Bivy Gear on a DAY hunt

[Luke S]

So I was thinking about the gear load for a day long hunt in Alaska (the Rocky Mountain areas would be similar).

Basically if I'm not grabbing a rifle to chase something right outside my camp I have food, water and gear for a full day outside (which might include waiting out rain under a tarp) including

• Rifle, optics and kill kit
• Rain gear
• A fly tarp (usually)
• Enough puffy jackets to stay stationary for several hours glossing
• Lots of granola bars
• Water tablets and other misc gear

This year I'll probably add a stove just so we can have hot food and drinks at breaks.

Now with all that I got to thinking that I basically have overnight gear with the exception of a sleeping quilt and pad. Maybe not comfortable but adequate.

So does anyone do this? I'm thinking it might be worth and extra pound or so to have the ability to crash overnight if I wonder to far from basecamp. The extra food weight would be pretty minimal if I used dry stuff with the stove. Also if I have a sleeping bag I could skip insulated pants.

This might not apply to moose because you don't hike 8 miles and shoot a moose. But for bears etc I think it's worth a try

 

[justinspicher]

Every time I go out I have everything, just in case. I bring a down quilt (30°) and a bivy. No rain gear though. After September I’ll bring a stove.

 

[mostlybirch]

Really depends on how far of a hike it is, what the ground is like, what the weather is like, and is the overnight due to an emergency or to potentially stay on top of a stalk. I don't like carrying the weight of an overnight trip on a day hike, I just want to know I won't be shivering through the night. A light down quilt would be more versatile for about the same weight as insulated pants.

 

[Koda_]

The more weight you carry the more fatique you will have at the end of the day.
IMO, I would rather mitigate the risks of having to bivy in the first place. Dont wonder too far, or intentionally plan on staying the night... Pick only 1.

 

[justinspicher]

I think my pack weighs 25lbs with everything I’m taking. Call it an even 40lbs with rifle and binos.

 

[Luke S]

Yeah I get that it's not going to be 100% either way.
There are times were I'm hunting close to camp and there is basically zero chance I'd bivy. Other times I've wondered if I could have killed something if I'd stayed out longer. Also depends on your comfort level hiking out in the dark.

 

[justinspicher]

I’m generally a 30-35 minute drive from the house and I still take my overnight gear.

 

[Luke S]

I did it "wrong" twice. I hiked out both times with overnight gear for a comfy based camp. Both times I killed a caribou just before setting up camp. So I had more to carry out.

But in either case I would have been in a better spot if I hadn't got a kill on day one.

I'm just thinking of all the times we went back earlier than actual dark because we we tired/hungry/cold or bored. I guess it's just a balance.

 

[eamyrick]

Spent the night out in a creek bottom in Alaska this year after a long long stalk with a ton of elevation. Camp was 4-5 miles away but the terrain sucked in the dark. I will never leave for the day without a bivy bag, short thermarest pad, stove, some food, and all my rain and puffy gear.

I had a bivy and it saved my ass. A warm meal or some hot broth would have made all the difference.

 

[Koda_]

Yeah I get that it's not going to be 100% either way.
There are times were I'm hunting close to camp and there is basically zero chance I'd bivy. Other times I've wondered if I could have killed something if I'd stayed out longer. Also depends on your comfort level hiking out in the dark.

In all the years of hunting Ive only had one kill at dusk from staying out till dark compared to the many times Ive hiked out in the dark no kill.
All I carry for day hunts is an emergency space blanket, for its weight its worth it. If its raining I have a very small sil tarp I use to glass from that "seconds" as a shelter. I never plan on an emergency bivy, too much weight to lug around especially if I'm farther away from base, the farther I venture the lighter I want the load... fatigue is a safety risk. The only thing keeping me from returning is an injury where I would push the button. Identify and mitigate the risks of injury, limit my distance based on my fitness, know the safe routes back even by headlamp or hunt closer in and you'll never need that space blanket.

 

[justinspicher]

I don’t mind carrying the extra gear. 75% of the time I’m in a spot where I am glassing so I’m not actually carrying the whole time. Never had a moment where I was so tired from carrying the extra weight it was a safety concern.

 

[Grady.J]

My glassing pad is long enough to serve as a torso length sleeping pad. I think it's 8 sections of z-lite foam pad, covers from my shoulders to my knees laid out. It's nice to double or triple over for more comfort sitting, and would function if i was stuck out for the night. Otherwise pretty much the same, rain gear, puffy layers(always a jacket, usually pants), glassing tarp. A night out would be manageable.

 

[Walkstoomuch]

I always have a sol emergency bivy, small tarp, puffy and rain shell, regardless of season. The puffy weight changes with the seasons. Also always carry a 3/4 length z lite thermarest for glassing and emergency shelter. If it’s a cold hunt I’ll carry a stove as well. A more solid shelter and bag/quilt may only add a few pounds but those pounds add up for me.

 

[Luke S]

You're right pounds do add up. But I weighed my military surplus puffy pants I had and they were s few oz more than my quilt. I'm not buying more right now stuff right now. So maybe I could replace some of my clothing layers with a quilt? Maybe glass with the quilt over my legs. Not always a great plan but it will be a interesting experiment.

 

[Poser]

I always go out into the mountains with the ability to survive the night, though I don't usually carry a quilt or bivy sack on day hunts. I do carry a bivy sack, full puffy and puffy pants etc when backcountry skiing (same idea: ability to survive the night though, now we're talking full winter in deep snow) and often get a lot of comments from other skiers about how big/heavy my pack is.

These conversations always seem to come down to two camps:

1. Don't pack your fears, if you are carrying more than 15 lbs, what the hell are you even doing?
2. Be able to survive anything that comes up.

I personally have had at least 4 nights where I was out all night in the mountains unplanned and unprepared to some extent or another: 3 of those were while climbing (and at least 2 of them were woefully unprepared), 1 was while hunting.

Things go wrong out there. I don't necessarily think you always need a sleeping bag, but you should always have some kind of plan of getting caught out and having the ability to survive. That may look different from region to region, season to season.

 

[PredatoronthePrairie]

After a few trips without.

I now always carry bivy/tarp - Pad/quilt. 2 days rations.

If I'm 2 miles in and finally find what I'm looking for. I'm not hiking out only to hike back in the am.

I'm setting up, eating, then getting to sleep as fast as possible to recover.

The weight is negligible, and saves the legs miles.

 

[Cfriend]

For elk I am basically always carrying gear for overnight. The additional weight is only about 5lb in gear and maybe 1.25 lb/day in food. Yes there is certainly additional fatigue from carrying an extra 7-10 lb all day, but in my opinion it's not nearly as bad as the fatigue of a 5 -10 mile round trip to go back to the truck and then return the next morning. Not only that but I also get much more sleep, and the freedom to be able to go where I want without thinking about having to hike back out in the dark.