Truck Camping

[Erebor]

I like trucks myself more versatility. But a van you would be completely enclosed, and wouldn't have a camper in your bed all the time. But fir long term I would take a van. My longest stay in my truck was 2 weeks. Before I had enough.

 

[Seeknelk]

Keep in mind the nights are VERY long in January so maybe you won't mind cooking something and doing some camp chores. However ,that is certainly more pleasant in a larger shelter out of the wind at least. If you get back to the truck only a couple hours after dark, that's only like 7:30-8.
I know me and a couple of my kids were packed in last year in Nov, and we camped near our vantage points. I remember wondering why I couldn't sleep then checking the time. It was like 7:30

 

[Boarmaster]

I cook as much as is practical and freeze. That way Im not cooking that much in camp. Things like steaks I freeze as well. If I’m with my truck and coolers I don't use dehydrated meals. Produce I buy when
I get to where I am going. Frozen food serves as ice in the cooler. I pull the next few days meals out of my main food cooler and place in my smaller cooler to thaw with produce and condiments. I only open the frozen food cooler every other day if possible. I usually have a separate cooler as well for cold drinks.
This system has worked for me even before we had our fancy rotomolded coolers. Anything I can freeze that can be used later like water jugs or blocks helps on ice.

 

[EdP]

Taperpin's point about using fresh for the early part of the hunt is great advice. Frozen meat will stay frozen in a cooler with ice for several days especially in cool temps, and will keep just fine for a couple of more days just like it would in your fridge at home if you can keep it cool. After that use canned products, freeze dried meat, dried vegetables, nuts, rice, and pasta to make meals of choice. Walmart sells a number of soup mixes that make excellent backcountry meals with freeze dried meat added and 1/2 the recommended water. Also, a bad weather day may give you an opportunity for a grocery run and extend your fresh food period. The freeze dried, canned, and dried stuff isn't going to spoil if you don't use it. There is nothing wrong with the other recommendations for solar or other options to maintain refridgeration, but I would not depend on them and have food that would not spoil available as backup.

 

[Nco4]

The bottom line up front is what are some tips, tricks or hell even recipes for truck camping and staying sustained? Water storage? Cooking? Food storage?

Have a late season hunt that I plan on hunting from the truck. It’s a two week season and I really am planning on being there for around 10 days depending on if I can get it done or not. I don’t want to just buy 10 days or more of peak meals cause that can add up quickly.

I’d prefer not to head back into town and the nearest one on substance is probable an hour or so away from where I’m hunting, but it is available to a degree.

Appreciate any help.

Precooking some meals before hand that you can heat up in a pot or cup on camp stove always helped my family and me. Beef stroganoff or beef stew were our favorite and easy to make and store in the bottom of the ice chest frozen. You can find 5gal pails for cooking, cleaning and drinking. 20gals for 4 or us for 3 days was the a

The bottom line up front is what are some tips, tricks or hell even recipes for truck camping and staying sustained? Water storage? Cooking? Food storage?

Have a late season hunt that I plan on hunting from the truck. It’s a two week season and I really am planning on being there for around 10 days depending on if I can get it done or not. I don’t want to just buy 10 days or more of peak meals cause that can add up quickly.

I’d prefer not to head back into town and the nearest one on substance is probable an hour or so away from where I’m hunting, but it is available to a degree.

Appreciate any help.

 

[dtrkyman]

I have a lot of pre cooked stuff, as stated earlier it's dark early in the late season so cooking a little is usually a non issue. I use a portable propane grill.

While I am a big fan of thick steaks and pork chops I buy really thin ones, they cook really quick so I can have fresh meat! Big fan of Brat's on hunts, I actually never eat them other than truck camping, but those greasy salty things hit the spot on a hard hunt, don't forget the spicy mustard!

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I age my venison and elk 7-10 days in a cooler before freezing anyway so I wouldn't even worry about keeping stuff frozen really. If you planned carefully don't age some of your meat from the season prior and you can just age it after defrosting, probably be good thawed for a couple weeks honestly.