How to pick between basecamp or spike camp?

[mad_angler]

For learning an area, I am big fan of a basecamp. It is much more comfortable. And then each morning, you drive 0-5 miles and hunt for the day. It lets you comfortably explore a fairly large area.

But once you find a spot, how do choose between basecamp and spike camp? I heard Randy Newberg say something like "under 3 miles in, he will return to basecamp". Seems reasonable.

I have done a spike camp when I found an area about 2 miles from the road that I wanted for explore for a few days. It was nice to have a fairly comfortable camp pretty close to my hunting spots.

How do others choose?

 

[Beendare]

Randy is a nice enough guy...but not someone I would take hunt advice from. Have you watched his hunt vids?

I've done spike camps from 3 miles to 6 miles in on foot and further with horses. Leaving a bunch of scent in your hunt area or even to and from that area affects those animals. I've seen deer sniffing around my trails and I've seen bears blow up when then crossed a trail I used a few times.

Pick a spot where the wind or thermals doesn't affect the area you are hunting...and watch out for standing dead timber.

 

[D_wit22]

All depends how miserable it is. If it’s 3 miles but 2000 feet of gain you better believe I’m spike camping if I find Elk. But if it’s 5 miles flat, I might just come out every night.

 

[Poser]

Its not about mileage, its about time. 3 miles along a trail vs. 1.5 miles of off trail navigation are two different things entirely. I have a day hunting spot that's about 3 miles in via an abandoned, unmaintained trail. Takes me about 50 minutes. I have a spot where I bivy that is only 1.25 miles, it takes about 4.5 hours and you do not want to be doing the vast majority of it in the dark if you can at all avoid it.

 

[Wrench]

I'm in the under 2 hours club. Distance means much less. How far in, how far to water and what with the thermals do with my stink. Archery and rifle strategies are not the same. I don't mind being farther off with a rifle if it lets me glass good habitat.

 

[bz_711]

I backpack hunted one year...it wasn't for me. I'd consider a 1 night quick spike/hunt if it helped me be in an area late, overnight, and early the next morning to listen for bugles...but still wouldn't go much farther than normal...you still have to pack the elk out. I'm prob in the 2.5-3 mile max packout for elk...only further if it's one trip with a whole team of guys...preferably like to keep kill packouts under 2 miles.

 

[spike camp]

Can you be in your spot a half hour minimum before sunrise and stay till the very last minutes of light are left in the day…without a spike camp?

In 25 years of elk hunting, comfort has never been part of the plan.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Almost all my local areas can be easily day hunted with a little driving from a roadside camp, no need to spike out especially since you can't hardly go 2-3 miles in any direction without hitting a road or ATV trail.

 

[wytx]

We pick a base camp we can hunt from. Never spiked out, never needed to.
Walk from camp and be hunting in minutes.

 

[rogerdoger]

Some trips it’s about time and distance, others it’s just because it’s what I feel like doing. Some mornings it’s nice to slow role out of bed, have a cup a coffee, and work to your glass point, all without seeing a person.