Backpack Hunts-what you wished you brought/ what you should have left

[robAK]

Putting a hunt together for CO. Going in about 6 miles and hunting from there. Haven't done this in about a decade. Want to know what you guys wish you had, or shouldn't have taken, aside from the obvious. I posted this because I got a great idea from a buddy that sheep hunts and has it down cold. He brings bagels with meats, bacon and cheese. He vacuum seals them to reduce volume. Just want to know if you guys have any "hacks" you'd like to share.

 

[Ghost]

Oh im following this one.

 

[mtnrunner260]

Sounds like your hunting from a central camp once back in.
A large volume gravity filter so you have a couple days worth of water is always nice.

 

[bojangles808]

leukotape and and extra pair of merino socks so you can rotate your socks and keep your feet happy

 

[Scott/IL]

When my buddy shot his bear in Alaska this spring and turned to me and said, "I didn't bring my game bags.." Luckily one of us planned on killing something.

Extra socks too. Wet feet suck.

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[rodney482]

A down puffy

My buddy didnt have one, kept trying to buy mine.

 

[elkyinzer]

Versatile food options. I thought I could handle mtn house 7 days in a row. My digestive system disagreed.
Didn't want to see oatmeal for the next 6 months either.


Wished I had a better pack on my first trip. Quickly traded my cache hauler for a MR.

Packed a few more clothes than I needed and some backup/redundant stuff that I now keep in the truck.

 

[Ghost]

I always seem to bring way more clothing than I need. One thing I do always bring with me is wrist rocket, grouse/snowshoes break up the monotony of mountain house.

 

[camelcluch]

A functional sleep system. My first pack trip was spent with 7 night of freezing on a worthless pad and subpar bag. Horrible...

 

[Ben]

I bring two pair of socks to wear and rotate them out daily. Rinse in a creek every few days is you can. Last year I started bring a 3rd pair of socks just for sleeping in and will be sure to do that each year now.

 

[nflesher]

I tend to not take enough food and usually have an extra jacket/shirt/fleece or something of that sort that I never use. I will be making a better pillow this year too.

 

[sr80]

i like to bring a pack of gum, and some sort candy / treat in a bag i can grab a mitt full of here and there.

 

[AXEL]

TWO pairs of sox and a third packed in a H2O proof bag. TWO light gonch and very light longjohn bottoms and long sleeved top. I wear these at night to sleep and can use them in an unexpected cold snap. We had huge winds, major snowfall and sub-freezing temps. on opening day in the Kootenays of BC, but, I was fine and comfy with the above stuff.Sept. 09/06.

I always pack some extra grub, major pain meds and rather comprehensive emerg.-first aid kit. I do NOT take booze, cameras, other such stuff, so, the weight is a wash.

I am, for the first time in 53 hunting seasons, going to buy a DeLorme Inreach, as I have a wife who gets concerned and I hate driving out every so often to let her know by cellphone that the Grizzers ain't et me yet. Maybe a Spot, gotta research these gizmos.

 

[Brightwhite]

Every trip is so different, it certainly helps to know where you're going so you can pick your shelter/water filtration to fit that area. For me though, I would never go without my xtherm pad (good r value pad) and a good synthetic puffy. I sleep on that pad every night and I've been forced to sleep on snow plenty of times, and I wear that jacket everyday and sleep in it most of the time mid sept and on if up high.

The leave behind part depends on the trip, I usually pack about the same, then depending on distance/elevation gain I tweak my optics and things like tripods, fishing gear, extra battery pack, etc.

 

[blackpowderhunter]

one of the simplest things that has made days so much better is a sit pad.
you can use it while glassing, or just sitting under a tree.
beats the hell out of sitting on wet or damp or rocky ground for hours on end.
something to be left behind...extra clothes.
i always pack too much clothes.. if you arent getting soaked every day, it's pretty easy to cut down on your clothing.

 

[EastMT]

Bring:

Half of a sleeping pad used for glassing, weighs nothing, extra sleep insulation on cold nights under the thermarest.

8 oz Borah tarp for makeshift night away from camp or shelter if injured

Chapstick, boonie, sunblock, sunglasses. Sun is great until you are at altitude in it for 10 days.

Hiking sticks. I made fun of them for years then I did a solo sheep hunt with them, priceless in steep slopes.

Leave behind:

Heavy water filter system, pants with baggy crotch and no stretch(make a goat hunt miserable), helly hanson- awesome stuff but I would have been drier in a cotton t shirt, anything cotton that you wear.

 

[robAK]

so this is added: blue tarp (6 oz 6x8) EXTRA long spoon ( have not thunk of that) what COOP said.....but might sub the REI camp chair for ~6 oz as it adds to sleeping pad...what hacks for food? My cuz does deydrated fruits, but that comes with uber $...


w

 

[EastMT]

My buddy gave me a super long jet boil spoon, it's awesome.

My favorite food item is Clif Energy chews. Think old school movie theater Dots candy with 100mg of caffeine per package. Nice last hump to camp pick me up.

Here is daily ration for my upcoming sheep hunt. Comes out to 2800-3000 calories a day and 24oz plus vias coffee and tea bags. I ordered most from Amazon prime and came in pretty reasonable price wise. Oatmeal packs can be mixed and hydrated cold to cut down on fuel usage or small fire if conditions permit, so only one mandatory cook a day. Richards PB burst has energy nutrition in it, seemed like a nice little extra in the mix.

 

[fngTony]

Nail clippers, better yet trim 'em all right before you go

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[dariian]

handheld saw (bahco laplander), makes cutting firewood very easy. made the mistake of taking too much food. also didn't try out my sleep system before hand and slept terrible.