Best way to stash water?

[Hwcopley]

I’ve got a hunt this fall that I want to stash some water for about two months in advance of the season. There is a bear presence, so I’m worried about burying or just covering with rocks. Also not sure if hanging in a tree is a good idea. Any advice or past experiences would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I would be reluctant to do that. I would think you will see some algae or bacterial growth.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

Military style water containers come to mind but anything you store in the wild for 2 months could be messed with by people or animals. I would be nervous if I was going into a hunt and depending on a water or food cache that's been sitting for months. I'm assuming this a desert hunt but is there no water nearby to filter?

 

[WCB]

I would also check the regs for your area and see if it is even legal. But instead of taking the time and doing it so far in advance...why not just do it a week or so before?

 

[mooretitan]

I sometimes do this when just hiking/scouting an area that doesn't have a good water source. I just stash them in some rocks and hope for the best. Every once in awhile it comes in handy. Had a buddy who really did not understand how much water he needed to pack in. After a day he was out and I had to share mine which I wasn't happy about. Water when its a 100 degrees is pretty dang important. We planned a morning hunt towards a stash that I had put out a few months before. Lucky it was all there and we had enough to make it another couple days.

 

[Geewhiz]

I hunt an area that has available water, but for a number of reasons choose to pack water in during the summer anyway. Lots of bears. I just buy a case of 16 oz water bottles, stuff as many as i can carry into my pack, and make a cache on the ground, covered in rocks and debris. In theory, if they have not been opened, they should be free of bacteria and other contaminants. Years of doing that and never have had an issue with bears or anything else. At one point I talked to a hunter in there that said he happened onto my stash and helped himself to a bottle. He was grateful to have found it and I'm glad I was able to help.

 

[cnelk]

Ive done it
Heat and bacteria will cause problems.
Use a clean container - Bury it and hope for the best.

And dont worry about the Internet police

 

[GSPHUNTER]

If you do store it, just add a little scent free bleach to it, VERY LITTLE. I have water stored for emergence use and add about 1/8 TSP/5 gals of water. You can look up exact ratio on line.

 

[mtnrunner260]

I've done the rectangle shaped gallon jugs from the grocery store. Think it is better to use something factory sealed. Also with lid off they squish down really well.
Bring some aquamira and a filter just in case it tastes a little off.

 

[Hwcopley]

Thanks for the replies. There’s water where I’m going but I wanted to save some by miles come sept.

 

[TreeWalking]

One thing to keep in mind that you need to verify what water is where you left it before you need it during the hunt. Maybe, leave some at the trailhead in your vehicle so have a Plan C.

 

[MallardSX2]

Stashing water on public land is littering.

 

[RojoGrande]

Best option would be to bury off trial a ways. Less likely to have another hiker or hunt stumble into you stash. Really wouldn't be too worried about a bear finding it. I'd probably opt to run it thru my water filter when I recover it as well to take care of any possible contamination issues. I've run some pretty rank smelling and looking water thru my sawyer squeeze and been fine.

 

[Mike Islander]

I've done the rectangle shaped gallon jugs from the grocery store. Think it is better to use something factory sealed. Also with lid off they squish down really well.
Bring some aquamira and a filter just in case it tastes a little off.

This has worked for me. I literally just put it in the recognizable bushes and mark it on gps. Never had anything touch it. Never had anything but fresh water when I opened the jug.

Make sure you get jugs with stout, screw on caps. Cheaper jugs have press-on caps that will pop off after breaking the seal.

 

[cmahoney]

I had a rodent chew up a platypus stashing water once. I always piss around the bags in hopes of keeping bears away.


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[Brooks]

I’ve hauled water way up in the mtns using horses weeks before the hunt. First time I did it I had about 20 bottles and had them on the ground under a tree in the original plastic wrap, then but sticks and leaves over top of them. When I got back for them some little critter had found them and chewed through about half of them.

Next time I put them in a black heavy contractors garbage bag and tied them up in a thick juniper tree. When I got back they were all there and all full. Been doing it like that ever since.

 

[StuckoYota99]

Sealed gallons of water, placed strategically for future use. Marked with GPS coordinates because it's really hard to remember which tree or rock it's next to in the dark.
If you're really concerned about rodents you can put in a metal 30mm ammo can. Good weight training for scouting

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Just pack it all out even if animals and/or humans trash it.

 

[Coveyleader]

I do it all the time. We normally just stash gallon jugs. I've never had a problem and we are in a high black bear area. Last pack out I'll have two to three gallon jugs lashed to my pack.

It sure is nice not dealing with water for a couple days after the initial pack in.

 

[SArnold30]

I have multiple stash sites, some with factory sealed gallon jugs, others filtered with a Platypus into empty gallon jugs. Never had any issues with either source. Find a spot not easily stumbled on, bury it in some logs/rocks/branches and mark it on your GPS.

Screw the littering nonsense, as far as I’m concerned, the hunters are much better stewards of the land than the other 95% of bozos using it. The amount of empty beer bottles or canned food containers, toilet paper, batteries and general trash I’ve seen scattered along wilderness trails makes me not even bat an eye for carefully concealing drinking water that I’ll rely on when the rivers and streams have long dried up and it’s 107° on opening day. Plus I’ll actually pack it out when I’m done with it, along with the garbage the other losers have left behind.