Spiking out questions

[Augustus46]

For those of you that spike out:

How far away from the access roads do you try to be for your spike camp?

Do you worry about someone else coming across your spike camp while you're and away scouting/hunting and messing with it or taking things?

 

[Mad Mountain Mike]

I worry more about someone messing with my truck while I'm away from it. I've never had anyone mess with my camp.

 

[elkyinzer]

You can be as close or as far as you want to be. I'm typically at least 3 miles or I day hunt from the truck, up to 6 or 8 depending on elevation change and temperature factoring in where I can't get one out comfortably without meat spoilage. I don't like to spike out more than 3 or 4 days at a time or I start losing the motivation to hunt hard without decent meals and some clean dry clothes.

I have never had a person mess with my camp, but I did make the mistake on my first trip out west of not taking the toothpaste and deodorant out of my tent at spike camp. Bear family totally wrecked my tent to get to it. Inconsiderate sobs broke both poles and ripped two holes over a foot long.

 

[Finch]

You can be as close or as far as you want to be. I'm typically at least 3 miles or I day hunt from the truck, up to 6 or 8 depending on elevation change and temperature factoring in where I can't get one out comfortably without meat spoilage. I don't like to spike out more than 3 or 4 days at a time or I start losing the motivation to hunt hard without decent meals and some clean dry clothes.

I have never had a person mess with my camp, but I did make the mistake on my first trip out west of not taking the toothpaste and deodorant out of my tent at spike camp. Bear family totally wrecked my tent to get to it. Inconsiderate sobs broke both poles and ripped two holes over a foot long.

You might have just saved my tent! Didn't think about TP and deodorant being an attractant. So you just hang it with your food?

 

[gmajor]

You might have just saved my tent! Didn't think about TP and deodorant being an attractant. So you just hang it with your food?

I do. I'm more worried about food smells when I'm away from camp, and that includes deoderant and toothpaste.

 

[topher89]

You might have just saved my tent! Didn't think about TP and deodorant being an attractant. So you just hang it with your food?

Glad you found this out!

Last year, a black bear ripped up a tent in the Maroon Bells because there was a tube of toothpaste in it

 

[Bonedalien]

bears are worse camp threats than people for sure. I have one buddy who likes his camp visible,his theory is to signal that yes some one is up this drainage or basin already.might deter some guys.other friends try real hard to hide camp. i dont really care either way. my expensive stuff is strapped to my chest or in my hand.although sometimes,depending on area i will pack a side arm in to sleep,not hunt, with and i will stash that nearby,not in the tent

 

[jmez]

Distance isn't a huge factor. We try to camp fairly close to where the elk are located. Even if it is only a mile, you are that much closer to them, saves a lot of steps and gains you more sleep.

Don't worry about people messing with my things.

A good point was made about the bears. Anything that has an odor should not be in your tent, and for sure no food, if the bears don't come the mice will eat holes in your tent to get to it. Anything with an odor goes up the tree with the food, including chapstick.

 

[elkyinzer]

You might have just saved my tent! Didn't think about TP and deodorant being an attractant. So you just hang it with your food?

Yes I hang it all now as I learned anything scented at all can get you in trouble. I'm glad my misery was able to help someone else. Luckily it was a cheap tent and I learned my lesson before upgrading to a real backpackers tent. Unluckily my McGyvered fix did not hold up very well to the torrential rains the night after I discovered it. That was definitely a low point.