What temp range do you switch to a heated shelter?

[Poser]

My hunting group does a lot of backpacking in the off-season and it's very rare to see a stove in that setting but becoming almost essential gear to many of the other hunt camps around us. I think you learn things backpacking that really apply to lightweight hunt camping and it's been hard for us to adopt many of the changes (mostly additional gear) modern hunters have made common.

To be fair to the situation of hunting vs general backpacking, I too do quite a bit of backpacking, usually 25-35 nights worth across the summer with at least some of those nights out overlapping with the same general area that I elk hunt in. I go through my core elk hunting area in, say, late July, and there are backpackers galore, sometimes at a rate of encountering people on the trail every 5 minutes. However, when I go into this area in October, its very rare to see any backpackers at all. I see the occasional highly experienced climbing group who are backpacking in, but only on very moderate weather years and that's still the exception by far. Chances are, if I do see another group, they are goat hunters.

The reality is, there just aren't many backpackers camping out at 11,000 feet in October and, if they are, they typically aren't getting up at 3:30 in the morning and staying out and about until dark, returning to camp 1-2+ hours after dark. Beyond that, if they are out that time of year, they aren't staying out for 7-10+ days and even if they are, they often aren't intentionally out in wet weather, particularly for consecutive days. So, a hot tent takes on a bit of a different role for hunters vs backpackers.

By comparison, hot tents are becoming increasingly popular for backcountry skiers who like to camp in the backcountry which makes total sense: elevation, winter, cold, snow, stuff to dry out. But, I wouldn't concern myself with the standards of backpacking applying to mountain hunting in Oct and Nov anymore than I would apply the standards of ultralight backpacking weights to the weight of backpack hunting.

 

[mad_angler]

For me, it really only has to do with location. If I am truck camping, I will almost always have my heated shelter in the fall/winter. I may not start the fire each night but it is nice to have the option.

If I am backpack hunting or setting up a spike camp, I will usually just use a small, light, unheated tent. It can suck. But so can carrying a stove and looking for wood...