other hunts to get "feet wet" for backpacking

[Jmock97]

You could do a 3 to 5 day hunt in the Mark Twain national forest right in Missouri

 

[woods89]

As these other guys are saying, Missouri has a ton of opportunity for backpacking, especially in the southern half of the state. Northern Arkansas is the same way.

I went on my first western hunt this fall. I started backpacking three years ago locally because I wanted to get some experience for that trip. I found out that I really enjoy it on its own merit. And it was a huge help to have some experience with my gear when I went west.

The only way to get comfortable with your gear is to spend time in the woods with it!

 

[Flatgo]

Is your goal a backpack trip or a hunting trip? If your a first timer and want to go elk hunting I would personally recommend you base camp it. Until you know an area you maybe dedicating time to an area with no animals. Elk move a lot and there’s a lot of country that doesn’t have good elk numbers. It’s a lot easier to drive 10 miles down the road and hunt a different spot than hike out 5 miles move and hike in 5 miles again which will really cut into your hunting time. Also if you’ve never packed an elk out you’ll be in for a surprise if you’re solo and pack it out 7 or more miles with a camp.

If the backpack experience is what you want go for it, but I would ask if it’s the experience or hunting you want. I learned a few years ago that elk are not always way back and you can’t kill them if they’re not there.

 

[Luked]

Is your goal a backpack trip or a hunting trip? If your a first timer and want to go elk hunting I would personally recommend you base camp it. Until you know an area you maybe dedicating time to an area with no animals. Elk move a lot and there’s a lot of country that doesn’t have good elk numbers. It’s a lot easier to drive 10 miles down the road and hunt a different spot than hike out 5 miles move and hike in 5 miles again which will really cut into your hunting time. Also if you’ve never packed an elk out you’ll be in for a surprise if you’re solo and pack it out 7 or more miles with a camp.

If the backpack experience is what you want go for it, but I would ask if it’s the experience or hunting you want. I learned a few years ago that elk are not always way back and you can’t kill them if they’re not there.

What my plan is now is to take a camp from a base camp and carry in a spike camp. if I do by chance get on Elk then I am able to spike camp out a night or two. but still have a base camp to go to if needed

 

[Hackleback]

Mark Twain National Forest covers a large portion of the southern half of the state. Also, some of the MDC State game production areas are large, plus you have some larger land blocks along the Missouri River that are Big Muddy National Wildlife Refuge, plus the Middle Mississippi NWR. Adjoining states have some public land as well, S. IL and N AR.

 

[missjordan]

Nothing gets your “feet wet” for backpack hunting without going backpacking first! I’d pick a place kind of locally and get out and hike back in for multiple days. If you do that a few times in the summer you’ll be familiar with the process so when fall comes you’ll be ready for whatever hunt you choose. Not much changes between backpacking for leisure or for hunting besides taking a few extra items


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[Steelhead]

I would echo the people that are saying to just get out and backpack/camp. Use your tools, cook, washup etc, and get used to packing, unpacking, using stuff, packing up again, even if you are using a base camp. That will get you used to finding/using stuff and also will highlight what you might be missing, either in skills or equipment/tools. Keeping enough water in a base/spike camp for instance. Keep a notepad and jot down ideas/improvements.
Also, I would add get used to getting ready in quick order. Waking up in the wee hours in the dark, making grub/coffee, putting everything away and getting ready to move/hunt and how easy that is for you. Get automatic at stuff like that or at least have the drill down, it will save you time and headaches. IMO straight backpack camping can be a leisurely thing but solo backpack hunting is more time-restricted. You want to be where you need to be when the night starts to fade.
And yea, elevation and heavy loads. If not to get in shape, to at least know how bad the suck can be… FWIW.

 

[mvmnts]

Yeah dude just go on a backpacking trip. I can't even imagine trying to learn how to backpack and hunt elk at the same time. It's unfathomable. You need to be going out on overnighters or more as much as possible. See how you do when it rains for 3 days in a row, when it's too cold, when it's too hot, when there are bugs. You want to be a pro at living comfortably out of a pack in the woods before you go trying to tackle a hunting trip IMO. Obviously you can dive in on both, but you'll be much happier putting one foot before the other.

 

[Northernpiker]

I didn't have any backpack experience and went to Colorado about 7 years ago for a solo elk hunt with bow. I loved it, most the time, occasionally wondered what the heck I was doing out there. I was 55 years old and up in the Flattops. Had way to much gear but learned a lot. Pick a trip and do it.