Day hunt vs backpack hunt

[SierraStalker77]

Which do you prefer and why?
Day hunt vs backpack hunts.

 

[justinspicher]

I like daypack hunts myself, as sleeping in my own bed after eating a real meal is way better than freezing out in the woods. Truth is that I am probably just gettin lazy.

 

[Lawnboi]

I like to be prepared for both.

Lock yourself into one style and you can’t adapt. For that reason most of my gear is fairly light.

 

[SierraStalker77]

I've always camped for bout a week and just day hunted from deer camp. But gonna try backpacking in next year. Gotta have a year to get ready physically. Lol. Just purchased the exo k4 so I'll be ready.

 

[roadrunner]

Day hunts.

 

[Maidenfan539]

I like the mixture of both for western hunts. Base camp with the ability to do a spike camp if you find your target species.

 

[Geewhiz]

Depends on the situation for me. Always have to laugh when I see a "spike camp" a mile off a road. Like dude in 20 minutes you could be at your truck. But if its a few miles from my pickup and its somewhere that I want to be until dark and again right at or before daylight then I would bring the gear to stay. More inclined to stay overnight during earlier season hunts when overnight gear doesnt consist of as much extra stuff to bring.

Also to be clear, I am most always hiking in or out with all my gear during the middle of the day so I am not really hunting. As soon as I get to where I want to camp I empty my pack of all my overnight gear and leave it there. You wouldn't catch me actually hunting with a backpack stuffed full of crap like the you toobers do.

 

[TaperPin]

Day hunts are the most exciting by far - they are usually tough steep pushes to get up high to an area that looks good and working the ridge and jumping deer never gets old! The big advantage to day hunts is you’re super mobile and can pick really good areas separated by many miles. Many of the best elk areas are close enough to a road that it would make little sense to backpack only a few miles.

Having said that, backpacking is a less physically demanding form of hunting with more sleep, fewer death marches, and more looking around. Odds of actually connecting with a monster deer are usually better. Never forget seeing and killing are different thing. Backpacking into beautiful areas would be a worthwhile vacation in itself, let alone combining that with hunting.

 

[bpeay4]

I really enjoy the experience that comes with a backpack hunt and the challenge it brings but its not always the best tactic if you want to be successful l.

Elk hunting I day hunt. Solo backpack hunts aren't really feasible for me.

Deer it depends on the situation but I will do both.

Backpack bear hunts are my fav.

Unless you have really done your homework on an area I wouldnt commit to backpack hunt. It's often better to be more mobile in new areas.

 

[IDVortex]

Depends on the area. My elk hunting I won't do a backpack hunt alone, or at least yet. Bear hunting I'm wanting to do as a backpack hunt. But most places I've found it's easier to do a car camp due to being way more mobile. Deer hunting I had planned as a backpack hunt, but wasn't given the time off for that hunt.

 

[Wapato]

Both have their place and can be successful. I like backpack hunting just to get away from the majority of people.

 

[Pony Soldier]

As a horseback/hike hunter, I found as much as I enjoy a camp there is no guarentee that elk will be where you chose. By the time you find them it is difficult to properly put in a camp. The issues are time, weather and strength. When my kids left home I was having to do everything by myself. Now I dayhunt by horseback, with or without partner/partners.

It gives me the flexibility to hunt 60 miles of country and change with the migration and the weather. Success is knowledge of the country, elk patterns, weather, time in the field and just plain luck.

Besides all of that I enjoy a long ride (day after day), feeding my stock in a stall and my wifes cooking.

 

[Tick]

I prefer the comfortable wall tent, stove, and bedroll camp. The access, hunting pressure, and species I'm hunting determine the camp/hunt style.

 

[jtevanMT]

I enjoy the warmth and convenience of my home or trailer but often find myself in a backpack spike camp 4-7 miles back depending on the elk, terrain and pressure.

 

[CouesFlagAZ]

I'm normally prefer day hunts or overnights with a camp on my back. Water availability is an issue in most of the country I hunt. Hauling in substantial water gets heavy really quick.

 

[flathead#2]

Much prefer the bed in my house.
As I creep up on 60 y.o, my 10x10
Kodiak canvas tent is about as rough
as Its gonna get.

 

[displacedtexan]

My favorite is having a base camp and doing day hunts from it.

I love hunting.

But I really love camping.

 

[Mish-pop]

Day hunt. I like the more comfy bed in my vehicle. With better sleep I hunt better.

 

[Poser]

I do a lot of both. Really depends on the situation. I do not enjoy hiking 2+ hours each way in the dark for consecutive days in a row. At that point, I’m backpacking. I have some spots that I’ll get up at 3 AM to hunt for the day (doing that tomorrow) that I will spend the night at if I’m going to be out there for 2 days.

Once you start taking on an hour drive in addition to 90+ minutes of hiking, it just gets stupid for consecutive days. I like to sleep.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I like both, NGL being at a friends cabin and having a shower and hot chow is super nice!!! But also I do love waking up to bugles in the middle of the night miles from the nearest road. This phase of my life with two little kids it will be day hunts for a while, when I get more time I’ll get back to packing in