Day hunt vs backpack hunt

[HingleMcCringleberry]

Depends. Both have their place. Really depends on the area/unit.

 

[Grassymike]

Backpacking. Love the physical challenge, sleeping outside, everything. Even packing meat. Can't wait to get in the mountains this year.

 

[ElkArcher918]

I'm prepared physically and gear wise to do both types of hunts depending on where the elk are. I do find that day hunts are more relaxed and enjoyable mentally than overnight spiking out. Overnight backpack hunting is a bit more mentally and physically intense with little creature comforts and camaraderie that can be had at a nice warm basecamp with hunting buddies. As others have said, it pays to be adaptable and capable of doing both types of hunts as elk and other game have a "mind" of their own and are often unpredictable.

 

[mooretitan]

Mostly day hunts but prefer to be in a ways and hunt from there. Rough being in bed and waking up 1:00 morning to hit the road for 2 hours and another 2 hours to hike in. Makes for a long day and tough drives but when you don’t have much time it is what it is

 

[Whaledriver]

This is Rokslide. All good hunters go 10 miles deep with 10k vertical, through blow down and oak brush. Then spike out and do a 20 mile radius.

In all seriousness, I don't do day hunts in the west. Part of the challenge in hiking in and finding a spot no one else cares to hike to. Then setting up so the day hunters push them to ya.....haha. I have killed a lot of elk by staying out in the weather. Day hunting would not have been physically possible with the snow depth.

 

[Moosehunter]

I prefer to be mobile
The country I hunt has gnarly mountains,few animals, and always a road within 6-8 miles max
Lots of decent hunting within 3 miles and a warm bed an hour away.
In all honesty I love backpack hunting. But for where I hunt it usually is not even as effective. Some of both I ges.

 

[SonnyDay]

I do both. I like being away from other hunters if we can manage it... which usually means steep hikes and deadfall.

I also just love camping out, looking at the night sky when I have to take a leak in the middle of the night, hearing various animals bugling, snorting, howling, hooting, or whatever. I also like my sleep so it's nice being close to where we're planning to hunt the next day.

But we try to confirm the animals are there before we hike in... and if we're not seeing sign after a day or two, we'll get back in the truck and try somewhere else.

 

[F21FALCON]

Well I have to use a CPAP so I have to have electricity to run it at night. Kinda sucks since I've never been on a backpack hunt.

 

[Jblodgett]

I prefer to day hunt so I can cover more area. If the animals aren’t in that area then I will drive to another spot that night. If I find what I’m looking and it benefits me to camp closer to the animals, then I load up what I need and will pack in. I hate packing in, setting up camp, only to find that the animals aren’t there.

 

[mtnbound]

I do a combination of day hunts from a base camp and will spike out for a few days then return to base camp.

 

[OKHunter84]

Last year I did one of each. I got a lot better sleep at the base camp at my truck. Packing in is a challenge and a lot of fun, but I feel like you're really committing to a certain area. Last year the pack hunt I packed in with a friend who'd never packed in and we went several miles in to a spot that had produced for me before. After a couple days he was kinda over it and we weren't seeing much, weather wasn't cooperating. By the time we packed back out we didn't have near as much time to find a better spot. I kinda decided to truck hunt this year and have my backpack gear with me considering I'm hunting a new area. I think it just depends on where you're hunting, who you're hunting with and how well you know the area. I did a few different hotel hunts with my dad several years ago and even when you're successful, the waking up extra early and driving a long ways everyday gets really old.

 

[Boarmaster]

I’m an old man and gotten soft so I like hunting out of my warm cabin and returning back there for a good nights sleep. At this stage I do what is enjoyable.

 

[Wrench]

You guys need to pick up your enthusiasm. I need you hunting 3 miles deep as bad as you need to be there.

Get in there and tear it up.

 

[Beendare]

Equal Opportunity here.

I prefer A good base camp, but sometimes I spike out if its too far to go in and out to the animals.

This year was a good example. I found a pretty good spot 6 miles in. It was too far to go in and out every day and be there at first and last light so I backpacked in 4 miles.

The problem of course is getting the elk out and it just about killed me because I had to do it quickly with the unseasonably warm weather. 2 days of misery with a heavy pack.

 

[DenimChicken]

Depends on the area. I find myself doing mostly backpack hunts and basecamp hunts cause I'm hunting areas further from home and it doesn't make sense to drive for several hours each direction everyday when I can just stay out. I also enjoy backpack hunts and getting away from more people.

 

[hunt1up]

Me and my buddies always say we're going to spike and backpack into areas and never do. We have the gear and the ability, but it generally isn't needed. I've done huge camps with big tents, grills, big cots, etc. Hauling all the stuff drives me nuts. So I aim for a paired down, comfortable base camp with the ability to spike if it's really needed.

 

[f16woody]

I prefer a mobile base camp and always have the gear to backpack in and stay overnight if that's where the animals are huntable. Best thing about day hunting is that you usually don't have as rough of a pack out once you tag your quarry.