What is “backcountry” to you?

[Wyobohunter]

backcountry /ˈbakkʌntri /
▸ noun (the backcountry) mainly North American sparsely inhabited rural areas:
she loves exploring the backcountry on horseback
[as modifier] backcountry skiing.

Now that that’s out of the way. What do you think of when you say or hear the term “backcountry”?

I mostly hunt what I’d consider “mid country”. To me the true backcountry is way back in where it wouldn’t be practical for me as a solo hunter to pack an elk out before it starts to spoil. The “front country” is anywhere within a mile of a road open to motorized vehicles. Mid country is in between where most road hunters will never go and most horse packers cruise right on through. By my own definition I backpack the backcountry but don’t really hunt there. 5-7 miles is about my practical limit (weather depending).

 

[ODB]

At a minimum a place I can pee freely without risk of a trail cam snapping away.

Also a place in which I will be thoroughly surprised (and disappointed) if I see another person.

 

[Cameron.25]

A designated wilderness area

 

[bsnedeker]

At a minimum a place I can pee freely without risk of a trail cam snapping away.

Also a place in which I will be thoroughly surprised (and disappointed) if I see another person.

So....the moon?

 

[Wyobohunter]

A designated wilderness area

How far in though? Most wilderness areas I’ve visited begin within 1/2 mile of the trailhead.

 

[Wyobohunter]

So....the moon?

I’ve hiked into looooots of non-lunar areas without seeing another soul. Also, do a fly in Alaska hunt sometime (if you haven’t). When that supercub disappears over the horizon you suddenly feel pretty remote.

 

[Billy Goat]

At a minimum a place I can pee freely without risk of a trail cam snapping away.

Also a place in which I will be thoroughly surprised (and disappointed) if I see another person.

Heck that's my backyard.

I'm far from an area I'd call backcountry.




But yeah, I'll encounter more people 5 miles from a road than I'll usually encounter within a half mile of the house.

 

[cnelk]

When it comes to 'Backcountry' I dont think in miles, I think in hours/terrain to get there.

Hike around a couple mountains, cross 3-4 streams, go up to timberline, hike over a pass and drop back down again.

6-7 hr hike with no trail to get there would fit my 'backcountry'

 

[Grundy53]

If it's impractical to day hunt on foot.

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[bsnedeker]

If it's impractical to day hunt on foot.

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This is my definition as well. Basically it needs to take at least half a day to get there on foot.

 

[Cameron.25]

How far in though? Most wilderness areas I’ve visited begin within 1/2 mile of the trailhead.

Good question. I guess in my mind im not into the backcountry until im too far for a day trip

 

[cnelk]

Also, do a fly in Alaska hunt sometime (if you haven’t). When that supercub disappears over the horizon you suddenly feel pretty remote.

Ain’t that the truth!

 

[Billy Goat]

Heck that's my backyard.

I'm far from an area I'd call backcountry.




But yeah, I'll encounter more people 5 miles from a road than I'll usually encounter within a half mile of the house.

Maybe the definition of back, or in the back, is no trail cameras, no people.

So I have the back 40, it's way different than back country.

 

[BlueHeeler42]

I think accessibility to the area in question is a big (and very broad) factor.

The ease of finding and rescuing a lost or injured person, as well as getting them to hospital afterwards could also probably be a benchmark.

 

[Poser]

It’s difficult to pin down, but in relation to hunting, I think that camping is necessary as day hiking in and out is impractical.

In skiing, “backcountry” refers to any unmitigated, off piste terrain where safety and decision making regarding terrain and conditions is 100% on the individual as opposed to terrain that is managed, maintained and mitigated by ski patrol at a resort. People have ducked ropes at ski resort boundaries and have died in slides within mere yards of the boundary. That’s not “backcountry” deep but it is “backcountry” dangerous. That application only applies in winter conditions, though. I like the use of “frontcountry” where appropriate, but the dude/bros in the various hunting FB groups won’t find that sexy enough for their questions about “going deep”, “OTC” and “packing in deep”

 

[KineKilla]

If I have to step off the road or dismount my ATV, I am back far enough.

Elk and Deer killed within winch cable length of a road taste just as good (if not better) than the ones shot miles from any road or trailhead.

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[SMOKYMTN]

If it's impractical to day hunt on foot.

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Best definition yet.

 

[PNW bow hunter]

I backpack hunted for elk for around 20 days total through out archery season last year in an area I’ve been going to since 2013. The amount of people I run into varies greatly from year to year. Last year I think I only saw 5 other hunters in passing on trails. I ran into zero out in the woods hunting.The people I do see each year are on a trail almost always. The amount of hunters I have run into off trail in all those years can definitely be counted on two hands.

Throughout the years I have done several weeklong elk hunting trips, and only seen or ran into 1 other group/pair of hunters.

I did a 10 day backpack hunt for spring bear I 2018 and never saw another person.

These experiences are what I would consider being in the backcountry.

 

[PNW bow hunter]

If I have to step off the road or dismount my ATV, I am back far enough.

Elk and Deer killed within winch cable length of a road taste just as good (if not better) than the ones shot miles from any road or trailhead.

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They all probably taste the same if they are eating the same stuff.

Different people enjoy different trips when they head away from home.

That is a good thing, it gives us all the room to do what we like.

Here in Oregon you would have to get into your definition of backcountry to shoot a deer or elk. It’s illegal to shoot them from your quad parked in the middle of the road!

 

[EdP]

If it's impractical to day hunt on foot.

That's it for me exactly. If I need to backpack a camp in to hunt it I call it a backcountry hunt. Why overcomplicate it with a bunch of new terms like mid-country and front-country. We already have other terms like "remote" to differentiate between locations close to civilization and those further away.

As far as "Wilderness Areas" are concerned, I walk thru one to hunt on the far side during my backcountry hunts all of 3 miles from the trailhead. Here in the east there have been way too many federally designated "Wilderness Areas" established that prevent the Forest Service from doing their intended function of managing the forest for the benefit of the general public. Game populations are suffering as a result.