up being alone in the woods and feel safer out there than when 'in town' as a matter of fact. When camping solo you can't be too careful, however. A simple sprain or broken limb can be life-threatning and you had better be a survival expert if the worst happens. And believe it or not, even experts can get lost!! Over my life long career of hunting I have had to stay put overnight without camping gear on four different occasions...twice with my father. Once we spent the night standing up in thigh deep water in the Atchafalaya River basin when the fog set in so heavily it was impossible to see more than the length of your arm. On another duck hunt with my dad we spent a full day and a night in our 12' boat due to fog setting in down in the Missippi Delta, and my father was the best outdoorsman I have ever known. The other two times were in the mountains, once in CO and once in NM.

 

[hunterbob]

Yes, many times, both on foot and by horseback. I grew up being alone in the woods and feel safer out there than when 'in town' as a matter of fact. When camping solo you can't be too careful, however. A simple sprain or broken limb can be life-threatning and you had better be a survival expert if the worst happens. And believe it or not, even experts can get lost!! Over my life long career of hunting I have had to stay put overnight without camping gear on four different occasions...twice with my father. Once we spent the night standing up in thigh deep water in the Atchafalaya River basin when the fog set in so heavily it was impossible to see more than the length of your arm. On another duck hunt with my dad we spent a full day and a night in our 12' boat due to fog setting in down in the Missippi Delta, and my father was the best outdoorsman I have ever known. The other two times were in the mountains, once in CO and once in NM.

I know about getting lost too. 3 times for me , once in a swamp, once on top of a mountain locked in with fog/clouds , another in wooded revines in semi flat land ... yup been there done that too.

 

[elkdude01]

Every year. My buddy and I don't have mules or horses we do it the hard way, we go a few weeks before the season starts haul in the heavy stuff get our camp in order. Clean the cash out clean up the trails. One way its 7.25 mile. We go in that far because WA state onlyhas a few gmu that allow a big bull elk to be take with out a special permit. I don't bother with the lottery I have had very good success in the past 20 years hunting general public late on the early hunt my dad hunted the same land I do. The camp we use was my dads along time ago I have never seen anybody else in there have never found sign of people being in there. We put the work in to make our hunts successful. I guided for 8 years in Alaska not far from Larson bay on Kodiak all the camps I worked were outfitter no lodge. To sum it up your odds are way better the farther you get away from the roads

 

[hunterbob]

Every year. My buddy and I don't have mules or horses we do it the hard way, we go a few weeks before the season starts haul in the heavy stuff get our camp in order. Clean the cash out clean up the trails. One way its 7.25 mile. We go in that far because WA state onlyhas a few gmu that allow a big bull elk to be take with out a special permit. I don't bother with the lottery I have had very good success in the past 20 years hunting general public late on the early hunt my dad hunted the same land I do. The camp we use was my dads along time ago I have never seen anybody else in there have never found sign of people being in there. We put the work in to make our hunts successful. I guided for 8 years in Alaska not far from Larson bay on Kodiak all the camps I worked were outfitter no lodge. To sum it up your odds are way better the farther you get away from the roads

Elkdude01, You're a true hunter. Been there, done that. We went back in away from roads , no paths , no other hunters... Saw things many never will see.

A true hunter doesn't measure his success or failures, by his kills alone." _
Robert Tucker

 

[JP100]

If you havnt back packed you havnt hunted!!!

 

[Timnterra]

I recently moved to South Dakota from Texas and am planning a backpack hunt for this fall in the Black Elk wilderness area in the Black Hills National Forest. I have spent a lot of time backpacking in wilderness areas in NM and CO but never while hunting and I can hardly wait.

 

[hunterbob]

First time is great, You will do it again too after that.

I slept in a tent in the north country, with a small coleman stove to heat it. I had a larger tent. positioned slightly over the opening, and that way we had a fire close for cooking. Could sit in the outer tent and drink coffee.

 

[elkdude01]

Our camp has a 12x12 frame we built, a tarp goes on for a roof and we have a place to hang wet gear place to eat our meals. It is really nice to have when you get up in the mornng and it rain to beat hell, that's the worst its hard to start a long day when your wet before you ever started. We have a cash we built were most of our camp stuff stays up there all year long. Its alot of work to take all that stuff in 7 miles but we did for several years. As much work as it is I would change a thing I love the feeling you get when you see that big bull and know that your the only one looking at.... well my best friend might be looking too