Backpack vs truck/base camp vs backcountry stock

[MOwhitetail]

I’ve always assumed the majority of folks backpacked in for a few days to their hunting spots or hunted from a base camp at their truck to be more mobile, but on a recent hunt we ran into a lot of groups using stock of different kinds (mules, horses, llamas, etc).

 

[dsotm]

Truck camp for me

 

[Sully_44]

Depends on the unit I’m hunting for me. I’ve done a little bit of everything. Generally the easier to draw tags are gonna be crammed by roads with people, so I plan on hunting off my back. I grew up with stock but haven’t gotten into a position to afford them again so it’s all off my back on the easy draw hunts for now. The better tags have less people so I’m able to hunt much closer to roads and use a base camp.

 

[OwenHa]

As Sully 44 said, it really depends on the unit. public land hunting in my unit in California involves backpacking far into wilderness areas for the best chance of success, but every unit I've hunted in other western states can be very effectively hunted from a truck camp. You're still going to have to pack out the meat though.

 

[Poser]

Backpack, truck camp, hunt from home -all depends on what I'm hunting, when I'm hunting, where I think I need to be, and what I'm in the mood for.

I do tend to backpack in for elk more than other animals because may of my best elk spots are too complex to get to as an out-and-back day hunt. I do some truck camping as well though.

Bear hunting could be any of the 3 and I'm more prone to backpacking if I know I need to be in one area for a couple of days, though I have no real need to "go deep" for bear hunting.

I always hunt deer during the late season (CO 3rd rifle) when they are migrating or already in their winter range which is effectively all front country in my area. I tried backpacking in the past and the juice wasn't worth the squeeze. I now just get up at 3:30 and hunt within a 30 minute driving radius.

For a number of years, I was exclusively into backpack hunting as a purists philosophy and that has made me much better at it, but I've backed off that approach in the last couple of years.

 

[justinspicher]

My base camp is the house. I like to do day hunts vs staying out. I hunt the later seasons and sitting in a tent out in the cold when I’m 45 minutes from the house seems dumb.

 

[grfox92]

My base camp is the house. I like to do day hunts vs staying out. I hunt the later seasons and sitting in a tent out in the cold when I’m 45 minutes from the house seems dumb.

Depends how close the the truck you are, hunting. We spent over 15 nights out in the field this year, all were probably an hour or less from my house to the truck, but we are usually no less than 1.5hrs up to 3 hours from the truck. Your a better man than me if you are hiking in and out every day .

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[justinspicher]

I haven’t had to hike too far to find critters, maybe 3-4 miles on way at most. I’m a pretty lazy hunter.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

All of the above.

 

[grfox92]

I haven’t had to hike too far to find critters, maybe 3-4 miles on way at most. I’m a pretty lazy hunter.

I don't believe the lazy part.

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[Beendare]

It depends on the hunt pressure and the spot.

I've had many hunts where we were either hiking in a few miles or packed in....and then had elk bugling right off the road at my truck just before and after dark.

 

[307]

I did my first DIY backcountry horsepacking hunt this fall. The horses/mules are a ton of work. I think I'd rather hunt off of my back, but that obviously limits range.

Each style has strengths/weaknesses and having multiple styles available is probably the best recipe.