Hydration Question

[DenverCountryBoy]

Grazers need water to digest their food. No water means no elk. Head back to the truck.

I would take water as I need it and not ration.

 

[pdxmatt]

I appreciate water as well and I think you generally made the right call for your body in the situation. I always save 8-16 oz of water no matter what, but in those conditions I think you'd need to stock up at every water hole you find. If you can't find water throughout the day I'd hunt someplace else!

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Last season was ridiculous...hot, fires everywhere, dry and rivers turned to creeks. I had no idea the place I was heading into was bone dry...wasted the day going to & from. When i got back to the truck just before sundown, the console in my truck showed the temp outside as 100*.

 

[Mike7]

Being "over hydrated" the night before won't help you in the AM, 8 hrs after drinking nothing all night, unless you drink in the AM.

You will typically perform better when hydrated and also avoid heat injury, but if water is scarce, and your too stuborn to turn around and hike back, it might be foolish to have a goal of drinking enough to have clear or light colored urine most of the time.

If not just on a day hunt, there might be the opportunity to dig out a spring seep the day you arrive, camp downwind off of any game trails, and then return later at a time when the animals are unlikely to be there.

And do what the animals do during the hot day, sit in the shade and glass, while it is safer and has less effects on performance to be conserving water.